Spinal Trap Goals

1. To motivate and educate the tens of millions of chronic pain people worldwide, and those who also suffer from depression, anxiety and insomnia(regardless of if pain induced) to regain their best quality of life as I have by sharing my numerous efforts which have resulted in my getting back 2 good despite the severe and progressively degrading nature of my spinal cord, multiple disc and other damage.

2.  To remove the fear and intimidation from MRI's, Cervical Myelogram with CT Scans, and X-rays so that chronic spinal pain patients can  make informed decisions regarding procedures and care that meet their best interests. 

After all, how can a person choose

the best procedure for their long term recovery, if they don't even understand what is wrong with them?

3.  To encourage everyone too afraid to ask questions of their doctors/pharmacists, that it is smart and necessary to speak up and learn, because YOU are the most important part of your healthcare team! 

Spinal Trap is pleased to help bridge the gap of unnecessary frustrations that stem from miscommunication both on the part of patients and healthcare professionals alike by providing 10 tips for both parties.

If all parties follow my expert tips, I guarantee that an enormous increase in both the efficiency of care and mutual respect, will be enjoyed by all.  (That is healthy for everyone!)Please look under the "Western Medicine" tab for these tips. 

4.  To reduce and prevent disabling injuries by sharing the all consuming realities and challenges of living with chronic pain and its never ending limitations, so that people pushing their luck, wise up before they know from reality, not just reading, what it is like; or worse, make someone else who wasn't acting irresponsible, know what it is like.

5.  To encourage and evoke healing by offering hope, help, and humor, whether tactful or impactful, on every  topic related to chronic pain and its litany of life altering byproducts, so that every reader challenged by its topics, leaves Spinal Trap feeling supported in knowing that you are not alone; and as importantly, motivated and educated to get yourself and/or others, back 2 good!  

6.  To educate able bodied people on the endless challenges of those living with chronic pain so that they become helpful, to those who are disabled and/or others in need of extra help, like many elderly.

Millions of disabled and/or elderly people can't keep up with things that are simple to able bodied folk, like grocery shopping, cooking, laundry, and house cleaning, let alone, house repairs and other life saving needs such as changing smoke alarm batteries and outdoor lights.  (Well lit entry ways are less likely to be broken into.)

Many of these people have pets who need to be walked, bathed, played with, taken to the vet's, etc...

Millions of able bodied people

are unemployed and bored. 

Being chronically unemployed

is as unhealthy as chronic pain. 

It may not have been your choice

to be unemployed;

but please don't let it be your choice

to sit around and do nothing. 

Get up and help others;

you will enjoy

a sense of accomplishment again! 

Please, use your spare time and talents to be a blessing to those in need.  It can be something as simple as collecting the mail and newspaper to opening windows to allow fresh air in their home! 

If you are in good health, you very likely have no idea how impossible windows are to push up and down for people with severe neck and/or shoulder damage or arthritic hands.

If you're a good cook, make them meals.  A great baker?  Take them cookies.  If you're a gardener, take them some of what you grow! 

Or simply visit with them; let them talk and truly listen. And please, for the love of all things holy, don't take your problems to them!  They need uplifted, not to become a trapped audience...

What is simple

to able bodied people

is a huge blessing

to those who aren't.

Thus, getting the able,

to help the unable,

is a perfect match

that benefits both!

7. To help people realize that if your definition of disabled involves someone using a cane, a walker, or a wheelchair, then you need to learn that disability comes in many forms; judging someone as not, when they are, is an insult that reveals more about your challenges, than theirs.

Please read the Dear Abby letter on my "Judging (Wrongly) What You Can't See" page under "Healing with grace (blog)" tab.

As importantly, Spinal Trap is to help people realize that being in chronic pain and/or disabled is not the same thing as being sick.  The flu, colds, strep, etc...are what people have when sick; chronic pain is a condition, not a sickness.

