Pain teaches you how to live and thrive in new ways. Sometimes ways you never thought possible. 

The occasional pain from a headache, stomach ache or back pain is the process of your brain telling you something is not right.

"I need something - please take notice."

Occasional pain may be relieved by drinking more water, not eating white bread or asking for help when moving heavy items.

Sometimes pain can be more severe and long-lasting, poking you to take action and find out why there is pain.

Pain can be brutal, debilitating and disabling.

There are chronic disorders out there that can bring on the pain that drops you to your knees. Pain that is so hard to explain unless you have the condition and can feel the same pain.

That was my experience growing up, living with Sickle Cell Disease.

It was emotionally hard and physically unbearable during a crisis. Living half a life in hospital, waiting for pain to subside.

Being poked with needles to get the needed meds into my bloodstream was a harsh reality. It took so much strength to find a way of getting through each day and each episode.

I now survive with consequential pain.

Due to the destructive nature of Sickle Cell Disease, it can leave problems in the organs of the body and major joints of the skeleton. There are many other risk factors it brings. With each stage of life, this condition demands a new understanding and a new way of surviving.

I know a thing or two about pain and what you can do to overcome it.

From the natural holistic ways of living, all the way through to 'only morphine injected into your buttock will allow you to breathe again' type of pain.

Fast Forwarding through the dark days of one successful hip replacement and one failed hip replacement.

I found my turning point in life. I chose LIFE.

Doing the very best I can, every single day to keep living and smiling. Looking after my family, running a business helping others with their health and always trying new things that will help me thrive with life.

I choose to live with the pain and achieve more in my life. I am not a quitter and will push my way to old age; until I can’t. 

Conventional medicine always will have a time and place.

Recently I had to be treated for a blot clot in my leg. I cannot give thanks enough to the NHS emergency care system, and the orderly processes from start to finish.

The downside to our conventional medical system, is that there is never time to look at real root cause, there is no time to allow patients space to absorb information or how they should continue from that point forward in their health.

We must take control of our health care after conventional treatments have been followed.

Luckily for me I have a lot of personal medical knowledge and good communication with my medical team of haematologists who take my care to another level.

I could not help but feel sad for those who may not ask the curious questions I do, as they hold the full trust in the medics before them and nothing further is needed.

For anyone who reads this…. I have one request for you to remember, whenever a medical issue arises always ask WHY.

Then consider how can it be avoided or improved when the conventional treatment provided is complete.

It is time to look at your health care in a holistic way.

Ask the questions, delve deeper, and find support that suits your needs so you can find your power to improve your health for a better future not dependant on the pill popping quick fixes we are too easily prescribed.