Day ?

Hi there,

I've posted in this forum just once before. I believe it was Day 3. I was highly skeptical -- especially of the Structured Educational Program, not so much Sarno's theories. But I kept with the journaling and the exercises, even though they were uncomfortable and felt silly at times. I didn't even have to finish the program. By day 20, I was completely "healed." This wiki finished up what Sarno's "Healing Back Pain" started, and I am so grateful.

This was over a year ago. And yes, my back pain with feet tingling/leg/hip pain comes back sometimes. But when it does, I always ask myself, "What's bothering me right now?" and focus on reassuring myself that there's nothing wrong with my body. That I'll figure out the thing that's making me upset. That it's temporary. If I need to, I'll start rereading "Healing Back Pain" or the pages of my journal, but I usually don't get very far before the symptoms clear up completely.

Before Sarno and this wiki, I was a wreck. Underweight because I was depressed (b/c of the pain), unable to exercise, unable to go to work some days, scared to have sex with my husband, crying all the time, couldn't walk very far... all completely under the belief that my herniated disc was causing all this pain. I had epidurals three times. I was going to physical therapy three times a week. I was even paying tons of money to go to a yoga teacher that specializes in spinal problems (she was awesome, though, and gave me great positions to get into when I was in pain). I'd had 2 doctors tell me it may be time to start considering surgery. I'd let what the doctors told me about my pain completely change my life. I was afraid that I could never go to the gym again, never be able to pick up my future kids. When I thought about living the rest of my life with this pain, I considered suicide.

But I'm a new woman. I'm back in the gym every day. (I'll never forget the first time I deadlifted after feeling better -- I cried I was so happy and relieved.) I kickbox. I run. I hike. I play sports. NOTHING HOLDS ME BACK. Even when my back hurts. Ok, I may sometimes take a day off if it hurts, but ignoring the pain and going to the gym is the best remedy for me. Working out = happiness. For ppl with TMS, happiness = no pain.

When I think about how I overcame this crippling pain and diagnosis of herniated disc, I get so proud of myself. BECAUSE IT'S HARD, PEOPLE! Believing this guy you've never met and this weird wiki over doctors that you know and trust is such a HUGE leap of faith. And the work you have to do on yourself -- the journaling, the deep thought, the mindfulness and working on how you react to stressors -- is time-consuming, exhausting and difficult! But it's so worth it.

So anyone who is going through this and struggling, keep at it. Just believe. Get back into being active. throw away your back supports. Stop telling people your back hurts. You're just reinforcing the TMS. But most of all, know that there's a community of people on here that have successfully beaten their pain. And are willing to talk to you, be your sounding board, hear about your pain...

I believe in this SO MUCH that I'm willing to talk to any one of you. Email me! I'm there for you.
mcschrack@gmail.com

Much love.
Tiny

 

Awesome. I love the energy and exuberance of your post. Thank you.

 

Healing in a nutshell

@Tiny, bless you for this wonderfully cheerful post and for your kind gesture to those struggling in our community. Thanks for coming back and sharing your goodness.

Plum x

 

This says it all, Tiny. Awesome post.

I really like that you posted this in the SEP subforum (and your initial reaction to the SEP), but I sure would love to see it on the Success Stories subforum - that's where many people go (and where we often recommend that new members go) specifically to look for inspiration, which means it will continue to be read a long time from now. Would you mind if I redirected it there?

~Jan
(forum moderator)