Productivity is relative.

 

Gentle hugs,

Chels

FMS – It’s not in your head.

The Harry Potter fangirl in me couldn’t resist this quote.

 

You may have read recently that researchers have discovered what they believe to be the cause of FMS symptoms.

The discovery really is groundbreaking, but what concerns me is the tagline featured in many articles on the subject that fibromyalgia sufferers can rest assured that “it’s not all in their head.”

Unfortunately, we’re not the ones who needed the reassurance. Those of us who have FMS know that it is very real. Sadly, though, many doctors still don’t “believe in” fibro, and will hopefully believe otherwise after reading about the latest research.

I’m very fortunate never to have been told that my symptoms are “all in my head.” (Not by anyone I know, or any medical professional, that is. Trolls on the internet are the extent my experience with that kind of patronizing b.s.) My mom has FMS, and so did my father, much to the astonishment of doctors I spoke to early in my diagnosis and treatment. My family isn’t very large, either, so my support system was small, but two of them already had firsthand knowledge and experience to share with me. That also means less of a chance that a family member would dismiss my symptoms as psychosomatic. I’m very thankful to be surrounded by understanding, empathetic people who, even if they’ve never experienced something similar, want to help make life a little easier for me by helping me with physical tasks, allowing me enough rest, and just being there to listen and encourage me. I know that’s not the case for everyone with an invisible illness.

There’s a little ray of light, though, in this research, that will eventually illuminate the minds of medical professionals, and hopefully lead to better diagnoses, and fewer misdiagnoses. It may even lead to a cure, or at least a consistent form of treatment for those of us who’ve known all along that it’s not just in our heads.

Gentle hugs,

Chels

Here’s to rest.

Wishing you all a restful weekend.

Gentle hugs,

Chels

Fatigue.

 

It’s a cloudy day here, and a storm’s coming in. My body is weak, sore, and my eyelids are heavy. I’ve had some sleep issues for a while now, and have gone to bed late (or early in the a.m.) and woken up around 11 or 11:30, for a total of about 8 hours of interrupted sleep. So, really, more like 6 or 7 hours. My body tends to require 9 to feel rested enough. I’ll be trying an increased dosage of the new med tonight to see if it helps regulate my sleep patterns.

Meanwhile, five days to Christmas, and I still have lots of presents to make. So, I’m going to take today to knock them out (hopefully.) Since we’re unable to go to Louisiana to see Tom’s family this year, I’ll be sending the presents with my brother in law, who gets to play Santa.

Wishing you all a restful, renewing weekend!

Gentle hugs,

Chels

Yoga and meditation for chronic illness.

Now, first let me say that I’m trying very hard to practice what I’m preaching, here.  I started doing yoga when I was about 12, as I was starting to recover from years of illness, and started doing it regularly as a Junior in high school. I took yoga in college, and have continued to do it on a semi-regular basis since. Needless to say, there are days that I can’t even imagine doing Savasana (Corpse Pose, or the resting period at the end of your practice,) whether it be from lack of energy, pain, or weakness.

A few days ago, though, I was reminded of the possibilities of yoga poses by this article from SparkPeople:

 

Nearly every pose out there can be modified for just about any limitation. Seated poses are great, especially if you work in an office environment, or another environment where you don’t get to stand up and move around much. (Be sure to go to the next pages in the article for specific instruction on seated poses.)

Another thing about yoga is that it regulates your breathing, and causes you to have to focus on your body alone. There’s plenty of quiet time as you’re trying to keep your balance in Tree Pose, or as you’re trying to be aware of your core while pulling your sacrum upward as you pull your heels down to the floor in Downward Facing Dog.

I also came across this link to Yoga Nidra, or Yogic Sleep, which is what many people experience at the end of each practice with Corpse Pose. This goes a step further, adding guided meditation to the experience. It’s said that one hour of yogic sleep is equivalent to three hours of “regular” sleep.

