Hello Everyone,
It has been awhile since I have visited my Grandchildren and I miss them! There has been little to no time to spend with my twin girls and their birthday is coming up soon, October 31st.
The wedding is over and I am trying to catch up on my daily chores while maintaining a positive attitude. I am worried about Jerry and find myself in denial about the seriousness of his health and the path it is leading to. I am the one who will most likely be making medical and financial decisions. Deciding about what type of treatment is available and what I might do to assist him without draining my energy and health. Caring for my spouse who suffers from a major chronic illness allows me to test my strength. Will I be able to demonstrate my ability to step up and support the man I love?
I hope to learn to be kinder to myself because at times, especially since I am the primary caregiver, I will be exhausted to the bone and feel raw and exposed. On these days, I must learn to reach out to other family and friends and allow them to support me while I am trying to support my spouse.
I want to do the right thing by being strong and kind while expressing my love during this difficult time. I find myself slowing down and taking easy while Jerry is in the hospital. My body and mind requires time to rest and relax.
Dealing with a spouse who is facing a major health challenge is one of the most challenging, frustrating, heartbreaking experience however, my love for this individual grows daily. While I face fatigue and pain it seems like nothing next to Jerry's daily challenge of breathing. I still rely on Jerry for emotional, spiritual and financial support.
I believe a good attitude is important for our own health, and it makes it easier for others to be around us. I have learned that I need to rely on God for every aspect of my life. Our attitude should be one of acceptance realizing that nobody is strong in every area of life. We have to be able to admit weakness in some areas and accept it.
One way to keep a good attitude is to break the habit of dwelling on what you've lost. Now, it's okay to go through a period of mourning for all that you've lost. Just as I have lost the ability to remain full of energy and strong. I have stayed close to God through our health challenges and asked Him to bring us out of it in good time. I do not want to become a bitter person, one who dwells on our health challenges, but I try to look for positive things to dwell on. There are many things to be thankful for and on my list of things for which to be thankful are my grandchildren.
My goal is to take time out of my daily life to spend with my grandchildren. They are God's blessing and they bring joy to our lives. I look forward to what tomorrow brings and hope that I can offer quality time to all of my family members.
Meanwhile, make your own list of things to be thankful for and make the most of it. I pray and hope you have a pain and fatigue free day full of love and happiness.
Allow yourself to share your experience with this invisible illness and help yourself and others too. Share your tools, how you deal with everyday life, and gain access to information on Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome and Fibromyalgia (CFIDS/FMS). My mission is to empower patients to take control of their health by providing my own story and experience with treatment information, quality health products, community, and advocacy.
Friday, October 29, 2010
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Feeling Stronger Everyday
Hello Everyone!
How are you feeling today? These days I am feeling like I have the necessary emotional qualities to deal with stress, risk, and other physical and emotional difficulties. Spending time with family and friends leads to feeling tolerant of my fatigue and pain. One of the many ways of dealing with an illness is to get lost in the fantasy of our hopes and dreams by taking risks, allowing yourself to remain flexible and open to new adventures, and finding balance in your life.
Do yourself a favor and try something new, do something different, go out and have some fun. Allow yourself time to enjoy life and the people around you. The people in our lives are blessings God has given us. Spend some quality time with your family and friends. Time away from the reality of our daily tasks, chores, and responsibilities initiates a release of mental and physical tension and stress. Allow yourself to be freed from prejudice and receptive to new ideas. There are many ways of dealing with stress and daily responsibilities. Every now and then, we deserve a break. Take one today!
I hope and pray you had a pain and fatigue free day!
How are you feeling today? These days I am feeling like I have the necessary emotional qualities to deal with stress, risk, and other physical and emotional difficulties. Spending time with family and friends leads to feeling tolerant of my fatigue and pain. One of the many ways of dealing with an illness is to get lost in the fantasy of our hopes and dreams by taking risks, allowing yourself to remain flexible and open to new adventures, and finding balance in your life.
Do yourself a favor and try something new, do something different, go out and have some fun. Allow yourself time to enjoy life and the people around you. The people in our lives are blessings God has given us. Spend some quality time with your family and friends. Time away from the reality of our daily tasks, chores, and responsibilities initiates a release of mental and physical tension and stress. Allow yourself to be freed from prejudice and receptive to new ideas. There are many ways of dealing with stress and daily responsibilities. Every now and then, we deserve a break. Take one today!
I hope and pray you had a pain and fatigue free day!
Where did I place that item?
Hello Everyone,
I hope everyone is feeling great today! I met a nice woman yesterday that shared a story about lost items. When I cannot find my eyeglasses, I ask my hubby for help. We run around looking for them like chickens with their heads cut off. Then I eventually reach for the top of head and find them! Funny! The woman I met has me beat, here is her story:
(Real name withheld to protect the innocent). Mel was looking frantically searching for her cell phone and decided to retrace her steps. She had gone to the grocery store, the drug store, and her last destination was her daughter’s home. She proceeded to call the grocery store, drug store, and finally called her daughter. She asked her daughter to look around the living room and dining area, her daughter's response "Mom, you are calling me from your cell phone number." This is too funny.
The next time you feel silly for misplacing an item, remember Mel’s cell phone incident! I hope this story brought a smile to your face
Meanwhile, I hope and pray you had a fatigue and pain free day.
I hope everyone is feeling great today! I met a nice woman yesterday that shared a story about lost items. When I cannot find my eyeglasses, I ask my hubby for help. We run around looking for them like chickens with their heads cut off. Then I eventually reach for the top of head and find them! Funny! The woman I met has me beat, here is her story:
(Real name withheld to protect the innocent). Mel was looking frantically searching for her cell phone and decided to retrace her steps. She had gone to the grocery store, the drug store, and her last destination was her daughter’s home. She proceeded to call the grocery store, drug store, and finally called her daughter. She asked her daughter to look around the living room and dining area, her daughter's response "Mom, you are calling me from your cell phone number." This is too funny.
The next time you feel silly for misplacing an item, remember Mel’s cell phone incident! I hope this story brought a smile to your face
Meanwhile, I hope and pray you had a fatigue and pain free day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)