Peace with Pain

Meditation and Pain

2011-12-02T03:56:00.000-09:30

Meditation, a method of sitting still, controlling your breathing, and quieting your mind, is a proven technique for easing pain. With time and practice, you will find your pain lessening and your attitude toward life improving, even people who have had pain for years.

I've putting this site here which I recommend you take a look at, if I can get this to work.....
http://meditationtechniques.co/3137/meditation-techniques-to-ease-back-pain/
This site offers helpful information, but it certainly isn't the only site. Unfortunately, I must warn you of people who know absolutely nothing yet claim to be knowledgeable on the subject.

If you're new to meditation, I recommend going to amazon.com to find a CD or DVD, again, same warning, so be careful. You'll find yourself drawn to one if you just quiet your mind for a minute.

I must admit that I meditated for years and got out of the habit. I'm back in the habit now. I meditate first thing in the morning every morning, or almost every morning and it is changing my life for the better in so very many ways. I'm calmer, more relaxed, less pain, less thoughts of pain. Meditation is giving me charge of my life again instead of pain being in charge. That's big!!!

Blessings and Peace to all!

Gratitude

2011-12-01T11:46:00.000-09:30

How many times today have you said you're grateful for something? 2? 5? 10? A cheerful and grateful heart is good medicine and serves as a great pain reliever. It's similar to not being able to be angry and laugh at the same time. If your laughter is sincere, your anger goes away.

This works similarly with gratitude and pain. You cannot be in a state of pure thankfulness and be in pain at the same time. They cannot co-exist. So find something to be thankful for and do it/ be it with all of your heart, mind, and spirit. You will be rewarded with peace and comfort. Honest!

Wishing you love and peace.

It Is What It Is.........

2011-11-15T13:01:00.001-09:30

But it will become what you make it!

It is so very easy to get down and out about our situation, the pain, the fatigue. I have two words to say to you for that......please don't! And I'll say right now that this does not run contradictory to my last post about acceptance. They go hand in hand!

You're disabled? So am I! I certainly don't intend to stop there though. I have a book on amazon.com. I have this blog. I intend to begin lecturing in January. The information will be on my website: www.elizabethannjohnston.com.

Don't allow the pain to control your life. I spend most of my days in the bed, but I also climb stairs, play with my dogs, and clean my house a wee little bit at a time. Now, I could say, I can't clean my house. I have a rather large house and it can be overwhelming, but what I can do is dust one room at a time. Clean one section of flooring at a time. OR...I could hire someone to do it all for me. I cannot sit in a car very long to travel, but I have an SUV, so my husband puts the back seats down, puts a mat down for me to lay on and I have my chariot! We live in Texas and we're going to my daughter's on the east coast for Thanksgiving so I can spend time with my family, my incredible daughter and fantastic grand kids! Where there's a will, there is indeed a way.

Please don't be a "glass is half empty" kind of a person! My cup always runneth over! Sure, I have my days, but don't get comfortable in being miserable! God loves a cheerful heart! It's all in what you decide to make it!

Being OK with the pain

2011-11-06T08:30:00.000-09:30

"What we resists persists". You may have heard that saying numerous times in reference to numerous topics, but have you ever thought about it in reference to your pain? Best example: When you have a sharp, stabbing pain, or a spasm what do you almost always do? Hold your breath, tighten your entire body, make everything tense, and sometimes practically have a panic attack. What's the BEST thing to do in that situation? Take deep breaths, mentally relax your body, tell yourself it's only pain and talk yourself out of it. It can be done. I know because I've done it many, many times.

We've programmed ourselves to think that pain is bad, pain hurts, we should panic. That's the proper response to acute, sudden onset pain that is new. God gave us that response to let us know something is wrong and we need to take action quickly.

The opposite is true for chronic pain or the little sharp, stabbing pain or spasms that go along with having had surgery, especially back surgery, or even just having chronic pain without the surgery. In our minds, we know the difference and we must learn to be discerning/ know the difference and respond accordingly. This is the way we stay out of fight or flight which is harmful to us in so many ways, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually. The key learn to relax even with the pain. Get out of the habit of claiming it! By that I mean "my back hurts so bad I can hardly stand it" rephrase: "the pain in my back is high now, but it's getting better with each deep breath I take". Don't panic! Pain will NOT kill you even though it may feel as though it's going to at times. It's these times we must be extra diligent in watching our words, thoughts, actions. Relax.....it's only pain! Trust me, I know of which I speak!
Peace be with you!

Prescription Narcotic Medications

2011-11-01T07:51:00.000-09:30

I was reading the news this morning and found some really disturbing information about prescribed narcotic medications. First let me say this, narcotic medication consists of anything from Vicodin to Morphine and everything in between. It MUST be prescribed by a licensed medical doctor. Physician Assistants cannot write a prescription for a narcotic medication, though they certainly can write other prescriptions.

Are you ready for this? It blew me away, I hope it does you as well. The overdose rate of prescription drugs is 4 times higher than it was this time ten years ago.
Narcotic prescriptions are now prescribed 4 times more often than ten years ago.
The law enforcement agency states that narcotic prescription drug overdoses is now an epidemic. They go on to say that it is the most serious public safety threat the law enforcement faces.

Did you get all of that? Did you allow it to sink in because if you are living with chronic pain odds are you are taking a narcotic drug! Please, I beg you as someone who has almost accidentally overdosed herself, please pay attention to this!!! This stuff can kill you even if you don't intend for it to do so!

The doctor went on to say that five years ago they were taught in medical school that even patients taking narcotics for short periods of time could not get addicted but they've since discovered that they were wrong!

You may need narcotic medications from time to time, but please, please, please I beg you look for alternative means of dealing with your pain. There are numerous holistic healing treatments out there. Massage therapy, Acupuncture has been proven and is listed by the American Institute of Health as being effective for the treatment of chronic pain, the same for Reiki (Ray-key), a gentle healing touch. Cranial Sacral therapy is quite effective. I could go on and on. Do you know one of the most important things you can do to help with your pain? Go off of sugar!

Got knee or low back pain? Lose weight!

We've become such a nation of pill poppers that we don't even think about what they do to us! You are worth trying other means of pain management! How about PRAYER! MEDITATION!

I care about you! Do you care about yourself???

Peace be unto you.

Your Body Temple

2011-09-01T06:50:00.000-09:30

I must state up front here that I am speaking to myself in this blog at least as much if not more than you!   I am trying though, so let's all make an attempt at treating well our body temple.

Jesus tells us, "know ye not thy body is a temple of the living God?". The Holy Spirit lies within each of us! This is what makes our body a temple of the living God.

How do you treat your temple?   You wouldn't go into your church and throw trash or tear up the place would you?   So what makes you think you can do that to your body???

Eating junk food, not exercising, not eating our daily servings of fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains is being abusive to God's temple, our body.   And then we become frustrated when we're in so much pain! Well, dear friend, what did you expect?   The same goes for over doing it; doing physical things that we know is going to make us hurt, yet we become brain dead and do them anyway. Then complain because we're in pain!

The definition of stupidity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.   I don't know about you, but I've been acting fairly stupid as of late.   The good news is that it's not too late to begin again!
I can begin today to take better care of my body and it will respond in kind with less pain, less suffering, and actual healing.
So, my goal for today is to eat no sugar and drink more water.   How about you? How are you going to treat your body temple???

Wishing you peace always.....

Ann J

The Truth About Pain Pumps

2011-08-11T11:03:00.000-09:30

I've been having a severe pain episode for about six months now, having to take pain medication and even getting pain shots about once a month. I was in a really low place physically, emotionally, and spiritually.   My family doctor, who oversees my pain management, was finally ready to give up and send me back to my pain management doctor and suggested that I get a pain pump.

I researched pain pumps. I went to the Medtronic's sight, the makers of pain pumps to read what they had to say about their equipment, I read what my pain management doctor had to say about pain pumps, and I went to Web MD to read what they said about pain pumps. Every site said essentially the same thing. Did you know that the tubing from pain pumps can very easily become displaced and have to be removed? Did you know that a few days after you get a pump put in, it may be so ineffective that you'll want it removed? Did you know that you'll probably have to continue to take oral pain medication with your pain pump and may very well have to have your oral pain medication increased with your pain pump???   And finally, did you know that pain pumps are only 50% proven effective?!!!

I went back to my family practice doctor and as politely as possible declined going back to my pain management doctor, whose reputation by the way is the best in 5 surrounding counties!   I asked my family physician knowing what I had just found out, why on earth would anyone agree to a pain pump?   I have the answer.   Desperation.

So now what to do? No pain pump, so what to do about the pain?   I reluctantly agreed to go on pain medication for a while. I asked my doctor to give me 3 months and promised that if I had not improved, I would see my pain management doctor.   It's been a month and I'm already off of the stronger pain medication. Now I'm on something not as strong, that allows me to think with a clear head and doesn't make me sleep all day.   I expect by two weeks to be down to an even lesser strength pain medication.

What have I done to manage my pain? The answer is extremely simple and you may not believe it, but I promise you it is the truth.   I increased the time I spend in prayer and meditation every day. Jesus said if we have faith of a grain of mustard seed we shall move mountains. I didn't need to move a mountain!   I just needed to manage my pain, so I've been working on strengthening my faith. I promise to keep hope in my heart and to love God, myself and everyone else.

There's one more alternative medicine tool that I'm using. I'll tell you about it in the next post.   In the meantime, stay strong in the Lord!   He is the Master Healer!!!

Wisdom from Thomas Edison

2011-07-25T09:00:00.000-09:30

Remember Thomas Edison from your history books?   He did many things besides invent the light bulb. I believe most of us can agree that he was a highly intelligent man.   The following is a quote from him that I found most interesting..........

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the causes and prevention of disease."

He is putting the care of our bodies and our health exactly where it should be, in our hands!   Also, in our minds as in what we think, in our mouths, what we eat, and learning about diseases and how to prevent them instead of depending completely upon our doctors and the pharmaceutical industry for making us well oftentimes only after we have become gravely ill.

Having already had four spinal surgeries, preventative medicine will not do much for me at this point besides keep me from needing a fifth surgery and trust me when I say to you that I see my neurological chiropractor for that very purpose on a regular basis.

I believe it is our job to seek out the holistic things that will cure us as opposed to running into the doctor and asking for the latest pill that has a real good chance of killing us!    Please do not misunderstand me here, I am NOT completely anti-doctor or even anti-medicine, they have their places in keeping us alive in addition to adding to the quality of our lives.

I do however believe that were we to happen to eat healthy, exercise, drink enough water, take appropriate supplements, and do our own research, we could discover many different and positively wonderful ways of taking care of "the human frame" while working in partnership with our doctors.   Holistic, mind/body/spirit medicine is growing in interest by leaps and bounds because people want to be in charge of their own bodies.   Unfortunately, it is also because of the dangerous side effects or "accidents" that have occurred in hospitals or doctor's offices.   Whatever has led you to seek the holistic path, be careful, there are many, many snake oil salesmen out there who just want your money, so do your research and begin with something as simple as making a small change in your diet. Eat healthier! Then go on from there.    You'll be glad you did and I applaud your efforts!   Thomas Edison would be pleased! :-)

No One Understands

2011-07-19T11:36:00.000-09:30

And don't expect them to because they can't possibly.

Chronic pain, all pain is perception. Therefore it's unrealistic to expect someone to know how you feel even someone else with chronic pain. We all perceive it differently. It affects us all differently.

This makes living with chronic pain extremely difficult emotionally because we want so desperately for someone, anyone to know how we feel!!! If they could just understand! Our family, our friends, even our doctors are clueless, making our actions, such as staying in bed when they think we should go out, endlessly frustrating for both people.

Regardless of what they think, you must accept that you're doing the best you can and love yourself enough to not be critical and reject any criticism that may come your way from others. Just tell them to walk a mile in your shoes, or live a month in your body! Or better yet, just leave it alone! Forgive them because they know not of which they speak!!!

Wishing you peace!

Just when you think you cannot take it a moment longer......

2011-07-12T04:49:00.000-09:30

You read, hear about, or see someone who is so very much worse than you and it's at that precise moment that it would be in your best interest to stop and thank God for your blessings!

If you will allow me to indulge here (it is after all my blog!), chronic pain patients tend to become self-centered, selfish, thoughtless, rude, crude, and at times socially unacceptable and we do it all in the name of .."but I'm in PAIN!" You and tens of millions, that's right tens of millions of other folks just in the good ol' United States of America, so....what if we ALL decided we had a right to behave badly???