 

Click on the photo for free recordings to use during your meditative practice. I surprised myself by staying in a meditative state for the majority of the 45 minute recording I chose to listen to. I’ve meditated before, but often no more than 15 minutes or so. It helps with the fibro fog and anxiety by calming my brain and helping me focus. I also sleep much better afterward.

Do you practice yoga or meditation for your health? What’s your favorite pose or mantra?

Gentle hugs,

Chels

Enough.

Gentle hugs,

Chelsea

Listen to the music! How music improves your health and helps you deal.

So, it makes sense that music just makes people feel better (as long as you like the music, of course.) But to read that it can help reduce chronic pain up to 20%, and depression by 25% is just profound to me.

Music has gotten us all through tough times. Most recently, as my mom was suffering from the aftermath of an allergic reaction to the pain meds given to her after surgery (which meant she was completely without pain meds a couple of weeks after her knee replacement,) combined with not having been given her daily medications during her stay in the hospital, I made her an uplifting music list to load onto her iPod. When she was in too much pain to bear, or felt overwhelmingly anxious or depressed, she would put in the ear buds, close her eyes, and “hide” for a while. When she emerged, she was her old self again.

So, I thought I’d share some music with you that I find uplifting. I hope it makes your day a little brighter! If we don’t have the same taste in music, though, just find what you like, close your eyes, tap your feet, and feel better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy listening!

Gentle hugs,

Chelsea

A picture of Fibromyalgia

Here’s a good info graphic to share with new FMS patients, and friends and family wanting to learn more about Fibromyalgia.

Of course, this is just basic information, and there can be much more to the illness, especially when you have other health problems, but this is a good place to start!

What do you tell people when they ask you to describe Fibro?

Gentle hugs,

Chels

Physical Therapy and Fibro – What I learned in 5 Weeks

I’ve finished my 5 week physical therapy session! My primary care doctor referred me to the orthopedic sports medicine center for PT in an attempt to help with my FMS symptoms. I was happy to do it, because if I can avoid taking more medication, and learn new ways to manage my pain, I’m all for it. Luckily, my mom has gone to PT a few times over the past several years, and I’m familiar with the staff at OSM. So, my therapist was already a little familiar with me and my symptoms, and that always helps in any health related situation.

There are some exercises I really love (not because I’m excited about exercise, necessarily, but because they do seem to help,) and there are some exercises that seem to exacerbate my symptoms. Here’s what I learned in my 5 weeks of PT:

1. You don’t have to do all of the exercises all at once. My therapist helped me figure this one out. She essentially gave me permission to spread out the exercises, and listen to my body. She suggested that if I had used my upper body more one day, or had more pain in my upper body, to just concentrate on core or leg exercises, and vice versa. This helped me not be so hard on myself. I tend to overdo when I have a little energy, so it kept me from causing myself more pain, and feeling guilty for not being able to do all the exercises I wanted to.

2. You can do the resistance exercises without the resistance. For me, the resistance exercises (with the band,) were more harmful than helpful. I have a reoccurring pain/knot in my right neck and shoulder area that causes a lot of pain down into my arm and hand. Nearly every time I used the band, I’d hurt for a week. So, I started doing some of those exercises without the band. I told my therapist, and she was totally fine with it. Of course, it’s not going to give the exact same results, but you’ll at least be mimicking the motions.

3. I’m stronger than I thought. Thankfully, I lead a relatively active life, and was active before the fibro symptoms started, but I’d been down on myself lately for not being as active as I want to be. It turns out, my core is pretty darn strong. My therapist was surprised, probably because I’d mentioned how I’m not as active as I want to be, and let me know that my core was stronger than I thought. When you have fibro, it’s especially important to have a strong core, because it affects the way the rest of your body moves, and can give you better posture when sitting and standing. That means you can sit and stand longer, which may not sound like a big deal to those without fibro or chronic pain or fatigue, but it’s a big deal! Sitting and standing for long periods of time are two of the biggest issues with FMS, and cause a lot of pain.

