I would like to share with you all a place to go to help deal with your daily pain. I have a support group called SAS " Share A Smile"
It is my belief that laughter is a healer. If it be for a moment, a day or forever.
I am an old hat at dealing with pain. Mental and physical.
The mental pain is sometimes just as hard to deal with as the physical pain I now deal with on a daily basis.
When Ron & I got married we didn't know that "FOR BETTER OR WORSE" would come and bite us on the ankles. Ron once said to me that he didn't mind the love , honor and obey part but were was he when they said the empty the bed pan part.
We were only married 6 years, we had our daughter and one son by then, when we had the car accident that changed our lived forever. A drunk driver took our lives as we knew it away from us in a flash of a second.
I went from a hairdresser, model. makeup artist to being bedridden. I was that way for 6 months until I had unsuccessful surgery on my back. A year later I was operated on again, unsuccessfully. When I was able to get up & walk again it was like starting all over again.
Ron became mother, father, housekeeper and nursemaid as well as working full time.
We lost so much of our lives and possessions. All because of a drunk driver .
I am now 64 years old and have chronic pain everyday since. I also have been in 7 car accidents each one making me worse. None by the way being my fault.
I've had four mylograms, lots and lots of injections, therapy of all kinds, I've attended many pain clinics, had hypno-therapy, acupuncture, herb & natural remedy therapy, many, many hospital stays, pills, pills and more pills, still I have fibro, arthritis, stomach problems, shoulder pain, leg pain, chronic back pain, angina, hiatus hernia, high blood pressure, thyroid cancer and several other tumors and on and on. Including unavoidable weight gain. I certainly know what depression, pain and wanting to give up is all about. We also have three children but had five pregnancies. It took me a long time after being so active and normal to get used to the fact I was not the same person any more. I believe though that what is taken from you is given back another way and it is up to you to know how and when to use it. I always wrote poetry but now I do a lot more, I use my pain to find the feelings I needed, to do that.
I truly believe that without the world of laughter, I may not have made it through as well as I have. Many Drs have told me they are surprised that I am still walking. I pride myself on not letting those who don't know me see that I'm in pain.
Ron also has had his share. At he age of 35 he had his first triple heart bi pass and has two other triples since. He is better than he has ever been. Thanks to the Good Lord.
One day I was watching Oprah on the tv and there was a lady on that was from Arizona. She was complaining that when it rained she had pain and wanted to commit suicide, I was here all by myself and out loud said "give me a break!!!!" I'll show you pain!! I live in Canada!" I'm sure anyone walking by would have thought I was a nut talking to myself.
I do get comments, about me having pain so long I should be used to it by now. lol yeh that happens. Learn to live with it maybe.
A while back when my surgeon told me about the thyroid cancer he asked me how I was able to laugh as much as I did having so much wrong. My answer was how could I not. Life is much too short to spend it moaning and complaining. Furthermore who wants to be around someone who always complains. I am not interested in broadcasting I am in pain and my friends & family already know.
After that meeting with my Dr. I decided to start a support group called SAS "Share a Smile" a place for those with pain to come and laugh for awhile. A good belly laugh. I have wonderful comments on how much this has helped so many others. I know this is not a cure all but if for just a moment you can forget the pain how wonderful! RIGHT?
I made an arrangement with the funeral home in town to ask the families of their loved ones gone to donate flowers to our group. We in turn take them apart and hand out individual flowers to those in nursing homes. All we ask in return is a SMILE lol. Let me tell you we get many of them. It is a great feeling to be able to share like that.
One of the main rules of SAS is that while we are at our meeting we DO NOT dwell on our problems we are there for support and not for complaining.
I struggle with my weight now due to meds and I sometimes wonder what my life would be like if this accident never happened. But because of it all I think I have become a better person, more understanding and loving.
I believe that laughter is the best therapy and that with this form of therapy we can each control our own dosage.
I do not go into this blinded. I know about pain, suffering, debilitation and being discriminated against because of it.
Two very potent chemicals in our bodies, serotonins which make us happy and endorphins that are natural pain killers are released through laughter. I try to release these as often as possible (giggle). It is nice to know there is something other than pain meds from a bottle.
Laughter should not be reserved as a pain killer as I believe it should be something we do each and every day just for the heck of it. Wouldn't it be nice if we all found more to laugh about or even someone to laugh with.
Maybe we could all do our share in making just that thing happen.
Come tickle your funny bone and read my joke page. See you there.
We share stories, jokes, embarrassing moments, poems and friendship.
"Share A Smile"
Listen ! Can you hear it?
The laughter that eases pain.
Feel it! swirl around you,
The warmth of caring once again.
Reach out! and we will guide you
Into our special world of fun,
Share it, for it's contagious,
It can be had by everyone.
Find it! but do not keep it,
Pass it on to all you know,
What is it? It's "Share A Smile"
Plant the seed and watch it grow.
Chris Hannon
Some of our wonderful members on line and in person are Louise, Doreen, Paul, Linda, Jo Ann, Karen, Katie, Joan, Connie, Bill, Mike, Darlene, Ann, Jemma, all oh whom have to deal with chronic pain everyday.
if you have something to share you can send it to
We would like to hear from you.
