A step forward?

Today, I had a phone consultation with the director of the local(ish) pain clinic.

It was a half hour phone call, and he asked me a lot of questions, and I asked him a lot of questions, and it seems like they think they can help me.

I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully, they can, and I can get some new ideas about how to manage this pain, and live better with it, because, sadly, it's never going to go away. Just going to vary in intensity.

I need to see their doctor also, and find out if there are recommendations for specialist referrals etc, as I believe the neurosurgeon I have been referred to is retiring at the end of this year. Could be interesting, BUT, I'm looking at this as a step forward, and as a good thing.

Related to this also, the director said he was pleased I was trying to do things to help myself, and commended me on doing swimming lessons so I could start swimming as well. Need to keep up with my physio exercises, my swimming, my treadmill walking, and my short outside walks as well, and they will talk more to me about this sort of thing when I see them in person. They have a doctor, a physio, an occupational therapist, and a psychologist who work for them, and they work together to try and get a positive outcome for their clients.

Work is also helping me by asking head office if my restricted duties, which I have been on for nearly 12 months now, can be made permanent so I can keep working with them but without the expectation of being able to do my full duties. I do wish I could though, because I feel pretty useless sometimes, but, as Mum keeps telling me, at least I am going, and still doing things. It's better than nothing.