4. My left side really is weaker than my right side. I’ve always said that I tend to have more pain on my right, and more weakness on my left, and now I have proof. My left side is wobbly, y’all, but that’s ok! Now I have specific exercises to bring that side up to speed. It’s not uncommon for one side of your body to be more <insert adjective here> than the other. Our bodies are asymmetrical, our brains work differently for each side, and most of us have a dominant side, so it’s something everyone experiences. It may just be a little more obvious when you’re doing PT.

5. I shouldn’t have donated our exercise ball. Why, oh why did I get rid of that bouncy thing? Some of the most effective exercises can be done on an exercise ball, and just sitting on one can strengthen your core, lower body, improve posture, and balance. Time to find a new one!

6. I still needed to increase my meds. The main reason my doc referred me to PT was to avoid giving me more medication. Unfortunately, after several years, the Tramadol I take for pain doesn’t last as long. I started waking up in the middle of the night in pain, and experiencing breakthrough pain during the day. She and I agree on taking a whole body approach, and avoiding medication whenever possible. After a few weeks of PT, though, it was clear to me that I needed the one extra dose a day I asked for at my appointment. I don’t need to take more every single day, but now my prescription allows for me to take that extra dose if I need it. It’s not a failure, though, it just means that my body is changing, so I have to honor that.

I hope that you’ll consider adding some physical therapy to your pain management routine. The stretches have been the most helpful for me, but you may find that another kind of exercise helps you. You will have to take things slowly, and that’s fine. Allow your body to adapt to the new activity – it’s a challenge in and of itself.  Talk to your doc and see if PT is something that could help lessen your pain and possibly increase your energy level.

Gentle hugs,

Chels

How to move like a boss (with chronic illness.)

The apartment is a little crazy right now, with some things in boxes, and some things being sorted out for donations. While I’m in moving mode, I thought I’d share some tips to make moving cheaper and easier for you, especially if you have chronic health issues.

Start packing in advance. Rather than waiting until the day of, or even a couple of days before, your move, start packing things as far in advance as possible. Pack a little bit at a time, beginning with decorative things, or things you rarely use. Pack up your kitchen with the exception of a couple of plates, cups, and necessary utensils, that you can use for the next few weeks. (You may even realize that you don’t need all of those plates and cups, anyway.) Starting several weeks before you move means that there will be nothing to do but move boxes on the big day, and it means that if you have a flare or an especially bad pain day close to the move, you won’t have the stress of trying to get everything done while you feel awful.

Donate, donate, donate. You will find, as you start packing early, that there are some things you forgot you even had. As you pack, designate a few trash bags or boxes for donations to your local Goodwill, church, or mission. This year, our donations are going to a friend who’s organizing a yard sale fundraiser for her friend’s son who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. If you’re unable to take your donations to the charity of your choice, see if they’ll pick them up at your home, or if a friend or family member can take them for you. By donating, you’ll save yourself time and energy moving things you no longer need or want.

Our donations (so far!) Notice I only used a couple of boxes; the rest is in trash bags.

Sell, sell, sell. Moving can be expensive, even if you’re frugal. There are application fees, deposits, possible repair costs, and you may have to pay to set up internet or utilities. So, if you have some “big ticket” items you’ve decided you no longer need, sell them! Furniture, new clothing and shoes, electronics, and gently used tools are good examples of items that are sale-worthy. All it takes is a couple of good photos, a price, and Facebook or Craigslist. (Be sure to let people know if they’ll need to pick up whatever it is you’re selling.) I posted pictures and information about our chest of drawers on Facebook, and within an hour, it was sold! If you aren’t sure what to price something, take a look on Craigslist or Ebay for similar items. Put that money aside to be used specifically for moving expenses, and your wallet won’t suffer.

