There’s no better way to shake off the travel tiredness than to head out for a run in a new city. Fortunately Chicago offers a beautiful route along the edge of Lake Michigan, which happened to unsettled this morning under the moody sky.
Having fiddled around with the workshop content this morning, I set off to explore some of the city. By foot and public transport are my favoured ways of both getting about and getting a feel of the place.
My first observation is the simple friendliness of Chicago. It has been easy to navigate my way around because people are delighted to help. Whether it be the direction, working out the ticket machine or simply reminding you to hold on as the bus pulls away, there’s feeling of, we’re in this together. I like that. I also like the local accent.
By the way, when the bus pulls off, it is so gentle! I don’t think you could fall over, even if you weren’t holding on.
Chicago is packed with great looking coffee shops. Places to hang out without pressure to finish up and move on. The pace feels slow. Maybe that’s because I’m in no hurry today, but I haven’t seen many people in a hurry. I have seen many people taking it at their own pace.
Rolling up to Lincoln Park then Wicker Park and onto Logan Square, there’s a hip, laid-back feel. I’m looking forward to a couple of nights up this way. No longer have I my beard and I didn’t bring a check shirt, so I may look out of place. Or maybe not. Perhaps that’s just the London hipster thing.
Of course the main purpose of coming to Chicago is to share an approach to overcoming pain. Tomorrow with clinicians and Monday with some people who are suffering. As I was running through my (many) slides, it reminded me of how pain is such a huge topic because it must draw upon so many fields. The reality is that pain and our brains don’t much care about this. And indeed the reason is that pain is as complex perhaps as consciousness itself, of which it is part at times.
I couldn’t help but notice the advertisements asking for participants in medical the bus there were at least two; post-shingles pain (neuralgia) and schizophrenia. I wonder how many people apply. The wording is rather persuasive and suggestive of ‘free treatment’. Have a look below and see what you make of it.
An easy night ahead before the Pain Coach Workshop tomorrow. I’ve warned the participants that they are just that, not attendees. The day is fully immersive as together we experience the practices from start to finish. If we are encouraging patients to do things, so should we. The point is that we are all patients really.
understand pain 