CW: Pain
I’ve been experiencing more pain than usual lately. This morning, my spasticity was intense. This also contributes to poor sleep. For me, not getting enough sleep leads to difficulty concentrating and sadness. Chronic pain didn’t affect me until I was a teenager. As a child, I was able to move around easily. I don’t recall pain being as bad.
Puberty was when pain began to bother me. The growing pains I experienced were intense. My hips began to bother me during my senior year of high school as well. Sitting in my wheelchair was difficult for me. An overuse injury caused the pain. Adjustments to my wheelchair helped relieve the discomfort in my hips.
After graduating from high school, my pain intensified. I wondered why I was in pain so much. The two-year gap between receiving PT services contributed to this. My legs were tight, and my muscles ached. I went from biweekly PT sessions to none for two years.
Pain affects my mental health as well. When I am in pain, I often don’t want to shower or get out of bed. It also exacerbates the symptoms of my depression. I often wonder how pain will impact me in social situations and the workplace. My friends know that if I am in pain, I won’t want to go out. Working from home would help me be able to manage my chronic pain more easily than in an office. However, reasonable accommodations are rarely granted.
Many people with disabilities experience pain every single day. It isn’t easy to live life in a disabled body. Please be patient with us. We are doing the best we can.