Day 1 Jeremy

Last September (10 months ago) I developed significant pain above my kneecap. I rested the pain, stopping my usual training and despite the changes it remained. I tried physical therapy, anti-inflammatories, stretching, massage, compression, braces, ice, heat, walking up stairs with one leg, and hours a day of internet research on my condition. After 12 sessions of physical therapy, the pain started to heal.

Immediately following the loss of pain and an unfortunate anxiety attack, my leg went into spasm and I developed sciatica. I had sciatica pain the year before for about 5 weeks and it went away. I used the same approach but this time it remained. In fact, it spread to the other side. I went to chiropractors which provided some help but not much. An MRI showed I had 2 slipped disc (L4-5). The pain got worse. My Dr. recommended I do core strengthening exercises. After getting my max plank hold to 4 minutes, I knew that it was not a problem with my core strength.

I had heard about Dr Sarno from Howard stern for years but thought nothing of it because I had never had chronic back pain, although I had this issues in other parts of my body. I read Healing Back Pain on a Saturday afternoon. My pain dropped significantly and I began doing air squats in my living room, something I hadn't come in about 8 months. After reading the Mind Body Prescription, I returned to my regular workouts a few days later.

Everything was going well until I started getting knee and hip pain. Instead identifying it as TMS, I thought about the structural issues, the hip pain got worse to the point where I had to stop running, something that I was really enjoying. Then shortly after that, the sciatica pain came back. After starting reading the books again, the hip pain has dropped. My sciatica has returned although not as bad as before.

I fully accept that my mind is creating physical pain to distract me from the mental pain (stress, anger, sadness) that I don't want to deal with. While I was dealing with my knee pain, I remember being surprised at how little a family illness was bothering me. It wasn't having an impact because I was entirely preoccupied with the pain in my body, which prevent my from dealing with the sadness and hurt in my life. Dealing with pain is easy; take a pill, rest, hot bath. Dealing with a loved one's sickness is something that I can't figure out.