As I said in my last blog, give what you wish to receive. LOVE is the answer, not griping, complaining, (please pardon my language), bitching! Biting someone's head off won't make you feel better and once it's out there, you can't take it back!

So please think of all of those people in this world who have it so much worse than you and pray for them. Then be thankful for.....there but for the grace of God.......go I!

I wish you peace!

Being Loving and Kind

2011-07-01T06:53:00.000-09:30

As chronic pain patients the two most important things we could use as I see it, are love and kindness. No one can understand what we're going through, so love and a little bit of kindness goes a long way.

The important thing to remember is that we must give what we want to receive!   So, if we want love, we must give love. If we want kindness, we must be kind toward others.   We receive what we give away. Plus it simply makes us feel better!   It gets us out of our state of pain and makes us forget about our own suffering.

Being loving and kind is a wonderful way to keep from suffering.   Find someone to do something for to help make your own troubles seem less.   Remember, there is almost always someone who is having a more difficult time than you!   Find that person, go to him/her and do what you can to help them.   Even if it's just a phone call. Cheering them up will in turn lift your spirits!

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."   Jesus       A great rule by which to live and to enrich our own lives!

As A Man Believeth

2011-06-30T07:13:00.000-09:30

"As a man believes in his heart, so is he." Jesus

Twenty years ago the big deal was to "think positively", but that has since rather faded away because even while positive thinking certainly has its benefits, Jesus fully understood what it took to effectively change our lives by believing wholeheartedly. That's faith!!!

Believing something with your whole heart and not doubting will give you answers! You'll suddenly find yourself knowing the right thing to do. You'll find yourself living with more peace, knowledge, and understanding of Truth, God's Truth. What is truly best for you!

This is why meditation is so important...it gives us the opportunity to listen with our hearts!

Give faith a chance. Give meditation a chance and instead of listening with your head, listen with your heart as that is where your true wisdom lies!
God Bless You!

Pain and Sugar

2011-06-28T08:28:00.000-09:30

Fibromyalgia, CFS, Lupus, Arthritis, (I could go on and on); let's just say all autoimmune diseases are susceptible to sugar intake.

If you kept track every day of what you ate, you would find that pain increases proportionately to the amount of sugar you eat. Please remember that sugar is everywhere!   I'm talking about sugar substitutes too because your body treats it the same way.

The culprit here is yeast. Studies have found that people who have autoimmune diseases have a high amount of yeast in the body. Sugar feeds yeast creating new little yeasties which in turn makes you feel worse, lowers your energy level and increases your pain level.

I personally have, for the most part, gone off of sugar because even a teaspoon seems to do a real number on me, making me feel just awful!   So, it's best if I just stay away from it.   Yes, it takes a lot of label reading, but once you know where the hidden sugars are, shopping will be quick, easy, and you will be very happy for having made the effort!   Your body will thank you for it.

Trust me on this, I know of which I speak! :-)         Peace to all!

Taking Care of Yourself

2011-06-27T03:26:00.000-09:30

I could tell you to eat healthy, exercise, pray, meditate, follow doctor's orders, take good care of yourself! But would you do these things???    Why not?

You're not stupid yet you do stupid things! Why?

Some things we do that are detrimental to our health are unavoidable, but most things we do that we know are going to cause us pain, yet we do them anyway are simply a matter of not taking care of ourselves.   Why?

I want you to think about this, really think about it.   Why do we do things that we know are going to add to our pain???   You think you're gonna get away with it this time???   Or...do you unconsciously believe that you deserve to be punished???!!!   Think about that!    The answer may, just may surprise you because you would never ever admit aloud to yourself or anyone else that you think you deserve to be punished.    Yet....you do. Over and over and over again.

It's time to stop living in the state of denial and accept your limitations, then just stop it!   Stop punishing yourself.   Stop doing all of those things that will put you in pain the next day, if not days just because you think you can when you know full well that you can't!!!

The fact that you can no longer do things that you used to be able to do is not your fault! Things happen. Age happens. Arthritis, fibromyalgia, back injuries, neurological diseases and damages, on and on....they happen! Life happens!   Deal with it!   Deal with it!!! Let up on yourself!

Find a way to be at peace with it! Life will be so much better when you do!

Pain versus Suffering

2011-06-26T00:56:00.000-09:30

The Dali Lama said, "Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional".

I take that to mean that we all have pain at various points in time, yes, even chronic pain, but it is up to us as to whether or not we choose to suffer!

So, what is the difference?    Pain is hurting and going on with your life any way, regardless of the pain within our known limits!!! Suffering is allowing the pain to be in charge and shall I dare say, wallowing in the pain. Allowing the pain to be in charge.

Are you not the captain of your ship, the master of your destiny???   If not, why not?

I must admit to you that I have been going through a difficult few months with my pain experience being very high and I have indeed suffered plenty!   I have allowed the pain to be in charge!    I have stayed in bed for the most part (not a good thing! It sends "sick" signals to your brain!!!), I've eaten all types of junk food, I haven't exercised, or only occasionally have I done Spring Forest Qi Gong which always makes me feel better!   I have been suffering and allowing the pain to be in charge.

The good news is that I am turning that around, drinking more water, exercising, doing my prayer and meditation faithfully.   I'm thinking positive thoughts!    I acting as though my body is a temple of the living God! And therefore, taking care of it as though it were a true temple! I have decided that I have suffered enough and taken action to end the suffering and bring joy back into my life!   God loves each and every one of us and does not want us to suffer. Love, Peace, and Joy are our God given rights!   So, claim your rights, right here and now. Stop being a victim and BE KIND AND GENTLE TO YOUR BODY!    You deserve it!   It's the way God wants us to live.....to the fullest!    In Peace!          God bless you!

CALL SOMEONE!

2011-06-23T01:31:00.000-09:30

Yesterday I found myself in the miserable position of being in absolute agony and having no one to talk to, rather to cry to, until my pain pill took effect.   I finally called my son who is extremely compassionate, patient, and understanding, (as is my daughter!) and who can make me laugh in a matter of a very few minutes.

While I was bawling my eyes out and saying "I can't take it any more", he insisted that I could indeed take it, reminded me that I've been in this position many times, and that I would get through this too.   I think I would have just about lost my mind had I not had my son to talk to me and "bring me around". I was out of control!

When we live with chronic pain, we are inclined to have acute episodes the likes of which is (pardon my language), pure hell and nothing, absolutely nothing except a strong pain shot or pill will help.   If you live with pain, you know of which I speak.

Thank God, these "episodes" aren't very often.   Mine are sometimes brought on by something physical that I've done and probably should have known better, but sometimes, they're brought on by something as simple as eating sugar. Yes, sugar and that includes sugar substitutes such as Stevia.

My point here today is that you need a list at your bedside or your favorite chair of names and numbers to call when you get into this predicament.   Talking to yourself, telling yourself "it's only pain", just doesn't take care of it. Your body has completely taken over the situation and you are out of control.   Call someone!   Call someone who is understanding, patient, compassionate, perhaps who has been where you are in that moment.
You are suffering and you need help!   Reach out and get it! After all, you deserve it!   You're giving someone an opportunity to be a good person....to do a good deed!   And when it's all said and done, you can do the same for someone else!    Do not suffer needlessly!   People need people!

Be good to yourself and allow someone else to be good to you too! It's a God thing! He put that person there for you in that moment. Be thankful!

Wishing you peace always!

Amazing Device!

2011-05-16T06:57:00.000-09:30

Very seldom do I find something that actually lives up to its claim, but I have in this simple, yet profound "healing pad".   I was in incredible pain a few days ago from twisting by back while do some house cleaning. Fortunately for me, my husband had ordered the "healing pad" a few days before.   I spent three days in agony, could barely get out of bed by myself nor could I walk upright. But then the healing pad was delivered, not a day too soon!

I've used this pad off and on for three days now and I'm almost as good as new!   I'm continuing to use it on my upper shoulders as well as my arthritic knees. My knee which needs to be replaced, had significant less pain after just 2 15 minute sessions. Instead of waking up with my usual pain and stiffness, I was pain free and could walk without my usual morning limp. The results have been amazing!   I don't use the word amazing very often, but in this case, it is no exaggeration. The pad comes in three different sizes and uses far infrared heat for healing.   It also has jade stones inside the pad for additional healing effects.

http://www.losethebackpain.com/backpainreliefproducts.html

If you cannot get to the site from here, go to www.losethebackpain.com and click on products. You'll find the "healing pad" under products.    This pad is not cheap and believe me, I know it's risky to spend that much money on something that you aren't certain will help. Please trust me when I tell you that you won't regret this purchase. Ask your kids to pool their money and buy it for you as a birthday present! You'll be glad you did.

You can thank me later!

Wishing you peace!

Coughing can worsen back and neck pain

2011-05-11T07:06:00.000-09:30

I recently had the misfortune of having a virus which led to bronchitis.   I coughed frequently and sometimes so hard that I thought I was going to cough up a lung! ;-)

All of this coughing led to terrible back and neck pain and spasms so severe that I actually gave in and went to see my doctor for pain shots.   I have a fairly good size arsenal of holistic remedies, but the spasms were so tight and had been for over a week, I had to have the shots to break the pain cycle.

Now, I shall go visit my chiropractor tomorrow for an adjustment. He will be able to adjust my back with greater ease as the spasms are not as tight thanks to the pain shots!

The moral of this story is that everything has it's purpose and time.   My family doctor knows that I do not go running into see him for shots very often and when I do, I'm in excruciating pain! He also knows that I've tried every trick in my book before I went in to see him.    My chiropractor is grateful that my back is not in intense spasm so his adjustment will go easier and be more effective!

This is western medicine working with holistic medicine.   We are much better off when we combine the two to compliment each other instead of neglecting one or the other simply on principle.   Be open and flexible. Know what to do and when to do it!    And of course, always, always pray!!!   Prayer is the best medicine and is best used at all times!

Wishing you peace always in all ways!   And the blessings of God!

Be Transformed

2011-04-29T08:09:00.000-09:30

"Be ye transformed by the renewal of your mind".        Jesus

Thoughts are actual things, they produce energy that create in their kind. It is scientific fact, not some mumbo jumbo that I and many others have made up. If you want to know what your thoughts have been, look at your life today. If you want a better life tomorrow, be very careful what you're thinking today! Good, happy, loving, kind thoughts create a good, happy, loving, kind life!   "Poor me" thoughts, or thoughts of sadness, depression, fear produce a life of depression along with all of the things you fear. Remember the story of Job when he said "the things I have feared have come upon me".

Regardless of your situation, let me say that again...regardless of your situation you have the God given ability to decide to be happy! It is quite literally, your choice! It's your life.   What do you want to be? Happy? Sad? Miserable?    You decide!   God has given us free will to live our lives as we choose.

I choose to be happy.    I wish the same for you.   God bless!

God's Strength

2011-04-25T06:13:00.000-09:30

When you think you simply cannot make it another minute, when the pain is getting the best of you, and has beaten you down, you can turn to God to give you strength to make it through.

"So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

Just when you think you cannot make it one more day, hour, minute, you can count on the mighty power, strength, and love of God to pull you through. Trust me, I know of which I speak!

Wishing you a blessed and peace filled day!

Why? versus What?

2011-04-08T09:38:00.000-09:30

Yoda told Luke in Star Wars Episode V when he was about to ask "why?" about something, "No! No! There is no 'why'!"    I've always been intrigued by that. Why can you not ask "why"???

I believe I have the answer and how this may relate to you.   Personally, I've probably asked God a thousand times "why me?"; "why this?".   Have you ever done that?   Perhaps you have. If so, let me give you this to ponder.    Asking why gets us nowhere. It leads to nothing but frustration, confusion, even anger. It's a dead end road.     So what do you ask?   Good question!

WHAT? What is my next step? What do I do with this situation?   What leads to action. It leads to answers. What can you do now? And don't say nothing because you can! There is always something that you can do regardless of your condition or situation.    I'm in bed right now on my laptop computer. Sitting is difficult for me and leads to a lot of pain, so I spend most of my days in bed. But what I've discovered is that I can write while laying in bed. I have two e-books for sell on amazon.com right now and I wrote them while in bed.   They're both about chronic pain!   I know about chronic pain!   I also know about holistic cures for pain because I've researched the heck out of it and tried what I recommend.

The actor Christoper Reeves who made Superman come to life did a great deal of wonderful work after his tragic accident left him paralyzed from the neck down and on a ventilator.   His death was unfortunate, but he lived what was left of his life being positive and motivating others.   What a blessing he was! He truly was a super man!

