The Elephant in the Room

The Reality of Phantom Pain     It’s real! It does exist, and it can come out of nowhere and attack you when you least expect it. Phantom pain is an equal opportunity offender with no regard for who it targets. Phantom sensation is similar but constant. It’s not about the excruciating pain it inflicts, like phantom PAIN, as much as it’s the never ending, always present tingling, buzzing, and throbbing of the missing body part, (in my case, my lower left leg and foot). No matter what’s going on, how active I am or am not, or even the weather, phantom sensations are always burning in my foot. At first I didn’t think I was going to be able to take it but I can tell you two certainities: After suffering phantom PAIN, I will gladly take the sensations! I find that these sensations are a gift in that they help me to find my footing as I walk because my foot feels like it’s there at all times.   Just a reminder, all journeys are NOT the same. my pain tolerance might be higher than yours or your phantom pain might last longer and be more intense than mine, we are all different and how we handle them is also going to be different. Some people choose to medicate to help with the pain, others use mirror therapy or a neurotransmitter. Others may choose to use tap therapy, or heat/cold therapy to lessen the intensity.   I have a neurotransmitter implanted in my back, but it created more pain than it stopped so I have turned mine off, for now. I also have chosen to stay far away from medication so I know the true feelings of my pain and learn to deal with them naturally as they come. I spent too many years on drugs to help with all the surgeries and couldn’t wait to get off of them, permanently!   Like I said, everyone is different. what works for me may or may not work for you. Only you can decide how to attack these phantom issues. It’s always good to talk with other amputees to see how they are dealing with their pain and what works for them but