Living With Chronic Pain Archives - Page 3 of 4

Stress – Don’t Let it Kill You

8 Comments / Living With Chronic Pain / Edith / March 21, 2020

No question, we are living in stressful times, and that was before the onset of COVID-19 and the impacts of social distancing.

Stress is a normal part of our daily lives, even positive life changes like getting a promotion, planning a wedding, buying a house, or even the birth of a child or a grandchild can produce a stress response.

Our bodies react when change occurs. Mentally, physically, or emotionally, we’re going to have a stress response to the majority of situations we face daily. Doesn’t matter if we’re aware of our stress or not, we all react to some degree, our individual responses varying depending on our personal triggers.

Stress isn’t all bad. It keeps us alert, ready to avoid danger, motivated to take action. These are good reactions. Most of the time, stress keeps us alive, driving our responses to emergencies by infusing our bodies with adrenaline for a potential “fight or flight” situation.

Here’s the deal though, prolonged activation of our stress responders causes both mental and physical wear and tear on the body.

Symptoms of chronic stress can include:

Headache/dizziness
Upset stomach/gastrointestinal problems
Elevated blood pressure
Chest pain
Depression
Panic attacks
Anxiety

Sexual dysfunction – whaaaat! Ain’t nobody got time for that!
Muscle tension/pain especially in neck, face, and shoulders
General aches and pains
Sleep issues
Cognitive issues
Weight loss or gain

There’s more – the list can go on and on – but I think you get the idea!

In addition, prolonged stress can bring on or worsen symptoms associated with other diseases and chronic pain ailments, such as:

Fibromyalgia
Chronic Fatigue
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Arthritis
Lupus
Cancer
Heart Disease
Diabetes

Again, this list can go on for pages. So, I’m gonna stop here, cause it’s stressing me out.

5 ways to reduce stress:

The good news…there’s lots of advice out there on how to manage stress. And yep, these are going to sound remarkably similar to the things we should be doing to reduce chronic pain and maintain our overall health:

Exercise
Eat healthily
Get proper sleep
Take medications on time
Utilize relaxation techniques – deep breathing, meditation, yoga, tai-chi

5 additional ways to reduce stress:

Keep a positive attitude – not always easy, but it goes a long way in times like these.

Be assertive – let people know what you need but keep the drama for your mama. Actually scratch that, she’s probably more stressed than you are. Just be kind while being assertive.

Make time for hobbies – write that blog, take that walk in nature, make that recipe you’ve been dying to try.

Set limits and manage your time effectively – don’t spend hours upon hours doing shit you hate.

Seek out social support – it’s why we have a tribe, people! We don’t need to be in the same room. Heck, we don’t even need to be in the same country to support each other in a meaningful way. For me, memes, emojis, and inspirational quotes posted on Facebook don’t count as meaningful! They can be funny or moving, but they don’t replace personal interaction.

Finally, if you find yourself needing a little extra support in managing your stress, seek professional help as required. Sadly, I’m not a professional…look for a qualified therapist!

The point is, do what you like to do – and what you can do – to reduce your stress. You’ll live longer. You’ll be happier. The people around you will be happier. We’ll all be rolling around in a big pile of stress-free happiness. Wouldn’t that be lovely?

Unrealistic.

But lovely.

So tell me, what are some of the things that stress you out, and what do you do to manage your stress?

Personally, I get super stressed when the three men in my life (Roy and the boys) get to bickering about EVERYTHING. It drives me nuts. Usually, I end up yelling about how crazy they all are before I remove myself to a quieter room in the house.

Fight and flight. That’s me.

I also get to organizing when I’m stressed. Rough week at work – look out junk-drawer – I’m coming for you!

Anyhoo, I got no time for stress right now. I’m up to my eyeballs managing COVID-19 emails. So, I’ll end this blog by saying, stay safe out there, and practice social distancing, if not for the sake of your health, then do it for someone you love!

Take care, everyone.

Until the next blog – peace out pain sufferers.

Current pain level 6/10.

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Living in a COVID-19 World

11 Comments / Living With Chronic Pain / Edith / March 13, 2020

Today is my last day of sitting by the pool in Florida. Ask me two weeks ago, and I would have said I’m in no hurry to get home. Ask me last week, same thing.

Today?

Well, I’m not in a hurry, but I am looking forward to it.

No, not the weather, unless by some miracle it’s twenty-four degrees with non-stop sunshine. Nope. Still have the same aversion to winter and cold temperatures as when I left.

What’s prompting my change of heart?

COVID-19.

Ten simple COVID-19 strategies for the immunocompromised...

Am I fearful? No. Worried? Not more than your average immunocompromised person. Basically, I know what to do to protect my family and myself as best I can.

