{"id":15044,"date":"2019-12-19T12:10:58","date_gmt":"2019-12-19T19:10:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=15044"},"modified":"2025-04-15T11:53:13","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T17:53:13","slug":"dealing-with-chronic-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/dealing-with-chronic-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"Rising above suffering: Dealing with chronic pain"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><figure id=\"attachment_15057\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15057\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-15057 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054044\/Patrick-Gaines-hiking-on-a-knife-edge-ridge-sized-e1578077852247.webp\" alt=\"Patrick Gaines crouches on a knife-edge ridge during a peak climb. He uses climbing, running and alternatives to opioids to cope with chronic pain.\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054044\/Patrick-Gaines-hiking-on-a-knife-edge-ridge-sized-e1578077852247.webp 700w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054044\/Patrick-Gaines-hiking-on-a-knife-edge-ridge-sized-e1578077852247-300x225.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054044\/Patrick-Gaines-hiking-on-a-knife-edge-ridge-sized-e1578077852247-150x113.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054044\/Patrick-Gaines-hiking-on-a-knife-edge-ridge-sized-e1578077852247-200x150.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15057\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Climbing Colorado&#8217;s toughest peaks has helped Patrick rise above chronic pain from a spinal tumor. Photo courtesy of Patrick Gaines.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>First came the spinal tumor.<\/p>\n<p>Doctors successfully removed it and Patrick Gaines recovered from temporary paralysis that had incapacitated him from the neck down.<\/p>\n<p>Next came excruciating pain that never goes away.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt feels like my skin has been lit on fire and I\u2019m putting it out with dry ice,\u201d said Patrick, who is now 52.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15059\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15059\" style=\"width: 263px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-15059 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054057\/Patrick-in-the-hospital-with-his-son-cropped-and-sized-e1578077865380.webp\" alt=\"Patrick Gaines with his young son in the hospital after he had to have surgery for a spinal tumor. When Patrick was using alcohol and marijuana, his son told him he had to stop.\" width=\"263\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054057\/Patrick-in-the-hospital-with-his-son-cropped-and-sized-e1578077865380.webp 400w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054057\/Patrick-in-the-hospital-with-his-son-cropped-and-sized-e1578077865380-263x300.webp 263w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054057\/Patrick-in-the-hospital-with-his-son-cropped-and-sized-e1578077865380-131x150.webp 131w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054057\/Patrick-in-the-hospital-with-his-son-cropped-and-sized-e1578077865380-200x229.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 263px) 100vw, 263px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15059\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Patrick in the hospital with his son after he had to have surgery for a spinal tumor. Photo courtesy of Patrick Gaines.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>To cope with the pain, Patrick tried a variety of medications including opioids. The side effects were terrible. He couldn\u2019t function in a job he loved. After months of suffering, Patrick turned to alcohol and marijuana after work to try to check out and dull the pain.<\/p>\n<p>But then his son, Christopher, who was only 14 at the time, spoke up.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe came to me and said, \u2018Dad, I can\u2019t come home and find you dead.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Patrick\u2019s heart broke that day.<\/p>\n<p>But his devastation sparked determination.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSuperman\u2019s cape came off,\u201d Patrick said.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"I Did | UCHealth\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/X7aKfTzxwCA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Dealing with chronic pain<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Always a hero and role model for his son, Patrick knew he needed help standing back up after a hard fall.<\/p>\n<p>He immediately checked himself into a rehabilitation program his insurance covered in California.<\/p>\n<p>Empowered upon his return, Patrick started using healthy alternatives to cope with his pain.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn rehab, I learned this isn\u2019t about battling the pain. It\u2019s about carrying it. Pain is inevitable, but suffering is a choice,\u201d Patrick said.<\/p>\n<p>Now he\u2019s back to doing sports he loves including ultra marathons, mountain biking and challenging peak climbs in the Colorado Rockies. To cope with his pain, he has embraced several alternative treatment plans including biofeedback, acupuncture, Reiki, meditation and EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.<\/p>\n<p>Patrick also focuses on eating well, exercising regularly and doing regular one-on-one and group therapy.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15058\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15058\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-15058 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054049\/Patrick-Gaines-photo-during-therapy-sized-e1578077878861.webp\" alt=\"Patrick Gaines sits on a couch in his psychologist's office at the UCHealth Center for Integrative Medicine, where he uses alternatives to opioids in dealing with chronic pain.