Finding Joy Beyond Pain – Ruth’s Story

I was diagnosed with spina bifida at birth and was lucky enough to be operated on by a wonderful surgeon. He explained to my father that he was going to operate and there was a chance that I would walk but he couldn’t guarantee it, so I do consider myself extremely lucky.

I led a relatively normal life until the age of 14, when I was studying for exams and completing school work I started to get severe back pain. If you can imagine that position that you’re sitting in at a desk sort of hunched over working, that was causing the pain. Until that time life was relatively normal, all of my family would have acknowledged that I lived life with restrictions. There were always some things that I couldn’t do; like an extra long walk that everybody else could do or carry things like everybody else could.

From Early Challenges to Chronic Pain Management 

Making decisions and finding support.

Medication has been a part of life since the age of 14, however, in more recent years I try use all of the skills that I have learnt on Chronic Pain Ireland workshops before I resort to medication. As a consequence of the location of the spina bifida, I have always had gynaecological issues and digestive issues. At 43 I had a hysterectomy and at 48 I stopped working. Life had become a cycle of working and trying to recuperate at weekends sufficiently that would allow me to get back to work on Monday. Eventually, it became a quality-of-life issue and the decision was ultimately made for me. 

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when I became aware of Chronic Pain Ireland, they seem to have been in my life for such a long time that I don’t know when I joined. I was prompted to become a member because I was looking for information, looking for alternatives and looking for people who understood what I was going through. I am still looking for people who understand what I’m going through.

 I try to attend as many Chronic Pain Ireland events as possible. I’ve just come off the monthly coffee morning call which is a very informal chat where any topic can be discussed, any question can be asked and there is comfort in knowing that you’re around people that understand you. In addition to this the monthly pain workshops are invaluable; it doesn’t matter how long you’ve had pain or your experiences with it or how many times you’ve done a workshop on the same topic they are invaluable. There is always at least one new nugget of information in every workshop. The workshops in particular have helped me change my mindset towards pain. This change doesn’t take away your pain but helps you learn different ways living life with it. 

Chronic Pain Ireland is a community of people who are like minded and who understand each other. It’s a community of people who are also looking to know worked for you, advice on how to navigate the health system. It’s a place to share experience without judgement .

 If I were to say one thing to somebody who was newly diagnosed or struggling with chronic pain it would be to join Chronic Pain Ireland there are so many resources available. I would also say to be open-minded, be open to listening to what has worked for other people and be accepting of their help.

 “I don’t let pain dictate my life”. 

 Life now is good, I’m happier now than I have been for a long time. If you had said to me while I was working that I wouldn’t be working at this stage of my life and I wouldn’t be spending outrageous amounts of money on leather handbags (which bring me huge joy) I would have told you there was no way that I could live without work and without a salary. Now I have so much else in life that brings me joy. I don’t let pain dictate my life,  I have learned to ride the wave and adapt life around that pain. I’ve also learned pacing which is so incredibly difficult but so worth it.

 “My hopes and goals for the future would be to advocate for people with pain and hope that their journey is easier than the journey that so many of us have had to take”.