Organize as you go.  This is a life saver. While you’re sorting out your donation and sale items, you may as well organizing what you’re keeping, right? Making sure like items are together, putting them in organizational containers, and labeling them as you pack will save you a ton of time and frustration.

*If you find an item in your bedroom that should go with your bath items, resist the urge to go ahead and throw it in with your bedroom things! Make a pile to the side of items that don’t belong, and when you’re done in one room, take them with you to their rightful place. It may seem like you’re saving time by just tossing unlike items in the same box or bag, but you’ll be so glad that you didn’t when it comes time to unpack.

*Utilize space-saving containers, like plastic bins that can be slid under the bed, or rolling plastic drawers that can be easily moved, as you pack. It’s wonderful when your office, bath, kitchen, and/or garage items are already packed in their respective clear or color-coded storage containers. You can also use vacuum seal bags or Ziploc bags in various sizes to store out of season clothing, or small craft supplies to save room. The money you may spend on new, more durable storage containers will be offset by the money you won’t have to spend when you move again, or when you decide your space needs to be more organized. There’s less to pack and unpack, the containers are easy to identify, and quick to store. Hint: Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Family Dollar are gold mines when it comes to small and large storage containers. Think outside the box for small containers, too, like ones for organizing drawers, and check out the kitchen area, where plastic trays, bowls, and cups are just waiting to be used.

More Dollar Tree containers hold all of my craft supplies on wire shelving. Labeled, of course!

These are my embroidery supplies, in a container from Dollar Tree, and the floss is separated by color in Ziploc bags.

*Label everything. If it’s going in a box or bag, label with box with what’s inside, and which room it belongs to with a Sharpie. If you’ve organized your belongings in the aforementioned awesome storage containers, invest in a label maker to identify what’s inside. Use sticky notes or plain old paper and tape to mark to which rooms the containers go, and you can remove them easily as you go.

 

My handy label maker put to good use!

FREE is good. Use what you have. After you begin organizing your things in plastic containers and drawers, you may find that there’s not a whole lot left that needs to be packed in boxes. To avoid making an extra trip and spending more money, use things you have around your home to pack the rest. Use trash bags, plastic and reusable shopping bags to contain pillows and bedding. Use spare, clean blankets and towels to protect fragile items, like collectibles, plates and glasses, or even furniture. (You can also put an old blanket under a piece of furniture to easily slide it across the floor when moving.) If you need boxes, check Craigslist.com’s “free” section, or utilize your Facebook page to see if anyone has spare boxes you can use. While you’re at the grocery store or dollar store, check to see if they have any boxes they’re throwing away. They’re usually more than happy to let you have them.

Plastic and reusable shopping bags to pack up the craft room, and an old bedding package to hold all of my fabric scraps in one place.

Make a list. If you easily get distracted or forget things, like I do, create a list. Need to turn in keys? Need to have the old place cleaned by a certain time? List things in order of importance, and you’ll be less likely to get stuck scrubbing the bathroom by yourself at 11:45 p.m.

Ask for help! Now is the time to decide if you want to hire movers, or enlist your family and friends. Sometimes it’s more than worth it to hire movers; look for a company that only charges you to move, so that you can do the packing yourself. That way, you don’t have to do any heavy lifting, but you’ll know where all of your things are once you’re settled into your new place. If your friends are helping, see if you can incorporate a truck or two in the mix. Larger vehicles = fewer trips, and that makes everyone happy. If no one you know drives a large vehicle, rental trucks are available through moving companies, but sometimes you’ll find a better deal at a hardware store, so don’t forget to check yours. Remember that more volunteers to move your stuff isn’t always better. Depending on the amount you’re moving, 4-6 people will make the time fly by, and there’ll be less confusion about where your furniture and boxes should go.

I know some of this may seem like common sense, or maybe even a little anal retentive, but it’s all helped us keep our sanity in the past, so I hope these tips help ease the pain of your next move!

Gentle hugs,

Chels