‘But I don’t have a choice’. How many times have you heard this? Or say it yourself.
The unpopular truth is, there is always a choice. But sometimes it's easier in the moment to tell yourself you don’t have one. Difficult and as uncomfortable as that choice may be at the time, there is one.
Choices for me were more abundant and varied when I had my first signs of pain in the knee than they were when I was shuffling along hard floors, going crab like up and down steps because I had worn my shock absorbers out.
How did I get to be at that low point on that bench in Regents Park? Well, I didn’t utilise my choices when I had them and over time my choices became narrower. When I had choices, I acted like the rhino beetle. This also has a bearing on life in general and maybe sometimes there is too much choice. But too much is better than two bad choices.
We could use the current political set up as an example. In many people's view, they are given a couple of bad choices, and they would be correct in my humble opinion. It seems the only choice given is to choose the least dirty shirt from the laundry basket. A red one or a blue one. Maybe there was a choice to change this some time ago? But at the time it was easier just not to rock the boat.
And this quote from quite a clever fella is apt for our choices.
So to health and the ability to function.
In my case, in the first instance, I was channeled down a route where, over a period of 18 months, my choices were diminished and life became tougher. Now if, at an earlier point, I had stepped out of the noise and looked at things differently, maybe finding someone who had an ‘alternative’ approach, who looked at the whole body instead of a isolated part, I may have maintained a better selection of choices. Either way, I didn’t explore another choice at the time, nor was I even aware I had a choice. I ended up with surgery or pain. But when I finally arrived at the edge of the cliff, I took control of my own health and became responsible for my own actions and thus not a burden to others. There I found varied avenues to go down and, boy, some of those avenues were a rough ride and I punctured a few tyres on the way. But that was because I had run my engine without topping the oil up for a long time… In fact, I would go so far as to say that when the warning light came on the dash I simply removed the bulb and drove on !
But tough as the road was sometimes, the specialist in Regents Park became the last person I saw in the medical industry. The younger guy on crutches hasn’t had to visit a doctor or a hospital since that day. I had a private scan of my knees to check my cartilage was still coming along and one to check the progress of my finger joints, but that was it. My choice of vehicle and route became better and better and the drive became very rewarding . But having good shock absorbers really makes the journey enjoyable.
Your own journey doesn’t need to be so long or troublesome.
If you can recognise you have some choices as early as possible.
I understand those suffering with Osteoarthritis want some answers. When anyone hears I have reversed arthritis, they always want the quick fix. What can I do to make this go away? That isn’t the answer. Not initially.
First, you need to take ownership of the problem. As soon as you hand your problem to someone else your choices diminish.
Understand when you have choices.
Next week, your belief system and having the mindset to make those choices.
Thanks to Mal a longtime pal of mine, who showed me that there is always a choice.
Osteoarthritis is a common problem most people have known someone with issues. Please consider sharing this journey with someone you know. If it helps just one person on their way, it’s been worth it.
To your health .
Smudger.
And here is last weeks post if you missed it…