Life Over Pain
Life Over Pain is a podcast full of inspiring stores from people with chronic pain and/or traumatic brain injury. Their stories are about how they are not defined by their pain or injury. They describe how they make choices to adapt to their present circumstances to create lives of value despite pain and loss. And, BTW, If you'd like to share your story, or know of someone who might have a story to share, please email LifeOverPain1@gmail.com.
Life Over Pain
Life Over Pain - Pete Sargent - Nearly Pain Free By His Resilience and His Wife's Advocacy
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Patti Freeman Evans
Pete Sargent was happily playing college basketball when he got injured. His coaches thought it was a pulled muscle and he played on. But the pain increased and Pete had to stop playing for good. After college Pete worked with physical therapist after physical therapist to try to alleviate his pain. Some were better than others, but there was little to no progress. He learned to stretch every morning. He became mindful of how his muscles felt. But still, he compartmentalized his pain and went on. For years, he struggled with the lack of a holistic approach to medicine in our healthcare system. Then he met Jen. Their relationship grew, they got married. Jen became passionate about finding a better solution for Pete's pain. Her ardent advocacy not only found Pete the right doctors but also helped Pete to communicate more fully with those doctors. Because of this partnership, Pete has been nearly pain-free for the last eight years and they now have two adorable kids, to boot. This story has a happy ending - one that will make you cry, trust me. Listen to Jen Sargent's story, "Wife as Caregiver, Advocate, Godsend", also on this podcast. She gives rarely heard insight into the caregiver's point of view.