An "Ode" to Pain, or Paying for All My Fun

I have pain management issues. Lots of issues. I tell my doctor that on a scale of one-to-ten, I live at five. So far, it is not unmanageable -- Praise God -- there are still things I can do to make myself "comfortable". Comfort is a relative thing, a matter of getting into a position where pain doesn't scream at you. and fortunately I still have a few of those left, also. We have a reclining sofa, not a sofa with recliners on the ends, the whole sofa reclines in two parts. With pillows, heating pads, and some adjustment, I can get pretty comfortable.
I have a Jacuzzi-tub in the Master Bath, one of the reasons I wanted to buy this house. I take a fifteen-to-twenty minute cycle (jets on, soak,jets,soak) in very warm water. I don't know what condition I would be in without it this past year, but I don't think I'd be as well-off as I am. My biggest concern, at this time of year, is the arthritis. Cold makes my bones ache, and the arthritis makes it a whole lot worse. I've tried every "arthritis strength/formula" patent remedy currently available. I might as well have bought M&M's, for all the relief I got for my money. Ibuprophen scares me, due to the years I spent trying to turn my liver into a stone with alcohol. We only get one of those, don't need to take stuff that has a history of negatively impacting the liver.
I take "epidural steroid injection" therapy, approximately every 90 days. My next is nine days from now, and my pain level is probably at seven, or so. I hurt. There, I've said it. I have good days; I have bad days. Right now, it's not a good day. So I do a little around the house, and try to occupy myself with thoughts other than how much I'm hurting. So I write.
My blog has become a part of my pain management program. I try to focus on something other than pain, and thinking about what I'm writing helps me to do that. Okay, that and Vicodin, which is probably another reason I ramble. I've had some pretty great times, been a lot of places, met a ton of people, and lived through some historic times. At least I've found a therapy that can always help, to some extent.
I once had a young student say "I wish I'd have been around when you were my age."
I laughed, and told him "No, because you'd be in as much pain as I am now. Besides, the 60's would have killed you."