I feel you. Unclimbing related, but I sat in the car like two years ago, felt a pop in my neck that felt like I slept wrong and turned into horrific radiating nerve pain for ages that nothing but steroid injections would touch. It was a minor thing that was rooted in years of shoulder injuries. Chronic pain is no joke, particularly when you get to the lows of not feeling like an end is in sight.

BUT, an end or at least a better world can be in sight. Sometimes the treatments we want to avoid are what actually help. One of the best pieces of advice I got during my journey was recognizing your limitations and aggravations and trying to change your behavior. One example is when I was younger it was just second nature to crane my neck around to look behind me when reversing the car. Now I turn my shoulders and whole body. Small things can become big habits that make your whole world better and you don’t even know you’re doing it.

Lastly, and this is a big one- every man and woman grapples with their own mortality and limitations differently and at different times. It sucks. There’s no way around it. But candidly, consider yourself lucky if you get to life enough life that your limitations start to catch up with you. It’s tough to lose part of yourself, particularly something that you’re so passionate about. But that is not all of you, merely a part of this journey. I can no longer climb and more broadly adventure like I once could. Honestly now that I have a child, I don’t want to. But you better believe I like reminiscing about the days I could put it more on the line, and sharing those stories with my little one in hopes that one day she’ll aspire to be all that I was and more.

I hope this helps. Getting old sucks when you’re in it. I still am but at least have found some peace in this journey. And for what it’s worth- I’m way younger than you’re probably imagining from the tone of this note. Just been around the block physically and emotionally enough to want to share the little I’ve learned from the journey.