I would still be on my bowling league, I would be exercising everyday, walking, helping my kids with the grand kids... But then again,,, Marie, if we didn't have chronic pain, then we would have this wonderful friendship!!
Love you!! xoxoxo

OOPS.... That was supposed to say....
Then we would NOT have this wonderful friendship!!
DUH!!!

I totally agree with you Rene! I think we tend to look back and idealize the way are lives use to be. I would be working, helping with gkid, and oh so busy. BUT, I would also be rushing around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to fit everything in, get my shopping & cleaning done on the weekend to be ready for the work week. Rushing thru lunch to get back to work or even running errands so I could go straight home and do the million & one things that needed to be done there too.

I think CP in a strange way has made me appreciate the little things and, as corny as it sounds, stop and smell the roses. I was RUSHING thru life at such a fast pace I rarely even noticed a beautiful sunset.

Do I want to be in chronic pain? Of course not. But it has made me a different and, I think, better person in the long run. And, as Rene said, look at all the wonderful people we have come to know and love.

I would love to go back to those painfree days, but I would'nt want to go back to the way it WAS and how I was living then. I hope that makes sense.

LOL Marie, I can't resist, you got me thinking. I would be at a club on Beale street with an old timey rock-n-roll band dancing the night away until the band quit playing!!!!! Then I would spend all day walking around the zoo eating junk food. Then I would take a road trip with my best friend to destination unkown until we got there! Ah, we can always dream....

I would still hiking, biking, and all sorts of fun things that are physical LOL. OO Walking on the beach, and camping on the beach would a blast. But then I would not be here to meet my friends at DS, so I guess its a trade off ;) I miss my activites but I have found other things to replace them. I also found friends with similar problems to share my pain and frustrations.
Hugs
Morgaine

Moving forward in my military career.

oh, hell, truth be known, I'd probably be home in Alabama, stuck in the rat race. I agree chronic pain had made me appreciate the little things, a certain peace to my life.

And, if we were just dreaming, I'd be on the Florida Emerald Coast ( a size 9 of course) running on the beach, and soaking up the sun. Or, I'd love to travel, go see different states, I've seen some beautiful pictures on here of places I'd love to see. Of course, I like to skip and run through each. one!!!!!!!!!!

Me, honestly, I would be working around 60 hours a week, trying to fit everything and everyone in my day.

Dream time, I would be traveling, even it was in the area most of the time.

And sex, what's that? Finding new ways to show love, make love has been great.

I would be working, going to school, playing with my kids, working on my hobbies, and playing lots of video games. I would probably also be very stressed from trying to fit too much into my schedule. CP has actually slowed me down enough to appreciate all the things that I didn't have the time to see before, and to not put anything off for another time, because there may not be another time. A blessing and a curse at the same time.

I prefer not to think about what I cannot do because of Chronic Pain but about what can I do to be able to do a few of the things I love or go and see the places in this Ole World I have never been. I do realize some things will never happen for me but I am determined to still live life to the fullest and have adventures.

Doing what I do now wiyhout the pain, and flattering myself

Hi everyone. I guess I would be running ,working out more like I use to . That is what I miss the most .I use to run 30 miles a week and do other cardio and strength training.Life is alot different now but on a positive note I have learned so much about my inner strengths . How my soul and spirit can still remain strong even on my weakest most painful days.take care everyone sincerely Faith&Hope

I would still be proudly serving in the Canadian Armed Forces fully active in my trade as a Military Clerk. I may have changed trades or perhaps I would have done some academic upgrading and perhaps achieved commissioned officer status as a Logistics Officer. No matter what I would have been able to serve out at least the remaining of my 20 Year contract.
Right now I stand to be officially medically released on 6 December 2007.
Of course like others have already mentioned it is easy to look back and idealize "woulda", "coulda", "shoulda". If I didn't have this chronic pain I know for a fact I would have taken that for granted because I sure as heck did before it every popped up in my life.

Very good, thought-provoking question. I do just about everything I want, even though sometimes I must modify how I do it. For example I always wanted to scuba dive, but my doctor advises me not to lift over 10 pounds. I worked with my scuba instructor and got my certification. Now, when we dive I must have extra help entering and exiting the water. I want to be normal like everyone else and sometimes I am too proud to ask for help, but in this case I do ask for help and it works! Everyone is so nice and I am doing something I love. Once in the water I am painfree, normal, and just like every other diver!
If you think outside the box, often you can do the things you want and desire. Not always, but sometimes! And it's worth it!

I would be still be a head chef with an ambition to opening and running my own restaurant , spending more active fun time with my beautiful wife and 4 gorgeous daughters, getting out more and have a social life out of this house.
but the best thing that has happened to me through having chronic pain is meeting fantastic people and friends that make up this community on DS so the good out weighs the bad.