Twenty-second hand washing routine
Sneezing and coughing etiquette – tissues when available, elbows when not
Social distancing
Flu shot
Routine home disinfection
Responsible household preparation – no unnecessary hoarding of toilet paper and hand sanitizer
Keeping abreast of the situation without increasing stress levels (super important for chronic pain sufferers)
Monitoring of elderly and higher risk family members
Staying home if feeling sick or unwell
Self-isolating and seeking medical attention if flu-like symptoms present

This is not a drill...

Well then, if I’m not overly worried about it, why is COVID-19 the reason I’m looking forward to going home? Good question. Happy to answer it.

My former boss called while I was on vacation. She’s been tagged as the Public Health Agency of Canada, COVID-19 Event Manager. I told her she would be before I left on vacation two and a half weeks ago – so no surprise there.

The surprise came when she asked me to join her, taking on my former role as her advisor. It’s a high profile job for her, and she wants me on her team.

I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER.

So much of my identity is wrapped up in my job, and when my (read favorite) boss left to take on a bigger challenge, my role in the organization I stayed with shifted not so subtly. Personally, I need to feel like I’m contributing in a significant way at work, and that wasn’t happening.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll fetch coffee, manage HR or finance issues, change calendar appointments. No problem. I’m more than willing to do what needs doing to allow others to focus on priority issues.

But I also need to feel like my ability to work at my level is recognized. I need to know the advice and guidance I give to senior management is heard and considered.

My former boss trusted my advice, and she took it – or not – as appropriate, but she never made me feel like I couldn’t or shouldn’t contribute – even with the fibro fog stifling my words on some days.

And that’s why I’m looking forward to coming home and going back to work, because I know, supporting her on the Canadian COVID-19 response will be a challenge and an opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to an important public health issue for our country.

Contributing to the cause...

All this to say, I’m going to be busy, with a lot of my time dedicated to being the best advisor I can be. As a result, some things are going to take a back seat – writing and blogging possibly being one of those things. We’ll see how it goes.

There are other things, however, I’m determined to keep on keeping on. Healthy eating and exercise are at the top of my list – more important than ever with everything going on in the world today – not to mention the benefits of both on stress management.

Anyway, my computer is overheating and acting wonky because I’m sitting in the sun, so I gotta wrap this up. I just wanted to take this opportunity to touch base with all of you before I start my marathon drive home, and to express my hope that you’re all able to prioritize your mental and physical health in the coming weeks.

How about you? I would love to hear how you are coping with COVID-19 and what the impacts have been on you, work, family, etc. Or, if you have any tips or tricks to share on how to stay as healthy as possible in light of the situation, leave them in the comments below. I’m sure there are many in the tribe who are maybe a little anxious and could use the support.

Until the next blog – peace out pain sufferers.

Current pain level 3/10.

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When Yoga Hurts

14 Comments / Living With Chronic Pain / Edith / March 7, 2020

I enjoy going to yoga. The act of getting to the gym in the dead of winter – not so much – but once I’m there. I’m good.

Okay, truth. I’m good when I get into the yoga room.

First, I have to walk the gauntlet of judgey machines, ellipticals, treadmills, rowers, stationary bikes, all of them mocking my flabby belly for passing them by. You should be doing a cardio workout they clamor.

Next come the weight machines, usually occupied by a couple of burly guys lifting heavy loads, and making it look easy. They don’t pay any attention to me, and I’m grateful, and also a little putout.

I’m fifty. I’m not dead.

And now, I’m wondering if they can see my panty lines through my yoga pants.

Keep walking. Keep walking.

Enter the yoga center...

Okay – yep – now I’m good. No judging here. No judging out there either but – helloooo – crazy brain talking.

Take a breath. Register. Grab a mat, a bolster, a strap, a couple of blocks, two pads – not one – but two pads for my knees. Set up my space, near the wall, at the back. Now I wait. Do a bit of stretching on my own.

A pre-stretch stretch. Cause I’m gonna need all the help I can get.

The instructor arrives, young, peppy, cute. I try not to judge. She’s about to kick my ass.

She starts the music. It’s soothing. She talks us through some slow breathing. At least, I think she is. I can’t actually hear her. Stooopid ears. Deep breaths now. Feel your chest expand. Mine feels like it hits a wall. I can’t breathe as deep as I used to. Stooopid Ankylosing Spondylitis. Oh, shit! We’re moving now. Okay. Downward dog. I got this. Glasses slip off my nose. Now I can’t see. Stooopid eyes.

She goes through the yoga routine. I follow along as best I can. Yep, you bet, I feel the stretch of muscles that have been neglected for too long. It feels good. It hurts, but it’s a good kinda hurt. The instructor takes us down to the floor for the end of class unwind, the find your inner peace moment. She’s still talking. I still can’t hear her, and my brain’s still going a mile a minute, but hey, I did it. Yay! I made it through my first yoga class since I stopped going…in February of 2019.

Barbie isn't real...

I started back at it in January 2020. One class that first week – Stretch and Unwind – not bad, I can do this. Moved up to two Stretch and Unwind classes by the third week.

