I will be Challenging Pain - to what I don't know!

dreamdaisy

I went for a blood test on Thursday afternoon and on my way out through rheumatology I spotted a small notice, at the bottom of the board, partly obscured by another, larger notice. The smaller one said 'ing Pain' - well, I just had to look, didn't I? It said Challenging Pain, and went on to state that a two-week course, courtesy of AC, would be beginning in Felixstowe on 6.6.11. I noted the phone number, sat and looked at it on Friday morning and thought 'Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained' so I rang and left a message. At 2.30pm a very nice lady rang me and said that yes, I could go! Woo-hoo!

I am looking forward to this. I don't know what I will discover but after years of this dross I hope to be able to learn some new tips and strategies to help me manage. I have two sessions, this coming Monday and the one following. I am pleased, excited and happy. DD

suzygirl

Thats really great Daisy. I hope it goes well and I am sure you will be able to help others. I look forward to hearing all about it!!!

stickywicket

Round 1

DD marches off determined, if a little apprehensive, wondering how she will challenge her enemy. In her hand she carries a single glove with which to lay down the challenge in the time-honoured fashion by whacking her foe in the chops, prior to dropping the glove and then applying a well-aimed crutch while he is picking it up.

Round 2

In the blue corner (Because he has very few friends and they’re all masochists anyway) struts Pain, dressed in a leopard skin leotard, Doc Martens and an ill-fitting toupee, with a large, cheap medallion dangling over his equally-toupeed chest. His weapons of choice are the invisibility cloak he nicked from Harry Potter and utter ruthlessness.

In the red corner, the formidable DD, clad in righteousness and seconded by a rowdy army of AC supporters from the LWA, CC, WM and several other battalions. DD has an array of weapons, not all of which have proved effective in the past but her real strengths lie in an open mind and a willingness to adapt.

Round 3

I think decency demands that we draw Pain’s invisibility cloak around this one. He never stood a chance. Let’s just say DD won by a streak of dogged persistence, an inherent optimism, a crutch in the crotch and six belly laughs. With a triumphant cry of “The drinks are on me” she was last seen heading for the local hostelry, closely followed by the entire AC membership. Riot police were placed on red alert.

Compositor

Go for it DD, I hope it goeswell for you, you should get something from as will others from you. Good luck. John x

constable

That does sound interesting DD. Let us know how it goes wont you.

Karen xx

hileena111

They are excellent courses. There is a 6 week one and the 2 week one is a bit of the 6 week one.
Challenging arthritis is 6 weeks, challenging pain is the pain bit of the 6 weeks......does that make sense :P
You are bound to learn something no matter how long you have had it. Even the instructors learn new things each time. Its other peoples input that you will find interesting I think and of course you can put your ideas forward as well.
Enjoy and let us know how it goes
Love
hileena

madwestie

DD great news lets hope you can give a real big kick up the (well i will let you choose).

Seriously though anything you can pick up no matter how small will be worthwhile.

I look forward to hearing your progress

Tracey

P.s Sticky that did really make me laugh

barbara12

Hi DD
And good for you, it will be very interesting to see what they have you doing, there is nothing to lose, so good luck with it and let us know how it goes.

dreamdaisy

Oh good grief, sticky! You have expelled yourself (as my ex MIL used to say). I loved the reply but please, please may I switch corners? Pain should be red ( a sharp, spiky colour, suited to his type) and I would very much like to be blue ('cos it's my favourite colour and it's calming and it's tranquil, much like me! )

I cannot believe how pleased and excited I am about this, thank you everyone for your encouragement. DD

tillytop

Oh I am so pleased about this DD! And very excited for you too!!!

We'll all be cheering you on from beside the ring. "FIGHT!FIGHT!FIGHT!" and I'll bring the cheerleading squad "give me a D, give me an R, give me an E ..." etc etc.

Will be thinking of you on Monday - please do report back and let us know how it goes.

Lots love Tilly xxx

ichabod6

The ac challenging pain course is v good.
From your posts you strike me as a (inter alia)
resourceful and determined lady and if you give
this your best shots you will get a lot from it.
As in life the more you put into these self management
programmes the more you will get from them.
Please tell me how you get on.
I am scheduled to co-deliver a course in the north west
probably at Preston at the end of July

psyart

Hi DD ~ do they do this in other areas??

goos luck ~ like the others Im pleased for you and hope with all my soul and heart that it works for you ~ even a small change would be better than nothing :?:

good luck again my lovely ~ cotton wool hugs for you

keep us posted

louise xx

dreamdaisy

I have lost my joie de vivre, and in some style. I am not challenging pain, it is challenging me, and with some gusto. Blasted disease. :sad:

Thank you everyone for your responses and encouragement, I will let you all know, in due course, how I get on tomorrow. DD

Poppyg1rl

Good for you DD, if anyone can give pain a kick up the backside it's you Pain may be challenging you today but come tomorrow's course you will be armed and dangerous
Seriously DD, I'm positive you will get a lot from the course and in turn you will do what you always do and help others on the AC forums with your new found knowledge.
Sending love and hugs xxx

jillyb1

I think you're very brave to do this , DD , I've never had the gumption to go to anything like it . I'm really looking forward to hearing what you make of the course ; you never know , you might have given some of us the courage to look out for similar courses in our areas . Loved Sticky's analogy and , yes , can see you in the blue corner getting ready to defeat your foe ! Hope it all goes well . Jillyb

stickywicket

dreamdaisy wrote:

Oh good grief, sticky! You have expelled yourself (as my ex MIL used to say).

