How many times have we asked ourselves that very question? Me, plenty! Shit, I know only too well that life was never going to be a bed of roses but sometimes it just seems too damn hard to see that light at the end of the tunnel.…Friday was the day that I hoped I was going to be given the answer to a problem that has on many occasions had me despairing and that I hoped I would be told maybe there actually was going to be some light at the end of the tunnel – to someone else I know though, Friday meant for them there was no hope at the end of the tunnel…..they turned the lights off. So, last Friday was one of those days – firstly, excitement as I was finally given the news that yes, Mrs B you have Bilateral Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Sounds simple! Yep, it is and easy to fix too but I have had a myriad of tests over 18 months – all the while struggling with the damn pain and probably being a damn pain as well and unable to do well most of the things I’m passionate about as my hands had literally given up the ghost ….6 months ago I was told there was nothing more they could do for me other than manage the pain and my best bet was an appointment with the Pain Management Clinic. I felt like I was in my Dads sheep drafting race and I was going into the no-good pen (culls we call them) and we all know where they end up! My god, I’m young, (well, sort of) there’s so many things I want to do …. I’m starting to have some real fun here… cushions, motorbikes, travel…this can’t be true!! I hate drugs….I’m going to be prescribed pain killers….I went into that appointment with a heavy heart…BUT again luck was on my side! A wonderful, delightful, newly arrived motorbike lover from London who had been on NZ soil for just 6 weeks was sitting there listening to me wail that I won’t be able to ride my motorbike anymore….for some reason that seemed the biggest loss to me at the time. We got talking bikes….his was still on the boat coming over and he was missing it like hell! His wife had already made 2 trips over the hill to the ‘rapa on hers – he quietly took hold of my hands putting pressure on them while we continued to chatter about bikes and the fab NZ roads. They went numb. That was the turning point…..”I think they may have been looking for your problems in the wrong area”…and continued “I think you have Carpal Tunnel”. OK, but can that be fixed? Easy, was the reply! I could have jumped up and kissed the guy….There really was going to be light at the end of the tunnel after all. It was a huge relief as this problem is a giant pain in the ass!! So, another 3 months down the track I had had the electrical tests to see if indeed the bike loving Dr J was correct – he was! Just like that….I’m not going into that no-good pen just yet! Whew!! So, what I’m saying is you ‘always gotta hope there is light at the end of the tunnel’…..even when you are told otherwise and if you are feeling that there isn’t then tell a friend as they will more than likely have been down the same road you are going down at this minute and you will see that there truly is light at the end of the tunnel…..it may only be a flicker of light that will bring a flicker of hope that will become brighter as we move through that tunnel to the other end of light, hope and life…..