And then

So, there’s this guy I know. Most days I think I know him fairly well. He’s operating on about 1 1/2 lungs due to nerve damage from his AVM. Gets bronchitis quite regularly. About 6 years ago, had a big bruise where he coughed so hard he broke a rib.

Prior to throat surgery, this guy was doing a lot of coughing. Reinjures it but not by a lot.

And then, today, he coughed so hard that it re damages where it has happened before. And this time, the pain was way higher.

So, if you know that guy and want to tell him a funny story or some wisdom or cures for broken ribs, share them here and I’ll make sure he sees them.

TJ

sure…don’t move,talk or breathe for a few weeks and all is good…geez…I will quit whining about my twisted ankle… :slight_smile:

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I appreciate it, Mike. But you know what, I don’t like it when people say, “I’ll stop complaining, I don’t have it so bad.”

You can draw encouragement from talking with people who have what appears to be a tougher story than yours, but that does not diminish what you’re going through. Every single one of us has a reason we are here. But you can’t invalidate your feelings and your struggles just because of someone else.

Instead, look at it and say, I get to hang around people who are survivors and who fight this crap every day. It doesn’t matter whether the crap I’m wading in is knee high or up to my arm pits. I belong here. I will draw inspiration and strength from hanging out with other survivors. I will not allow their story to invalidate mine - at least in the only place you can control - your own head.

*hands mic back to Mike" and resumes eating breakfast.

TJ

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I appreciate it but I’ve had broken ribs before and that’s not an enjoyable experience; my twisted ankle because I can’t see down and I stepped off a ledge hurts a lot less than what you’re going through… I know that from experience.
And you’re right though, varying degrees were all in this together sharing our experiences and that’s what helps me get through the day sometimes.

I agree with you but I also wanted to bring another angle to it. I don’t ever want anyone who should be part of “this” either her or elsewhere to feel like they don’t belong because theirs wasn’t as bad as mine was (remind me to tell you the time I stepped on one of those wheel chocks you used to keep your trailer from rolling down hill. Broke a bone in my foot - mowed with a walk behind mower yet that day and went to church wearing “dress shoes” (I was a banker then). Oh wait, I did just tell you.

Any way, yes, some of this stuff hurts more than others, some of it takes longer, some of it makes us say, “sheesh, thank the good Lord I’m not that guy.” But that in no way makes one person more valuable to the group or more welcome. I heard it once said, "You can’t be a “little bit of an alcoholic.” If you’re dealing with an AVM, come on down, the party is in your name too…

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