\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054049\/Patrick-Gaines-photo-during-therapy-sized-e1578077878861.webp 640w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054049\/Patrick-Gaines-photo-during-therapy-sized-e1578077878861-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054049\/Patrick-Gaines-photo-during-therapy-sized-e1578077878861-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054049\/Patrick-Gaines-photo-during-therapy-sized-e1578077878861-200x133.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15058\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Patrick Gaines uses alternative therapies in dealing with chronic pain. Here, he does a session with Meredith Shefferman, his psychologist at the UCHealth Integrative Medicine Center. Photo by UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In his journey to heal without pain medication, Patrick received critical help from Meredith Shefferman, his psychologist at the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-center-for-integrative-medicine\/\"> UCHealth Integrative Medicine Center<\/a> in Denver\u2019s Stapleton neighborhood.<\/p>\n<p>She said Patrick is remarkable.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s such an inspiration,\u201d Shefferman said. \u201cThe amount of pain he\u2019s carrying could be debilitating, but he\u2019s found many ways to cope with it. He shows that you can live a happy, healthy, productive life even with pain.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Brain tumor crushed the spine<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Patrick\u2019s ordeal with chronic pain began in 2014. He had played Pop Warner football as a boy. Since then, every once in a while, he\u2019d get a quick jolt of pain in his neck like a pinched nerve. It always went away, so Patrick didn\u2019t think much of it.<\/p>\n<p>One night, the divorced dad was home alone when the pain in his neck hit him. He grabbed a bag of frozen peas and lay down. He fell asleep, but woke at 11:30 p.m. unable to move anything on his left side. He was petrified that he was having a stroke and called 911.<\/p>\n<p>At the time, Patrick was the executive director of the <a href=\"https:\/\/medschool.cuanschutz.edu\/gates-center-for-regenerative-medicine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine<\/a>, a research center at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-at-university-of-colorado-anschutz-medical-campus\/\">Anschutz Medical Campus<\/a> that supports scientific breakthroughs in stem cell therapies.<\/p>\n<p>While Patrick would have chosen to go to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-university-of-colorado-hospital-uch\/\">UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital<\/a> close to his office and where he knows many doctors. But he lived in Highlands Ranch and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-highlands-ranch-hospital\/\">UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital<\/a> hadn&#8217;t yet opened. So, paramedics rushed Patrick to the closest ER. Doctors there determined that he wasn\u2019t having a stroke. But, they found a tumor called a hemangioblastoma that was crushing his spinal cord. By 6 a.m., Patrick was in surgery. In order to remove the tumor, doctors had to cut some nerves.<\/p>\n<p>After the surgery, Patrick was relieved to learn that the tumor was not cancerous. But about a month later, the unrelenting pain began. Doctors told him that the tumor and the surgery to remove it had left his spinal cord injured.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was very scared. It\u2019s intimidating when something like this invades your body,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Doctors hope the injury to Patrick\u2019s spinal column will gradually heal over about 10 years, but in the meantime, he faces non-stop suffering.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s roughly a third of my body on the left side down to my toes. Deep tissue massage is incredibly comforting, but water, clothing and light touch is painful 24\/7,\u201d Patrick said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was prescribed opiates, anti-seizure drugs and anti-depressants. On my own, I was supplementing those with marijuana and alcohol.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>By August of 2015, Patrick checked into rehab.<\/p>\n<p>The philosophy at the program he attended was to introduce patients to as many alternative therapies as possible and let them find methods that provided some relief.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery day, we did Reiki, cranial-sacral therapy, yoga, Pilates and meditation. We were able to access the gym and work with a Native American healer. Their philosophy was, here\u2019s a host of non-invasive, non-narcotic modalities. Let\u2019s help you find what works for you.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Training the body to calm down<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Shefferman reinforced all of the methods that worked best in rehab for Patrick and taught him new techniques.<\/p>\n<p>An alternative to pain (including opioid) medications that she says works for many people is biofeedback. She uses a method called HeartMath.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15061\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15061\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-15061\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054140\/Patrick-running-in-Leadville-mountain-view-cropped-and-sized-e1578077895190.webp\" alt=\"Patrick Gaines runs with mountains in the background. He does ultra-marathons in Colorado and around the world. Running and other alternatives to opioids help him cope with pain.\" width=\"300\" height=\"601\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054140\/Patrick-running-in-Leadville-mountain-view-cropped-and-sized-e1578077895190.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054140\/Patrick-running-in-Leadville-mountain-view-cropped-and-sized-e1578077895190-150x300.