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How Pain Can Actually Save Us

I recall being in middle school and watching a popular talk show one afternoon, I can't remember if it was Jerry Springer, Rickie Lake, or Oprah, but it was during that time frame. The show topic caught my attention when I was supposed to be doing homework. They were interviewing a young girl (around my age or younger at the time) who had a condition in which she felt no pain. Ever. Nothing. Not even the slightest sensation of physical discomfort. I was immediately jealous and curious to learn more about this condition. Over the course of the interview my jealousy transformed into a deep sense of gratitude for the fact that my body was able to experience pain.


This young girl who couldn’t feel pain had a rare genetic condition known as congenital insensitivity. She was interviewed alongside her mother and the two shared how incredibly devastating this condition was to the girl's health and to the entire family's well-being. One example they gave was a scenario of the girl playing on a playground with some friends. During a water break the mom noticed that the daughter's eye was red. As was becoming their routine, the mom excused the daughter from playtime and whisked her off to urgent care unsure if the redness was the result of harmless allergies or if it was caused by something more serious. It turned out that the girl had gotten a grain of sand in her eye and it had been rubbing back and forth across her retina while she laughed, played tag, and enjoyed time with her friends. The girl who felt no pain was completely oblivious to the irritation and threat that was occurring in her eye. Fortunately, the damage wasn't permanent, but if the mother hadn't been so vigilant, the sand could've remained in the eye and this could've led to all sorts of issues including infection and loss of vision.  

Several times each day, because their daughter had no pain signals, one of her parents would have to do a full scan of her body to visualize whether or not there was anything threatening or harmful happening on their daughter's body. This impacted the family's daily schedule and quality of life along with their daughter’s social life, self-esteem and mental health. 
 
Pain varies from mild to severe, chronic to acute. It exists across physical, emotional and spiritual dimensions. It can be at times unbearable and excruciating. While for some it is a welcomed, safe and familiar sensation as opposed to feeling nothing or a sense of emptiness. I'm not saying we need to celebrate our pain or minimize how we have been hurt or wounded, but pain is more than a state to be avoided or feared. Pain can be a messenger, an opportunity, a teacher that can motivate and compel us to action. It keeps us alert to danger and threat.  If we pay attention to it, it can actually save us.

Pay attention to your pain. Listen to what its trying to tell you. Seek proper care. The work you do of caring for your loved one is so important and good. Take care of yourself so that you can continue to care for the ones you love without losing yourself.
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