So...what are you going to do with you life regardless of your pain or any physical limitations you may have? I challenge you to be brave and break out of any rut you may find yourself in right now.   Only ask the questions that will lead you down a positive road to places you perhaps have never been before.   What are you going to do now?

Be Blessed! May the Force be with you always! ;-)

God's Compassion

2011-04-02T02:45:00.000-09:30

"The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made."        Psalm 145:9

God wouldn't create us and then not love us and have compassion for us.

When we're feeling alone, lonely, depressed, it is because we a have pushed God away, not because God is not near us all the time.   Loneliness, depression are based upon fear. Depression is actually anger turned inward, but I'm not here to be your therapist, so that's all I shall say about depression. Except to remind you that God is with you always!   We must turn to Him! Acknowledge Him in all our ways!

In living with pain, it's easy to lose our way.   To forget what is important. We forget to turn to God and we forget that not only does God love us, we must love ourselves!   Have compassion for ourselves. Are we not worthy???   Of course we are!   We are children of God! A most compassionate Father!

Have faith! Be kind to yourself and others!   "Love ye one another".   "Love thy neighbor as thyself!"    You'll find that this is wonderful pain medication!
Peace and Blessings be unto you!

Isolation and Depression

2011-03-27T05:42:00.000-09:30

Having lived with chronic pain for over twenty years now,   I am, unfortunately very aware of the isolation and depression that can go with living in constant pain.   It is a battle you must not allow yourself to lose!

Remember....you are worth fighting for!   Never, never, ever give up!

If people have stopped coming to you, which they will sometimes, you must reach out to others. It is crucial to your mental, physical, and spiritual well being to be among others as often and in as many ways as possible. Be it in person, by phone, by e-mail, facebook, twitter, even now....Skype!!! We live in a world and in a time where isolation is simply by choice, not by necessity!

So, reach out....you must give what you wish to receive and remember Winston Churchill's words.....
   if you're going through hell, keep going!

God bless you always!

A Topical Solution

2011-03-20T16:45:00.000-09:30

One thing that I absolutely love to use topically for my back or knee pain is Soothanol X2.   It leaves all of the other topical ointments and solutions in the dust in my opinion. It has Menthol and DMSO in it which burns my sensitive skin a bit, so I first apply Emu oil. That's right, emu oil which in and of itself helps to relieve pain and inflammation, so I get a double dose of relief when I use the combination of the two.   You can find both products on the internet. As with anything you buy on the internet, buyer beware, be sure you use a reputable company. It's available on amazon.com.

Soothanol isn't cheap. I think a small bottle cost around $40., but let me tell you, a little goes a long way and it's money well spent.   Obviously, I highly recommend it as it is the absolute best product on the market today (in my opinion) for topical pain relief of arthritis, bursitis, inflammation or generalized joint or muscle pain.

As always, talk with your doctor about any new drug, even topical solutions such as this.   The most common side effect is itching caused by the menthol, but it also burns if you have sensitive skin. Be cautious!

Here's wishing you peace always!

Give It To God

2011-03-17T06:40:00.000-09:30

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."
Matthew 11:28

Lighten your load.......give it to God! And then let Him keep it! Don't take it back!!!

Peace be with you always!

My Heart

2011-03-16T10:46:00.000-09:30

After living with chronic pain for twenty years and suffering with depression from time to time, I've learned one extremely important lesson.   It's my heart that's going to get me through all of it...the pain, the depression, the fatigue, the "I just don't feel like it today" days.

When my body says "no", I can always count on my heart and soul to say "YES! ABSOLUTELY! YOU BET!"    You see, although my body may be weaker in some areas (with me it's my back), I've discovered that I can make my heart grow more powerful and stronger than ever before! And no, not by running marathons! But by putting my faith in God. By letting the Holy Spirit be in charge of things and by doing uplifting things that I can indeed do such as listen to my favorite Christian music, pray, meditate. Remember who I really am....a child of God!

So whenever my body feels painful, weak, and weary, I can count on my heart to lift me up, to keep me going, to make me stronger than ever before, perhaps differently, but in a better way than I would have ever dreamed of before.   God has a purpose for me, several in fact, and I happen to know that He does for you as well!!!   So what if you can't get down on the floor and do abdominal crunches any more, so what if you can no longer run, strengthen what you can of your body and let your heart do the rest of it!   Do some heart strengthening exercises today and every day!    Live a life of love!   For love is who you are!

Calming the Storm

2011-03-04T11:25:00.000-09:30

"The Lord with either calm the storm or allow it to rage while he calms you."

Either way, the result is calm, peace, quiet, stillness.   When we learn to put our trust in God, in His ability to calm our fears, our worries, our pain, life becomes the rainbow at the end of the storm instead of the storm itself.

Faith is the answer to this. Trust, believing in yourself and in God. Turning to Him FIRST.   Sometimes we get so caught up in the pain that we forget the powerful force that we have waiting for us. Just ask and I will be there! Jesus tells us. He meant it then and means it to this day.

When I meditate, there's not always absolute quiet.   There is my dogs barking, the garbage truck coming, noise next door, but that doesn't mean it's not time for me to meditate.   I meditate in spite of all of the noise around me because that's what I believe God wants me to do. After a while, the noise matters not and I am at peace within my being, in my heart.   God calms me.    He can calm you, too!

Peace and love be with you!

My Pain vsThe Pain

2011-03-03T10:09:00.000-09:30

There's a significant difference if ever so slight in saying "the pain and my pain". And learning to say the pain verses my pain can make a big difference in the way you perceive pain.

The pain indicates detachment, meaning that it's just pain, it's just something that's happening to you, but it's NOT you!

My pain personalizes it. It makes it part of you and leads to suffering. It means that it's yours and often times, yours to keep!   That leads to what you do not want!

Whenever I have a high pain day, I simply say that, "pain is high today".   I try to keep from saying, I'm in a lot of pain, or especially things like "I'm in so much pain I can hardly stand it!".   That gives your mind and your body the signal to make the pain worse!

Words and thoughts are powerful! Use them for you, not against you. When we think positive thoughts, our attitude becomes positive, our life becomes positive.   Chronic pain is difficult enough to live with without us making it worse.   Let's use the tools we have....mind/body/spirit to lead our best life!

Wishing you peace always in all ways!

Acceptance

2011-02-17T05:54:00.000-09:30

The most difficult thing I have been faced with so far on my journey with chronic pain and the limitations my back has put upon me, is acceptance.   I'm a stubborn Irish woman. My family is a stubborn Irish family. "No", or "I can't" is really not part of our vocabulary and quite frankly, tastes like vinegar when spoken.

The problem with this attitude is that it is not congruent with peace. Having a fighting attitude is good for many things, but not for having peace with your pain.    Quite frankly, you can only have peace with acceptance.

Now, let me be perfectly clear here, I am NOT telling you to go to bed and stay there. I am NOT telling you to give up!   I am quite simply telling you that your body has limitations, especially if you have had surgery or if you have a disease that has put limits upon you.   Acceptance is not giving up!!!

Acceptance is living peacefully with what we can do, staying focused on what we can do, thanking God for what we can do and being satisfied with that!
Acceptance is saying OK, I can longer do this, but I CAN do this! Thank you God for all of the things that I CAN do!

Think about it!    I wish you peace!

FAITH, HOPE, LOVE

2011-02-15T02:32:00.000-09:30

OK, I have yet to manage to transfer this blog over to my new blog, so while I'm waiting for this to happen and attempting to make it possible, here is my post for the day.....

"Faith is the bird that feels dawn breaking and sings while it is still dark".    author unknown

In addition to The Lord's Prayer, the 23rd Psalm, the 91st Psalm, and John 14:12, my favorite biblical quote is 1 Corinthians 13...the entire chapter.   In part it reminds us..."Faith, Hope, Love....and the greatest of these is Love".

Hope is having the desire that better days are indeed ahead for us.   Faith is believing that better days are indeed ahead of us, even without the proof! (The birds who sing even before the sun comes up, knowing that the sun will indeed come up!)    Love is the key that unlocks our miracles for us!   Faith, Hope, and Love are the three keys that make our miracles happen for us!

I believe we must begin with HOPE. With it we have everything. Without it, we have nothing.   So, my wish for you today is that you may strengthen your resolve and if you are in a place of despair, that you may move into a place of hope.   Ask the Holy Spirit to help you.   He is always, always there for you!

May the peace of God be upon you now!

A New Blog

2011-01-17T23:12:00.001-09:30

I am changing my web address. Why? So very glad you asked!

When I first began "Peace with Pain", I wanted to reach those who had no hope of ever receiving a "cure" for their ailments that are causing them pain. While that was heartfelt and compassionate, it wasn't very optimistic!

I have recently had an epiphany.   While you may not actually be able to be "cured", you can certainly be relieved from your pain which in essence is like being cured.    I didn't want to be disingenuous. Then there's the book "The Pain Cure" written by Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D. in which he discusses techniques for pain management, but no actual "cures" per se', so I am essentially doing the same thing as the good doctor.

I believe that you can live your life in a way in which pain has no hold over you. I believe that there are very specific things you can do to decrease your pain or diminish it to the point that it essentially has no affect on you.
I truly believe that!   And it is my belief in that which has led me to change the name of my site to "www.holisticpaincure.com". This is where you will find all future posts. Please forgive the lapse as it may take a few days to make the switch. I will not take "peacewithpain" down until everything can be transferred. Please hang in there with me.
I pour my heart and soul out in these posts with the intention of truly helping people who live with chronic pain. That has not nor will not change. I'm simply having the intent of optimism. HOPE!

I wish you peace always in all ways!

All the best to you!

Ann J

Prayer As Medicine

2011-01-11T12:21:00.000-09:30

Larry Dossey, M.D. wrote a great book entitled "Prayer is Good Medicine". Of course, those of us of faith know that prayer is great medicine! I'm just reminding you today of the importance of making it a daily practice! The following is my prayer for you today....

Dear God,
Where my body is broken, please heal it.
May every cell be filled with grace and
Returned to its divine right placement,
In me and in all others.
In Christ,
I thank you!
Amen

I wish you peace always in all ways. God Bless!

A Prayer for You

2011-01-07T06:53:00.000-09:30

"Dear God,
My body is broken, I need Your help. I fear I will not get well.
Please God,
Send angels to deliver me from my pain, and sickness, and fear, now.
I know salvation is my only true Cure, yet I doubt when my body hurts.
Help me Lord.
Please bless my medicine and guide my healers.
Thank you, God.
Amen"

taken from Illuminated Prayers
by Marianne Williamson

May the Peace of God be upon you today!

Being the Turtle

2011-01-05T10:19:00.000-09:30

The tortoise won the race! Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare? It was the tortoise who took his good ol' sweet time, enjoyed his way, and won the race.

Jesus told us to live one day at a time. Sometimes for those of us with chronic pain, it's best to live one moment at a time! We will benefit greatly by learning to be the tortoise, taking things slowly, pacing ourselves. I'll repeat... pacing ourselves! Life is not a race. Life was created to be savored, enjoyed slowly, relaxing, like a great piece of chocolate or a warm cookie right out of the oven!

Many people with chronic pain are type A personalities; we push ourselves (way too hard!) and this is often the cause of our suffering. Our bodies are teaching us an extremely valuable lesson if we would only listen. Slow down. Stop and smell the roses. Enjoy the little things. There are so very many little things for which to be thankful!

With this new year I encourage you to begin a gratitude journal. Being grateful gets us out of our pain and helps to end our suffering. If not a journal, then at least make it a practice to pray daily for the things for which you are grateful without asking God for a single thing! You can make that a separate prayer. Say a gratitude prayer every morning. You'll be amazed with the results! God loves a cheerful heart! You will be rewarded, I promise!

It's not so bad being the tortoise! Once you get used to it, it's actually very nice!

Wishing you peace, love, and a blessed new year!
Ann J aka "the turtle"

Visions of SugarPlums

2010-12-20T10:23:00.000-09:30

'Tis the time of year for celebration which often means overeating including consumption of a whole lot of food containing sugar. We have been baking and making candy at our house all week-end and I promise you it's not ending today! All of this food is prepared with love, especially from my mother and tastes absolutely divine!

Unfortunately, if you live with pain, food loaded with sugar, even sugar substitutes means added pain regardless of your condition. That doesn't count the extra calories that may pack on extra weight that no one living with chronic pain needs.

