Chronic Pain is Wrecking My Life

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Chronic Pain is Wrecking My Life"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Dr. Laura Call of the Day
• Host: Dr. Laura Schlessinger
• Episode: Chronic Pain is Wrecking My Life
• Release Date: June 8, 2025

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1. Introduction

In this poignant episode of Dr. Laura's "Call of the Day" podcast, Theresa reaches out seeking guidance on managing chronic pain. Her heartbreaking story unfolds as she shares her long battle with pain resulting from being a thalidomide baby, compounded by numerous surgeries and ongoing health challenges.

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2. Theresa's Background and Struggle with Chronic Pain

Theresa opens up about her late discovery of being a thalidomide baby, a condition she only became aware of at the age of 29. This revelation shed light on the chronic pain that has dominated her life for decades.

• Theresa (02:19): "I have three little angels in heaven. But, but. So anyway, I can't speak for my mom. She's not here."

Her journey is marked by relentless medical interventions, including almost 40 surgeries, all in an attempt to alleviate her suffering. Despite these efforts, chronic pain remains a constant companion since 1993.

• Theresa (02:19): "But now that I've gotten older and I've had a double mastectomy and I now have bone issues..."

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3. Medical Journey and Challenges

Theresa details the complexity of her medical condition, highlighting the challenges she faces with her skeletal structure and the limitations imposed by her doctors.

• Theresa (02:19): "...I have bone issues and I have a bone in the very lower, lower, lower, almost to my tailbone, and both SI joints are fused."

Her recent interactions with Duke University revealed a grim prognosis about her deteriorating back condition, leaving her mobility severely restricted.

• Theresa (02:19): "He goes, we can't because your bones won't be able to handle it. So what I'm trying... I'm on a walk with a cane... I have now been gotten a wheelchair."

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4. Coping Mechanisms and Mental Health

Theresa grapples with the emotional toll of her condition, striving to maintain a positive mindset by comparing her struggles to others'. She spends a significant portion of her day bedridden due to the comfort it offers.

• Theresa (02:19): "I'm just trying to think is there anything else? What is a mantra I can have in my head as I continue?"

Dr. Laura commends Theresa's resilience, emphasizing that Theresa's strength is remarkable given her circumstances.

• Dr. Laura (07:13): "Look what you've coped with... You're a tougher woman than I believe I probably would be. So I don't think I have anything to offer you other than you're impressive."

Despite expressing fears of becoming a burden to her family, Theresa remains determined to find ways to manage her pain and improve her quality of life.

• Theresa (08:42): "Well, my biggest thing is my biggest fear is being a burden to my family."

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5. Dr. Laura's Advice and Recommendations

Dr. Laura provides actionable advice, guiding Theresa towards more specialized medical support. Recognizing the limitations of her current pain management team, Dr. Laura suggests seeking a neurologist with expertise in brain stimulation therapies for pain relief.

• Dr. Laura (09:08): "You need a neurologist who is involved in doing things like this because this is cutting edge stuff..."

She encourages Theresa to proactively research and connect with the right medical professionals to explore advanced treatment options.

• Dr. Laura (10:56): "Get a neurologist who has expertise in stimulation of the brain for pain. Look it up, Google it, and then get busy getting the right person. Promise."

Theresa takes immediate action, motivated by Dr. Laura's encouragement, indicating her readiness to pursue these new avenues for pain management.

• Theresa (10:56): "Oh, I'm on it. I'm going to look it up right now..."

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6. Conclusion

The episode underscores the profound impact chronic pain can have on an individual's life, both physically and emotionally. Theresa's story is a testament to resilience in the face of overwhelming adversity. Dr. Laura's compassionate guidance offers a beacon of hope, encouraging listeners to seek specialized medical care and maintain a steadfast positive outlook despite life's challenges.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Theresa (02:19): "I have three little angels in heaven. But, but. So anyway, I can't speak for my mom. She's not here."

• Dr. Laura (07:13): "You're a tougher woman than I believe I probably would be. So I don't think I have anything to offer you other than you're impressive."

• Theresa (08:42): "Well, my biggest thing is my biggest fear is being a burden to my family."

• Dr. Laura (09:08): "You need a neurologist who is involved in doing things like this because this is cutting edge stuff..."

• Theresa (10:56): "Oh, I'm on it. I'm going to look it up right now..."

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Additional Resources: For more insights and support, visit Dr. Laura's social media platforms:

• Facebook: facebook.com/drlaura
• Instagram: instagram.com/drlauraprogram

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This summary is intended to provide an overview of the episode's key discussions and insights. For a comprehensive understanding, listening to the full podcast is recommended.

Transcript

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[Dr. Laura]

Call of the Day podcast. You can hear my live radio program Monday through Friday from 2 to 5pm Eastern Time on SiriusX. Theresa, welcome to the program.

[Theresa]

Good afternoon.

[Dr. Laura]

Good afternoon, Teresa. How can I help?

[Theresa]

How can you help? I need your guidance on how to deal with chronic pain. I didn't discover until I was 29 that I was a thalidomide baby.

[Dr. Laura]

Oh, you're kidding. How old are you?

[Theresa]

62.

