This is a personal narrative, a record of my passage among victims of chronic pain and the discoveries that have come from those encounters. I write for physicians, nurses, therapists, and caregivers, but mostly, I write for you who suffer the disease. I know you very well, perhaps as well as anybody in the world. I have listened to your stories with patience and attention, and I have been greatly rewarded. You have trusted me with the deep recesses of your thoughts and fears, and the memories of the dreadful experiences that are so often the origin of chronic pain. I have treated thousands of you and I believe I have some understanding of your illness. I offer a series of essays about people like you who suffer chronic pain. From their case histories, I derive certain conclusions. Some conclusions are bold and imaginative. Some are disturbing and frightful. Not all of them will apply to you, but some certainly will. My wish is that you gain greater understanding of you.
A graduate of Vanderbilt University Medical School, Robert T. Cochran Jr., MD, completed his residency in internal medicine and neurology at the University of Texas and Duke University. In 1963, he established his private medical practice in Nashville, where he continues to work today. Dr. Cochran and his wife, Donna, reside in Nashville. They have three children and seven grandchildren. For additional information, go to Dr. Cochrans Web site, www.understandingpain.com