Lori

Please do not work on this assignment at home. Wait until I give you instructions in class during my presentation on Thursday. Thank you.

**Memo 4 Example of a Memo that Elaborates** **the Paradigm: The Relationships Between** **Conditions, Actions/Interactions, and Consequences** **June 18, 1998** **A More Advanced Memo on the Pain Experience** After months of collecting data and immersing myself in the pain stories of others, what is the overall pain story to be told? I think the story is somewhat as follows. Pain is a difficult experience unless the pain is “very mild” and of very “short duration.” Every time I did an interview, I could feel the “intensity” of “suffering” of people who were experiencing “severe pain,” as they spoke about their expe- rience. These people are driven to find “relief” but relief is often “elusive” (dimen- sion of the ability to relieve of pain which can vary from relief being “obtainable”  to being “elusive”). The search for relief often takes them down dead end paths with emotions ranging from “anger” to “depression” for many reasons (property of emotional response to pain). Not the least of which the “lack of control” over their lives and the “suffering” that they “endure.” Though there are many “treatment options” out there, finding one that works is not easy. There are a lot of “trial and error strategies” involved. It seems to me that “pain tolerance,” which is an inter- esting concept, diminishes when the pain is of “long duration” and people are “fatigued” or worn down by its “constancy.” “Searching for relief” can be com- pared to being lost in a dark forest at night, as one is trying to find a way through, an escape, but the escape path is blocked and difficult to locate in the dark. People sometime become “desperate” wondering if the suffering will ever end and sometimes wishing for death as an “escape” from their pain. Pain can “take over” a life. Sometimes life “revolves” around periods of pain and relief. “Every day life” is a very important concept here because of the potential impact of pain on every day life. Every day life has the potential to be disrupted “very little” or “greatly.” People seek relief not only to “get away” from the suffering but also so  that they can “get on” with their lives. Pain is such a personal experience that it is difficult to explain and acute temporary pain is very different from chronic severe pain. I do see some patterns emerging. There are those persons who expe- rience “acute temporary pain.” Their pain experience may have been intense but for the moment that intensity is forgotten when the situation has passed. Their pain experience is defined by how the pain was handled and the treatments made available for controlling it. Some persons within this group describe the pain experience as horrible, or poorly managed. Others describe it as not so bad. Whatever the pain experience, it becomes incorporated into a persons “pain history” coming back into play in future episodes of pain whether acute or chronic. There are those who suffer from “chronic pain.” They have developed management strategies for controlling its intensity and impact on daily life. They often describe their pain as bearable though they would rather be without it and continue to search for a cure. Their pain experience is modulated by the support and recognition that they receive from others and the hope that the situation is temporary. There are still avenues open to them. Then there is the group in which “every day” is a “pain experience,” the “constant pain sufferers.” Suffering defines their lives. Every day activities are severely limited. Depression is moderate to severe, as one would expect. There is little hope that the situation will improve. Their stories are touching.

= Summary =

After collecting data and getting personally involved in pain stories the researcher's memo included:


 * Pain is difficult unless "very mild" or short
 * every interview made researcher feel pain and suffering
 * their was a search for relief
 * search often takes one down a different paths
 * to get relief can cause feeling of anger and depression
 * finding a treatment is hard
 * lots of trial and error
 * compared to being lost in the dark
 * life revolves around the pain
 * they seek relief not only to get away from suffering but to get on with life
 * everyday activities are limited
 * little hope that situation will improve