Too easy. I’m a yoga ninja now, so I sign up for the Hips and Shoulders class. Not gonna lie. I started to cry about halfway through. Not because I was in pain. I was…in pain, but that wasn’t why the silent tears rolled. Nope. It was the dawning realization that there’s shit I can’t do anymore and am never going to be able to do again.

It was the frog pose that did it. My hips will not allow my legs to open in that way. Not without snapping off my body like Barbie doll legs. Problem is – I’m pretty sure mine won’t snap back on.

It sucks losing something that came to you so easily before. I’ve always been flexible, always been athletic. Team sports mostly. Basketball was my first love, followed by soccer. Both fast-paced. Both high-impact.

I continued to play my favorite sports as long as I could. Somewhere in my early thirties, the pain started to outweigh the gain, and it took longer and longer for my muscles to recover from a game. Add in the Fibro fatigue, and sometimes it was everything just to drag myself onto the court or the field. It got to the point where I couldn’t play any longer, not without risking a serious injury.

My auto-immune diseases took sports from me.

Not the love of sports, but the ability to play them. That was tough; I was an athlete stuck in a non-athletic body. I ate my feelings, gained weight. Eventually, I joined the gym, tried going to aerobics classes, lifted weights, trudged along on the cardio machines. I hated it. Kept trying to convince myself otherwise, but yeah, I’m not a gym girl.

After the tears...

Now I walk for exercise, do yoga for muscle conditioning, and recently I tried aquafit. I loved it. I think I smiled through the entire class. Thanks for bringing me, Suzanne! So I’m adding aquafit to my list of things I CAN do to help myself stay mobile.

Happily, aquafit is one of the activities offered at the resort I’m staying at in Florida, and I’ve been to two classes. The instructor is sixty, funny, and a ball of energy. She makes me laugh out loud, these days, it’s what I need. A group activity where I don’t need to speak to anyone if I’m not in the mood, but the option is there.

Best part – nothing hurts after.

SCORE!

Sure, as I continue along on my wellness journey, there will be more tears, more frustrations, more things I can’t do. But I’m learning, I’m growing, and I’m figuring out what I can do. It’s all part of the process.

For now, Jodie is waiting for me to get my butt in gear. We’re going for a walk – to IHOP for breakfast – what could be better? Exercise I can do, sunshine and prescription sunglasses, a delicious and healthy breakfast, and a best friend to share it with.

If I’m crying, they’re happy tears.

Wishing you all a low pain week.

Until the next blog – peace out pain sufferers.

Current pain level 4/10.

**Still waiting to hear back from Subscriber 26 -WASSHES. If that’s you, check your spam folder. You’re one of two winners of the Sharing is Caring Prize Package. Please touch base with me by March 14 to secure your win!

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Winners of the Sharing is Caring Prize Packages Are…

Leave a Comment / Living With Chronic Pain / Edith / March 1, 2020

Subscriber number 26, you are the winner of the random draw for the Sharing is Caring Prize Package!

Email sent your way. Looking forward to connecting with you.

Subscriber number 12, you are the subscriber with the most blog post shares! Email sent your way as well.

Will make a formal announcement on the blog as soon as both winners get back to me!

Thanks for entering everyone!

There will be another Sharing is Caring Prize in the future. Maybe when I reach my original goal of 100 subscribers?! Who knows, in the meantime, if you enjoy the blog, and want to keep helping the tribe grow, keep on sharing!

For now, peace out pain sufferers.

Edith

P.S. Sorry for the crappy video guys!

And OMG – no one ever told me my voice was like nails on a blackboard!

Will work on my video skills, as to voice, I think we’re all shit out of luck!

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Solo Travel and Mental Health – Hint – Avoid Traffic Jams If You Can

13 Comments / Living With Chronic Pain / Edith / February 29, 2020

I like to travel alone – or maybe – it’s best to say traveling by myself doesn’t bother me.

Jumping in the car solo and driving for twenty-two and a half hours, sure no problem. I’ve got my thoughts for company. I talk out loud using funny accents. Give a blow-by-blow commentary of the life blurring by outside my window. I listen to music. Sing at the top of my lungs. Make plans – for tomorrow, next week, next month, a year from now.

A solo drive of any length is an excellent opportunity for personal reflection. For figuring out what you need from life. What you want from life.

It will also test you.

A sore ass by the time you reach Syracuse, New York. ✔

Dense fog through Pennsylvania. ✔

A navigation system that refuses to take you around the gridlock from Baltimore to Washington. ✔

Waking up to a flat tire in Fayetteville (left rear) and putting air in it yourself (my first time) while your back is spasming. ✔

Blowing a tire belt (right front) at the Woodbine exit in Georgia. ✔

Meeting the owner of 3 Guys Mobile Tire Service in rural America. (He was great by the way.) ✔

Driving on a spare tire to Jacksonville, Florida. ✔

Sitting in a sketchy Burger King reading a book on retirement while getting four new tires installed. ✔

For me, it’s all part of the adventure.

