Questions. Lots of them, so far without answers. It gets old after awhile! I have several classmates I have confided in about what I've been going through the last 5 or so months. We were sitting in class reading a case study about an individual who had fibromyalgia, and it hit the three of us at the same time: my symptoms line up suspiciously close to those of fibromyalgia.
So.. back to the Dr., which I should have done some time ago after we got the results back that ruled out MS. I guess I naively thought that perhaps it would all just go away.
The good thing is that with all the tests and diagnostic procedures I've been through so far this year, we've met our deductibles for the year. So hopefully we can get back and make some progress on figuring out what is going on! Unfortunately, fibromyalgia is diagnosed by a process of elimination of other similar presenting conditions. It may sound strange, but I am honestly hoping this is what we find. It would give me answers, help to develop a treatment plan, and it's not a degenerative or life-threatening disorder. Only time will tell.
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
3.04.2011
2.21.2011
Some interesting thoughts on life
As I was perusing stumbleupon.com, I found this "handbook". I thought it had some good reminders, so I decided to pass it on:
Handbook for Life… 2010
Cross Posted (& Edited) from Linda’s Yoga Journey
HEALTH:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is
manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to meditate. (Or praying and listening)
6. (Breathe)
7. Read more books than you did in 2009.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.
PERSONALITY:
11. Comparing our lives to others is fruitless. We have no idea what their journey is about.
12. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones especially about things out of our control. Invest energy in the positive present moment.
13. Try not to over do. Understand limits.
14. Why take ourselves so seriously. No one else does.
15. Gossip drains precious energy.
16. Dream more while we are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. We already have all we need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Let go of our partners mistakes of the past. Focus on our present/future happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Make peace with our past so it won’t spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of our happiness except us.
22. Realize that life is a school and we are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons we learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. We don’t have to win arguments. It’s ok to agree to disagree.
SOCIETY:
25. Call your family often. (Something I need to work on!)
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is insignificant compared to what you think of yourself.
31. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends & family will. Stay in touch.
LIFE:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. (Higher powers) heal everything. [ie God :)]
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36. No matter how we feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When we awake alive in the morning, be thankful.
39. Our Inner most is always happy. Release your “Inner Happy” on the world every day!
Handbook for Life… 2010
Cross Posted (& Edited) from Linda’s Yoga Journey
HEALTH:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is
manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to meditate. (Or praying and listening)
6. (Breathe)
7. Read more books than you did in 2009.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.
PERSONALITY:
11. Comparing our lives to others is fruitless. We have no idea what their journey is about.
12. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones especially about things out of our control. Invest energy in the positive present moment.
13. Try not to over do. Understand limits.
14. Why take ourselves so seriously. No one else does.
15. Gossip drains precious energy.
16. Dream more while we are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. We already have all we need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Let go of our partners mistakes of the past. Focus on our present/future happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Make peace with our past so it won’t spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of our happiness except us.
22. Realize that life is a school and we are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons we learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. We don’t have to win arguments. It’s ok to agree to disagree.
SOCIETY:
25. Call your family often. (Something I need to work on!)
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is insignificant compared to what you think of yourself.
31. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends & family will. Stay in touch.
LIFE:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. (Higher powers) heal everything. [ie God :)]
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36. No matter how we feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When we awake alive in the morning, be thankful.
39. Our Inner most is always happy. Release your “Inner Happy” on the world every day!
10.26.2010
A Sight for Sore... Backs?
I know most of you have probably heard already, but yes- we're getting a hot tub. Hurray! I am ecstatic! Very excited to try it out. Bob has (apparently) been planning on getting one for us for some time, but this last week he let me in on a secret- he was going to one for me for Christmas! Only "problem" is that the ground will be frozen by then, and it would be really hard to install. So... we started looking. And this is what we found.
We can't have it delivered until Nov. 7, but in the mean time, Bob has a new project of creating the pad for it to rest on and implementing the electricity and plumbing needed.
So if any of you are nearby- feel free to come visit. I feel completely spoiled to have such a generous gift, and want to share it! :)
P.S.- to those Kyles reading this, who happened to see pics if they followed the link- is this the same as Jerry and Patti's? It looks pretty close...
We can't have it delivered until Nov. 7, but in the mean time, Bob has a new project of creating the pad for it to rest on and implementing the electricity and plumbing needed.