So, I'm asking you to please go easy, enjoy without over indulging and while you're at it, drink extra water, water, water to help keep your body from craving the junk food and to help keep the toxins flushed so it won't settle in your connective tissue and joints. Also, try eating some fruit, yes just plain fruit especially in the mornings by itself. Citrus fruit is abundant in most part of the U.S. this time of year.....enjoy!

Make the season a bit merrier by taking care of your body! God bless!

Nourishing Our Bodies

2010-12-04T02:40:00.000-09:30

"He that takes medicine and neglects diet wastes the skill of a physician".
                                                                                                                       Chinese Proverb

Oh how I believe that!   I've proven it to myself many times by going off of sugar, which causes inflammation throughout our bodies; by drinking the correct amount of water every day (6 - 8 oz. glasses), and by eating fruit and fruit alone first thing in the morning right after my first big glass of water for the day!   If you are diabetic, follow the fruit within thirty minutes with a protein snack. Fruit smoothies are a fantastic way to start the day! Add a tablespoon of almond butter or cashew nut butter and you're set for a great morning!

Food can be our medicine if we only allow it to be. It was meant to be our medicine and this is now being accepted by the National Institute of Health.   Diet plays a huge role in holistic medicine.   We simply cannot afford to pop pills and eat anything we want.   We won't get away with that kind of lifestyle for very long. And yes, I'm talking to myself here too!

Seriously though, how many times do we have to hear "eat your fruits and vegetables" before it sinks in???
If it's processed food you're eating, it's dead food you're eating. How long are you supposed to live in a healthy state eating dead food??? If you can heat it up in the microwave and call it "dinner" or a "snack", do you really believe you're nourishing your body?

Our bodies are miraculous creations by the Master Creator and it is simply amazing to watch them repair themselves with proper nourishment and a bit of exercise.

Be good to your body temple! It's the only one you have!   Physicians can only do so much, especially when we sabotage them by eating junk!   Work with your doctor to develop a good eating plan that's right for you. If your doctor doesn't have the time, then research it for yourself. After all, you're worth it!

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T10:03:00.000-09:30

Wishing everyone a very blessed Thanksgiving.

Remember that Thanksgiving is a compound word~ thanks and giving. So my advice for you today is not only to be thankful, but additionally, find something that you can give, even if it's a prayer. If you can, give peace, give love, give a gift, go through your closet, clean it out and give what you really don't need to the Salvation Army.

We receive those things for which we are thankful and that which we give away.

I wish you peace. May God bless you always in all ways!

Water Please!

2010-11-23T04:05:00.000-09:30

Recently, I've had difficulty with more than usual muscle spasms.   With fibromyalgia and four back surgeries, muscle spasms are often an issue with me, but this was worse than usual.   So I mentioned it to my chiropractor who politely reminded me to drink water!   Ooohhhh!!!   Water!!!

So, now I'm reminding you about the importance of water.   Our bodies are over 80% water.   If we don't get enough water, toxins build up in our cells, tissues, muscles, throughout our bodies. The result, we become sick. We get diseases. Heart disease, arthritis, intestinal problems, high cholesterol, you name it, we get it and the biggest reason is not because of the foods we eat, even though that is certainly a problem, but it is mostly because we simply do not drink enough water!

Did you know that the earth is mostly 80% water?   And so are our bodies! Do you think that's a coincidence? I don't!   I think the Creator knew exactly what He was doing!   Isn't that cool???   Just thought I'd throw that in to give you something to think about.

It's all about balance, my friends. It's all about maintaining our bodies as they should be. We overeat and we don't drink enough water and wonder why we have so much pain. It's not rocket science!   I'm as guilty here as anyone which is why I'm talking about it ~ it's time to do better.   It's time to take care of our body temple.
I'm starting right now. Actually, I started last week. How about you? What are you going to do? If not now, when???

Gratitude

2010-11-20T03:25:00.000-09:30

I'll be quite honest with you, I've had a difficult week with pain. Two days ago I would have found it extremely difficult to write about gratitude. An attitude of gratitude is something that works best if practiced daily as it then becomes a habit, rewires our brains, and lifts us up out of depression. Being grateful isn't always easy though when we're in the midst of an acute high pain episode, regardless of our diagnosis.

But studies have indicated that gratitude can indeed help to ease our pain, eliminate our suffering, lift our depression, and give us hope. Aaahhh.....hope! Now there's a word I simply love! When we have hope, we have everything!

Being grateful causes us to take account of our lives and most often realize that we have it better than we often think. I've written about being grateful before and have encouraged you in the past to keep a gratitude journal. Write something every day for which you are grateful. It immediately connects us to God. It gets us in our hearts and out of our suffering. Practiced regularly, it can and will change your life regardless of your physical condition. But don't be surprised when your doctor asks you one day what you've done to make such improvements to your well being! You can share your secret or just smile and thank him or her for noticing!

The sun is supposed to shine today....somewhere! It will most certainly at my house!

Pain and Acceptance, Part II

2010-11-16T11:21:00.000-09:30

There are a couple of more things I want to say about acceptance.

First and foremost, acceptance is not in any way about giving in or giving up. Accept your limitations, but fight for your remaining abilities. When you've done all that you can do for yourself mentally/emotionally, physically, and spiritually, then and only then will acceptance be the key to finding peace.

Will I ever be able to run a 5 or 10K race again? NO! But with exercise, weight loss, a positive mental attitude, and the help of God, might I be able to travel or spend quality time with my family? You bet!
Will I ever be able to work as a nurse again? No! But can I study holistic medicine for chronic pain management, write a blog and perhaps a book or two? Yes indeed!
Can I stay encouraged myself so that I might help to encourage others? Absolutely!

My life is very different from the way it used to be, but it isn't over, I'm not dead yet and the good Lord has given me many incredible blessings. There are many things I must accept with my physical situation, but life is good, life is very, very good and I am truly blessed in many ways.

As Winston Churchill said to his troops in WWII, "never give up! never, never, never, never give up!"
That my friends, are great words to live by!

May God bless you always in all ways!

Pain and Acceptance

2010-11-15T12:49:00.000-09:30

I am disabled as a result of four spinal surgeries with a diagnosis of "failed back syndrome".   I live with pain in my back and right leg every day of every week of every month of every year.   It's constant. It never ever goes   away.   I am also mostly bed bound.   I have been this way for several years and my doctors expect me to be this way for the rest of my life.   I am 56 years old.

This way of life is difficult at best and intensely depressing at worst. My doctors say I must accept it. And I must.   If your situation is similar, I highly recommend Dr Elisabeth Kubler Ross's book on the five stages of death and dying. Why do I recommend this book?   Because we have lost something significant...our way of life! And it's hard! Mentally/emotionally, physically, spiritually...it is hard!

Acceptance is the only way to peace. It's the only way to keep your sanity and it's the only way to live your best life possible while experiencing the loss of your old way of life and living with the pain.   Acceptance is the key to your best life.

Unfortunately, I have no magical words of advice on the best way for you to go about reaching the point of acceptance. It's very personal and we each must find our own way down this path. I can tell you that it's a journey. It's a mental/emotional, and very spiritual journey. It leads to peace.

Whenever I get there myself, I'll let you know.   In the meantime, I wish you all the best and I especially wish you peace.

Pain without suffering

2010-11-12T00:58:00.000-09:30

"Pain is inevitable.   Suffering is optional."
                                                    Dali Lama

I began Peace with Pain because quite frankly, I became discouraged from reading all of the "Pain Cure" books that in my humble opinion fell very short on the cure and simply ran long on rambling!   People who do not live with chronic pain simply fail to understand the toll it takes on every aspect of our lives...mental/emotional, physical, and spiritual. What works for one person may not necessarily work for another.   Pain management is not a "one size fits all" kind of a thing.

There is one thing I know for certain however, and that is the option of suffering.   Suffering is an emotional response to pain and we simply can refuse to go there by adopting the attitude that "it's only pain and I can remain in charge of my life!".   When you find yourself in the midst of a lot of pain, you must ask yourself, who's in charge here? Me...or the pain???   You'll know the answer based on your actions and feelings at the time. Are you terribly upset? Are you grumpy? (I get grumpy quite often I'm embarrassed to say.)   Are you miserable?   If you are experiencing any of these emotions, then the pain is in charge.

You can easily change your emotions by taking control of your thoughts and actions. Announce to the pain, yourself, God, the world if you have to that you are in charge here! Then pop in one of your favorite movies or watch one of your favorite TV shows, listen to some of your most loved music (I like Christian pop), or do something that makes you feel good. Call a dear friend, call your sister. But be careful about who you call because you want someone to lift you up, not bring you down!

Remember, you may have pain, but you do not need to suffer. You can be in charge of the pain! It doesn't have to be your enemy. It can simply be a little annoyance. Put it in its proper place!   Take back your power! Do it now!    And God will see your efforts and reward you with His peace!

Comfort

2010-11-11T03:24:00.000-09:30

The line from the end of the Lord's Prayer, "For Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory", means "only God has the power to comfort, nurture, and sustain me." Marianne Willamson

That's comforting because God is quite literally, everywhere!

Sometimes when I'm in a lot of pain and am feeling totally stressed, I go outside on my back deck and either walk around or sit in my zero gravity chair that I keep out there and before long, I can feel my body relaxing. I've been blessed with a magical spot of land that's my back yard. It has a deep creek where the ducks come and go, an occasional blue heron with fly in for a visit, sometimes I'll see Mr. Beaver swimming lazily upstream. As I sit quietly I can hear all of the birds singing. It's magic! It's God!

But you don't have a creek? Not to worry! Put on your favorite worship music! Begin writing in your gratitude journal. Begin a prayer thanking God for everything you do have and immediately stop focusing on what you don't have! If you are able, go for a walk in the park. Get outside if you can. If not, be thankful for the roof you have over your head! Be thankful for the chair you're sitting in or the bed you're laying on for they came from God! Get out your Bible and read the 23rd Psalm.

God is a God of Comfort, Love, and Blessings! Seek ye Him and you shall be blessed!

May His blessings overflow for you now and always! May you feel His Love and Comfort wrap you up now!

The Power of Belief

2010-10-21T05:35:00.000-09:30

When I talk about "belief", I don't mean simply thinking something. I'm talking about knowing deep down in your gut that something is "true", it is "truth".   It's that knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that what you know in your heart to be true is indeed truth.   This, to me, is the belief.

Belief has great power. It's knowing that tomorrow will indeed be a better day.   It's knowing that you can indeed take charge of this moment and make it better!   It's believing that pain has no power over you!   YOU
are in charge of this situation. YOU are the master of your life, your destiny, your fate!

Once you learn the power of belief, anything shall be possible unto you. You will be shown the way to be made whole, to live your best life, perhaps even in spite of your physical condition!   It's all in how we choose to look at our lives. Do you see the glass half empty or half full???

The power of belief is the power to change your life's circumstances.   It's that knowing deep in your gut that whispers to you, "you can do this!"

God bless you always in all ways!

When it gets to be too much

2010-10-19T08:33:00.000-09:30

I must admit to you, unfortunately, that the reason I haven't written in a while is because I have had quite a lot of pain and have resorted to taking medications for it. I have felt that since this blog is devoted to holistic means of dealing with pain, it would be hypocritical of me to continue to give advice on holistic pain management while I myself was popping pills.

There's a lesson in this for all of us, I believe. We're all human and sometimes, quite simply, the pain gets to be too much for alternative/holistic medical modalities to manage, or for us to bear. We all have our limits.

I have a disc that's almost completely worn out in my lower spine just above my fusion site. The surgical approach would be to fuse it. I'm not opting for the surgical approach. I'm seeing my chiropractor who is keeping my vertebra in line allowing it to fuse straight when it inevitably fuses on its own, and it will with time. In the meantime, I'm having quite a bit of pain.

What I want you to know is that it's important not to give up!   Never, never, never give up!   Also, there is a place for western medicine in our society.   I've taken as little medication as possible and still keep the pain managed. Fortunately, with my practice of alternative medicine, I have been able to keep the number and strength of pills I take to a minimum.
It does not mean that my belief in holistic and alternative medicine has waned in any way.   Sometimes we have to change paths for a while and this is what I have done.

Back on course now!   Expect regular posts in the future.   My love and best to all!!!

FAITH

2010-08-06T04:25:00.001-09:30

When you come to the end of all that you know, faith is knowing one of two things will happen.......
there will be something to stand on or you will be taught how to fly. Remember that when living with chronic pain, it is imperative to keep the faith!

