I have had severe facial pain since 1977.  I am lucky in that some aspects of it have been resolved although I still have eye pain that leaves me unable to work. I have come a far way from the neurosurgeon who tried to convince me a mini frontal lobotomy would help (You will still have the pain; you just won’t care that you do.”)  I am also in a far different place than when a number of my doctors told me ‘rational suicide’ was acceptable in my case.

It is absolutely true that women do tend to get short shrift when coming to a doctor with a pain complaint. In my case, even after the reason for my pain was confirmed in my first brain surgery (of 11), some doctors still refused to believe in my pain (“There are times when I do not believe in her pain.”—chart note from my neurologist at the time.)

I am sorry for the reason WIP was started but the need for it is great.  I will send the link on to the people and support groups I know that live with/discuss and support each other’s pained lives.

I would also like to let you know that I am the author ofA Pained Life, a chronic pain journey. This is the only first person account of the daily struggle with and fight against trigeminal neuralgia, a facial pain disorder known also as “the suicide disease” and the “worst pain known to man.”