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054140\/Patrick-running-in-Leadville-mountain-view-cropped-and-sized-e1578077895190-75x150.webp 75w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054140\/Patrick-running-in-Leadville-mountain-view-cropped-and-sized-e1578077895190-200x400.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15061\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Patrick Gaines during one of his ultra-marathons near Leadville, Colorado. Photo courtesy of Patrick Gaines.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s an evidence-based approach for training the body to relax,\u201d Shefferman said.<\/p>\n<p>By hooking a small sensor from Patrick\u2019s ear to a computer, she can monitor his heart rate variability and help him increase his awareness of how stress affects his central nervous system.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe can train our bodies to calm down. With the biofeedback sensor on, you can see in real time how stress is affecting the body. Then I can teach relaxation and emotion-shifting skills, and you can literally watch your body begin to relax,\u201d Shefferman said.<\/p>\n<p>Biofeedback works well for people who are dealing with chronic pain and anxiety disorders.<\/p>\n<p>Shefferman said pain serves a biological purpose.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s an alert system for the brain to signal that something is wrong. It\u2019s usually an indicator of illness or injury. Then that triggers a stress response,\u201d Shefferman said. \u201cIt\u2019s the body\u2019s way of trying to solve a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When a person like Patrick is perpetually in pain, the system goes into overdrive.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s fatiguing for our body to constantly be in a stress response or fight-or-flight mode,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s where biofeedback is very effective.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Shefferman said Patrick came to her with a lot of meditation and mindfulness skills that he had been practicing for years.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe biofeedback was really helpful in showing him how meditation could affect him in real time. I taught him additional breathing and emotion-shifting skills so he could learn how to cultivate positive emotions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe could then see on the screen how it was helping his body calm down,\u201d Shefferman said.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Short-term therapy, long-term benefits<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Providers at the Integrative Medicine Center use short-term treatments proven to yield lasting improvements. The idea is to teach patients new skills in a handful of sessions that they can then keep practicing on their own. The Center accepts patients with almost all major insurance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe try working with patients no longer than six months, because we want our patients to learn the skills they need to take their health back into their own hands\u201d Shefferman said.<\/p>\n<p>The Center also offers classes like a 6-week mindfulness meditation class that proved invaluable to Patrick.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15056\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15056\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-15056 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054035\/Patrick-Gaines-hiking-in-the-mountains-sized-e1578077909841.webp\" alt=\"Patrick Gaines poses on a rocky outcropping on a Colorado peak. He has used alternatives to opioids and exercise in dealing with chronic pain.\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054035\/Patrick-Gaines-hiking-in-the-mountains-sized-e1578077909841.webp 640w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054035\/Patrick-Gaines-hiking-in-the-mountains-sized-e1578077909841-300x225.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054035\/Patrick-Gaines-hiking-in-the-mountains-sized-e1578077909841-150x113.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054035\/Patrick-Gaines-hiking-in-the-mountains-sized-e1578077909841-200x150.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15056\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Patrick Gaines enjoys one of his peak climbs. Photo courtesy of Patrick Gaines<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>He also worked on another therapy with Shefferman called EMDR, a method that works well for people with a history of trauma and post-traumatic stress.<\/p>\n<p>EMDR is tied to the rapid, darting eye movement that we all have when we are in the most restful phase of sleep, known as the REM phase. Our eyes move from side to side as our minds and bodies restore themselves.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe two sides of the brain are communicating with each other and processing the events of the day. REM sleep helps your brain process all the events that have happened,\u201d Shefferman said.<\/p>\n<p>When people experience traumatic events, their brains have trouble processing and storing away those memories. The trauma remains so vivid that it can keep causing fear and pain years later.<\/p>\n<p>EMDR can help patients process the trauma so memories of it are not constantly rising to the surface.<\/p>\n<p>During the treatments, patients hold paddles in their hands. Shefferman asks them to think about a traumatic memory and try to figure out where they feel it in their body. Then Shefferman can send signals through the paddles that stimulate the two hemispheres of the brain to communicate with each other and reprocess the traumatic memory. Research has shown that EMDR can be highly effective for trauma survivors like military veterans and victims of sexual violence.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPatrick\u2019s pain started with a tumor. The surgery then was traumatic. We worked on the PTSD from that,\u201d Shefferman said.