Life is beyond chaotic at the moment. What seemed like a brilliant idea just barely 3 months ago when I drove past 47 Hampstead Rd Highgate Hill – a little shop I had admired for many years- and lo and behold, there it was with a ‘For Sale’ sign up. Within seconds I had the agent on the phone, arranged an inspection and we both decided, like we did 13 years ago when we purchased 194 Gladstone Rd, this was it! This would be our next (and last) premises incorporating Croft Architects and Sue Croft Physiotherapist. I had been yearning for ages to have more space where we could hold classes – both education and pelvic floor safe exercise classes and we starting planning gutting the lower level of the new premises and putting the classes down there.
But Bob the architect had a great idea- like architects do- to gut the old premises and turn it into an exercise studio. Well three months to the day from when I saw 47 Hampstead- we have renovated, moved in, seen patients for a month and on Monday open the doors to Studio194 Sue Croft PhysioFitness. I repeat life is beyond chaotic at the moment…..but in a good way!
And just when you think why, why, why, make yourself so busy, you see a patient – her name is Faye- that makes all the craziness so worthwhile. Faye had a terrible problem and was stricken with debilitating pain and when she returned the other day- almost completely pain-free and over the moon – I asked Faye could she write me a blog to give heart to all the other women (and men) who may also be in pain.
This is Faye’s story and importantly where you see ‘Sue’ you can insert any other Continence and Women’s Health Physio who sees chronic pain patients in here:
When my specialist referred me to Sue I didn’t know what a difference this appointment would make to my life.
My first visit with Sue was overwhelming. I spent the whole time crying which is not like me. I felt like at last someone was listening and understanding what I was going through with my chronic pelvic pain. Sue helped me understand what was happening to me after all the years I had suffered with chronic pain and stress and the good news was that she could help me. She explained to me the strategies that I could use to re-educate my brain – relaxation, breathing etc and how to recognise stress provokers and what to do about them. I have never done so much talking to myself as I am doing now and what a difference all this retraining has made to me.
Sue warned me that I could experience relapses but if I used the techniques that she taught me I would feel the benefit. It is approx 3 months now since my first consultation with Sue and my family can’t believe the difference in me. I can’t either. I have had two relapses in that time but using the techniques Sue taught me I was able to overcome them and neither relapse progressed to full-blown pain like I usually experienced.
 I just wanted to share my experience with other women who might be caught in the chronic pain trap and tell them that if, after many years of chronic pain, I can now walk without pain and do things that I haven’t done for years, they can too!
 Just one last thing, this retraining has not only greatly helped my pelvic pain but also my lower back pain and when I recently had an attack of my irritable bowel I used the relaxation and breathing techniques with that and it worked in lessening the pain.
With all my heart I thank you Sue for giving me a new lease on life.
Bless you
Faye
Now Faye specifically wanted me to leave her name in and I have respected her wishes and most importantly this is not a plug for me- but a plug for the principles which I have learned and adapted from the great Lorimer Moseley and David Butler who have written the book ‘Explain Pain’.
But it is also a plug for a new class which I have dreamt of for years- a pelvic pain down training class. The talented and passionate Women’s Health Physio Lori Forner, who has consented to running this class for me is starting it on Monday the 3rd August at 6.30pm at the new studio. Monique Telfer, one of my fabulous Pilates instructors, is also running a daytime breath awareness and relaxation class on Tuesday at 1.45pm so there is a daytime class as well as one for after work.
Sign up to Studio194 and you get one free class and when you purchase a class you get another one free.  So give it a go, learn how to use relaxed breathing, pelvic and abdominal muscle relaxation and mindfulness to cope with stress and chronic pelvic pain.
   
Lori Forner  and Monique Telfer taking the Pain and relaxation classes