So if any of you are nearby- feel free to come visit. I feel completely spoiled to have such a generous gift, and want to share it! :)
P.S.- to those Kyles reading this, who happened to see pics if they followed the link- is this the same as Jerry and Patti's? It looks pretty close...
10.12.2010
When it Rains it Pours
First off- I've gotta say this is an amazingly beautiful brisk fall morning. A nice break from the grey skies we've had lately. Don't get me wrong- I love rainy grey weather, but it's definitely nice to see the sun shine through as well.
Lately I have been SO stressed. We've been preparing for the last month now for a practicum that is scheduled for tomorrow morning. I am not as prepared as I would like to be, but fortunately I have done quite a bit of prep work leading up to it. Today I just need to put all the pieces together for the scenarios.
I also am stressed out about something that happened in the last week. In the process, I believe I hurt a friend's feelings. Though I have apologized, I'm still not convinced things are better, and I feel bad about it. I need to think before I speak.
I am also dealing with continued chronic pain. After 2 weeks of tingling/burning/numb sensations in my right leg and arm, I went to the chiropractor today. After a number of assessments, he is quite sure that I have a slipped disc. Oh joy. As if my back doesn't have enough going on. So he said that if I guard it, the likelyhood of it healing on its own is fairly high. However, if I am not careful, surgery could be in my future.
Boo... I am too young for this. Only 23. I have so many active things in my future. He is writing a letter today to the student disability support services of EWU. This will enable my professors to work with my fieldwork sites so that they will be required to accommodate for a lifting restriction (no more than 20 lbs). This leads me to question what area of OT I can realistically go into that won't require this lifting. It's discouraging. Areas that I am interested in may not be reasonable.
What about other areas of life? I want to take my dog on a walk- but that risks re-injuring my still healing impinged rotator cuff, or twisting my back to injure my disc. What about motherhood? Even though that's quite a ways down the road, I do think about it. Pretty sure that requires lifting more than 20 lbs. What about the pregnancy itself? That's some major strain on the back.
Well I should be getting on with my day. Though I feel like I've hit a wall, the world still keeps moving and I need to catch up. Back to studying for the practicum. Thanks for listening, friends. :)
Lately I have been SO stressed. We've been preparing for the last month now for a practicum that is scheduled for tomorrow morning. I am not as prepared as I would like to be, but fortunately I have done quite a bit of prep work leading up to it. Today I just need to put all the pieces together for the scenarios.
I also am stressed out about something that happened in the last week. In the process, I believe I hurt a friend's feelings. Though I have apologized, I'm still not convinced things are better, and I feel bad about it. I need to think before I speak.
I am also dealing with continued chronic pain. After 2 weeks of tingling/burning/numb sensations in my right leg and arm, I went to the chiropractor today. After a number of assessments, he is quite sure that I have a slipped disc. Oh joy. As if my back doesn't have enough going on. So he said that if I guard it, the likelyhood of it healing on its own is fairly high. However, if I am not careful, surgery could be in my future.
Boo... I am too young for this. Only 23. I have so many active things in my future. He is writing a letter today to the student disability support services of EWU. This will enable my professors to work with my fieldwork sites so that they will be required to accommodate for a lifting restriction (no more than 20 lbs). This leads me to question what area of OT I can realistically go into that won't require this lifting. It's discouraging. Areas that I am interested in may not be reasonable.
What about other areas of life? I want to take my dog on a walk- but that risks re-injuring my still healing impinged rotator cuff, or twisting my back to injure my disc. What about motherhood? Even though that's quite a ways down the road, I do think about it. Pretty sure that requires lifting more than 20 lbs. What about the pregnancy itself? That's some major strain on the back.
Well I should be getting on with my day. Though I feel like I've hit a wall, the world still keeps moving and I need to catch up. Back to studying for the practicum. Thanks for listening, friends. :)
10.01.2010
Nerves
Hello Friends! I apologize for often complaining about pain. I know I'm not the only one that has it, so instead of it being the only thing I talk about all day, I thought I'd get it out here and then move on. :) Sound like a plan??
In the last couple weeks I've had weird tingly sensations in my legs. Not constant or anything, but definitely noticeable. Then on Tuesday I spoke about to my chiropractor about it and he was quite concerned, as any nerve-related pain past the knee or elbow may indicate a disc problem. Yucky. And since then it's gotten worse, actually. Both my right arm and leg have been alternating between tingly, burning, and numb feeling. All day, all night. It's strange. It's not awful pain, but the constant feeling wears me down and makes me tired. And honestly- I'm a little scared. It may be a disc, which isn't good news necessarily, but there's so many other conditions I've learned about in class whose symptoms are similar.