God is with you always in all ways! May you be open to receive His love and His miracles!

http://www.andiesisle.com/creation/magnificent.html

Accepting Limitations

2010-08-02T08:36:00.000-09:30

The absolute most difficult thing I have had to do since I've been "disabled" is accept my limitations. I'm a "type A" personality who lived for my work before I was forced to give it up. I was a nurse and a darn good one too! But I allowed my work to define me. Big mistake! Once I lost my work, I discovered that I was lost! Lost with nothing to do but lay around in bed all day. What on earth was I supposed to do with that??? I prayed! And God answered my prayers. So, here I am writing this in hopes that it will somehow help you.

So what does this have to do with accepting limitations? It means that I know I will never again work as a nurse. I had to accept that and believe me it was hard. It means knowing who you are....a child of God! It is that simple. You are not defined by your work, your family, your friends. You are defined as a child of God. What you do with that is up to you.....and God! And just as it pays to listen to Him, it pays to listen to your body.
Trust me on this, I know all too well of which I speak!

If you have had pain for very long, you already know what you can and cannot do. The trick is in knowing that you really should not do something and NOT doing it anyway!!! If you've read my blog for very long, you know that I'm a stubborn Irish woman and come from a long line of stubborn Irish women. Sometimes, dare I say, many times, we pay for being stubborn. My husband has threatened to have "stupid" tattooed on my forehead.

My doctor gave me the best advice; actually, it was an assignment! Just recently he told me to make a list of all the things I cannot do, make copies, and tape them up all around the house! Do you get the idea he's getting just a wee bit frustrated with me??? Perhaps. Can't say as I blame him! My chiropractor has actually made the same suggestion. So, now it is my suggestion to you. Listen to your body and be mindful of it. Also, be good to it as it's the only one you have!!! It also happens to be the temple of the living God.

I shall leave you with that and wish you peace always in all ways. God Bless!

Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Pain

2010-07-08T07:01:00.001-09:30

Jon Kabat-Zinn is the founding director of the Stress Reduction Clinic and Center for Mindfulness in Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. He has ran the Stress Reduction for Pain Management clinic at the U of Mass. Med. Center since 1979. Many studies have come out of this as well as many medical papers published on the results of his patients. This clinic is the center of last resort for patients who have been told to "just live with the pain".

As someone who has been told to "just live with it", I am most interested in this man's work and have found it to be remarkable. He has a two disc CD set available at Amazon.com entitled Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief, Guided Practices for Reclaiming Your Body and Your Life.

This man knows of which he speaks, trust me on this or read the literature! This is quite simply the most profound two CD set on meditation for pain relief that I know of on the market today. And since he's been doing this work since 1979 and works out of a hospital, his credentials are impeccable!

I highly recommend this to you. Keep in mind that as with any alternative medicine, this takes time and practice, practice, practice! Nothing worthwhile comes without effort!

Peace be with you now!

Benadryl for Fibromyalgia Pain?

2010-07-02T07:17:00.000-09:30

Yes! You read right! During this 4th of July week-end, you may find yourself outdoors more often than usual. Allergies are numerous this time of year in many parts of the country. You may think that your bodies' only reaction to allergens is the typical sneezing, watery eyes, etc., but did you know that allergens can also make your fibromyalgia symptoms worse by causing inflammation in the connective tissue?

It was my massage therapist who suggested to me that when I have a "fibro flare up", take Benadryl. It works! When our connective tissue is inflamed, antihistamines actually help to reduce the inflammation! Who knew??!!!
Benadryl is the #1 antihistamine on the market, and no, I do not own stock in the company! As a nurse of over 20 years, I just know what's best and as a pain patient for equally as long, I know what works!

So, have yourself a wonderful July 4th week-end and if needed, take Benadryl!
***As always, consult with your physician before taking any new medications!!!
Happy Independence Day, America!

The Power of Belief

2010-06-28T10:18:00.000-09:30

First of all, I highly recommend the book by this title. The Power of Belief played an important role in helping me personally, understand what it means to completely put my faith in God as well as teaching me the importance of belief in a power greater than myself, even greater than my pain.... God!

In living with chronic pain, it's easy to believe more in the pain than in God, our Source of life, light, and healing.
That is why it is so very important spend quality time every day with God, making that connection, allowing His light to shine upon us!   When we fail to do this, pain takes over every aspect of our lives and it becomes the controlling factor in everything we do.   Do you really want that???

NO!   Spending time with God in prayer and meditation, going outside when you can to appreciate God's bounty, the beauty all around us, helps us to keep things in perspective and assists us in building the power of belief.   Listen to beautiful music. If you physically are unable to attend church, find other ways to commune with God. Set aside a place in you home specifically for prayer and meditation. Make it special. Put pictures of Jesus or a cross or other icons that bring you close to God on a table beside a chair in which you sit to pray. This makes it special. It sets intent! And that is very important to the process of getting away from the pain and toward God!

So, my question for you now is... in what do you believe most....pain or God???
Think about it.       Your focus determines your reality!

Gving it Time

2010-06-24T09:44:00.001-09:30

The biggest mistake people make with alternative/holistic medicine is in not giving it enough time.   There are products, supplements, certain healing modalities such as Acupuncture and Reiki with which you will feel results rather quickly, but for the most part and even with or especially with Acupuncture or Reiki, as well as supplements, you will receive the most effect after continued use or treatments.

In living with chronic pain, your body, mind, and emotions have been trampled. Recovery is simply not going to come quickly and easily. Believe me when I say that I wish, I truly wish it could be different, but it is not. There is no miracle cure that is going to offer you fast, miraculous relief. You may very well want to use traditional western medication during this transition time. I'll even go so far to say that you may never completely get off of all of your medication. It just isn't realistic for many people. I'm a practical person and I'm here to tell you the truth, not feed you lines of bull.

There are many, many wonderful supplements and alternative healing modalities available to us today. I am truly thankful for all of these things, but the truth is they don't all work for all people!   The important thing though is to be certain to give whatever you're doing enough time. And with most things that means an average of three months, 90 days.   With Acupuncture and Reiki, even Chiropractic, it means 6-8 weeks minimum of regular visits! This does not mean that you won't begin to feel positive effects quickly. It simply means that you must stick with it, regardless of what "it" is, long enough to allow for the full, most beneficial effects.

You are not by definition considered a "chronic pain patient" until you've had consistent pain for at least six months. Why would you expect to have your pain relieved in a week or two regardless of the method you're using???   Be reasonable, be realistic. Give it all a chance!   You will most likely be glad you did!

Keeping the Faith

2010-06-22T22:27:00.001-09:30

My biggest issue in living with chronic pain is keeping the faith, not giving up, not giving in to the pain. Some days are easier than others. Sometimes I allow myself one or two days to be emotionally down, but then I know I must dust off the emotional "gunk" and get back to the business of life. It's hard. That's just a fact and I'm not going to try to sugar coat it in an attempt to make you feel better. But...

We must fight the good fight! Never, never, ever give up! I actually have a necklace with that scrolled on it! I also have a poster hanging in my office with that on it. It's like trying to be the best person you can be. Sometimes that's really easy, but then you have "one of those days" when someone just really ticks you off and you just want to scream. I experienced that in my car this morning when I got behind someone who was so busy talking on her cell phone that she was completely oblivious to everyone around her. I wanted to give her a certain "sign" with my hand as I finally was able to safely pass her, but I managed to refrain. Was glad I did! She could have been someone from my church for all I knew and that would have been truly embarrassing!

So, know that you're going to have bad days. Lately, I had a few bad months! Do what you can. Dig deep into your tool box of alternative healing methods, or if need be, go get a pain shot to break that cycle of pain. My goal in having this blog is to give you practical advice and useful information to help you get through the really tough times and to encourage you to keep the faith!

May God bless you always!

Distracting the Brain for Pain Management

2010-05-27T05:12:00.000-09:30

Pain is in the brain, that's a fact, so what can we do besides pop pain pills to allow the brain to deal with the pain? Good question! So glad you asked!

The best thing to do for the brain when it comes to dealing with pain is to distract it. By that, I mean to give it other input to have to deal with. The following are just a few things I've found to be helpful.

1) Use a hand held massager on any part of your body, it matters not if your back is hurting and you cannot reach your back to massage it, massage your legs, in doing this, signals will be sent to the brain that will distract it from the pain.
2) Watch an engaging movie or t.v. show. This serves the same purpose. Something that will make you laugh is especially effective as laughter truly is the best medicine.....particularly for pain!
3) Read a book. This too must be something in which you can become completely absorbed. Sending other signals to the brain is your goal.
4) Get a massage or even massage your own body. I always keep plenty or sesame seed oil or other oils good for massage, almond oil is another good one to use, and when pain gets really high, I massage my feet and hands. All of those nerve endings in my feet and hands send wonderful messages back to my brain that "all is well"!
5) Call a friend or relative and talk about anything other than your pain! Try to keep the conversation light.
6) Write in your gratitude journal! Thanking God for your many blessings is a wonderful way to distract your brain, sending it loving signals, and reminding yourself how wonderful life truly is!
7) Pray! Prayer is good medicine! Be sure to be thankful for answered prayer!

Just keep in mind that pain is in the brain and anything that you can do to send the brain new signals is beneficial in managing your pain.
I wish you peace!

That Perfect Balance

2010-05-24T07:47:00.000-09:30

Having had four back surgeries and currently needing another one, according to my doctors, has left me in the position of finding that "perfect balance" between doing too much and not being active enough. If you have back problems, I'm just certain that you know of which I speak!

The line between over doing it and not doing enough is very fine, yet we must all learn that balance for ourselves. Being inactive can be as bad if not worse than being overactive! We must learn not to give in to our pain while at the same time letting pain be our barometer for our levels of activity. The problem with back problems is that oftentimes, we don't know that we're over doing it until we have already over done it!!! This is where common sense comes into play. You know what's going to bother you, so by all means don't do that!!!

My best advice here is to listen to your body and respect it! Love yourself enough to take care of your body. It is after all, the only one you have!

Only As Long As Your Alive!

2010-05-16T08:38:00.000-09:30

I saw my chiropractor this week and asked him what more I could be doing for my back. For those of you new to this blog, I've had four back surgeries, am fused from L4-S1, and now have very little disc remaining at L3-L4, resulting in considerable pain with the least amount of activity, such as, sitting, laying down, standing, walking, bending, in other words.....living!!!

My doctor asked me how often I stretched. I told him 3 times a week, whenever I walk. "Not good enough", was his ever so pleasant reply. I asked how often I needed to be stretching. His reply: every day! Every day???? "For as long as your alive!" Replied this kind and gentle doctor. He knows the history of my back. He knows I have fibromyalgia.

Stretching is crucial to pain management and health. Ask any yoga expert. Stretching keeps your joints, muscles, and connective tissue long, lean, and fluid. It's even good for your heart. Take it slow and easy. Remember: be the turtle! Slow and easy wins the race!

Check your area for "gentle yoga" instructors who have experience in working with people who have pain issues. You may also find gentle stretching DVD's on amazon.com. I use one for seniors because it's slow and gentle!

To your health! May God bless you always in all ways!

A Complaint Free World

2010-05-02T19:05:00.000-09:30

I've spoken on this topic before, but it's been atleast a year, so I thought I'd remind you as well as myself of the importance of monitoring our thoughts and words.

This idea actually began in a church and quickly spread throughout the nation because it's so powerful. I still pull out my bracelet from time to time and wear it for a few days as a reminder to quit complaining. As a pain patient, that's quite a challenge because it becomes second nature for us to complain about, well....about everything!

Complaining is hazardous to your health on so many levels....mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and ofcourse, physically. What we think, say, and do becomes our reality, so we must be diligent in our thoughts, words, and deeds. We create our tomorrow by our thoughts from today. Complaining gets us nowhere fast and even worse, makes us feel bad fast!

You may find bracelets and materials about living complaint free at: http://www.acomplaintfreeworld.org/

One of those days

2010-04-29T07:02:00.000-09:30

Well, it's one of those days today. Pain is off the charts, energy is negative 10, and my entire body is just screaming with pain. Time to stay in bed, rest, take my supplements and herbs, and be assured that this too shall pass.

We have a front moving in. Gosh, how I hate these strong weather fronts! But you know something? (This is tct....true confession time). I drank a coke yesterday and had two pieces of Derby pie to celebrate my Kentucky heritage a few days early. So, I have no one to blame for all of this pain, but myself.

Sugar causes pain! It's a proven fact. And yes, that goes for sugar substitutes, too! Sugar is poison to pain patients. It's poison to all of us, but especially pain patients. It affects our joints, it increases fibromyalgia pain, arthritis pain, and can most definitely trigger a migraine.

