Dealing with Pain: A Personal Journey

By Peter Moore

This book is about one mans personal journey in dealing with pain over different periods of his life. It is a personal journey that deals with living with chronic pain and the effects that it has on ones life. The aim of the book is to provide readers who are suffering in such a state with a story that will hopefully resonate with them. For readers who do not live in such a condition, it may provide some insights into the lives of others who do and support for the partners of people who suffer chronic, long-term pain.

The book introduces some different aspects of dealing with pain, such as What is pain? and The silence of pain. It also deals with the process of procuring medical assistance in dealing with pain. Let it be an inspiration to those who are suffering in such a condition.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Sep 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503509566

Peter Moore

Peter Moore is an English writer, historian and lecturer. He is the author of Endeavour (2018) and The Weather Experiment (2015), which were both Sunday Times bestsellers in the United Kingdom. The Weather Experiment was also chosen as one of the New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2015. He teaches at the University of Oxford, has lectured internationally on eighteenth century history, and hosts a history podcast called Travels Through Time.

Book preview

Prologue

It is with great pleasure, after Peter asked me to write the prologue for his book that I reflected on the courage and determination of a gentle man, who has experienced so much in the journey of his own life. Peter was born one of four children in Western Australia and has resided there all of his life. This book is more than a story, rather it is a rare glimpse into human suffering and the courage that he has found to enable him to continue and survive physical pain and achieve at a high level in his professional life, in spite of the debilitating effect pain has had on his emotional and psychological wellbeing, at times. Peter has also been successful in his personal life with his partner, Tina. Their love and commitment to each other has been a source of strength to them both in the tough times they have faced. Interestingly, it is only when people like Peter decide to share their stories that others can gain insight into how these courageous people experience the silence of pain. He takes us through decades full of interesting stories about an extraordinary life for an ordinary man and offers readers an insight into how one man copes with the noise of continuous pain. Peter has a capacity for human emotion and attachment that is a joy to share in, from the first page, to the last. He commenced the writing of this book to highlight to others the many faces of pain and the impact that it can have on those who endure it. These influences can have both positive and negative impacts on the person experiencing the pain and also for those around them and Peter has written an open and honest account of the influence it had, and continues to have, in shaping and informing his life. I have no doubt that others who experience pain will find themselves in the thoughts and feelings expressed by Peter and not feel so alone.

Debra Roberts

CEO & Director of Serenity on South Pty Ltd

Forward

Why do people write books? I think this is a good question to put at the front of a book. Why am I writing this book?….well, a change of life has brought this about. I pushed on year after year with the pain in my back worsening, until December 2014 when the pain became so unbearable that I had to start taking the pain killers that the doctors prescribed and that my wife had been saying for so long that I should be taking. The narcotic analgesics did reduce the pain. Yes, not completely but enough for me to not be climbing the walls with pain. However, the side effects of the foggy head and blurred speech meant that I could no longer do my work as a risk management consultant. I have had surgery on my back and have wires in my spinal canal connected to nerves and a stimulator device implanted in my body connected to the wires. The aim of this is to disturb the pain signals before they reach my brain. This has worked in part, but insufficiently to give me a good quality of life. Having my own consulting business and being self employed and reliant on my health to earn an income meant that this setback was considerable with immediate and ongoing consequences.

Pain means different things to different people. For some, pain means a short term period of discomfort with relief being realised after medication or a procedure to correct some abnormality. But for others who suffer chronic, long term pain the experience is entirely different. For people who suffer from a birth defect or acquire a disease through life such as cancer, the experience of pain is completely different. It is the relentless grinding down of one’s spirit and general capabilities to deal with the ordinary things in life, such as grocery shopping or refuelling the motor car. Such mundane activities become arduous chores with a degree of difficulty beyond the comprehension of those fortunate folk who do not suffer chronic long term pain. Trying to work or run a business in such a state is simply not possible.

My journey is unique, as it is for all those who suffer chronic long term pain. However, I believe my experiences will be similar