DrugBuyers.Com: Moms in pain w/small kids-how do you deal?

I just wanted to bring this topic back to life again even if it is a year old. I know there are LOTS of MOMs that have pain (and other) issues like me. How do YOU manage your kids, life, work, husband/significant other with your medicines and/or addictions?

I just turned 35 and am the mom of 2 boys, ages 10-1/2 and nearly 5. I have chronic pain in my body (various areas) from a near-fatal car accident I was in (alone) two years ago. I am lucky to be alive but have residual pains...I feel like an elderly woman when I awake in the morning. Everything is stiff and sore...my spinal column hurts, my neck has lots of muscle spasms that come and go, almost entire left arm numbness from a brachial plexus nerve injury but mechanically I can make everyone around me think it's normal when its not (very weak, low muscle tone). Besides the car accident after effects, I do have periodic migraine headaches, anxiety-panic with some attacks. I have this weird hip pain that is excruciating but it comes and goes in an unknown pattern. Since the accident, I have had to take Ritalin for what is ADD-like symptoms from my closed head injury but the Ritalin does work wonders.

I KNOW that I am addicted to the pain med hydrocodone. That's the only med that works with my body chemistry well to relieve most of my pain. This addiction is physical dependence as well as psychologic addiction. When I do take hydro holidays, I do go through w/d and I am also searching my house for lost pills. I guess some days I don't think about the psychologic part and if I keep myself busy, I don't think about my meds as much when I am out. If I volunteer at my sons' schools or run errands with my mom, my mind is temporarily taken away from the drug I need/crave for these pains. However, I work at home and spend lots of time at home, and being home alone when the kids are at their schools, I find that I am seeking the side effects of my pain medicine other than pain relief.

So, how do you mom's here deal with all this? Since my tolerance for hydro is so high, I don't get much euphoria from it any longer but do get good pain relief, which is good but also bad because i think of getting that "happy" feeling again and the energy that goes with it, for me. When I feel good and happy, I get much more housework done than when I feel yucky or am consumed by thoughts of med refills.

How do you do it? What are your daily routines? Any advice welcome....here or PM.....

--------------------
~Princess Pocahontas

Aim for the moon, for if you miss you will always land amongst the stars ...