How to Overcome Difficulties? Knowing you Will

Saturday February 24th, I woke up and as I was transferring into my chair to go to the bathroom I realized could not move as I normally would. My back muscles were spasming badly. Calling my parents was my best option. Once they got to my apartment, they realized how bad the spasm was hurting me because I was having trouble being able to take a normal breath due to the pain. They immediately called the paramedics for assistance.

I was embarrassed badly because visitors were with my parents when they came over. I do not like people I do not know very well to see when my CP symptoms flare up. It makes me uncomfortable because people usually have questions that I do not want to answer. To make matters worse as far as my embarrassment went, I was crying from the pain. I do not let people who do not know me well see me cry normally. Unkind to myself in my head is an understatement at that moment. I just wanted to get myself together, but the pain was making that impossible.

Thankfully the paramedics showed up less than 10 minutes later. They helped me transfer into my chair without hurting myself further. Being in the position I was supposed to be in took the pain down several notches so that I could move and go about my morning routine. The paramedics could not have been kinder and let me know that I should not be embarrassed, and it was their job to help. While I appreciated their reassurances, I was still embarrassed badly.

Once I was ready for the day, I took half of a doctor prescribed muscle relaxer. My doctor prescribes muscle relaxers for just such an occasion because with my type of CP muscle spasms are a common symptom. If I do not have muscle relaxers on hand I have to go to the ER and get a pain shot when I have a muscle spasm. My doctor and I decided the best course of action was for me to have muscle relaxers on hand, so I did not have to go to the hospital. I always start with the half a muscle relaxer and if the pain persists will take the other half. Thankfully most of the time 1/2 makes the pain go away.

I do not share this experience with you all for you to feel sorry for me or to gain any kind of sympathy. I just want to be honest about what living with CP looks like for me sometimes. Yes, I have a positive attitude about dealing with my condition, but that does not mean that at times it is not difficult. It is. The other reason I share this experience with you all is to remind you that you can get through any difficulty that comes your way in life.