Coping With Health Problems

Dealing with health problems is something we all have to do at various stages of our lives. Each illness, condition, or accident will present us with a different set of challenges, and how we respond to those challenges may influence the effectiveness of treatment, and thereby our health in the future.

When it comes to diagnosis and recommended treatments, it is your doctor who should be responsible for direction. Timely consultation with your doctor can be critical with any health problem, and it is their recommendations that you should consider as the primary care.

That is not to say, though, that there is nothing you can do to help yourself and your doctor. Each case, each illness is different, but the more positive your attitude towards beating the health problem, the more likely you are to assist the doctor in bringing you back to good health.

My own experiences of extreme back pain while my vertebrae fused together in my early twenties, and while my hip joints were eroded to the point I could no longer walk, will always be with me and stand me in good stead for the future. That is not to say it was easy to get through those years with crippling pain; but get through them I did.

I think there are several things that contributed, in my case, to getting through those difficult times. The important ones were:

1. I never for one moment thought I would not get through the difficulties. I was convinced I would walk again and the pain would be gone. I always imagined myself back to normal.

2. While the pain was often excruciating, I tried to maintain a happy disposition. It is very difficult, but is worthwhile, not just for yourself, but your loved ones and the medical staff trying to help you.

3. The pull towards self pity can be strong in the bleakest moment. Those are the times to force yourself to be positive, to visualise yourself back to good health.

4. Try to continue to be active and do the things you really enjoy. The more occupied your brain, the less time you have to think about the pain and other problems.

5. Be determined, and fight the illness so it knows you're fighting it.

In my case, I was fortunate enough that by 1977 hip replacements were becoming common. Up until 1976, though, I knew nothing about such operations, I just had faith that my pain and disability would not be permanent. Looking back, that was very important to my psychological state, and explains why I was so excited the night before the operation, when everyone else was saying things like "aren't you scared?', and "you're brave." I was nothing of the sort. It was just a natural evolution to me; I would go to sleep and wake up with the pain gone. That's not bravery; that's nothing to be afraid of.

I did wake up without pain, despite being sawn through, on both thigh bones, by a hack saw, and having artificial joints hammered into place. By then I had the mental strength to say no to painkillers just a few hours after the operation. Not that the staff listened; they laughed and thought I must be joking, and lunged the giant syringe into my right buttock anyway. But it was true, I needed no artificial painkiller.

Mostly at that time it was just much older people who had received such operations. Doctors were reluctant to use hip replacements for young people. I was 27 at the time, and was only too glad to have the operation. I also persuaded my surgeon to do both joints at the same time, something he had never done before.

As I recovered from the operation, I tried to apply the same determination to getting back on my feet and learning to walk again. Little did I know, for the first few days, that I was being observed by a 77 year old gentleman in a nearby bed. He too was in for a hip replacement.

A couple of days after his operation, that patient was out of his bed and came across to me, with a bit of help.

"I've been watching you," he said. "I am going to be like you and be walking quickly. You inspired me." He was bright as a button, his eyes shining with life and determination.

By the time I left the hospital 2 weeks after the operation, that gentleman was looking on top of the world, and keeping up with me in progress. Some people never get on with a hip replacement because they are mentally not tuned to improving and walking normally again. But this particular 77 year old was not going to be like that.

So, one final piece of advice from my own experience: be young at heart, relish life, and be happy.

Practical Positive Thinking Part 2 - Coping With Pain and Disability

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