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>\u2018Time to run again:&#8217; Finding alternatives to opioids<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Among the many tools Patrick taps to overcome his pain is intense physical activity.<\/p>\n<p>Following the surgery, Patrick went to see Dr. Venu Akuthota at the UCHealth Spine Center.<\/p>\n<p>While Akuthota couldn\u2019t offer a miracle cure for the nerve damage Patrick had suffered, he did ask a critical question.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe said, \u2018I know you\u2019re in pain. Tell me about your life before this happened.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Patrick immediately told Akuthota about his love for running and being in nature.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15062\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15062\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-15062\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054149\/Patrick-running-in-the-mountains-barn-behind-him-sized-e1578077923964.webp\" alt=\"Patrick runs and uses alternatives to opioids to cope with chronic pain. Here, he is running in the mountains with a barn behind him.\" width=\"300\" height=\"452\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054149\/Patrick-running-in-the-mountains-barn-behind-him-sized-e1578077923964.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054149\/Patrick-running-in-the-mountains-barn-behind-him-sized-e1578077923964-199x300.webp 199w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054149\/Patrick-running-in-the-mountains-barn-behind-him-sized-e1578077923964-100x150.webp 100w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054149\/Patrick-running-in-the-mountains-barn-behind-him-sized-e1578077923964-200x301.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15062\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Running in the mountains is a beautiful distraction and one way Patrick deals with chronic pain. Photo courtesy of Patrick Gaines.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s time for you to do that again,\u201d Akuthota said. \u201cIf that\u2019s what lights you up, Patrick, then look beyond the physical symptoms. It\u2019s time to run again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In his 30s and 40s, Patrick had done ultra marathons around the world from Colorado\u2019s famous Leadville 100 to races in Nicaragua, Italy and France.<\/p>\n<p>One of his favorites is called the San Juan Solstice. It\u2019s a stunning, high-altitude race that weaves 50 miles through Colorado\u2019s most rugged mountain range, the San Juans.<\/p>\n<p>So many runners want to do the race every year that the organizers hold a lottery.<\/p>\n<p>Inspired by Akuthota, Patrick decided to try to get a spot in the race in the summer of 2016. He scored an entry, and, to his surprise, he did better than ever.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI ran that race faster than I\u2019d ever run it before. That was not my goal, but I finished in 13 hours,\u201d Patrick said.<\/p>\n<p>While he\u2019s running, his pain persists. But, as endorphins flood his body, and he revels in the views around him, Patrick literally rises above the pain.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRunning is a beautiful distraction,\u201d Patrick said. \u201cIt\u2019s very rugged. There are about a dozen river crossings and a good portion of the race is up on the Continental Divide above treeline. The whole thing is beautiful. It\u2019s a 14-er garden down there.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>A new sport and a new mission<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Along with running, Patrick recently took up mountain biking.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt 52, it\u2019s fun to introduce a new sport. It\u2019s harder work than I thought it would be. Running and climbing use a different set of skills,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>The mountains still give him great joy.<\/p>\n<p>While heavy snows last spring made it tougher to navigate Colorado\u2019s high country over the summer, Patrick still was able to do some great trips.<\/p>\n<p>He spent some time in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in southern Colorado, where he climbed some famous 14ers: Crestone Needle, Crestone Peak and Mt. Lindsey. He and a friend also enjoyed an epic day in Rocky Mountain National Park, climbing eight summits in one day in an area called the Mummy Range. They climbed Chapin, Chiquita, Ypsilon, Fairchild, Hagues, Rowe 1, Rowe 2 and Mummy. When climbers do six of those peaks, they call the feat \u201cMummy Mania.\u201d Patrick and his buddy added a couple of extra summits to boost the challenge.<\/p>\n<p>Any day in the mountains is a good one for Patrick.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s about communing with nature. It\u2019s an opportunity to lose yourself and be embraced by your surroundings,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Back in town, he\u2019s also enjoying a new professional calling. Patrick is the chief development officer for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgcmd.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Metro Denver<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Since the Clubs cater to children who have endured hardships, Patrick can empathize with their challenges, while also putting his pain in perspective.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m very open about my situation. It\u2019s like I have an invisible disability. I think it helps people to understand what I\u2019m going through if I have to jump up and walk out of a meeting for a short time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>If he\u2019s having a rough moment and needs to tap some of the relaxation techniques he has learned, he can lie down on the floor of his office, use his backpack as a pillow and transport his mind to a calmer place.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI can get a restorative session in as little as 90 seconds,\u201d Patrick said.<\/p>\n<p>His experiences give him deep understanding of the Clubs\u2019 clients.