For the Record

I don’t know about you, but when I was little I begged for a diary, one with a lock and key in which I could pour out my heart and deepest darkest secrets. I wrote in it daily, hiding it beneath my pillow each night. Yes, hiding it, so my brothers wouldn’t peek inside seeking to find something useful to torture or bribe me with. Little did I understand they were master lock smiths at the ripe old age of 13 and 14. Okay, so maybe not lock smiths, but they were master diary lock pickers. Thank goodness I learned this at an early point before I filled the diary with my secret crush on Stanley T. Applegate. Stanley T. Applegate…(heavy sigh)…but I digress….

Since then, I have not taken much stock in diaries or tiny brass locks for that matter. There are other kinds of diaries though, such as the one I stumbled upon at a pain sight. This was a pain diary in which you could track your pain on a daily basis. I downloaded it and I will try to share the Adobe file with you. Tracking your pain may help you to better control it. I have always tried to track my pain by making mental notes along the way. Over time, I have learned what I can and cannot do. I am sure you may have noticed the same thing. By keeping a daily log, you can share it with your doctor as well and possibly adjusting your medications or changing them altogether.

There is a reason doctor’s use the term, pain management. Managing your pain and reducing your level of pain can help you live a healthier, more active life. Since I changed my medications and made attempts to be aware of what causes more pain and how I can alleviate it, I have actually become more active. Yes, I limit myself, but in a good way.  Keeping a pain diary may not be for everyone, but you never know until you try. You also cannot judge a diary by its cover. Try it for a month and see what happens. What have you got to lose….except maybe pain?

Here is the link you will need to download the pdf file:

http://partnersagainstpain.com/printouts/Daily_Pain_Diary.pdf

Don’t be afraid to try new things or to be honest with yourself. Be open to new, different or old ideas. Keeping a pain record may not be new, but it may be new to you. Call it a record if it makes you feel better about it, because let’s be honest, that’s what it is.  So grab some paper and a pencil. Yes, you will want a pencil with an eraser most likely.  Let me know how it works for you, or if it doesn’t. Good Luck and well wishes. I’m going to go look for my old diary. Maybe I’ll look for Stanley T. Applegate too. (LoL)