I don’t really speak about this much, but I feel pain differently from others. I have a chromosome deformity that manifests itself in a form of CIPA, Congenital Indifference to Pain with Analgesia (to see a worst case, watch the House episode called “Indifference”).
For me, it manifests in not being able to feel specific types of pain and, when I do feel pain, in someone without CIPA, it would probably be enough for them to require heavy narcotic pain relief. To me, that is a cramp. I also can not regulate my body temperature. My coworkers have nick named me The Painless Wonder.
But, it is a curse, despite what some might think.
When we are in bed and my husband wants to hold me in his arms, I can’t have any blankets on and I need a fan on me at all times.
I tend to take too-hot showers (so my water heater has a safety to I don’t burn myself).
This inability to feel pain is why my teeth have rotted out. I don’t feel a tooth ache that would signify a cavity and, even with brushing and flossing, I don’t know about a cavity until the tooth has crumbled. Still think its awesome?
When I was pregnant with my son, I was in full blown labor at 25 weeks and did not know! Thankfully, I had a doctor’s appointment and the doctor realized I was contracting in time to save him.
In the climate I live in, I constantly have a frozen bottle of water with me and I can tell you where the air flow for the air conditioner points in most public establishments.
In the winter, I rely on the actual weather app on my phone (not the WTForcast app, that is just for fun, lol) to tell me how cold it will be so I know what kind of jacket I will need because I really can’t tell myself.
I wait until others in my home are dressed before getting dressed myself to decide how many layers I need.
I have overheated at work a few times. My coworkers know what to look for to see if I need to step under the air conditioner’s vent for a moment or grab a frozen water, thankfully.
I have to keep a close eye on my blood pressure for reasons other than my heart because, if I am in serious “pain” and not feeling it, my blood pressure will skyrocket as a way of warning me.
I have broken my foot more times than I can count without knowing it, my knee cap floats, my toes have all been broken. All because I can’t feel the pain and continue to push past when a normal person would know to stop.
I have woken up after a 4 day stretch at work unable to move my back because I, again, pushed past when a normal person would have taken it easy because I didn’t feel when I strained my back.
If I drink, I don’t realize when I am drunk because I do not feel drunk. This is why I am very careful when I drink and only drink weak drinks or limit myself to one beer.
I usually do not speak publicly about this issue. It is very rare and not really something I want out there. But, a few comments from people lately have caused me to speak out. They have called me lucky and said they wish they had what I have. No, you really don’t. Trust me on this.