Until I hit the construction traffic less than fifteen miles from my resort, and it took an extra hour to get here. Then it was back to nails as weapons time. ✖

All this to say, with Roy’s remote help on the new tire situation, I made it to Kissimmee in one piece.

And I’m thrilled to be here. Or rather, I’m thrilled not to be there, at home, alone, in the cold. (Roy is currently in Africa for contract work.)

Heck, sunshine, warm temperatures, and flip-flops – what’s not to love – right?

Yep. I’m in my happy place.

Am I pain-free? Nope.

Reality check, I never will be.

Am I pain manageable? Yes. Thank you. Yes, I am.

It’s day two in Florida, and already my knees hurt less. My back hurts less. The brain fog is, for the most part, gone, and I expect continual improvement over the next few days.

Why?

Lot’s of reasons. The warmer temperatures, the stress-free environment, the extra walking, the grocery store sushi for lunch, the reading by the pool with a vodka soda, the writing of this blog on the patio with a glass of wine, the plan to go to bed early and get up early to do it all again.

If you’re thinking, sounds mental, I’d have to say I agree.

But I’m adding the word health to the mix.

It’s a mental HEALTH thing.

For me, body wellness goes hand-in-hand with mental health. I can’t achieve one without the other, and when I’m spiraling the chronic pain drain, my mental health is never far behind.

I needed a way out. Florida presented itself, and I took it. There’s still some residual guilt about leaving work at a critical time (COVID-19). Add in some guilt about leaving family behind (mostly just Mum). Plus a bit of guilt for spending money on a trip for just (GASP) myself. And sure, the doubt creeps in.

But for now, I’m where I need to be both mentally and physically, and that’s all I can ever really hope for. So, I’m going to enjoy the next two weeks. I’m going to read and write. Sit in the sun, talk to strangers, and shop at Target. When Jodie gets here, I’m going to do more of the same, except with more beer.

So, tell me Sharing is Caring Tribe, what do you do when you reach your emotional, physical, mental health limits? How do you escape? Do you grab a book? Binge a new Netflix series? Drink a couple of glasses of wine? Tell me what your go-to strategies are for coping with long bouts of weather-related pain, cause lord knows there will still be snow on the ground when I get back!

Wishing everyone a Happy Leap Year Day!

Oooo, and don’t forget the sharing is caring draw is happening soon! Stay tuned if you’re in it to win!

Until the next blog, peace out pain sufferers.

Current pain level 5/10.

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Winter – Love It or Leave It

8 Comments / Living With Chronic Pain / Edith / February 22, 2020

I have a love/hate relationship with winter.

From December 1^st to January 1^st– I see winter through a Thomas Kinkade lens.

It looks something like this:

Fluffy flakes of pure white drift peacefully to settle on the bank of a pristine slow-moving creek meandering by a cobblestone cottage. A snow-covered roof with smoke purling from the chimney hints at the roaring fire within. Soft yellow light spills from frosted windows promising warmth and welcome. The front door, decorated with an evergreen wreath, greets friends and family arriving in horse-drawn sleighs, chased by children and dogs alike.

From the kitchen, the smell of warm pie wafts through the house, rooms perfectly decorated with twinkling lights and glittery ornaments. (In Roy’s world, there’s always pie. In my world, picture a ruby red glass of Chianti with Ludovico Einaudi playing quietly in the background.)

Ahh, the holiday season! Seen through my rose-colored glasses, it is beautifully idyllic.

And with the re-boxing of the Christmas decorations and the arrival of the New Year in Canada, completely unfuckingrealistic.

The stark reality:

Frozen landscapes fraught with slip and fall dangers (just ask Suzanne).

Minus forty wind-chills intent on freezing your ass to the leather seat of your car.

Snowdrifts covering driveways and sidewalks cleared less than six miserable hours ago.

Now pile on the physical pain.

If you’re like me, you don’t do well in winter. My bones ache, my muscles hurt more than usual, and as a result, I move less. Add in brain fog, mood swings, and a crap diet, and by the end of February, I could probably commit murder using my press-on nails as a weapon and have a solid argument for acquittal.

“But your Honor, in my defense, he WAS breathing loudly.”

“Yes, of course, Ms. Lalonde. A completely reasonable justification for disemboweling someone with an impeccable French manicure.” Gravel hits wooden circle thingy you see on TV with a loud bang. “NOT GUILTY by reason of temporary weather insanity.”

*Cue cheers from the gallery.

It's a proven fact:

Weather can (and in my case does) affect chronic pain levels in the body.

Barometric pressure changes can cause joints to swell, increasing pain signals to the brain.

Cold snaps can constrict blood vessels and reduce blood flow, causing muscles, tendons, and ligaments to tighten.

When you live in the north, severe weather and barometric pressure changes are a given.

