Conquer a life-changing injury with these tips

My life changed dramatically in 2018 when I injured my lower back at work. I was picking up trash for our local municipality when the injury occurred. I was put on bed rest, muscle relaxers, and pain medications to bring the swelling down. When there was no improvement after 2 weeks I started physical therapy to try to repair the damage. After a month of physical therapy that had no improvement, I was sent for an MRI where they determined that I had torn two discs in my lower back. The bulging of the discs was pinching my sciatic nerve and the fluids were leaking into my spinal cord creating inflammation.

Every aspect of my life changed from that moment forward. I started working with a Neurosurgeon to determine if surgery was needed or find alternative methods to heal and manage the pain. Due to my age and how the discs were herniated, we decided not to do surgery due to the risks of surgery. We tried more physical therapy and cortisone shots but got no improvement. I was prescribed nerve pain medication to help manage my pain. This gave me the ability to move more so I could work on my core strength to help support my spine.

This kind of life-changing event takes a toll emotionally and mentally.

You can feel helpless, sad, angry, frustrated, and a burden. Through these feelings, you may want to isolate yourself and shut out your loved ones. You may also feel like your life is over. It is not over it is different. Depression can develop in some people.

How to turn things around

1. Change your perspective

Embrace the change. As hard as that may sound change can bring new adventures to your life. Look on the bright side. Things could always be worse than what you are going through right now. Stop comparing yourself to others. Just because you may not be able to do certain things the same way as others, does not mean you won’t be able to do them at all.

2. Set clear realistic goals

The severity of your injury will determine these realistic goals. I was unable to sit, stand or walk for more than 30 minutes when I was first injured. My first goal was to embrace the change and learn new ways of completing tasks. I felt like such a burden asking my family to get me things or help me with something. This came from doing all the household tasks and raising the kids at home for years. I was so used to doing It a certain way I had difficulty asking for help to complete the tasks. Resulting in cutting myself down or being very depressed. Once I set a goal to accept help and learn new ways of completing tasks things changed for the better.

3. Focus on what you CAN control

You can not magically heal yourself. You CAN control the way you see things, how you cope, and whether you change your lifestyle. Since I could not lift anything more than a gallon of milk I had to take someone with me for groceries. I later switched to grocery pick or delivery once those services were offered in my area. When it came to the laundry I could not carry the baskets of laundry. My family members would bring me the baskets of laundry for me to fold so they could put them away. As the kids got older they started doing their laundry. These are just 2 examples of learning a different way of completing tasks.

4. Keep moving

Some days it can be very hard to do this. The severity of your injury can be a huge factor in this as well. As stated I was unable to sit or stand for more than 30 minutes without pain kicking in. I was not able to do certain yoga moves or higher-intensity workouts at all. “A body at rest will stay at rest, a body in motion will stay in motion” Ever hear that saying? It is true. When you do not move you have a really hard time moving. Find new ways of moving your body so you do not lose muscle or abilities.

5. Do not isolate

As a person that withdraws from people in times of stress, this one was hard for me. I felt like such a burden to everyone that I refused to go anywhere because I didn’t want to ruin their fun by having pain and having to leave or take breaks. When you isolate yourself people tend to stop trying to hang out with you because they just assume you will always say NO.

6. Talk about your feelings

Talking your feelings out with a loved one or a professional can help you develop healthy coping skills. Those skills will help you build self-esteem, reduce anxiety and depression, and improve communication with friends and family. You do not have to deal with this all by yourself.

7. Accept help & support

When you feel like a burden it can be difficult to accept help and support. Know that your loved ones do not find you a burden. They love you and want to help you in any way they can. Letting others help you builds connections and trust. It also builds new aspects of your relationships.

8. Visualize a healthy you

Visualization can be a great help in healing your mind and body. Visualization helps you achieve goals by conditioning your brain to see, hear, and feel success. Scientific research has linked visualization to the improved immune system, athletic performance, memory, and relaxes the body. The visualization of you reaching your goals can boost your confidence and encourage you to push yourself (safely) to reach said goal.

Other ways I help manage my chronic pain

Turmeric- helps fight inflammation.

Mediterranean diet – helps fight inflammation.

Yoga – stress management, helps build core strength and improve flexibility.

Stretching – improves flexibility, increases blood flow, and decreases the risk of further injuries.

CBD – reduces inflammation, stress, and pain management.

Massage therapy - reduces stress, pain, and muscle tension. (my favorite)

This process can take time. Stick with it. It took me 1 year to get back to work in an office setting instead of the front lines and 2 years to learn all the new ways of running a household, daily life, working out, and socializing. You can recover from this. Your lifestyle may be different than before the injury, but you can have an amazing life after an injury. You are not alone, not a burden, and worthy. Life after an injury can be scary at times but with the proper help, it can be extremely fulfilling.

~ Tina