Spotlight on Chronic Illness Blogger:Annie

Chronic illness blogger of the week is Annie of Trauma Dolls. Annie’s a writer, single mom and ten year survivor of chronic pain.

Annie wrote several posts on living with chronic pain and exercising. She brings up a lot of great points

Exercising with Chronic pain

• Exercise: Pain Relief or Pain Trigger? The Answer Might Surprise You

• Move It, But Not Too Much: Pain-Free Exercise for Chronic Pain

Check out the rest of her posts on Trauma Dolls

Thank you Annie for spreading awareness of chronic illness.

Midwest Heat Wave Sure is a Pain

The Midwest is being hit by a heat wave this week, which is keeping a lot of people indoors. Today the feels like was 115. When I walk outdoors it’s like walking into a sauna. The heat has kept my daughter and I from taken our short walks in the evening. I’ve been desperate to reduce my pain level so I’m trying to exercise some. The heat has been affecting our air conditioner too. It seems the heat wave has increased my pain level. I don’t know if it’s the heat or a typical pain flare up. This morning my pain level was a 7 out of 10 and I thought I was going to lose my mind. Thankfully as the day went on my pain reduced some.

Do changes in weather affect your pain level?  How do you decrease your pain level? Have you been hit with the heat wave this week?

All Natural Beauty is for Me

Chronic Illness and Depression

I wasn’t new to depression when I was diagnosed with lupus and fibromyalgia amongst other things. It was a total blow to my plans for life. The lupus totally rocked my world. My life was turned totally upside down by the daily pain I was feeling. I had lost total control of my body and  I couldn’t do  anything about it. I started to spiral out of control. My life became the disease not a part of my life. I looked in the mirror I saw lupus. I woke up I saw lupus. Lupus tore my life apart piece by piece.

It took me several years to find myself and realize that I was more than lupus. I was a human being with a condition. I had to learn to deal with all the ups and downs of lupus. It wasn’t easy, but I had to pull myself together. I’ve learned that planning ahead isn’t a guarantee of being able to do something. I’ve learn sometimes I can walk while other time I have to use my wheelchair. My days vary with my illnesses.

Dealing with the depression isn’t easy for me at all. I’ve learn that I have some control over what the depression does to me. I can tell when I’m spiraling into an abyss of depression. When I see and feel like I’m spiraling out I have to take a step back from life. I’ve learned to do things to bring about happy moments in my life. I’ve learned that sewing relaxes my mind and reading allows me to wander away from reality for a little while. Often I’ve put myself into the stories. The most valuable thing I’ve learned is to express my inner thoughts through my blog and in my many writings.

Yes, the diagnoses have turned me inside out, but I’ve learned to deal with them. I’ve had to adjust my goals in life, even if it’s not exactly what I’m waiting for in life. I try to make the best of things. The pain does overwhelm me at times, but I’ve learned that it will pass and this is what gets me past things.

A Lot of Changes So I’ve Been Quiet

I haven’t post here lately. I’ve had a lot of things change in my life. I bought a iphone which I love so far. There are so many different things you can do with an iphone. I like the app for barnes and noble and the police scanner. I’ve been reading the book bird by bird by ann lamount in E-book format. She’s a great author. I also have Stephen King’s book On Writing which I’ve yet to read. I’m looking forward to reading a lot of great books on my E-book. I’m an avid reader. Today my legs are doing there usual burning nerve pain. I’ve taken some meds, but its not helping much today. If you know of some great apps on Iphone please let me know. Some things I’ve fixed or working on fixing in my life.

In God's Hands

I haven’t been around in a while because of my health.  A few weeks back I learned that I have extra health problems. I’ve developed gallstones and a thickening in my abdominal wall and I don’t know what has caused anyone of this yet. It is pretty scary because lupus attacks just about every part of your body. I don’t like waiting for test results it’s a lot like waiting for a boiling pot to boil and nobody likes either one. The good news is they had me change my diet to a low fat diet which has been a bit of a change. And really I don’t eat a whole lot of fat to begin with. It has been surprisingly easier for me because I know that my health requires it and I don’t like the added pain. I’m working on staying positive about it. My faith is in God’s hands.

Chronic Pain Makes People Desperate

A couple of years ago I saw a copper bracelet at my local drug store. I had read that they are beneficial for reduces your pain level. At first, I was hesitant to buy the copper bracelet, but I decided to purchase one anyways. After living in pain daily I’ll try anything reasonable to reduce my pain level. I bought the bracelet and I was really surprised that the bracelet does seem to help reduce my pain level some. I’ve been thinking about buying an ankle bracelet so I don’t have to take the bracelet on and off my wrist everyday when I type on my computer. I’d like to find a store online that offers free shipping online.

Finding Your Speck of Light

Depression is the number one mental illness in the United States. Everyone suffers from the blues atleast once in their life. Since living with lupus it’s been a struggle to  avoid depression. During the first few years of my illness I went through a time of deep depression. I felt like the world had ended. I had given up on life. I just went through the motions of life rather then pulling my self together and accepting it as another one of those opstacles in life. It took me years to get to the point where the depression does not affect me as much. I still do struggle with depression every day. It’s heard getting up each day when your in pain almost constant. It would be easier to just sink back in to depression.  At the time, I felt like I was the only one dealing with the pain. In reality I did know other people suffered from chronic pain, but at the time I felt like the pain had stolen all my hopes and dreams. I’m realising now that I can over come things even if I live in pain every single day of my life. I pray eacch day for it to disapper in the sunset and wonder why I got ‘blessed’ with chronic pain and lupus.

For anyone dealing with chronic illness hold your head up high and smile beccause their’s always light at the end of the tunnel even if it’s just a speck of light. Have a great day and pray your pain will be reduced.

Life Can Be a Royal Pain in the Moon

It’s been a rollercoaster of a week for me. The computers have been a royal pain between the Linksys not working and the cable modem lights turning off and on. I think I have that issue fixed. Some days computers are more of a pain than they’re worth. Our cables been a royal pain for the last few weeks, but the last week has been really bad. The channels turn totally back then tell you to please stand by. The insanity with the cable is a really annoying at times. I have an area on my middle back that hurts pretty bad and well it’s also been a royal pain in the moon. I was supposed to have a tooth extracted and I had to cancel the appointment because of the upper respiratory infection, it’s taken me a few years just to get the guts to have the thing pulled. On top of that I have TMJ and I need a new splint, but I’m not sure where I’m going to find the money for one. I clinch my teeth at night and I wake up with the joints being a royal pain. I’m hoping to reschedule the appointment next week, if they don’t have a waiting list. Where I’m going to have the tooth extracted doesn’t do the splints so I have to go through the whole process of a new patient again. I hate being a New Patient.

The Great Outdoors Comfort Style

Are you dreading that next camping trip to the great outdoors? It’s not worth proving a point to your friends by roughing it in the woods. What’s the point of a vacation when it involves a back ache and stuff joints. Take an inflatable mattress camping to enjoy the great outdoors with a little more comfort. Now, you can enjoy your trip in style and it just might rub off on your friend. I know one thing you wouldn’t catch me lying on the ground if I went camping. I deal with enough pain without adding to it.