So, yeah. It shouldn’t come as a surprise when your body becomes your prison, and the sentence lasts until well past spring.

Not gonna sugar-coat it:

It’s nearing the end of February, and I have reached the nails as weapons threshold on my sanity.

Seriously, I have to get myself out of this chronic pain prison before someone gets hurt.

So, yeah. I’m tapping out, packing my flip-flops, and heading south.

My next blog post will be coming at you from Florida. Cause I can’t take it anymore.

Right now, I’m a toxic combination of several Wizard of Oz characters. I have the Tin Man’s joints, the Scarecrow’s brain, and the Wicked Witch of the West’s evil disposition.

Trust me. The woman is a bitch, and she can’t be killed with hot water. I know. I’ve tried.

Beyond long soaks in the hot tub, bath, or shower, there are things we can do to combat weather-related chronic pain episodes.

Unfortunately, they are remarkably similar to the everyday things we do to combat our everyday chronic pain episodes.

Top 5 Ways to Reduce Chronic Pain in Winter:

Keep moving – Apparently, now is not the time to neglect your exercise routine in favor of Netflix.
Maintain healthy eating habits – A stable diet of comfort Quarter Pounder’s will not help you avoid winter weight gain or food related inflammation.
Stay hydrated – Drinking water is vital in winter as dry air can make you feel extra tired and achy.
Continue to take your medication and supplements on time – Don’t be me! Don’t let brain fog interfere with routines. Set reminders to take your pills!
Dress for the weather – Layer, layer, layer. Mittens and those cute pom-pom hats that destroy any hope of a good hair day are your chronic pain friends. Indoors, furry blankets are a lifesaver.

*Reminder – one of the items in the Sharing is Caring – Fuck Chronic Pain care packages is a furry blanket. YAY! Give away happening March 1, 2020.

Other recommendations:

I know not everyone can up and leave when the urge to maim strikes a deep chord. So, I also recommend the following:

Employ relaxation technics – Read, sleep, breathe deep, light a candle, sit under a heat lamp, pull the furry blanket over your head, buy yourself some tulips, look at pictures of puppies.

*WARNING: Do NOT go out and adopt a puppy on impulse. Take many, many weeks to consider if this is a rash decision based on weather insanity. If you still want a dog in April/May when the weather finally turns, consider if this urge is due to spring euphoria. If not, and you still want a dog – go get yourself a dog.

Stay in contact – send messages to friends, swap recipes with fellow food lovers, share funny anecdotes, attend aquafit classes. Try to connect with the people you don’t have a desire to remove from the planet on a deeper level than posting a meme on Facebook can provide.

Or don’t do any of these things.

If you need to be Miss Havisham, shut away in your house with all the clocks stopped, be Miss Havisham. Just keep your wedding dress away from any open flames.

On that note…time to wrap up this blog, cause I gotta go dig out some shorts that still fit.

How about you? Winter? Love it or leave it?

I think we’ve established, I’m a leave it kinda girl, but if you have any winter survival suggestions or even winter love stories (if such a thing is possible), please share.

Pretty sure, I’m not the only one in the tribe who can use a little distraction from the weather!

Until the next blog – peace out pain sufferers.

Current pain level 8/10.

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The Benefits of Blogging About Chronic Pain – You’re All In The Sharing is Caring Club Now

16 Comments / Living With Chronic Pain / Edith / February 14, 2020

Happy Valentine’s Day, my Lovelies!

As a chronic pain blogger, I have no idea what I’m doing. All of this, the blogging world, is new territory for me. I want to be good at it, and seeing how I’m an all in kinda girl, I wanted to see immediate results without actually having done any advance research on what makes a blog successful.

I had an itch to write, and I thought I had something worth saying about chronic pain and my wellness journey. So, I jumped in, clueless about what I was getting into.

In less than a week, I built a new website and posted my first blog.

Job well done. Pats on the back, self high-five, and all that.

Now what? Post two. Post three. Post four.

*Looks at stats. Has two subscribers, myself and one other. (Shout out to subscriber number two – thanks, Gabby B!)

Man! Creating a blog is hard work. Add in some chronic pain challenges and cognitive difficulties, and growing a blog becomes even harder freaking work.

CONFESSION – before I hit the publish button on my first post on January 1^st, 2020, I set a target of one hundred subscribers by March 1^st. Two months seemed like a reasonable amount of time considering I have 700+ Instagram followers, 1700+ Twitter followers, 101 Facebook friends, and 30 Pinterest followers.

Therefore, one hundred blog subscribers in two months – should be a piece of cake, right?

Wrong.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. On so many levels – wrong!

Let’s just say…I’m not going to reach my goal.

My current number?

Twenty-five subscribers in six weeks.

Who knows? Twenty-five subscribers could be a reasonable growth rate. Maybe I’ll Google it? And for the record, I’m still one of those subscribers. So, if you’re in to win one of the Fuck Chronic Pain Sharing is Caring prize packages, your odds are pretty damn good!

