After my hip replacements, I felt blessed to be out of chronic pain. But gratitude and paralysis were the twins that visited me. How could I feel so happy to have a new painfree life but feel so incapable of knowing how to move and trust it? My pain had done some real harm. It had been an unwelcome tenant for too long. My surgeon thought I was crazy when I asked him the name of support groups for those who had been in chronic pain and were now pain free. I knew what I needed. There was more work to be done in my mind, body and spirit to be to reclaim myself.
A few years ago I discovered this great book FEARLESS CHANGE by Judy Saalinger of Lasting Recovery. When I saw that she recognized that Pain and Chronic Illness required the same recovery work as other addictions, my heart sang. She understands pain as an addiction. I invite you to check out her blog. She has audio chapters from FEARLESS CHANGE there.
Mary Byrne Eigel 