Explore/ Examine How I learned to live with a painful disability

                     How I Learned to live life with a painful Disability

                                                       Explore/Examine.

       Most people who don't know me on a personal level are unaware of the debilitating pain I am faced with daily. I was midway through my work day (staging and inspecting furniture) when I had to run an extension cord underneath a sleeper sofa, this was part of my usual routine so I didn't  think twice when I lifted the sofa and twisted to reach for the cord, it was then that I realized something didn't feel right. I reported the incident but continued to work with my injury for several more weeks due to fear of losing the income that I needed to support my 3 children. Little did I know, these actions would lead to what is now a very permanent and painful disability. After several years of spinal injections, physical therapy, chiropractic care, laser therapy, massage therapy, (basically every form of treatment that did not involve taking drugs) I came to the decision along with several orthopedic surgeons, that surgery was my best option. Upon making this decision I was informed that L&I would require me to attend a very extensive pain rehabilitation program before they would allow me to move forward with the surgery. In my opinion this seemed to be yet another way for them to avoid taking the necessary steps for my recovery.  If they had just done this in the beginning I would have been well on the road to my recovery and saved them a lot of money on ineffective treatments. Needless to say, I had spent a lot of time preparing myself for this surgery including quitting smoking after 20 plus years so I was not happy about this little adventure they were about to send me on.
     It was the beginning of December when I got the call ( Your rehabilitation program will start on December 11th and you will need to stay here for the duration) Not only did I hate the big city, but I felt they had no regard to the fact that they were making me leave my family over the holidays, my dog whom I felt played a big part in helping me manage my depression, and the comfort of my own home. (How dare they)! When I first arrived in Seattle I was angry and had already formed an attitude that the program  they were requiring me to attend was going to be no more effective than the other treatments I had received prior. The apartment that I was to stay in was cold and drab, impersonal and there were people camped out on the side of the road with their sleeping bags, leaving me with little comfort, as I was by myself. I missed my family immediately, I just wanted to give up and go home. Little did I know. that attitude was about to change.
      Jumping forward for a bit. On my last day I had to meet with each of the program leads so they could assess my progress and report back to L&I.What a difference from their first assessments of me. Dr. Forseit my psychologist ( Heather seems to be depressed she feels she has let everyone down, and has an unhealthy amount of guilt ). The last day Dr. Forseit (Heather has played a key roll in helping and encouraging others in their recovery, she has been an inspiration and a model patient. She will be missed.