[Dr. Laura]

I was a kid when they said thalidomide was bad. Why was your mother taking it?

[Theresa]

I wasn't taking off the market. I don't know. I wasn't around.

[Dr. Laura]

I was. Life magazine had. Oh my God, I'm so sorry. So what did my do to you?

[Theresa]

Well, I was. I was conceived in 61 and they didn't take it off the market until after. I don't think she took adult for a very long time. But when it was approached to me, my, I kept on having miscarriages and there was no explanation. So I have three little angels in heaven. But, but. So anyway, I can't speak for my mom. She's not here. And it wasn't until I was losing my son, which they were able to intervene. And so the long story short is.

[Dr. Laura]

What year were you born in?

[Theresa]

62. And they took it off.

[Dr. Laura]

That's when Life magazine had the big spread on the I was conceived in.

[Theresa]

61 and it's amazing how many doctors have no idea what thalidomide is. So anywho, almost 40 surgeries later, I have extreme chronic pain. I don't know life without pain and I haven't since 1993. So. But now that I've gotten older and I've had a double mastectomy and I now have bone issues and I have a bone in the very lower, lower, lower, almost to my tailbone, and both SI joints are fused. I just discovered from Duke University that I kept on complaining I had more pain and they kept on saying it was muscular. Long story is Duke said, above the rod your back is deteriorating. And I go, so you'll put another rod in to support it. He goes, we can't because your bones won't be able to handle it. So what I'm trying. So he basically told me I'm on a walk with a cane. I walk like I'm a little old lady and I have now been gotten a wheelchair. I'm just trying. I mean people are always like wanting to know how are you doing? And the more they ask me, the more it's in my forefront when I try. And my comment always is that there are people with worse troubles than I have and I try to keep that so I can keep a positive mindset because there are worse people than me. I'm just trying to think is there anything else? What is a mantra I can have in my head as I continue? Because I spend about 40% of my time during the day in bed because it's actually more comfortable for me to lay down in my adjustable tempurpedic than it is to do much of anything else.

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[Dr. Laura]

Well, let me. At risk of being another. Yet another annoyance I remember reading. I wish I had read them more carefully now. Some articles on some brain stimulation and for pain.

[Theresa]

That is what they're looking. Well, Duke, that when I first went to them and they saw all my surgeries and, you know, I don't heal well, which is. I had my double mastectomy and I had 11 surgeries because I kept on getting. Having carotid tissue and they kept on. So after they did the flap going from the back to the front, that was for nothing because it ended up becoming all infected and they kept on having to cut things away.

[Dr. Laura]

You know, you're the last person in the world who should be asking anybody about how you cope. Look what you've coped with. I don't think we can tell you anything more than how you have faced this. Well, yeah, I don't think I would have had the fortitude you're describing. Are you kidding? I don't believe so. You're a tougher woman than I believe I probably would be. So I don't think I have anything to offer you other than you're impressive. To go through all of this hell and to sound like you do, with the attitude you have and the compassionate warmth that comes out of you when you talk. I mean, you're amazing.

[Theresa]

I don't feel amazing.

[Dr. Laura]

That's fine. We don't want you to get a fat head and be conceited, but you are amazing.

[Theresa]

Well, my biggest thing is my biggest fear is being a burden to my family.

[Dr. Laura]

Of course. But let's get back to Duke and the brain stimulation, because you realize your back doesn't hurt, it sends messages up to your brain, and your brain translate that into pain.

[Theresa]

Okay, So I have a topical TENS unit that I use all the time. And how is that any different than Duke originally said that they were going to put an internal stimulator in.

[Dr. Laura]

Right.

[Theresa]

But. But then when they got all my testing back and realized how messed up I am inside, they kind of dropped the ball. So I was. I have an appointment with my pain management doctor, and he had mentioned it.

[Dr. Laura]

Is that a neurologist?

[Theresa]

No, he.

[Dr. Laura]

Okay, you need a neurologist who is involved in doing things like this because this is cutting edge stuff, and it sounds like this is something they ought to think about with respect to you, but. So maybe you've got to squeeze yourself out of the box of their negativity and feeling like there's no place for you to go. That would be something I would want to invest my time in pursuing. So I'm not an md, so I can't help you with that.

[Theresa]

Well, he was an anesthesiologist.

[Dr. Laura]

Okay. We need a neurologist, not an anesthesiologist. Okay.

[Theresa]

Okay.

[Dr. Laura]

Yeah, neurologist.

[Theresa]

Okay. See, I didn't know any of that, so I'm glad I did.

[Dr. Laura]

Yes. Get a neurologist who has expertise in stimulation of the brain for pain. Look it up, Google it, and then get busy getting the right person. Promise.

[Theresa]

Oh, I'm on it. I'm going to look it up right now because I always knew everyone that I know who have tried. One majority of them said it didn't work for them.

[Dr. Laura]

And the minority. And the minority and the minority. It worked well.

[Theresa]

But what I'm saying is I don't know if they went to a neurologist or if they were going through a pain management doctor. So that might be the differences.

[Dr. Laura]

Go to a neurologist because they studied brain and nerves. Okay.

[Theresa]

Right.

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