The Chronic Elephant blog by hellytheelephant

lunarainbows said:
I loved your blog @hellytheelephant! I loved your tips on getting started, like “reduce your mental load”. It’s all made me think about starting something creative and small again :) I used to do cross stitch, and hand embroidery, but I’d love to maybe restart machine sewing (maybe with an adapted machine that doesn’t require me to have a foot pedal)! One of the issues I used to have is the thread getting tangled really easily. But I’m thinking about stitching some bows, small purses etc!
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Would love to see some of your stitching- if you feel like sharing.(?)
I have done a few kits, but am a very untidy sewer! X
 
JemPD said:
Brilliant Helly,

i'm pretty sure that art teacher couldnt do 'that' either? Nor, evidently, could he even do the basics of his job!

And in any case who wants to be someone else anyway, what a jackass!
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I think I knew at the time it was a hugely unhelpful and stupid thing to say, but it certainly didn't help my confidence, and made me not want to be noticed. My work was very figuative,as was my illustration work. Now I love making abstract art.
 
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Referring to the pain scales you mention in your blog i.e. marking one's pain from zero to ten, I have noticed an inconsistency in how "10" is described. People could be asked to compare their pain to the worst pain they've ever had or it could be the worst pain they can imagine. These are not the same number as far as I'm concerned, and might not be for others, and I could imagine a scenario where people would be under-treated for pain as a result if the wrong question was asked.

Years ago the Pain clinic told me not to draw attention to the pain: I was not to talk about it, or,( heaven forfend!!), to take medication in front of people(!) The intention seemed to be to make me appear 'normal'. The message was clear- I had failed in some ineffable way, and I SHOULD be ashamed.
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I was brought up to consider admitting to pain as humiliating, and I should be ashamed and embarrassed of feeling that way. It seems to me that society doesn't want to be made uncomfortable by someone else's pain, and I consider that to be a terrible thing. Why does a Pain Clinic suggest that pain should be hidden? It baffles me.

One of the things I hate is other people's pain being used for entertainment purposes, in such programs as "You've Been Framed". Pain isn't funny and shouldn't be dismissed as unimportant. It can destroy lives if it gets bad enough and goes on for long enough.
 
@Arnie Pye I totally agree! My rating of ten would be 'I am barely conscious and am dying on a battlefield' but probably we all have a different idea. I think as well, the same pain can feel better/worse depending on things like have you slept/ been bereaved, or noise pollution. Weather is a big issue for me too...

Pain's not in any sense funny..but I do wonder whether people laugh out of relief that the person's not seriously hurt ( like Chaplin/ Buster Keaton movies?) It's kinda cruel really...
 
I have written a new blog, but first I would like to thank @Trish and the other moderators for coping for my scattergun approach to posting. Thank you so much, and thanks to Trish for tracking down all the Blogs.

Ok so the latest Blog is called: M.E. - The Body Snatching Illness:
I have written about the time when I was trying to juggle working full time with the sense that M.E.had taken over my body.
https://thechronicelephant.blogspot.com/2022/06/me-invasion-of-body-snatching-illness.html
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