Saturday, September 25, 2010

Consequence of eating certain foods

Hello Everyone,

One of the many challenges I deal with is IBS. I have successfully kept it under control and not suffered from IBS symptoms. When I started to eliminate foods, beef was something I eliminated. I am not fond of it, except for a small hamburger (little meat) with everything but onions.

On Thursday I decided to try some brisket, what a mistake! I had one piece of bread with two pieces of brisket for lunch and loved it. So what happened? I decided to have yet another half sandwich for dinner. My husband was amazed because he knows I do not like beef. However, we both forgot my body cannot handle beef.

I have been dealing with abdominal cramps and unbearable pain. I have spent most of the past two days in bed! I am trying Maalox, Zantac, baking soda and water and still hurting. I will never eat brisket again, never say never! Apparently, my memory failed me and I ate it. Nobody else is suffering from cramps or abdominal pain, so I know the brisket I purchased was good. No food poisoning, just my less than cooperative body!

Just wanted to report my latest experience with beef.I think I am starting to experience a flare because not only am I suffering from abdominal issues, I am experiencing a higher level of pain and fatigue. My ears are still very sensitive, I have headaches, muscle pain, sleep problems, and much more. The fatigue and pain is making me cranky. Thank goodness I am smart enough to warn my family when I am starting to feel cranky. I usually stay away from people when I am cranky. It isn't their fault I feel badly, so I just stay away to prevent further issues.

Enough of my complaints! I am going to bed and tomorrow will be a better day. I just know it will improve. Wish me luck.

Meanwhile, I hope and pray everyone is having a fatigue and pain free day.

How do we find others?

Hello Everyone,

How do we find others with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue? The Internet, doctor's office, church, friends, family, and a number of other places. I would like to add more sites to my page. Do me a favor and send me a comment about your site, your experience, how you deal, anything you want to write. I will add your site to my blog page.

I hope to hear from current and new Internet sites!


Meanwhile, I hope and pray everyone has had a fatigue and pain free day!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Dealing with Sounds

Hello Everyone,

How is your hearing? Mine? I have been experiencing some sensitivity to certain sounds and noise. Although my hearing has deteriorated, I do experience sound amplification. Sometimes my ears are very sensitive to sound and noise making it difficult to dine at certain restaurants or go to the theater. My answer to that problem is earplugs. Earplugs are always available at home and I carry a set in my purse. The light, touch, and sound sensitivities are a nuisance. I need to journal when I experience various sensitivity issues to help me figure out what triggers them.

Do you have any thoughts or ideas on the topic? I would love to hear if, when, and how you deal with light, touch, and sound sensitivities. Here are my tips on dealing with these challenges:

When you cannot handle light:

- Dim the lights in your bedroom and spend some time meditating
- Wear lightly tinted sunglasses when necessary
- Close the drapes

When you cannot handle touch:

- Let your family know your body is extremely sensitive to touch (sometimes the slightest touch hurts)
- Take a nice warm to hot bath
- Give yourself a soft massage

When you cannot handle sound:

- Let your family know you are experiencing amplified sound
- Turn down the radio or television
- Wear earplugs

Lastly, remember you have the gift of hearing!


Meanwhile, I hope and pray you have a fatigue and pain free day.

Friday, September 03, 2010

Being Real

Hello Everyone,

Today I would like to share my thoughts on life and the many things we experience. Being real is one of the most important, yet difficult, things to do at certain times in our lives.

When I was first diagnosed, I felt relief that it wasn't all in my head. The thought of knowing and becoming aware of what was happening to me mentally and physically was somewhat comforting. I was feeling more confident that my illness was simply an experience or some type of process my body had to experience. The process of experiencing a variety of symptoms such as fatigue and pain without loosing hope and faith in God. The experience opens up your mind and heart.

It has been a way of discovering my inner thoughts and emotions. What I see and what happens and how I feel emotionally can be controlled by my inner thoughts. I know I have the power to give, share, be kind, compassionate, provide, love, and protect myself, family, and friends emotionally. It is a choice. We are not perfect, but we have the power to be real and honest.

Things happen that don't make sense, but does that mean we loose hope and faith in God? Ourselves? Our loved ones? No. Our experiences make us stronger and hopefully guide us to a better place emotionally. The key is to remain real and honest. I believe the key to experiencing the best of life is a matter of perception.

Accept your journey in life, even if you don't understand how or why. You do not have to be religious to have faith. Who we are and what we feel comes from the heart and our heart confirms what is true. Be real to yourself.

One last note, blame no one for anything, forgive everyone and everything. Meanwhile, what can you do with your pain? This is what I do: Every moment I breathe, I give my breath to God, and with this I feel an open heart. This is my opportunity to find out what is truly important in life and allow the trivial to pass understanding my pain is no different or stronger than other individuals dealing with a chronic illness. Sometimes I get lost in a pool of pity however, God stands by to listen and eventually leads or guides me towards rethinking about my circumstances , then I open up my heart and eyes responding in a different way. As I recognize my weaknesses I change my attitude and try to remain real to myself.

What about you? Want to share your thoughts?

I hope and pray you are experiencing a day without fatigue or pain.