So, I accept responsibility for my misery today and hope I will eventually accept that most times, the pay off is simply not worth the few moments of pleasure of eating pie. In the meantime, today, I will be in bed with plenty of time to reflect upon my words and actions!

Why I Do This

2010-04-27T06:19:00.001-09:30

I've been reflecting on my life lately, wondering about my work, family, friendships, etc. and just thought I would take a moment to tell you why I do this work. I can't even call it "work" because it is my passion!

When I initially had to quit nursing fifteen years ago, I had no idea what I would do, but I was only forty years old (now you know my age!), so I knew in my heart as well as my gut that God wasn't through with me yet. And all was going well, I was working as a Healing Touch Therapist out of my home, loved it, and was back in the business of helping people, so I was quite content. Then I ruptured another disc which led to a fourth surgery which landed me in the hands of pain management doctors. Before I realized it, I was in hell. I mean hell!!!

I had to get out of it as I was slowly, but most definitely killing myself, almost wrecked my marriage and ruined my relationships with my family and friends. To quote Tom Hanks in the movie "Joe verses the Volcano", "I am my only hope for a hero"!. It was up to me with the help of God.

So began the search for alternative means of dealing with chronic moderate to severe pain. God has led me out of my hell and into a rewarding passion of learning about holistic medicine for pain management. That passion has turned into this blog, consulting work, and a book.

I understand that getting off of pain medication is difficult at best and impossible for most. But what I want for you is quality of life. That means as few medications as possible and being as active as possible. Doing what you can when you can. Living your best life where you are right now!

I am your biggest cheerleader! With this blog, with my work, I strive to give you the best possible advice that is available today. I've lived with chronic pain for twenty years now. My first back surgery was in 1990. My initial injury was May 17, 1988 when I ruptured two discs while lifting a patient. I know about pain. And I now know about Alternative Medicine for pain, about Holistic Healing for pain management. Drugs are not the only way, they're for darn sure not the best way! They're one way. There are sooo many other choices! It's my job to find out about them and share that information with you! I want to help you; it's what I'm about.

May God's blessings be upon you always!

Wonder Juice

2010-04-23T09:51:00.000-09:30

When I first read about Mangosteen juice, I was skeptical. To be totally honest, I thought, oh sure, file that with the long list of other herbs, juices, foods, extracts, (you get the picture) that I've tried with zero effects. My husband convinced me to try it. I approached it with the same expectations that I have had with many other natural products...ZERO!

Still, I had my little one ounce measuring cup and began with one ounce once a day. I noticed that it gave me energy. Not nervous energy, a nice, calm, "gee I feel like doing things" kind of energy. I followed the authors recommendations and over time increased my intake to three ounces in the morning and sometimes, when I think about it, I take 2-3 ounces before lunch.

My results have been remarkable. Mangosteen juice, not to be mistaken with the regular Mango fruit, has proven itself to me many times over during the past couple of months. I have a healthy amount of energy without feeling nervous, I have less joint pain, (it's supposed to be a natural anti-inflammatory), I have fewer fibromyalgia symptoms, and my mood is enhanced! I'm actually getting things done around the house and feel like doing things more often!

So...Mangosteen is my new wonder juice! My husband first bought it at Whole Foods, but has since found it at our local grocery store in the health food section. I recommend you try it, you may just be glad you did!

Sunshine above the clouds

2010-04-22T09:52:00.000-09:30

It's a cloudy, drizzly, dreary day here in south central Texas and aches and pain are high. It's days like this that are easy to get down emotionally. My emotions tend to match the weather. But if I allow that to happen, it only makes my aches and pains worse, so what to do???

First, I remember that above the clouds, the sun is shining. Sounds like a funny thing to think, but I have a great photograph that I found on clipart.com of the brilliant sun shining above the clouds. It's a great photo! I downloaded it and had it printed to remind me that even on days like today, above the clouds, the sun is indeed shining.

It's the same with God. Even when I don't feel His presence, He's there. I'm blocking Him out, He remains the same, His steadfast love is always, always there, even when I choose not to feel it.

When I think of these things on dreary, dark, high pain days like today, I feel better. I know that the world is indeed a beautiful place and when I think on these things, my pain lessens. It's like magic! It's a great day to watch an uplifting movie or a comedy! Cloudy days are times to laugh and to remember that the sun is indeed shining!

Your Back

2010-04-18T09:52:00.000-09:30

I have always, yes always had problems in physical therapy for my back. A few years ago, I found out why.
I mean no disrespect for physical therapists, however, they do not know everything and it is my strong belief based on personal experiences, that they have been trained wrong when it comes to working with people who have back injuries or back surgery.

Every time I've had physical therapy, the emphasis has been in strengthening my abdominal muscles first. I've never had success with this and worse, it has always led to increased pain in my back which resulted in me quitting therapy. Not good. We need to do strengthening exercises. However....

If you have had back surgery or if you have back problems, the strengthening exercises you need to begin with are back strengthening exercises, NOT abdominal exercises! I've tried this and have had excellent results! When you think about it, it just makes sense. It's your back that's the weakest, not your abs, so when you begin by strengthening your back muscles and then move on to your abdominal muscles, the results are extremely positive, effective, and well worth the effort!

You can find DVD's on amazon.com by qualified experts for back exercises. Remember, always begin with stretching! Even a short walk will be a good start before just taking on the specific exercises. Yoga is wonderful for back stretching and strengthening. Slow and steady wins the race and prevents injury. Not all yoga is created equal and if you have a bad back, find a yoga routine that's very gentle or for seniors. It's insane to think that you can start off with a regular yoga class if you have a bad back! Trust me on this, I know of which I speak!

So, if it's your back that's causing you pain, it's your back on which you need to begin your work. That sounds reasonable, does it not??? You can thank me later!

A Tough Question

2010-04-17T04:20:00.000-09:30

When are you going to start taking care of yourself?

Please note that I didn't ask why aren't you taking care of yourself? Quite frankly, I don't care about the reasons you're not, we all have our excuses, we have millions of excuses, so I don't care about them. I only want to know when? Today? Tomorrow? Did you know that tomorrow never comes??? Today is the only day we have!

So, I will ask again, when are you going to start taking care of yourself? If not now, when???

Circle of Support

2010-04-16T09:34:00.000-09:30

Pain patients need support. It's that simple. And the more support you have, the better you will feel, not just emotionally, but physically as well.

When I'm having a particularly difficult high pain day, I pick up the phone and call my son, my mother, my best friend and voice my complaint, but then, have a distracting conversation about other things. When I get off of the phone, I'm uplifted emotionally which in turn (because of the chemical reactions that have taken place in my brain as well as the emotional responses in my body), causes me to feel better physically. It's a beautiful thing!

God created us to need other people. As a general rule, humans as well as many animals are social creatures and we benefit greatly by being around others who are loving and supportive. People need people! Pain patients particularly need people for many reasons, mentally, physically, and spiritually. Isolation is a pain patients worst enemy. Pets are great therapy for pain patients! My dogs, even though they can be a royal pain themselves sometimes, give me great pleasure and comfort. Their unconditional love is healing!

So, when you're having a high pain day and want to hide in your room under the covers, call a friend or relative instead. Reach out for some helpful conversation, distract your mind from the pain and be emotionally uplifted. You'll be glad you did! And be sure to let them know how much you appreciate them!

Breaking the Pain Cycle

2010-04-15T05:43:00.000-09:30

As a Holistic Nurse Practitioner, there are very few times you will hear me promoting pharmaceuticals, but there are very specific times I do this myself and will recommend pain medications to others.

Just the other day, I over did it and paid for it dearly with severe, acute back pain. I went to my doctor for a pain shot and a prescription for a few days worth of stronger pain medication to break the pain cycle. You will want to do this as little as possible, but your key here is severe and acute.

If you do not take care of the pain when it is severe and acute, then over time, it becomes chronic. That is what we're trying to avoid here....severe chronic pain! I have a wonderful working relationship with my doctor and he knows that 2-3, sometimes, 4 times a year, I will hurt my back to the point where nothing in my arsenal is effective and I go hobbling in to see him for help. It is of utmost importance after an incidence like this to see my doctor as soon as possible so my pain is easily treatable and manageable. The longer I wait and try to "tough it out", the more difficult it is to treat and stronger pain medications become necessary. That is what I do not want and I don't think you want it either.

As a pain patient, you know your own body and are well aware of the difference in your "usual" pain verses an acute pain episode. It is when you have an acute episode that I recommend you see your doctor as soon as possible, ( the sooner, the better), for appropriate treatment.

Ofcourse, the best option is to take good care of your body and do your best to avoid ever causing an acute pain episode, but since you're human and I'm a stubborn Irish woman, sometimes it happens! Just do your best to make certain it doesn't happen very often. Your body, mind, and Spirit will thank you for it!

Wishing you a pain free day!

Natural Pain Remedies

2010-04-12T06:22:00.000-09:30

Here are three wonderful natural proven pain remedies.

1. Tiger Balm. It's applied topically (rubbed onto the area) and works very well for tension, spasms, tight muscles or aching joints.

2.White Willow Bark. You can find these capsules at any health food store or the health food section of your grocery store. I've even seen it at a national drug store chain. It's an anti-inflammatory and works well for headaches and arthritis pain. Give it some time to become effective if you have daily pain. It took willow bark 1-2 weeks for me to notice significant relief for my back pain.

3. I have yet to personally try this, but plan to do so very soon. I've been told that it works beautifully for back and arthritis pain and stiffness. It is Thai massage therapy. It's massage with gentle stretching and is similar to passive yoga.

So, there you go. Three things to add to your arsenal of things to do for pain. To your health!

Pain and Depression

2010-04-08T07:40:00.000-09:30

For most of us living with chronic pain, with our pain comes depression. It's like a Campbell's soup commercial about "soup and sandwich"...."pain and depression"! All kidding aside, it's a terrible thing to have to live with and most doctors understand it.

What most doctors fail to understand is that their treatment for depression can be worse than the depression itself! Have you read about these drugs??? I have and let me tell you they are not to be take lightly, if at all!!!

I know of which I speak. I was on 40 mg of Prozac, considered to be a "normal" dosage especially for a woman of my weight, every day for a year. During that year, I became suicidal 5, count them 5 times! Not once did any of my doctors, even the psychiatrist I ended up being sent to, not once did they consider the remote possibility that Prozac could be the problem. My psychiatrist even tried to increase my dosage to 60 mg per day which nearly put me over the edge and at my insistence, she lowered the dosage.

Prozac is just the tip of the iceberg. In my opinion, it's the worst of the worst, followed immediately by Effexor. Actually, they're both equally bad drugs! All of the others follow right behind them.

So, you're depressed, what do you do about it? There are many things. First and foremost, get some sunshine. If you can't get sunshine invest in a light used specifically for depression. You can find them online.
Secondly, get some exercise. Move whatever your body allows you to move, even if it's just your arms or just your legs, move! Do some light stretching or light weight lifting. If you can, walk, as much as you can. If you can only go short distances, do that, but do it several times a day. Third, pray and meditate daily. Make it a habit. Learn to meditate. It relieves stress and connects you with God helping you to realize that you are never ever alone! Fourth, reach out to others. People cannot understand your position as a pain patient and often fail to reach out to you because of that, they simply do not know how to relate to you, so they don't. I highly recommend the American Chronic Pain Association. You can find them online. Get their materials, find a support group or start one of your own in your area.

These are just a few things you can do to help your depression. There are also many wonderful herbs and natural supplements you can take for depression. I will discuss them on another post. Just please understand that you are not alone and that there are very specific things you can do on your own for depression. Never go off of any anti-depressant medication without consulting your physician and never, never, ever quit any anti-depressant cold turkey/suddenly. You must titrate down off of them very carefully!

I wish you joy and happiness always in all ways! May God bless!

Amazing Grace

2010-04-03T07:22:00.001-09:30

As a Christian, I have spent the past two days, plus today in reflection and quiet meditation, trying to grasp and understand in some small way what Jesus must have gone through, being persecuted and put to death by being nailed to a cross for having done no wrong.

As a pain patient, I often feel as though I am being punished for things either that I know I have done or for things that I simply do not understand. Yet at the same time, I know that my pain is not a punishment of any kind for any thing. Let me tell you why....

Jesus died and rose up from the dead for me and for you so that we may have everlasting life; so we may have grace while here on earth. Grace... peace... freedom from suffering are all ours with the simple understanding that Jesus has already taken care of that for us......on the cross! He suffered so we would never have to bear the pain of suffering for any reason!

