Allow me to offer some perspective. As I type this, my left shoulder and neck are at about a 6 out of 10 on the pain scale. How do I rate this? I've had 10 out of 10 pain and that's where you are basically curled up in a fetal position wishing to pass out and many times you do. So a 6 out of 10 makes it difficult to concentrate and pain meds make it just barely tolerable.
Last week was a very stressful week. I lost my stepmother to COPD and cancer, I had my 6 month poke, scope and prod last Tuesday and then had to travel 5 hours to go to the funeral. Hotel rooms, gas and food cost me monies I needed for bills so add that stress to the mix.
So. Why am I not freaking out? Well. My appointment went well. No cancer. I discussed the pain I've been having in my neck and shoulder and it's a result of treatment. How do I alleviate it? Exercise, therapy etc. It's not sinister. Does it suck? HELL YES but it's not sinister. I don't even have a passing thought that it is. My doctors did not miss anything. So, pain meds, heat and massage are the ways to deal with it.
My body is still in stress mode from everything. I know this. How? That's the way stress works on our physiology. I feel better mentally from everything but the coals of stress are still burning and will for a little while longer.
So there you go. Some perspective from a non-HA sufferer. That being said, I do stress out. I do still deal with some "scanxiety" come check up time and I still get discouraged having to deal with the plethora of physical side effects. BUT... I keep have one thing that trumps it all. A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. There are SO many things in life we cannot control but there's one thing no one or nothing can take away from us and that's the power and freedom of choice when it comes to our attitude and how we react to things. It takes work but damn if it's not worth it.
Positive thoughts