After a visit to the UMCG in Groningen, I saw a brochure from the Pijn-Hoop Foundation. At home I immediately called the number of the brochure. The telephone number turned out to belong to the chairwoman. She told me that a course on dealing with pain would start soon. She also said that a quarterly magazine was published with a lot of information.
I immediately went to that course. After a long search I got clarity on what I could best do with the pain. I got that pain after an unfortunate blow with an iron beam. Pain in the neck, head and right arm, many treatments and painkillers did not help. I wanted to  work again but that didn't work out. And the painkillers didn't make me happy either.
The basic training from the Pain-Hoop Foundation was an eye-opener for me! Staying true to yourself, accepting that you are in pain, a different way of dealing with your limitations. take good care of yourself, find like-minded people and keep moving. The course was a success for me. I got so much out of that! As a result, with all the good advice, I was able to work again and enjoy my life more.
The next step was to attend the training and later the management training. This allowed me to start a fellow sufferer contact group in Friesland. Every year there are refresher training courses that provide new material and insight for yourself, but also for everyone in your contact group. It was a good step because the contact group met a need. Discussing topics together and strengthening each other, having understanding for others. I am still the telephone contact person for Pijn-Hoop. To provide pain relief and to inform people about all the possibilities of Pijn-Hoop and our objectives and to listen to the stories they share with me. I can often think along about what is needed now to function optimally, even with pain and a disability.
Now that I am in balance, I feel grateful that I can help others who still encounter many obstacles by mainly listening. What a rich feeling!
Liesbeth Bijl