I am speaking of chronic pain from a true physical condition/injury. There are of course those who suffer physical pains that are manifested purely by mental and emotional illness and/or imbalances. 

Which is why, anyone who truly wants to live their best quality of life, needs to get healthy, balanced and in peace, on a mind, body, and spirit level.

The mind, body and spirit are inextricably linked; deficits in one area, for long enough, will cause issues to all three.

8.  To open the minds of every professional in every health and wellness field, currently anti-anything but Western medicine, to the undeniable efficacy and safety of herbs like Turmeric & Bromelain to manage pain naturally and Holy Basil to reduce and/or eliminate depression and/or anxiety, naturally. 

To get those who currently don't, to promote and recommend safe, healthy alternatives to medication such as meditation and music for pain management, anxiety, insomnia and anger issues.  (Please visit my Niall Music page and enjoy unlimited use of free samples of guided meditation with music!)

Mostly, to get these individuals to be open minded

to things of which they know not;

because what matters most

isn't what you believe,

it is what your patients, clients, and customers KNOW that works for them,

that truly matters most because their pain

 is about them, not you.

I am humbled and blessed to be living proof of the vast efficacy of the power of prayer, herbs and music meditation for every single one of these afflictions.  In other words to you non-believers in these invaluable modalities, I am your empirical evidence; along with millions of others who also enjoy their best quality of life from them.

People simply can't live their best quality of life and health when on multiple mind and mood altering, memory ruining, prescription drugs; I know, I was one of them for over 5 years.  I dubbed this terrible state "a roller coaster ride from hell" because that is what it was like to me.  There is actually a medical term for it, it is called "emotional lability". 

9.  To get chronic pain people out of their pain cocoons* and victim mentalities so that they may live their best lives.  So many say they hate their pain/lives, but make no true and/or consistent efforts to beat it because they've lost hope thanks to the negativity that is chronic pain, which is often compounded by depression and anxiety, all of which is then compounded exponentially by pain pills and other related Rx's.  (Remember that "roller coaster ride from hell"?  It's not even a slight exaggeration.)

It is an understandable but vicious, soul depleting, self-defeating cycle that devours any and all hope in the human mind, body and spirit; which sadly, then results in more physical pain.

*Those who need to read this statement the most, (and aren't in denial or delusional) will know exactly what I mean by pain cocoon.  If you don't, in simple terms, it means that someone becomes so victimized by their situation, that as much as they hate it, they unconsciously wrap themselves up in it to the exclusion of all things healthy. 

They are easily recognizable because of two behaviors.  They expend far more energy on making excuses about why something proven to be helpful to others, won't work for them, then what they would expend on actually trying and seeing what happens. 

Or worse, when you ask them to try something that you know, at the absolute least, won't harm them, they won't try it and don't even know why.  I do, it's called a pain cocoon.

It is no longer about something that happened to them, but rather, they become what happened to them.  The first step to shedding it, is to recognize it, and then, do the work; it's worth it! 

It is just as important to realize that pain cocoons are not limited to humans who live with physical injuries and chronic pain.  I know many able bodied people deeply entrenched in their own pain cocoons from many other types of life pain.  

10. To help people realize that true healing comes only from God, by doing the work of turning to Him to get through the tests in life that we don't like, want or understand. 

I hope that my numerous health victories inspire others to seek Him so that He may help them too, find healing and peace. (You don't think I thought of all of this on my own do you?)

I have more peace now despite living with chronic pain, and all that it still entails, than I ever did when physically healthy, thin and happy. 

 

What does that tell you about Him

and what He can do for you,

if you let Him? 

God Luck! 

(And that's NOT a typo!)  



Be Grateful, Be Well!

Grace Kelly,

Creator/Author of Spinal Trap: Back 2 Good

Certified Holistic Life Coach & Motivational Speaker

Certified Professional Life Coach

Certified Reiki Master

Certificate in Mediation Training