Pain Management & Depression

   Hello to all,  My  name  is Nikki Meysenburg  and this is my story.                     I was asked to write my thoughts and  feelings about the devastating     illness called cancer and the depression that follows. Yes cancer, now     while  I don’t  have  first – hand  knowledge of  this  illness.  I do  have experience being in unrelenting pain 24/7/365  for the past 12+ years.

I have battled pain,  depression,  suicidal thoughts,  becoming a medication zombie  psychological-side-effects-of-anti-depressants-worse-than-thought-23193 and a host        of  other  things…. due to the many medical conditions…. I have been diagnosed with.           I have decided to include some background.

I have been diagnosed  with  the following:  Fibromyalgia,  Chronic  Pain  Syndrome, Sciatica,  trochanteric bursitis,  spinal stenosis,  degenerative disc disease,  and I have herniated and bulging discs in my cervical spine,  my thoracic spine, my lumbar spine   and even in the sacral area. So  believe  me  when  I  say, “I do understand about what      pain does to you.”

I  have  had  the  following  procedures  done  to  me:   Spinal  fusion  in  C3,  C4  &  C5,        and had radio frequency neuropathy.  Which is burning of the nerves in the facets in the lumbar region. I have been injected with radio-active isotopes for bone scans, to scan my gall bladder  which  has been removed.  I have been subjected to CT Scans,  Myleograms, MRI’s, epidural steroid injections, trigger point therapy, physical therapy, water physical therapy, have been injected with cortisone, acupuncture, you name it I have had it done.

The medications that were prescribed to me are as follows: oxy-Codone, LorTab, Flexeril, Neurontin, Gabitril, and Ambien. In addition to all the ones I had to take, I can no longer  remember that ones that had to be taken daily.  The dosages were at almost,  if not at the maximum dosage allowable by law.

I have thought  about what cancer  is  for a long time  as I have family,  friends  and even   co-workers who have had to deal with this horrible disease  and I have been privy to some of their pain.  I find that people all react differently to this diagnosis,  some take it straight on. While others slowly work their way through it, with faith and then unfortunately those  who are not able to overcome the diagnosis because it came too late. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iksA-DD3990

The instant that word crosses  your doctor’s lips your world changes.  I am not going to    get technical, because you have been bombarded already by “medical information”,  nor am I  going to say,  “my way  is the only way  because we all have to find  what helps us.”    As there are so many different people there are also so many different ways to overcome pain,  depression,  illness… et cetera.

What  I do know  is  that  we  must  be there for each other,  helping  celebrate the good,     allow  the tears to flow when things go wrong and just be supportive of each other. I have listened  and also  researched,   http://www.hightimes.com/read/biologist-explains-how-thc-kills-cancer-cells tried new ideas out and have found three things that have helped me overcome all of the medical issues I deal with daily.  These are not  “new”  ideas,  but ones that have always been there, we just forgot where to look. So here are the three things that I have found helped me physically,  emotionally,  spiritually,  and mentally.

The first thing is to find something  that makes your heart  and soul sing. Whether it is    painting,  reading,  gardening,  cooking,  sewing,  dancing,  singing,  fishing,  swimming,  or just walking in the woods. Whatever it is that… makes you smile, then do it, when you can.  On days the pain  and nausea is overwhelming then meditate,  laugh,  rest  and give your body time to heal.

Take what is destructive  and turn it into  something constructive.  Feed  your creative energy. I know it is not always easy to do, please believe me, but even on “bad” days you can listen to music or read. Learn a new language, help out someone who needs it, listen  to an elderly person, not only will it make them smile it will make you smile as well. The power of the mind is amazing and it will help you to heal, if You Allow it too. Remember also do what makes You happy and makes your heart fill with happiness.

The next step of course your diet. http://www.beliefnet.com/Wellness/Galleries/Food-Kinetically-Engineered-to-Stir-the-Soul.aspx#tjSsIyVLEtRKTqLu.01  It’s  the  old adage “You are what you eat”  holds true,  especially  in today’s food markets.  So with all of the things wrong with me, I have found that by changing my eating habits and eating organic foods this has allowed me to get off the medications.  Please understand that I am in pain every day but now I manage it, not the pills.

While its the chemicals,  pesticides, GMO’s, artificial sweeteners that are all being found toxic to your health; even fluoride is coming under closer scrutiny.  In order to be healthy you must eat healthy.  Good, clean, organic foods must be the fuel you use to stay healthy. http://www.psypost.org/2014/02/psychological-side-effects-of-anti-depressants-worse-than-thought-23193  There  are  many  instances  when  people  who have stopped eating commercially grown food and gone back to organics have had less pain issues. Your body can heal itself but not if you keep putting toxins back into it.

There  are  cannoids,  cannabis,  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iksA-DD3990  turmeric,  blueberries,  Omega 3’s,  vitamins,  detoxification  kits,  juicing…. et cetera.      You can find what works for you.  Do not be afraid  to try something new  that actually might help. As we are all different the cures are just as different. Talk it over with your medical provider. Ask questions and if you do not like their answer ask another doctor.      It is about turning this horrible diagnosis into something that is not a death sentence.

This last step:  I try to do every single day.  This is to laugh often, when you are ready.  Once again the old adage “Laughter is the best medicine” holds true. When you laugh a chemical reaction  goes through your body,  your immune system gets stimulated,  and    as we know this is what fights off the, (as I tell my grandchildren) the “bad germies” or germs.  It  brings  a glow to you,  even helps send out endorphins  which helps fight off   the  “pain”.

We  are  an amazing species,  we have the capacity  for unimaginable feats of greatness,     and one of them is our ability to heal.  I hope this helps, and please I am in no way trying  to be little Susie Sunshine.  As I cannot imagine in my wildest dreams  what all of you are going through.  I just know after 12 years of unrelenting pain, surgeries, embarrassments, these procedures…. have helped me more…. than any of the medications they gave to me. http://www.oprah.com/How-to-Relieve-Chronic-Pain-Naturally-Natural-Painkillers.

  Thanks  Nikki….  For Being A Member 0f  The Soul Tribe….  You  Inspire  Me  Daily  🙂 

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