But, yeah, zero to sixty with my hair on fire. That’s me.

Unrealistic expectations. Meet reality.

Yep, I’ve got some decent numbers in terms of social media followers, but what I’ve come to realize is having followers is not the same thing as having active engagers. Hearts and likes don’t amount to much in terms of personal value or connection.

And what I want…what I really REALLY want…is to connect. To share stories, hardships, successes, and experiences. Herein lies the true value of starting a chronic pain blog – finding your people.

YOU. Yes, all of YOU are my people. My fellow spoonies and pain sufferers (or not). You – who like to comment and share. You – who want to read and quietly observe. You – who see me in person and let me know you’re reading, you’re laughing, and you’re connecting with my words.

That’s my reward, my reason to keep going, to keep writing, and to keep sharing.

Plus, you guys are helping me along my wellness journey more than you know.

Katrina, through her comment on the Reverse Stereotypes and Cautious Optimism post, reminded me the rheumatologist talked with me about diet to reduce chronic pain. I needed the reminder, and it came from someone I haven’t met, but who is, never-the-less, still part of the sharing is caring tribe.

Alice, Sharron, Lyse, Suzi – so many of you have shared your chronic pain experiences. As members of the tribe, you’ve helped me realize, I’m not alone in my chronic pain woes or my use of the F-bomb as a coping mechanism.

Thanks to this blog, I’m reconnecting with family and friends – in a deeper, more meaningful way, and bonus, I’m reaping the benefits of meeting new people.

I’m learning things, both about myself and the autoimmune diseases I have.

With your help, I’ve rekindled my passion for writing, and I’m learning new technological tricks, like how to build a website.

I’m also learning what I don’t like about the blogging world, such as non-stop ads and pop-ups trying to sell me shit I don’t need. And blogs that promise to deliver you from your pain. Seriously, I won’t do that to you guys.

Regardless of whether or not twenty-five subscribers is a big gain or small, I’m calling connecting with all of you a huge win.

So, to my twenty-four subscribers – thank you!

To those of you non-subscribers reading this – thank you!

To those of you who share on the blog, on Facebook and Pinterest, on Twitter and Instagram – thank you!

As a member of the sharing is caring Club, you get a say in what goes up on the blog. I have a three-page list of topics I want to write about, but I’m interested in hearing about what you’d like to read.

Want a post about gardening with chronic pain? Let me know. Want some tips on starting a keto diet to reduce inflamation? Drop the suggestion. Don’t like something you read or want to offer some advice for ways to improve my website? Please email me via the contact page.

I’m open to positive suggestions and constructive criticism. I’m not down for any negativity or unnecessary drama, and I’m guessing, since you’re here, you aren’t either!

For now, wishing you all a low pain week, and if you feel up to it, leave a comment and tell us how you’re doing. As for me, winter is playing havoc on my joints, which makes me think next week’s post might have something to do with surviving the cold months when you’re living with chronic pain.

Until the next blog – peace out pain sufferers.

Current pain level 7/10.

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Sharing is Caring – Fuck Chronic Pain Giveaway

7 Comments / Living With Chronic Pain / Edith / February 12, 2020

Here it is, the Sharing is Caring – Fuck Chronic Pain giveaway video! I finally figured out how to upload media files to the blog. Will probably crash the internet as soon as I post, but hey, maybe one or two of you will get to see it first!

Entering to win one of two prize packages worth approximately $150.00 each is easy. Just subscribe to my blog. That’s it! One random winner will be selected.

The second prize package goes to the subscriber who shares the most Living with Chronic Pain blog posts on social media between now and the end of February. Be sure to tag me in your posts to make sure I don’t miss any.

Facebook. Pinterest. Instagram. Twitter. Leaving comments on the blog. It all counts!

Some great items included to ease the spoonie lifestyle.

If you have any questions, send me an email via the contact page.

Winners will be contacted on or about March 1st, 2020. Prize packages to be sent by mid-March.

Good luck, everybody.

Apologies in advance for the nasally voice and terrible camera work! Still working on honing my blogging/vlogging skills.

For now, peace out pain sufferers.

Edith

Clearly I need help making videos! Gah, my voice...do I really sound this nasally in real life?Anyhoo.Here it is, the final Sharing is Caring prize package!Super easy to win one of two prizes worth approximately $150 ea.1 - Subscribe to my blog - one random winner will be selected to receive a prize package.2 - Subscribe to my blog - and share the heck out of my posts on Social Media including Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram if you can figure out how...Tag me so I know you shared and don't miss any! Most prolific sharer/engager will receive the second prize package. (Comments and engagement on the blog will go in your favor as well.) Blog link: edithlalonde.com/blog/Like I said! Super Easy. And Lots of great items here to ease you or someone you love through some of your chronic pain woes!Winners will be announced on or about March 1, 2020. Prize packages to be shipped to winners by mid-March.That's it!Good luck to all.Peace out pain sufferers.Edith#chronicpain #ankylosingspondylitis #fibromyalgia #arthritis #backpain #spoonielife #spoonie #sharingiscaring #chronicillness
Posted by Edith Lalonde on Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Current pain level 7/10.

