Access Press first introduced
Julian Coffman back in October 2006 [Painfully Closed] as he waited
to attend the Courage Center’s
pain clinic. Since then, he has graduated from the pain clinic
and finds himself coping with his pain differently.
Imagine experiencing horrible
pain every day for years. Not fun. That’s what Julian Coffman
faces head on—his
pain interferes with sleeping, eating, daily activities and even
holding a pencil. Coffman suffers from Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
Syndrome (RSDS), an extremely painful neurological condition.
To handle a really bad
day, Coffman, a recent grad of the Courage Center pain clinic program,
consults his pain clinic notebook and reviews the coping strategies. “I find myself learning about breathing
techniques and meditation,” relates Coffman.
Coffman attends a class
called Exploring Elements of Art at Courage Center. The class helps
him express emotions about his pain. Coffman’s
latest drawing illustrates his topsy turvey last four years. Drawing
takes him longer now because of his pain. Before his injury a picture
might take him ten minutes, and now he needs six hours. Each pencil
stroke feels like sticking his hand in a bucket full of fire. He’s
learning to “concentrate on what I’m doing and not the
pain.”
Coffman enjoys attending
the Courage support group. He finds the group inviting: “They are very nice people.” He
appreciates the open discussions about how to cope with daily disability
challenges. He also swims in the Courage therapeutic pool five
to six days each week, which he finds beneficial and enjoyable.
When asked what inspires him, Coffman describes an article he read
recently from the RSDS Association Web site (see below). The article
tells the story of a 13-year-old girl with RSDS who experienced a new
treatment in Germany: the doctors put her in a medically induced coma
for seven days. When she awoke her pain was gone. Coffman wants some
of that action, so he plans to ask his doctor how to get this experimental
treatment. He hopes to wake up with no pain and a new beard.
Coffman knows firsthand
that reducing pain is possible: “Try
teaching yourself to go on 30 second vacations from your pain—crossword
puzzles, watching an old movie, gardening, conversation with a friend.
Then try expanding to two minutes, then ten times a day for two minutes.” ![]()
FFI: RSDS article: www.rsds.org/