DD I'm so sorry! Pass me the mop & bucket right now. Please, I insist.

Blue corner? Of course you can have the blue corner. This is your challenge after all. You write the script. Pain will have the spikey, angry red corner or the floral corner or the plaid corner - your choice. I seem to remember Wakefield Rugby League once had their visitors' dressing room painted in pink in order to encourage their feminine side. (It was never obvious that this had worked.)

hileena111

Hi DD ~ do they do this in other areas??

I'm not DD but I'll answer......they do it in any area that they can get the funding and the people that want to do it.....A lot depends on whether they can get the funding.
I trained, got my CRB etc and then when it came to going on a 2 day course I had a really bad flare and couldnt go so I'm waiting until the next training session and I'll go and hopefully be qualified to deliver them in the North East.
Go to the front page of A.Care ....scroll down and on the side it mentions courses. Click on them.....there are 3 I think.....and see if there is one in your area...if not it should give you an address to write to and put your name down for the nearest one to you when it comes along and then they will let you know.
Do you go to any of the branches of A Care? I know my branch have a list of whats happening where.
Love
Hileena

julie47

Hi DD

Just want to wish you luck with your meeting tomorrow. I am sure there is a lot to learn from these meetings and I am sure they will learn alot from you too,

Got your pencil, pad and glasses ready to take notes? We would love to hear all about it. (when you have recovered)

Take care
juliepf x

dreamdaisy

Oh the pain is biting, and biting hard. Bloody typical - I am able to take part in summat that might help so what do my two kinds of this phacking stuff do? Go into overdrive. Inglourious Basterds or what? (Thank you, Quenten, for that one, I owe you! ) I WILL get there, somehow, because I have to. DD

tillytop

Hey DD

So sorry you are struggling. Reckon your pain knows you are going to be challenging it so thinks it can get the upper hand (knee, ankle, etc) by getting in thre first!

Really hope you do make it tomorrow. Will be thinking of you loads.

Love Tilly xxx

ichabod6

The challenging pain course is not part of the challenging
arthritis course.
The challenging arthritis course is a six week course and is
open only to those of us with arthritis in any of its many forms.
The challenging pain course is a two week course but it is
generic. It is open to any one with pain from long term health
condition or indeed any source. In no way is it restricted to
people with arthritis.
Both courses are self management course which is more and
more being recognised as a very efficient and economic way
of dealing with health condtions, acute as well as chronic.

skezier

Hi DD

Well done cus there is bound to be some things that will help you. (loved Sticky's ideas about the fight thing)

I went on challenge combined with the other one and it did help cus it reminded me of things and also helped with some new things I didn't know about.

Really hope you get a good one and it really helps. ((((( ))))) and a cuppa with milk xx

Hi Louise,

They do them here.... they are run by the Devon group cus we don't have one and they combined the challenge pain with the other one.

6 weeks worth held in the collage over the road from T.

Got a phone number somewhere but they contacted me as I had asked for details should there be any.

Will try and find the number or the address but they do do them. got a really good book as well ((((( ))))) Cris xxx

tjt6768

Morning mi dear. I'm do glad that you managed to get on this course truly hope that you can gain something positive from it..

I have a vision in my mind of you all sat waiting with bated breath for your 'instructor/tutor' to enter the room....
Who will it be, some arthritic old crone with the sense of humour of Victor Meldrew? A young dashing fellow with degrees in pilates, yoga, carrot juice making & the karma sutra... Maybe a frail old gal who walks across the room with the pace of a disabled snail..

No....

In walks David Brent ala 'The Office', who, after failing to secure a job in the USA has returned home to find his old office now run by remote control via India....
After being told that he may at some stage develop arthritis in his knees and elbows due to ' that dance' is now bullish & arrogant enough to believe he can teach our DD about pain....

The whole room lets out a disappointing sigh, with a high population of ladies the pilates instructor with the washboard stomach was high on the wish list.....

Mr Brent stands there at the front, awkwardly silent for a moment as he gazes upon the faces of the unhappy bunch..
Little Ethel at the back whispers to DD, "Is he that chubby dancer from take that?"

Mr Brent clears his throat, ahem.....

Ugh u ugh a u ugh errr..... Cue silly dance.... And clicking joints..

julie47

DD hope the biting has eased and that you manage the journey to the clinic.
Take care
Thinking of you
Juiepf x

dreamdaisy

The biting continues, with some nausea thrown in for good measure as it is so acute. :roll: I am going to go though, this filth will not win today (but I may well have to cancel my work for this afternoon, so perhaps it will win on that front). Arthritis knows, doesn't it? It knows when something interesting or exciting or just plain fun is on one's horizon and it rears up and has a go simply because it can. Je suis malhereux. DD

stickywicket

No half measures with you is there, my little cauliflower? When you do pain, you do it big time.

However, I'm sure you'll get there today and, long term, if you've to skip the afternoon class(es?) it won't matter as you'll soon be knocking that pain on the head.

Go for it.