My Brain Surgery Didn’t Work. Now What?

Now What?

3 months since brain surgery…

~ Hole cut in my skull

~ 5 arteries moved

~ Teflon inserted

~ Titanium plate inserted

~ 17 days later trigeminal nerve pain returned

~ 42 days later all nerve pain returned

            AND more…

~ Failure

            AND I’m also recovering from brain surgery

SAD     ANGRY      SCARED      REGRET

Around 3 months out, I began to move into acceptance. I know chronic pain. I know neuralgia. I know how to live with this. I have the tools I need. I can take the steps again that will ultimately help me to thrive.

Simple Things Help

I thought of easy things I could do that would change my thoughts from sadness, anger, fear and regret to ease, acceptance and contentment.

• A date with my husband
• Hanging out with my kids
• Cooking a meal
• Being with a friend
• Connecting with my family
• Stretching and gentle exercise
• Purging old papers
• Peeling an orange and enjoying each section
• Hypnosis
• Reiki
• Trying a new craft
• Cleaning a closet
• Being grateful
• Writing
• Watching the hummingbirds
• Imagining possibilities
• Mindfulness
• Allowing my emotions
• Drinking good coffee
• Laughing
• Watching Bob’s Burgers
• Listening to funny podcasts
• Understanding healing takes time
• Acceptance
• Taking long shower
• Cleaning a drawer
• Writing letters
• Laughing again and again and again

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Have you had a procedure or a surgery done to heal what causes your chronic pain and it didn’t work?

Are you lost in sadness and anger?

Now comes the hard part to get you to climb up and out of this place. Take small actions to change your thoughts. Trust that it requires daily focus to distract you from feelings of sadness and pain. Notice how as you move to healthy thinking again you begin to thrive.

Get professional help if you are stuck. Everyone needs assistance when they are having difficulties with huge disappointments.

May this list help you as you ascend from this place of loss, unhappiness and regret.

Hugs!

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Gail Sinclair, MHt, CNC is a hypnotherapist who helps those living with chronic pain go from discomfort to thriving by using hypnosis, pain management tools and resources.

She is a Master Hypnotherapist, Nutritional Consultant, and a Reiki Master Teacher. She has over 20 years in healing work and is an international award-winning speaker.

Gail lives in Portland, OR with her delightful husband, son, and cat. She can be found cooking, knitting, writing, and figuring out new ways to thrive with Trigeminal, and Occipital Neuralgia.

You can reach her at gailthriveswithchronicpain@gmail.com.