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe kids that the Boys and Girls Clubs serve come from circumstances that they have no control over. In many cases, they\u2019re dealing with financial strain. The burdens that their families face often trickle down, so kids as young as 9 are coping with emotional difficulties that most adults can\u2019t face. I can empathize with them. Everything may look fine, but it\u2019s not,\u201d Patrick said.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"I Did - Director&#039;s Cut | UCHealth\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_ud9KmwXHNc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><strong>The greatest medicine: kindness<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>In addition to his job, Patrick serves on boards for other nonprofits and volunteers as a speaker for recovery groups to assist people coping with addiction and pain.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI subscribe to the belief that you only keep what you have by giving it away. I have a strong service practice. Twelve-step recovery groups are a big part of it,\u201d Patrick said.<\/p>\n<p>He also finds great joy in seeing his son thrive and mature. Christopher, now 19, is now studying engineering at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Like his dad, he also plays the French horn. The two sometimes play music together and Patrick has gotten to see his son perform with the Concert Band at CU.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s very much part of my journey. We talk a lot,\u201d Patrick said. \u201cWhen I was in the deepest throes of my struggles, my life was complicated and it was hard for me to keep my affairs in order.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Back then, Patrick wasn\u2019t able to be a rock for his son. Now, the balance has been restored.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cKids look to their parents for guidance. He reaches out constantly and knows I have the bandwidth for him,\u201d Patrick said.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, when Christopher got a lousy bout of the flu recently, he knew he could call his dad and get plenty of empathy at 1:30 a.m.<\/p>\n<p>As for Patrick\u2019s pain, his doctors cannot say for sure when it will abate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s no rhyme or reason to what to expect with severe spinal cord injuries,\u201d he said. \u201cYou learn little lessons along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Patrick prioritizes sleep and makes sure to keep stresses in check.<\/p>\n<p>Along with his physical activities, he loves painting, playing music and attending the opera.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15060\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15060\" style=\"width: 269px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-15060\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054130\/Patrick-large-art-on-the-wall-cropped-and-sized-e1578077940684.webp\" alt=\"A giant tree made of art sprouts on a wall at Patrick Gaines' house. He uses art along with other alternatives to opioids to deal with chronic pain.\" width=\"269\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054130\/Patrick-large-art-on-the-wall-cropped-and-sized-e1578077940684.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054130\/Patrick-large-art-on-the-wall-cropped-and-sized-e1578077940684-269x300.webp 269w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054130\/Patrick-large-art-on-the-wall-cropped-and-sized-e1578077940684-134x150.webp 134w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2018\/03\/22054130\/Patrick-large-art-on-the-wall-cropped-and-sized-e1578077940684-200x223.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 269px) 100vw, 269px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15060\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Along with running and alternative therapies, Patrick also uses art in dealing with chronic pain. Here, he has created a large tree on a wall in his home. Photo courtesy of Patrick Gaines.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI love the opera. It\u2019s the ultimate amalgam of all the performing and visual arts in one. It\u2019s acting, singing, orchestral music, stage and set design and dancing,\u201d Patrick said.<\/p>\n<p>He can\u2019t wait for the day \u2013 hopefully within the next few years \u2013 when his nerves have healed and the pain goes away.<\/p>\n<p>Until then, he\u2019s grateful for all the help he has received and the critical lessons he\u2019s learned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you fight with pain, it wins. It will always fight back,\u201d Patrick said.<\/p>\n<p>Strange as it seems, he\u2019s learned to make peace with his pain instead.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDay by day, month to month and year to year, I\u2019m learning how to carry the pain more efficiently and with greater amounts of kindness.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>First came the spinal tumor. Doctors successfully removed it and Patrick Gaines recovered from temporary paralysis that had incapacitated him from the neck down. Next came excruciating pain that never goes away. \u201cIt feels like my skin has been lit on fire and I\u2019m putting it out with dry ice,\u201d said Patrick, who is now [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2123,"featured_media":15057,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[159,17,113,3479,331,2231,2333,1163,65],"class_list":["post-15044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-addiction-and-rehabilitation","tag-addiction-treatment","tag-behavioral-health","tag-counseling-services","tag-integrative-medicine","tag-marijuana","tag-mindfulness","tag-opioids","tag-pain-care-and-management"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Dealing with chronic pain: rising above the suffering - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Patrick had 24\/7 pain. 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