by Lori Leitzel Rice, LMT, CST-D 

      My feet don’t bend in the morning. They burn as they hit the floor. I can’t do stairs first thing. I’m groggy, the night’s sleep was less than satisfying. Lying on my right side caused my hand to throb and the rest of my arm to go numb. If I turn over, my neck spasms.

     Something hurts every day, to varying degrees. I refer to it affectionately as “The Roving Pain Gnome” (TRPG). TRPG might decide to chew on a knee, or both, or a hip, neck, the lining of my lungs, an elbow, the second knuckle of my right pinkie. Pain comes in all colors and flavors, sharp, dull, stabbing, burning or stinging. Treatment options offer a smorgasbord of experimentation: Elavil, Plaquenil, Prednisone, NSAIDs, opioids, Lyrica, muscle relaxants, Cannabis, whisky, far-infrared heat, meditation, massage, chiropractic, CranioSacral Therapy, acupuncture, yoga, swimming, herbal remedies, supplements, fasting, dietary changes, homeopathy, psychotherapy and rest.