Will we have pain? Of course! Do we have to suffer? Not even for one moment! We have been saved that by the grace of God!

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a pain patient like me! Thank you, Jesus!

Communicating Your Pain

2010-03-25T11:12:00.000-09:30

I wish I had a dollar for every time I've said to a relative, especially my dear husband, or close friend, "I just wish you could know how I feel!!!!". That particular desire increases with the intensity and duration of my pain.

The ability to communicate your pain to your health care professional is the most important communication of all.
Please follow the provided link below for assistance with this in the simplest way I've ever seen.

http://www.theacpa.org/people/resources.asp

You can download daily logs of your pain scale, your activity level, sleep quality.....all of the necessary information for you and your entire health care team for your best quality of care! And that's what we're after here....quality of care!

You are your best team leader! Be your own advocate and that begins with knowledge!
I wish you all the best......be in good health!

A Prayer for You

2010-03-21T00:46:00.000-09:30

from Saint Teresa of Avila:

May today I find peace within
May I trust my highest power
that I am exactly where I am meant to be.
May I not forget the infinite possibilities
that are born of faith.
May I use those gifts that I have received,
and pass on the love that has be given to me.
May I be content knowing that I am a child of God,
May this presence settle into my bones,
and allow my soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love.

May you be blessed by this prayer and may God bless you always in all ways. I wish you peace.

You are not alone!

2010-03-19T10:45:00.000-09:30

Studies have shown that people who have support from family and friends live longer, have lower blood pressure, less stress, a better mental attitude and outlook on life, and in general, feel better about their lives.

Support is crucially important for pain patients. I often tell my husband that he just doesn't understand my pain and while he doesn't because, let's face it, he cannot no matter how often he experiences me in pain, I would be lost without him! I thank God for my husband every day.....he is my rock!

Yet even as grateful as I am for my husband, I need to speak with others who live with chronic pain because they know! All pain is subjective, non of us perceive pain the same, yet pain is pain and pain is in the brain. It's experiential! Have you even stumped your toe on the end of the bed? See! You know that it hurts like the dickens! You can relate to someone else who has stumped their toe on the bed! This is why it is so very important for you to talk with others who have chronic pain! We can relate!!! We can be supportive in ways that others simply cannot!

So my plea to you now is to join a support group. The American Chronic Pain Association is a great place to start for this. I am planning to begin a group in my hometown next month. Can't get out? Find a forum. There are hundreds of forums online where you can actually find helpful, well intending people. One word of caution. If you get in an online group that is full of people who just want to complain....don't go there....please! Complainers are not helpful, they just drain your energy and are attention seekers. Find another forum with truly helpful people!

You are not alone! Reach out and find someone who will compassionately listen to you without enabling you! Someone who will encourage you to live your best life with what you have right now! Others do honestly care. I care! See, that's one!

More on "Will"

2010-03-17T09:23:00.000-09:30

I'm not actually going to talk today about "will" specifically, rather your willingness to do whatever you need to do to feel better. And that takes will.

My mother was facing going on yet another medication to lower her "bad" cholesterol while at the same time, she found out she was a diabetic. Rather than go on medication for her cholesterol or her newly diagnosed diabetes, my mother, at the age of 75 decided to go on a low fat, sugar free diet. And when I say "sugar free" that includes sugar substitutes as she knows that sugar substitutes are as equally bad for you as sugar, if not worse! She convinced her doctor to give her four months to do lose a few extra pounds she needed to lose, lower her LDL or "bad" cholesterol, increase her HDL, "good" cholesterol and to get her blood sugar under control. And.....she did it!!! She walked on the treadmill six days a week, she rested on Sundays, and watched very carefully everything she ate. She consumed an almost completely vegetarian diet with plenty of legumes and fresh fruit and vegetables. One could say that my mother "willed herself to better health".

She was willing to do what it took to be healthier, feel better, and to avoid the poisonous pharmaceuticals that would artificially manipulate her cholesterol and blood sugar. And I don't use the word "poisonous" lightly. There is a reason she would have to have her liver enzymes checked on a regular basis upon going on these medications and it is because they are quite literally poison to her liver.

I salute my mother as she serves as my mentor and my role model for strength of will and proof that one can do anything once we set our minds to it. She's taught me that my entire life and has taught my children and my children's children that as well. Even today she gives me the strength to continue to work to help others. She is now visiting with her youngest sister, helping to care for her after back surgery. My mother has Lupus, advanced arthritis in her back and knees, has two stints in the arteries leading into her heart, high blood pressure....well, you get the idea. Yet, she continues to push herself and care for others. Now, that's willpower!

If you think you want to give up, don't; if you think you can't, do it anyway! (within reason!!!) THERE IS NOTHING, NOTHING STRONGER THAN THE HUMAN SPIRIT! AND....with God, all things are possible. I believe! Do you?

Will

2010-03-15T06:37:00.002-09:30

"Strength does not come from a physical capacity but from an indominable will".
Ghandi

Have you ever willed something to happen? It's a powerful feeling! One of the greatest gifts God gave us is free will. We can use for good or evil or not use it at all. What a waste it is if not used because the power we have with our will is absolutely amazing!

I love sports. Football, basketball, soccer....and I watch these guys and gals use their strength, their endurance, their talent....and their will. Above all of these things, it always seems to be their will that gets the job done! I'm sure you've heard coaches talk about being "hungry" for it! The team who won was the team who wanted it the most!

I'm not about to sit here and tell you that you can "will yourself" back to perfect health. I am however, going to tell you that you can indeed will yourself to accomplish things you perhaps thought you could no longer accomplish. I am saying that you're not dead yet, so you may as well do something productive with the life God gave you!

If I had given up, which I wanted to do many, many times, I would not be writing this blog post which is currently read by thousands of people every week. My prayer is that their lives are positively touched if even in some small way nor would I be writing my second book both of which I do mostly from bed because sitting is very painful for me. I've had four spinal surgeries. I'm supposed to be totally disabled!!! Thank God I don't listen to doctors who try to limit me!

Jesus said it best when he was talking to God in the garden of Gethsemane, "not my will but Thine". What do you think God's will is for you? What is your will for you? It is never too late to be what you might have been. Regardless of your physical condition, never give up! Never, never, never give up!!!

Walking the Talk

2010-03-08T02:22:00.000-09:30

"Talk health. The dreary never ending tale
Of mortal maladies is worn and stale;
You cannot charm or interest or please
By harping on that minor chord disease.
Say you are well or all is well with you,
And God shall hear your words and
Make them true!"
Wilcox

That's quite an eloquent way of saying, if you cannot say something pleasant, please do keep your mouth shut!
That's a harsh statement, I know, but what I cannot emphasize enough to you is that words are powerful!!!
This is so beautifully expressed by Wilcox that we don't even realize we're being put in our proverbial place by the softness with which he speaks.

Yet speak it, he does by telling us that we can interest or please no one by speaking of our physical problems, our maladies or diseases!

Have you ever avoided someone just because you know when you see them or call them up on the phone, all they're going to do is complain? I've done that and I've been on the other side of that as well because with constant pain, you just need to talk and any one who will listen, will do just fine!

However, as a pain patient, we need one or two (no more!) people who is willing to listen and help us to get our power back so that we no longer have the emotional need to complain! And it is an emotional need we are filling by talking so much about our pain. We get some type of pay off for doing that.
Think about it! And we'll talk more on this subject a bit later, if not tomorrow!

In the meantime, may God bless you and heal you in every way! May you have a blessed day!!!

Fibromyalgia Continued

2010-03-06T15:05:00.001-09:30

First of all, I must say, what a difference a day makes! Lyrica is NO miracle drug!!! This is day three for me taking the lowest dosage of this medication and the side effects are overwhelming! I can't think, I can barely walk, my feet and fingers are swollen and as a nurse, I shutter to think about what this drug is doing to my kidneys. I honestly believe that should I continue to take this medication (which I will not!), there would be a real possibility of me going into congestive heart failure. The good thing is, I'm sleeping!!! All the time!!!!   So....
I will "just say NO to Lyrica!

Now, onto more realistic and safe ways of dealing with fibromyalgia. Yesterday I mentioned Magnesium, gentle stretching, and just saying no to sugar.

Today I want to cover the effects of caffeine on fibro patients. If you think you don't take in "that much" caffeine, let me tell you that as a fibro patient, you are most likely extremely sensitive to caffeine and a "little dab" will more than do you in! It isn't worth it! If you drink one cup of coffee or one glass of regular tea in the morning, or at lunch and then wonder why you cannot sleep at night, look no further than what you've put in your mouth throughout the day, beginning first thing in the morning!!!   If you're having difficulty believing me, go without your morning coffee for a couple of days and see how much better you feel along with how much better you will sleep!

And that isn't counting the foods that can keep you awake at night and add to your pain. Spicy foods are often not well tolerated by fibro patients. Do you love your chocolate??? A very small amount will do you just fine, thank you! Any more than a tiny portion can cause sleep problems and if it's milk chocolate, will cause you sugar problems as well. Think dark chocolate in a couple of tiny bites!!!

Having trouble sleeping?   Make evening a wonderful bedtime ritual. Turn the lights down low as soon as the sun goes down. This signals your body that it's night time, prepare to rest. Consider taking baths at night instead of showers in the morning, at least some nights and use your favorite bubble bath or bath salts with lavender, rose, or eucalyptus. Use aromatherapy in your bath as a tool to relax your body, ease your mind, and soothe your soul. Additionally, put on some soft music while in your luxury bath to make it a full sensory experience. You'll be glad you did!

Fibromyalgia

2010-03-05T12:54:00.002-09:30

Sometimes I feel as though I could write a book on Fibromyalgia. If you suffer with this syndrome!, I bet you feel the same way! But I want to discuss just a couple of things you can do to possibly ease your pain and I want to confess something I have done that, as a general rule, goes against my deepest desires.

First my confession. I went to my family doctor yesterday because I have been in "fight or flight" for so many months and have had so many fibro symptoms that I simply could not take it any longer. He prescribed Lyrica. A drug I swore I would never take. I've only taken it for two days, but I must tell you that the effects of this medication on me has been almost miraculous! I am out of "fight or flight". I feel relaxed, cool, and calm. I am not easily excitable; I am not irritable or easily angered. "Amazing!" My muscle spasms and pain has lessened. Now, I'm not ready to call this a miracle drug and am very aware of the possible side effects, but I'm sharing this with you to let you know that this "Holistic Nurse Practitioner" is taking a drug that seems to have amazingly positive effects on her body!

OK, now for some holistic means of dealing with fibro. First, there's Magnesium. If you are not getting any results from Magnesium, chances are you're taking Magnesium Oxide. Try Magnesium Citrate and start in very small doses, I take a 300mg tablet and break it in half or quarter it. Take it in the evening. Note: Magnesium Citrate can act as a laxative!!! During the day, take P5P, a B-6 that is more easily absorbed by the body which you can find at Whole Foods. The B-6 helps the body absorb the Magnesium you take in the evenings plus it gives you energy!

Gentle stretching is an excellent exercise for Fibro patients. The key is gentle!! Remember, easy does it or you'll pay for it with more pain! Again, even though I'm not quite a "Senior", I use DVD's made for Seniors because it's easier, doesn't push me past my comfort zone and I can do just what I'm able to do, then stop!!!

SUGAR is a dirty word for those of us who suffer with Fibromyalgia. As is SUGAR SUBSTITUTES!!! JUST SAY NO TO SUGAR!!! And pay attention to your body as it begins to feel better!

That's all for today. I will write more on this subject tomorrow. In the meantime, give these suggestions a try.
What have you got to lose besides pain???

Just Breathe

2010-03-03T07:06:00.002-09:30

As a pain patient, I have developed an unfortunate habit of shallow breathing or even worse, holding my breath.
Not good!!! Considering the fact that every cell in our bodies depend upon oxygen, breathing is, as everyone well knows critical to life!

But have you ever thought of it as a tool for pain management??? Stopping several times throughout the day to practice taking slow, controlled, deep breaths will help to relax your muscles, will feed your brain, your heart, lungs, tissues and cells. If you tend to lead a sedentary lifestyle, at the very least, do yourself a favor and practice deep breathing. If you have pain, take deep breaths....it's a wonderful first step in relieving pain!

Often times, pain patients develop the habit I'm describing due to the medications they take, which cause shallow breathing, or they get into a habit of holding their breath because of sharp or severe pain. If you will make deep breathing a habit, just like an exercise you would do throughout the day, you will soon discover the wonderful benefits of slow deep breathing. And....you'll receive the added benefits of less pain, stress reduction, and best of all, a longer, happier life!

