Like Pea says, you have to learn about where your limits are.
For me, limits at work are toughest because I don't have total control over what happens. Since it's at work--given that it's hospital work and I have a duty to the patients whose blood I'm testing, I push myself a little too far. Most of the time it's the difference between a 5 to a 6 on pain scale--not terrible. When I just can't stop it (short handed or have instrument issues, I end up going from a 6 to a 7 or 8 and go home in tears. But I do everything in my power to keep it from getting to that point. This situation, home at an 8, only happened twice in last 4 months. Pretty rare to have it happen otherwise....my life just isn't that exciting.
In the immediate aftermath of a pain procedure, I'm even more careful. Epidurals sometimes cause some spasms. RFAs just cause lots more pain for the first week, then it starts wearing off as the nerves die. Having done it several times, I learned to take it easier afterwards. Even so, I walked around my neighborhood on Sunday evening, a leisurely mile. Very leisurely. Have to have good shoes and insoles for this walking, too.
