Rate your pain

I was thinking of the levels of pain.  You may or may not know, but when you go in for most things, the doctor asks you on a scale from 1-10 please rate your pain.  This is always a hard one for me.  See I have been told, and truly believe that I have a very high tolerance for pain.  I actually know this to be true, since I have been told by 6 doctors!  But my point is I usually rate my pain from a 6-9.  I have never said a 10, even though there are moments in days, or right after surgery that I would love to say 10.  But here is the thing, I always think of the one person out there who is going through so much more pain then me.  The one who has more suffering and must be at a 10.  I know and would say, I have two people whom I know very well that were in a motorcycle accident yesterday.  You may ask them, if they would come to in the ICU, to "rate your pain".  My gosh, how can they rate their pain.  They need bone reconstruction, and so much that I cannot even think of.  My heart pours out to them.  So even my VERY worst possible days, which today is one of them, I cannot rate my pain a 10.  For there are worse people suffering this very minute, and I only pray that a fraction of their pain can be taken from them, because I pray that only a fraction of my pain will be taken from me.  I can't help but sit here and cry for the pain I am in, but also for the pain that these two incredible people must be feeling.  Lord, be with them.  Guide them and give them strength.  For I know that without your strength, I would not be here today.  I would have not fought all those times you whispered in my ear to fight.  I would have given up.  Next time you rate your pain, like my mom said tonight, she has a headache, her pain feels like an 8.  Then she thinks of what I am experiencing and that rate goes to a 3.  We are all allowed to feel pain, and rate our pain according to our experience and body tolerances.  But always remember that there is someone else out there at this very moment suffering far more pain.  In that moment, take a deep breath, decide your rate is lower, and pray for those that suffer far more.

How do you rate your pain?