Reading through the various posts, my own included, it struck me that perhaps some words about the nature of pain and what to do about it would be helpful. And if you're gonna read this, read to the end, cuz I'm not just ruminating. There are some practical applications of pain principles.

So let's start with the obvious: pain sucks. We don't want pain (most of us) and we'd rather not be in pain.

2. Pain is necessary. In spite of #1, we recognize the role of pain to the body's well being. It is an intruder alert, or general quarters claxon. Pain signals something's wrong and we need to give it attention.

3. Pain is personal. My pain necessarily occupies my attention. I can give you attention when my pain is managed, but even then, I tend to think my pain is greater than you're pain. It goes like this: I know your knee hurts, but man, you should feel my Cluster Headaches.

4. Pain is infinite in its variety of expression. No bout with pain, CHs included, are the same twice in a row. The only similarities are principles 1-3.

5. And perhaps most importantly, pain is transformative. It will change us, either for the better or for the worse. Unremitting pain is destructive to our well being in so many ways. Managed pain can produce in us the will to persevere. It goes either way depending on how we deal with pain.

Applications: #5 is why we're here, on this site. We want to share our experiences with personal and unmanaged pain in order to find some remedy, and to share with others it is possible to live and persevere with pain.

Without this, we feel alone and adrift. This only intensfies the destructive nature of unrelenting pain. Writing, sharing, and exchanging ideas about what works and doesn't work, all help to improve our sense of being somewhat in control, or at least, managing.

Until the day we find a cure, may God bless us all. lance

Kumbaya.

eta: And I mean that in the most sincere way, as in, "Bless this place where we all know what special kind of hell our brothers and sisters are going through."

Good words indeed.
I always make the joke of saying I like pain because it feels so good when it stops.
I personally will never forget how low I felt the day I finally found CH.COM and how over a couple hours of reading and not being able to pull myself away from my computer how my mood and my spirit was uplifted when I found I was not alone, it truly felt as if a large hand reached into a very dark place and pulled me from it. God bless you DJ for what you have created and the people you have helped and especially those whose lives you have saved and I am sure there are a few that would not have survived there pain without this site and you people for support. Well done my friend, well done.