I have known for a long time that stress increases my pain significantly. I have taken steps to reduce the amount of stress in my life, but short of cutting everyone and everything out of my life, there will always be stressful situations I have to face.
This week has been sort of stressful. So, I think tonight I will curl up with the book I'm reading, "Change of Heart" by Jodi Picoult and one of my cats, and just take some time to relax.
Showing posts with label pain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pain. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Dad's Visit
Today, I saw my dad for the first time in a really long time. My dad and I have never had a good relationship, so I was really concerned about today's visit. However, it went a lot better than I expected it to go!!
First, we went to the Olive Garden, one of my absolute favorite restaurants ever. I had the unlimitted soup, salad, and breadsticks, and it was great! I had a fantastic dessert - Terremisu (I probably didn't spell that right!).
We headed to Wal-Mart where I got cat litter for my kitties and some chicken patties :)
After we went home and dropped the leftover food and chicken off, we headed to the mall to play Glo Golf, but once we got there, we discovered the golf shut down earlier in the month! That was disappointing because I can see that golf course better than regular mini golf courses. However, we got a wheelchair from the info desk and Dave wheeled me around the bookstore while Marie and my dad looked for some books for Marie's daughter. I was very tempted to buy a Jodi Picoult book - she's my favorite author.
We sat at the cafe in the bookstore after Marie made her puchase and I had some pain pills with a snack because I was in a significant amount of pain again. I showed my dad and Marie several pictures of my cats, and they seemed to enjoy seeing them. I think my dad enjoys seeing his former kitty, Milita, a kitty he let me take when I moved here from his house.
Then, we returned the wheelchair and found another mini golf course, just a regular one though. It was frustrating for me at times because I couldn't see my ball on the course, especially when it got darker outside.
We finally headed to Dairy Queen where I had a waffle bowl, something I've wanted to try since it came out a month or so ago. Dad and Marie also had a waffle bowl, and Dave had a strawberry sundae :)
All in all, I was in significant pain at times, but I think my dad's eyes were opened some to how much this pain effects me every signle day. I hope so anyway. Things went better than I expected, so I'm quite happy with today's events.
First, we went to the Olive Garden, one of my absolute favorite restaurants ever. I had the unlimitted soup, salad, and breadsticks, and it was great! I had a fantastic dessert - Terremisu (I probably didn't spell that right!).
We headed to Wal-Mart where I got cat litter for my kitties and some chicken patties :)
After we went home and dropped the leftover food and chicken off, we headed to the mall to play Glo Golf, but once we got there, we discovered the golf shut down earlier in the month! That was disappointing because I can see that golf course better than regular mini golf courses. However, we got a wheelchair from the info desk and Dave wheeled me around the bookstore while Marie and my dad looked for some books for Marie's daughter. I was very tempted to buy a Jodi Picoult book - she's my favorite author.
We sat at the cafe in the bookstore after Marie made her puchase and I had some pain pills with a snack because I was in a significant amount of pain again. I showed my dad and Marie several pictures of my cats, and they seemed to enjoy seeing them. I think my dad enjoys seeing his former kitty, Milita, a kitty he let me take when I moved here from his house.
Then, we returned the wheelchair and found another mini golf course, just a regular one though. It was frustrating for me at times because I couldn't see my ball on the course, especially when it got darker outside.
We finally headed to Dairy Queen where I had a waffle bowl, something I've wanted to try since it came out a month or so ago. Dad and Marie also had a waffle bowl, and Dave had a strawberry sundae :)
All in all, I was in significant pain at times, but I think my dad's eyes were opened some to how much this pain effects me every signle day. I hope so anyway. Things went better than I expected, so I'm quite happy with today's events.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Pain Triggers
When you have a chronic pain disease like Fibromyalgia, it is important to identify what makes your pain worse. The factors that make your pain worse are known as triggers.
Triggers can be just about anything, but common triggers for Fibromyalgia include:
-Stress
-Temperature - either being too cold or too hot
-Overworking
-Certain activities - specific activities may increase your pain, and these activities are likely different for different people
Once you identify your personal triggers, you can reasonably avoid them. Of course, you won't always be able to avoid your triggers. In the winter, you will likely have to go outside at times when it is freezing. Thus, it is important to find ways to cope with the triggers. If it is extremely cold outside, for instance, you could put on layers of clothes, and make sure you are bundled up in a hat, scarf, gloves, and so forth.
Identifying and discovering ways in which to cope with factors that increase your pain will help you. Start paying attention to the circumstances that surround increases in your pain to effectively identify your triggers.
Triggers can be just about anything, but common triggers for Fibromyalgia include:
-Stress
-Temperature - either being too cold or too hot
-Overworking
-Certain activities - specific activities may increase your pain, and these activities are likely different for different people
Once you identify your personal triggers, you can reasonably avoid them. Of course, you won't always be able to avoid your triggers. In the winter, you will likely have to go outside at times when it is freezing. Thus, it is important to find ways to cope with the triggers. If it is extremely cold outside, for instance, you could put on layers of clothes, and make sure you are bundled up in a hat, scarf, gloves, and so forth.
Identifying and discovering ways in which to cope with factors that increase your pain will help you. Start paying attention to the circumstances that surround increases in your pain to effectively identify your triggers.
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