New Years Goals and Resolutions

Hello! It is that time of year again and I am going to toss out the challenge to everyone to create a couple goals or resolutions for the new year. Be sure to make them realistic and attainable. It is better to make severaltiny and simple ones rather than great and overly challenging ones that will only frustrate and discourage you if you don't actually achieve them as quickly as you desire. Share yours with us in the comments here, or on my Pain Management or Migraine Board here on WebMD. Let's see how we can help each other achieve them!!

Indie

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Technorati Tags: new years, resolutions, 2007

'Tis the Season!!!

Tis the season...for sore throats, colds and flus among other things and I am sitting here dealing with my fair share!  I am trying to keep a sense of humor while my throat hurts and my voice escapes and the pressure in my head makes it feel like a time bomb waiting to explode!!  Oh how I wish I could just hide for a couple days but with so much to do and work demands, I can't think of doing so unless I am on death's door.  But I have to say right now it doesn't look too far off!!!! 

Right now I have just finished looking over my calendar and to- do list. I am evaluating items to determine how and where I can make adjustments.  I have made arrangements to have someone come to help me with some last minute cleaning and giftwrapping.  And I have scaled down some of my plans so  I can fit some rest in.  Tonight I am going to go take a nice steamy shower and get my heating pad ready.  I am enjoying some of the holiday shows and they are comforting and relaxing to me.  So in spite of the craziness and the fact I haven't felt well for quite some time, I am finding enjoyment and many blessings to be thankful for. 

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Technorati Tags: colds, flu, holidays

Not Disabled, Just Differently Abled

This evening my husband began painting the closet. We had to have it repaired due to a leak in the roof and before we could use it, we needed to paint it. Well I knew he worked all day at his job and he was tired and I wanted to help him with it. His concern was that I would overdo and cause a flare up in my back or my neck that would lead to further pain and discomfort along wih more limitations. So I sat down and tried to figure out how I could be a part of the project while protecting myself.

I worked on some painting around the corners, borders and trim. I worked at my own pace even though it was a little slower than he. I worked without reaching too much and I also made sure not to do too much bending. I was mindful to stretch often.

After we finished, I cleaned the tools and readied them for tomorrow when we would need to perform more painting. I took a nice warm shower and I took some anti-inflammatories and my prescribed meds and laid on my heating pad. This I felt would be proactive and ward off any lasting muscle spasms that I began to feel forming in my lower back.

It seemed so good to be able to contribute to the project--even if it was not as much as I had hoped. The important thing was that we were able to do it together and with the holiday carols playing in the background, it actually was fun....

Sometimes it is nice to test our abilities a little to see what we can achieve. We may find we are able to do more than we thought we could. Even if I am a little uncomfortable, it will be worth it. The activities this evening proved to me I can be helpful and my husband and I can still be a team. That in itself was a comfort and source of satisfaction.

So the next time you have a project that needs to be done, before saying you are unable to help, think about some ways you might be able to contribute to the cause--even if just a little. Someone once said "they were not disabled. They were just 'differently abled'...I like that outlook on life!!!

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Technorati Tags: chronic pain, fitness, disability

Decisions Decisions...

Coming home from my appointment the other day, I was contemplating what lay ahead. The pain specialist was telling me I needed to have an injection in my neck to help alleviate the swelling and inflammation caused by a herniated disk that was pressing up next to my spinal cord. This was leading to my intermittent pain, weakness and tingling that I was feeling in my arms and fingers. Since the whiplash I suffered from a rear-end accident, I was suffering with severe pain in my neck and shoulders and physical therapy was helping but had not helped the problem significantly enough since I started it in mid-September.

So here I am in a situation several of my readers have been in over the years - needing to make a major decision about an invasive procedure. So how was I going to go about this...

I could appreciate the fear and concern that goes with the news of needing such a procedure. And I like anyone else can appreciate the questions and concerns about making decisions that have a potential for complications and unforeseen outcomes.