March 1, 2020

** CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO SUBSCRIBED TO ENTER TO WIN!

Sharing is Caring!

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Brain Drain – A Blogger’s Nightmare

14 Comments / Living With Chronic Pain / Edith / February 9, 2020

I’m all over the place this week, and mentally, I’m having a hard time getting my brain to settle. For whatever reason, the Fibro fog has been thick the last couple of days, and trying to express a coherent thought is like trying to communicate through a big ass cotton ball covering my head.

The worst part is…I’m a writer. I write for a living. I write for pleasure. I write when I’m happy. I write when I’m sad. I write when I have something to say, and I write just for the sake of putting ideas on paper.

I write.

And to write means, you need to remember some basic words. Losing words is like cutting off an arm for me, and I’m not talking big words. These are not the supercalifragilisticexpialidocious of words I’m struggling with.

Nope.

It’s your everyday words like File. Bacon. Gloves. Truck.

Sounds impossible, right? An exaggeration?

Well, it’s not. Just this week, I was telling Roy, “I had to go to… ahhh… to… ahhh…”

“Walmart,” he supplied.

Yep. I couldn’t produce the word for the store I went to three times. And why did I have to hit up Walmart three times? Because every time I went, I forgot to get multiple items on my grocery list for the couples’ snowmobile weekend.

THREE. FREAKING. TIMES. IN THREE FREAKING DAYS!

Not only did I forget to purchase items on my list, I forgot I had a list, and to add insult to injury, I was unable to express my frustration in simple words.

Of all the symptoms associated with Fibromyalgia, cognitive dysfunction is the hardest pill for me to swallow.

Memory loss.
Inability to concentrate.
Becoming easily distracted.
Confusion.
Forgetfulness.
Misplacing objects.
Difficulty carrying on a conversation.
Inability to retain new information.
Struggling with tasks done a thousand times.

There are times the cognitive difficulties – or brain drain – I suffer, impacts my day-to-day life more than the physical pain associated with my conditions.

Walking into my boss’s office and forgetting why I’m there. Stopping mid-conversation because I can’t remember what point I was trying to make. Thinking of a creative idea or a great line and losing it before I can write it down. Reminding myself, I have an appointment scheduled and forgetting it five minutes later.

None of these seem like a big deal on their own, but add one brain fail on top of the other, day-after-day, and it feels like you’re constantly swimming upstream in a river of molasses with floaties tied to your ankles.

So I did some research. What I learned is not good news. While “fibro fog” or “brain fog” is a common complaint among people with Fibromyalgia, the cause is not fully understood. Furthermore, it’s not a symptom that gets much attention from the medical and research community.

Fucking great.

What I did find were a lot of suggestions, most of them common sense, that can be applied to combat brain fog.

Avoid caffeine (causes sleep disturbances).
Use a planner (great when you can remember to use it).
Organize your space (cuts down on squirrel distractions).
Eat healthy foods (well duh).
Take your medication on time (super important to avoid brain buzz when taking SSRIs).
Reduce your stress (easier said than done).
Exercise regularly (no surprise there).
Establish routines (impossible to do on a couples weekend).
Avoid multi-tasking (HA! Can someone tell Roy I can’t cook and clean at the same time).
Breathe deeply (sure, when it doesn’t hurt your chest).
Get better sleep (uhh, people with Fibro rarely get sleep, never mind better sleep).

My Simple Strategy for Combating Brain Fog

STOP what you’re doing.

Trying to sew a dress and can’t figure out how to thread the needle? Put it aside and walk away.
Burnt the cookies because you forgot to put the oven timer on? Throw them in the garbage and walk away.
Reading the same paragraph over and over? Shut the sexy romance book and walk away.
Basically, go for a walk. Or a bath. Or a nap. Anything that requires little to no brain cell usage.
Repeat as often as required.

Giving advice is so much easier than taking it, but I’m going to take my own now. This blog was a bitch to write, it’s taken me six days, so I’m walking away. I’m going to hop in the hot tub and then take a nap.

Hopefully, a few of these rambling words resonate with others, and if not…well, I tried!

Until the next blog – peace out pain sufferers.

Current pain level 5/10.

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Giving Up Perfection to Find My Balance

11 Comments / Living With Chronic Pain / Edith / February 1, 2020

Perfection is killing me.

Okay. Sure. I’m being dramatic. I’m not perfect. Not even close. My family knows it. My friends know it. My colleagues at work know it.

Doesn’t mean I don’t jam myself into tight corners with impossible to achieve perfection situations.

Yep. I’m an all-in kinda girl. Have been forever.

