This is my story.

My name is Catherine, and my pain story starts 12 years ago. I was at work, and I slammed my hand between the armrest of a chair and a space-saver keyboard. At age 27, my life changed forever. If you had talked with me back then, I would have told you my life was over. I now know that it wasn’t; it was simply different, and in order to survive and conquer my problem, I needed to adapt.

I was diagnosed with RSD at UCSF, 9 months post injury. I had a great hand surgeon, who referred me to a pain doctor, who in turn gave me 9 pain blocks, which took away nearly all of my pain. However, I needed surgery to fix the rest of the problem.

Summer 1990

The pain doctor gave the OK for the surgery. When the hand surgeon came to my pre-op the morning of the surgery, he asked me if I had a problem with the anesthesiologist giving me a pain block after the surgery. He knew the pain doctor had given her OK for the surgery, but it still made my hand surgeon nervous. Three days post surgery, my pain was worse than ever, and my hand was bulging out of the soft cast.

Over the next 6 months, the pain spread throughout my entire body. My hand surgeon sent me to a new pain specialist, and he has helped me get control of the pain.

 

Winter 1994

It has been a long road full of ups and downs: thus, I can honestly tell you that I have ‘been there, done that.’ When it comes to treatments and the devastating effects of chronic pain upon yourself, family and friends, I do truly understand. I have survived everything from numerous surgeries, pain blocks, infections, medications, as well as the accompanying physical and emotional challenges.

Today

The pain in my life has opened my eyes to so many different things and people that I truly no longer look at it as a derailment from what I thought my life was supposed to be, but rather as a new direction destined just for me. I have learned so much about my strength and courage. I am not really sure I would have known my own potential had I not had to live through, and master these challenges.

I now hope to help others realize their potential and encourage them to get through the pain in their life. If I can do it, then so can you! I look forward to sharing more of my story: How I Survived “Pain in My Life.”