I don't know what to do. Should probably call the chiropractor and see if he wants me to come in for an assessment. But I don't want to be referred to a neurologist or anything again. Been there. Years ago. And it wasn't fun.
So- I guess unless something changes drastically I'll just keep doing what I've been doing. Hopefully I won't have any more dreams of snakebites and I'll get used to my heavy-feeling, tingly limbs.
In the last couple weeks I've had weird tingly sensations in my legs. Not constant or anything, but definitely noticeable. Then on Tuesday I spoke about to my chiropractor about it and he was quite concerned, as any nerve-related pain past the knee or elbow may indicate a disc problem. Yucky. And since then it's gotten worse, actually. Both my right arm and leg have been alternating between tingly, burning, and numb feeling. All day, all night. It's strange. It's not awful pain, but the constant feeling wears me down and makes me tired. And honestly- I'm a little scared. It may be a disc, which isn't good news necessarily, but there's so many other conditions I've learned about in class whose symptoms are similar.
I don't know what to do. Should probably call the chiropractor and see if he wants me to come in for an assessment. But I don't want to be referred to a neurologist or anything again. Been there. Years ago. And it wasn't fun.
So- I guess unless something changes drastically I'll just keep doing what I've been doing. Hopefully I won't have any more dreams of snakebites and I'll get used to my heavy-feeling, tingly limbs.
9.16.2010
Sick :(
I wish I could write as eloquently as some of my fellow bloggers (take Laura or Andrea for instance!). Reading some of their posts, it seems that they have spent hours piecing together personal anecdotes and thoughts until they have woven the perfect blog to entertain and inform their readers. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have that gift. Perhaps if I wrote more often that would change. Maybe if I cared more. I'm not sure. Either way, I'm not a gifted writer. I just tell it like it is.
This week I have been sick. Apparently I picked up the cold Bob had last week. I rarely get sick when he does- I generally have a stronger immune system than he does. But this time I got it. Worse, I think, than he did.
Following a busy weekend campout with UCA's sophomore class (Bob's one of their class sponsors), I drove up with the school to MiVoden for their fall picnic. We spent a wonderful day with Michael, Tonia, and Eleanor, enjoying time with great friends. We even got to take a boat out for an hour or so. It was great. :)
By the time we got home, I realized I was coming down with something. When I woke up on Tuesday, my voice was deep and ragged - my "sexy, manly voice" as some have called it. ;) Since then I've gotten used to the round the clock cold meds, hot teas, airborne, and TONS of water. I SO want to be over this!
This morning I coughed so hard that I had a hard time catching my breath. And I had the strangest sensation of what it may feel like to drown, thanks to the lovely junk in my lungs. I just hope that I can get over this before it settles in my chest and I develop pneumonia. I had it once when I was younger and it was awful.
I have so many things I'd rather be doing right now than being sick. I'd planned on spending this week reviewing anatomy, MMT, and goniometry before our practicums shortly after school begins. Instead I'm wasting time watching TV shows, movies, and reading because my brain hurts too much to think much, and I don't have the energy to get things done around the house. It stinks!
This week I have been sick. Apparently I picked up the cold Bob had last week. I rarely get sick when he does- I generally have a stronger immune system than he does. But this time I got it. Worse, I think, than he did.
Following a busy weekend campout with UCA's sophomore class (Bob's one of their class sponsors), I drove up with the school to MiVoden for their fall picnic. We spent a wonderful day with Michael, Tonia, and Eleanor, enjoying time with great friends. We even got to take a boat out for an hour or so. It was great. :)
By the time we got home, I realized I was coming down with something. When I woke up on Tuesday, my voice was deep and ragged - my "sexy, manly voice" as some have called it. ;) Since then I've gotten used to the round the clock cold meds, hot teas, airborne, and TONS of water. I SO want to be over this!
This morning I coughed so hard that I had a hard time catching my breath. And I had the strangest sensation of what it may feel like to drown, thanks to the lovely junk in my lungs. I just hope that I can get over this before it settles in my chest and I develop pneumonia. I had it once when I was younger and it was awful.
I have so many things I'd rather be doing right now than being sick. I'd planned on spending this week reviewing anatomy, MMT, and goniometry before our practicums shortly after school begins. Instead I'm wasting time watching TV shows, movies, and reading because my brain hurts too much to think much, and I don't have the energy to get things done around the house. It stinks!
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