If I’m exercising, you can be sure I’m going too hard, too fast. If I’m cutting out Diet Coke, I’m going cold turkey and suffering through a major caffeine withdrawal. If I’m trying to lose weight, I’m trying to do it overnight, which means I’ve probably cut my calorie intake to less than a thousand calories per day.

Same is true when I get stuck in reverse mode.

If I’m eating Quarter Pounders with Cheese – I’m probably eating one a day. If I fall off the Diet Coke wagon, I’m cracking open a can at breakfast. If I’m working on a novel, I’m spending a ton of extra hours, butt in a chair, trying to get words on paper – meaning exercise – yeah, not gonna happen.

Problem is – good habits or bad – none of these over the top patterns of behavior are sustainable. Basically, I’m setting myself up for failure. I know it. There’s no shock and awe here. No big revelation.

So, why do it? Why am I still trying to reach a state of personal perfection when it comes to diet, fitness, relationships, writing, working, home decorating, etc.?

Well, if only you could hear what goes on in my head, you’d understand.

Be perfect. You can do it. If only you tried harder. If only you did better. If only you…

Ad nauseam, and to infinity and beyond.

Why? Why does my brain hate me?

And why does perfection matter anyway?

Because maybe – just maybe – if I reach that perfect state, the place where I’m finally all the things I want to be, and doing all the things I want to do, then maybe I won’t be in pain anymore.

Become a (well-liked) published Author. ✔
Be an awesome wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, employee. ✔
Do yoga 3 times a week. Walk 60 minutes daily. Take a 2-hour hike every Saturday. ✔
Eat only (non-nightshade) vegetables and protein. ✔
Fit into my size 8 skinny jeans. ✔
Have perfect hair and glowing skin. ✔
Be the life of the party and a fountain of wisdom. ✔
Drink 8 – 10 glasses of water daily. ✔
Keep a spotless kitchen. ✔
Ride my horse through the Montana wilderness to rescue lost calves; my Stetson pulled low, my cowboy boots perfectly (there’s that p-word again) distressed. (I don’t even know how to ride a horse…but whatever.) ✔

The point is, my brain (not even on drugs) is telling me on repeat, that unless I’m all of the above, and then some, the pain I suffer from is my own damn fault.

How crazy is that?

Because I ate bread – it’s my fault my lower back hurts. Because I didn’t force myself to run an eight-minute mile after working all day – it’s my fault my hip joints are painfully locking and popping. Because there are crumbs on my kitchen floor – it’s my fault my brain fog is so bad I showed up for a 6:00 yoga class at 7:30 (true story).

Last night, I was talking about this blog with my doctor seester, Diane LaChapelle, who is an actual chronic pain expert with all the fancy letters after her name to prove it. She shared with me an explanation for some of my brain’s excessively critical ramblings.

It’s called the just-world hypothesis. Parsed down to non-scientify lingo, the just-world hypothesis is a general belief that life is fair, and people get what they deserve.

Good begets good. And if you’re bad…well, you’re fucked.

Therefore, if life is fair, and I am good (or in my case substitute good for perfect), then I deserve a pain-free existence. Right? And since I’m not pain-free, and haven’t been for years, it must mean I’m imperfect or a bad person.

A very, VERY bad person, going by my pain levels.

Seriously, life can be mentally hard when you blame yourself for things you have no control over. I have Fibromyalgia. The having of the disease is not my fault. Also true for Ankylosing Spondylitis. These conditions are a combination of the genetics I inherited from my parents.

GENETICS – that’s a whole other blog, right there!

The widespread chronic pain produced by these diseases? Not something I earned through bad behavior or my failure to reach my perfect state.

Fundamentally, I already knew this, but hellooooo, crazy bitch brain talkin’.

So here’s the deal. As I bumble along my wellness journey, I’m working towards changing my inner monologue. The goal? Finding my personal balance. That sweet spot between good and bad. Perfect and perfectly imperfect.

It exists. I just gotta find it for myself. And you gotta find it for yourself. Cause we’re not the same. My perfectly imperfect won’t be, and shouldn’t be, your perfectly imperfect.

Doesn’t mean we can’t share notes and experiences along the way. Doesn’t mean we can’t laugh and cry and curse together over spilled wine and dropped eggs. Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t hold each other up when our pain levels try to drag us down.

I’m a work in progress. Always have been. And, I hope to God, always will be. I’m still learning how to live with my chronic pain. I’m still changing my views on what’s the best way to achieve my personal goals. I’m still striving to find my balance.

It takes time. A lifetime, really. But I’m hopeful that with a little extra self-awareness and acceptance of things I have no control over, keeping an even keel won’t be so damn hard.

Although, if I open a bottle of beer, you can safely bet money, I’m having more than a single.

If you have any tips and tricks for finding your balance, drop them in the comments. I’d love to know more about your challenges and successes.

Until the next blog – peace out pain sufferers.