[hmbg]

Agreed, bad things are bad. I was in pain for 3-4 years in my early twenties due to Bechterew's disease, and it was a thoroughly bad experience. Though still mild compared to what the author describes, it really messed me up, making me angry and depressed. I had a good life before I got sick, and I have a good life now that I have a proper diagnosis and working drugs.

It's fantastic that the author found peace with his pain, but I wouldn't wish chronic pain on my worst enemy, and I definitely wouldn't expect people with chronic pain to view it as a new opportunity.

I really hope your [random bad thing] works out to something not quite as bad. Modern medicine is pretty awesome.

[Myrcurial]

I read this and laughed. There's two people on the planet that I've wished my struggle upon. Of course, I might have only meant it figuratively... or maybe not ;)

[andrewcooke]

thanks. life is not so bad here - i have ms and it turns out that it's probably manageable (as is most, these days, awesomely, thanks to drugs developed in the 90s, with a whole pile more going through fda approval now). and i am in the somewhat incongruous position of complaining about symptoms that mean my nerves are actually healing themselves :o)