An epidural steroid injection takes just a few short minutes but a lot can happen during that time. Because of the nature of the location, precision is a necessity. It takes place in a surgicenter using fluoroscopy. Sedation is necessary to ensure absolute stillness so not to create a "moving target" for the doctor performing the delicate injection. I am told that a post-procedure waiting time of about half-hour is needed to let the sedation wear off and I would then need to be driven home to rest for about a day and a half.

As I speak to my husband about it, I share some of the concerns I have. The doctor says he has never had any serious problems from any of the many injections he has performed and he takes every procedure seriously and with utmost caution. Even though it is just an injection, it is still an invasive procedure with risks.

My first thought is to read about the procedure so I know what will be done. I have a great book that describes the procedure in depth including pictures and sketches of needle placement and so forth. I plan to read the chapter about this and then take out my paper and pen and write out my columns for pros and cons of having the procedure.

I do have a couple questions. I need to ask my workers' comp case manager about timing--whether I have an option of waiting for a later time or if I am placed under a time stipulation for having the procedure performed.

If I decline to have it performed now will I be able to opt to have it done some time down the road should I find myself unable to use my arms or hands? I also want to ask my doctor when I see him what he thinks - if waiting would be detrimental to my healing or not.

I am afraid like anyone else might be. I do not want to find myself in a situation where I am more limited or uncomfortable than I already am. And I don't want to suffer complications such as a hematoma or further neuropathy that could occur from the injection.

So I see I have some work to do and things to think about. I will be diligent and learn as much as I can weighing the pros and cons and hopefully feel I can make the best decision I can...I think that is all anyone can hope for...

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Technorati Tags: neck pain, whiplash, steroid injections

Surviving the Holidays, A Day at a Time

Have you caught yourself sighing, stressing and saying "It is always something."? Well, I am finding myself doing so now. It seems for the past several months I have battled with aches and pains of one type or another. I just can't seem to get everything calmed down at the same time so I can feel like my old self. It seems as though one thing leads to another and to another creating this downhill spiral of events that waste energy and rob a person's vitality.

For a person like me who is used to being on the go, being tired and exhausted and in pain has knocked me down. And with the holidays here I am feeling stressed even further. I am just not bouncing back like I usually do. I guess I need to take a look at the big picture here and see what I can do to make things a little easier for myself. Let's see...

The first thing I might do is get out my pad of paper and pen and make a "to do" list. Date it and prioritize it. Next, look at my calendar and see what is on there and determine if it is a necessity and if it a flexibile item--something that can be rescheduled if necessary. Next I start plotting my course--filling in my to do list into my calendar.

As I begin seeing a plan emerge, my anxiety seems to lift slightly. I make sure to include time for preparation and then completion. For instance, I need to determine what I want to get for people on my gift list before I go shopping. This helps me to direct my efforts and save time. It might be a good idea to consider some online shopping this year since my physical stamina and ability to manage on my feet is compromised this year. So as I plot my calendar, I need to plan these as separate items.

Something else I might consider is checking out my resources. See who might be available and which things I might be able to delegate to others. That way I can prioritize and organize my list and my course even further.

One thing I must be sure to do is include rest periods. Regardless of how much needs to be done, it is important to rest frequently, eat regularly and not overdo. I must remember that pushing now can lead to problems later that can interfere with my ability to accomplish everything I need to do. Being exhausted, stressed to the max, and feeling poorly does not make for a good holiday season. Needless suffering will only make things worst than they already are.

This blog has helped me to begin what I need to do. It is time for me to grab that pad of paper and pen and get started on my to-do list. I also need to consider a gift list of people and items to shop for. I know my calendar is going to very full of things to do and I know I am going to fight myself to get those rest periods into the time on a regular basis. But I do want to find some enjoyment these next few weeks and I really do want to begin to feel better so I know the importance of making this a priority.

How are you doing? Are you feeling the stress of the season? Are you feeling overwhelmed by everything yet to do? Maybe taking out a pad of paper and a pen along with your calendar might help you as well..?

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• Holiday Makeover
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