Loving ThySelf

2010-03-02T11:16:00.000-09:30

I frequently speak of Paul's letter to the Corinthians with his mention of "Faith, Hope, and Love, with the greatest of these being Love". Now I want to remind you of Jesus' only two commandments: "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, and soul". Secondly, "Love thy neighbor as thyself".

I'd like to focus very briefly on Jesus' second part of His second commandment....."as Thyself". Most of us get that we should love our neighbor, but do we get the "as thyself" part? That's the critical part of His second of only two commandments; both of which speak only of Love! Jesus doesn't tell us to love our neighbor and ourselves, rather, he tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves, clearly indicating that we must love ourselves second only to God!!! Let that sink in for a moment.

If we take Jesus at His word, then we must love ourselves! What does that look like as a pain patient??? For me, it looks like taking care of my body. It means studying Holistic, Mind/Body/Spirit Medicine so that I may be responsible for my health, take an active role instead of being passive and giving all of my power to my doctor and pharmaceuticals. It means loving myself enough to stop punishing myself by all of the things I do that I know better, yet do anyway!!!

Most importantly, it's knowing deep in my gut that I am a child of God and health is my birthright! It means loving myself enough to care about me....mind, body, and soul! When I do that, everything else simply falls into place.

Stress and Pain

2010-03-01T04:43:00.000-09:30

It doesn't take a neurosurgeon to tell you about the effects stress has on your pain. It makes it worse!!!

We all have stressful days, that's part of life. But the effects of long term stress are devastating on us, mentally/emotionally, physically, and spiritually. It makes our pain worse and tends to take away our motivation to do anything about it, which is even worse! Chronic pain alone is stressful enough, we don't need anything to add to it!!!

So, since most of us don't want to live in a monastery, what do we do? I cannot emphasize this enough......we must do something! The result of taking no action will be taking more drugs and that is a horrible compromise! There are many relaxation techniques out there. I'll mention some of my favorites now. Simple is profound....remember that! Deep breathe! Spending a few minutes, even just a couple of minutes taking slow deep breaths works wonders on the mind and body to promote relaxation and relieve stress. It also is a great pain reliever! In through the nose, out through the nose. Yes, that's right, keep your mouth shut! Slow deep, controlled breaths relaxes the body, tells the brain that everything is OK, and gets your body out of fight or flight.
Meditation! One of my most favorite things to do in the world is to meditate. It takes practice, practice, practice, but the benefits of meditation are well worth the effort. You may purchase meditation DVD's or CD's at Amazon.com; the selection is wide, but remember that all teachers are not created equal, so if you buy one and don't like it, give it away and try another one. Don't give up! It is a discipline that you will be extremely grateful you learned and an incredible practice to develop. It will quickly become effortless and the benefits on the mind, body, and spirit have been proven many times in numerous studies.
Yoga! If you have back problems or fibromyalgia as I do, be extremely careful with this one! There are some good yoga DVD's on the market though, or even some simple stretching exercises you may be able to do. Even though I don't technically qualify as a "senior", my body feels as though I am, so I choose those designated for "Seniors" and then do the best I can without trying to push my body too far.
Prayer! Give it all to God! The key here is in not taking it all back! It's a process! You give it, you take it back and on and on it goes! Practice makes perfect! Prayer has also been proven in numerous studies to ease pain and stress. People who have a deep sense of faith and regularly pray have been proven to have less stress and less pain. If you pray and are still stressful, then you don't know how to pray!!! Sorry, it's just what I believe. Prayer should be done with a completely open heart and mind and soul, when you do this, your prayer will be effective in eliminating your worries.

So....there are a few things you may choose to do to relieve your stress.
With all of my heart, I wish you peace!

HOPE

2010-02-28T01:17:00.000-09:30

"Hope of a Christian is inseparable from his faith."
                                                              John Quincy Adams, 6th U.S. President

I've spoken of hope before and will continue to speak of it many times because without it as a pain patient, as a person, as a Christian, I have nothing.   I use to love to go around saying "If that which does not kill us only proves to make us stronger, then I must surely be superwoman by now!". That's how I felt! And quite honestly sometimes I still feel that way. But then I think of others who are suffering so very much more than I! And I think, "there but for the grace of God, go I"! And that gives me hope!

We are strengthened by our adversities. They are opportunities for growth! Oh, they may not feel that way in the moment, but they are, trust me. They are all opportunities to turn toward God and say, OK! I know that my life can be better! Just let me know what I'm supposed to do! And then someone comes along and says the right and perfect thing or you hear a song, or watch a particularly uplifting movie. Or...you find out that your daughter is having a baby and that your son may be getting married! And you discover a renewed strength! You reach deep down within and find that you do still indeed do have a glimmer of hope left within you and you nurture that glimmer and it grows! And you indeed have the strength to carry on, to do more, to make your life better and perhaps even hope to touch others to make their lives better because suddenly you find that it's bigger than you! It may not even be about you at all! It may be that you've had the experience so you can be a better person. You are changed for the better. Your faith is stronger, your love is deeper.

"Faith, hope, and love....and the greatest of these is love."   Paul tells us in a letter to the Corinthians. The greatest is LOVE, but I believe he's telling us that they are inseparable. Faith, hope, love. It's truly difficult if not impossible to have one without the other!

May God bless you always in all ways!

Enough Already!

2010-02-27T03:26:00.001-09:30

When I was a kid, we used to get each other down on the ground and do something to cause some sort of physical pain (no permanent damage, no broken skin or bones!), or we would tickle each other until we simply could not take one moment more and then we would cry "uncle"! When someone yelled uncle, the so-called "torture" had to stop, it was the rule of the game.

Sometimes I feel as though God is playing that same game with me now, yet when I want the pain to stop, it often doesn't. Not funny, God! Do you think He just doesn't know the rules??? NO! I think He understands the rules just fine; it is I who doesn't get it!

You see, so many times we know what to do about the condition that's causing us pain. We just don't do it! We fail to act! It's called a show of good faith. I believe that God wants me to meet Him at the very least...halfway! I know if I lost weight, my pain would ease up. I know if I saw my chiropractor regularly I would have less pain. I know if I ate less sugar, my arthritic knees would not hurt so much (that includes sugar substitutes!)! I know if I exercised regularly I would feel better! I know if I spent more time in meditation (communing with God), I would feel better! I know what to do! It has nothing to do with God! It is up to me!

I believe with my whole heart that God is just waiting for me to take just one positive step in the right direction. A show of good faith. And when will I do that? When I've had ENOUGH ALREADY! WE MUST TAKE THE FIRST STEP! or maybe even the second, third, and fourth steps. Then He looks upon us and says "oh, you're finally serious!"! OK! I will help you!

You must understand it is our God given right to FAIL! Not to suffer, suffering is a choice we make, but to be in pain and choose to do nothing about it! Nine out of ten of us here now know what is causing our pain. Is my back permanently damaged? Yes, it sure is, but can I still do things every day, throughout the day to ease my pain? You bet I can! For God has not left me powerless!!! Just the opposite.....with HIM, I am powerful! He's just waiting for me to take the first steps because He gave me the freedom of my choices!

When I have had ENOUGH ALREADY, I'll take positive action every day is some way toward alleviating my pain. THEN, God will do His part and not a moment before then!
How about you? Have you had enough? You have the knowledge. You know what to do. Are you ready to do it? Or are you like the person who has to have open heart surgery before he/she decides to make those lifestyle changes they knew they "should have" made years earlier?

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! I've always hated that statement because it indicated that I had to act! It was all up to me. Knowledge is power. Arm yourself with knowledge. If you don't know everything there is to know about your condition and what to do about it, find out more!!! Then do something about it! The angels are not going to magically appear and make your life blissful......you must call upon them first! You must take the first step! Are you ready? Have you had enough yet???

Acceptance vs Rejection

2010-02-26T04:05:00.000-09:30

I have been told many, many times by several doctors from my chiropractor to my neurosurgeon that I just need to accept my condition and "learn to live with it". I have struggled with that on every level.

Acceptance, on the one hand, would offer me peace.
Rejection of my situation seems at times to just offer me frustration as I feel as though I take two steps forward and one step back.

However! Even with the two steps forward and one step back, I'm making progress!!! Therefore, I tend to go with the rejection of my situation and acceptance of the fact that I am getting better every day! How much better and the kind of progress I make is up to me!

Some would say that I need to live the life I have been given, that it was destiny or God who caused all of this to happen to me. I say. No way, not even for a minute will I think that let alone believe it! It is my condition that caused me to study Holistic Medicine. It is my condition that has brought me so very close to God. The Bible says, With God all things are possible. Jesus tells us to "Ask anything in my name and I will give it unto thee." He also tells us, "As thy faith it shall be done unto you".

Yes, bad things seem to happen to good people, that's part of life and I do accept that. But let me say this,
when I know in my heart and deep in my gut that I have done all that I possibly can to get better and when I believe in my heart of hearts that this is my "destiny", that this is what God has given me, then and only then will I accept my situation!

But right now, I know that I can do so much more! I can change my diet, I can spend more time in meditation and prayer, I can exercise more (the small amount of exercise that I am physically capable of, but I can do more!), I can see my neurological chiropractor on a more regular basis. I can drink more water! I can study the teachings of Jesus. Jesus who went around constantly healing the sick, raising the dead!!! Jesus is not dead, He is very much alive and I believe is guiding me to write these words this very moment.

Never, never, never give up! When you've done all that you can, e-mail me, we'll talk!

Your Job

2010-02-24T06:58:00.000-09:30

As a pain patient, even if you are disabled, as I am, you have a job. Your job is to take positive steps every day in either doing something about your pain, such as exercising or eating healthy, or listening to CD's or watching DVD's about holistic pain management so you can learn what to do about the pain.

Your job is learning all you can about pain! And what to do about it! There is so very much more that you can do than simply pop pills! I am attempting to offer suggestions to you on this blog about this very matter, but what you do about it, if you do anything at all, is completely up to you.

I do know when you will take action though. No, I cannot read your mind nor can I predict the future, but I know human nature. When you have suffered enough, you will act! When you have had enough of dealing with the disaster of your so-called "pain management" doctor, when you truly and honestly are sick and tired of feeling sick and tired, when you really cannot take even one more day of "living like this", you will act! Or.....you will wait until some type of disaster strikes and you simply must change your behavior, then you will act.

If you're reading this, you're most likely already a pain patient, so I beg of you, don't wait until the next disaster! Act now! What in the world else do you have to do besides go to the next doctor and watch TV or play computer games all day??? Spend your time wisely! Learn all there is to learn about pain, about your specific condition. Knowledge truly is power! Then do something about it! If you're reading this, you have the power of your mind. Learn about the incredible power of your mind.

Do one thing positive for yourself every day. You'll be surprised in a month with how far you've come!

Holistic Pain Management

2010-02-20T17:00:00.000-09:30

Why choose alternative or holistic medicine for pain management? I believe that's a personal choice. I also happen to believe that it doesn't have to be one or the other, that it can be both! That would be considered integrative medicine.

I will tell you why I chose holistic medicine and why I became a Holistic Nurse Practitioner. I was killing myself!
The drugs being properly prescribed to me by my pain management doctor were quite literally destroying my life. I almost lost my marriage, (80% of marriages of pain patients end in divorce---80%!), I almost lost my life (more than once), I had alienated my family and friends, and was dying a slow, steady, excruciatingly painful death. My doctors knew it and quite frankly, did not care. In their minds, they were doing the best they could for me considering the mess my back was after four surgeries and drugs were their answer. It is what they were taught after all! I became completely bed bound, physically addicted to the drugs, overweight, depressed, and extremely angry.

What I discovered was that I could use that anger as a starting point for getting well! You see, if you're angry, then you're not so depressed that you've lost hope. Anger is actually a step up on the emotional scale from depression. If you feel angry, at least you feel something!!! So, I used that emotional place to stop seeing my pain management doctor, find a new family physician and beg him for help. Help me he has and I thank God for him every day!

I asked for prayers from my family and friends. I sought out alternative methods of dealing with the pain, discovered which ones worked for me, practiced them, until I found something I liked better and then I studied it and practiced it. I experimented with herbs (God's drugs!) and discovered which ones worked for me, which ones didn't. I use aromatherapy. I meditate. I go to a neurological chiropractor and an acupuncturist. I sometimes go to a massage therapist. I began to meditate once again. And most importantly of all, I pray! I referred to myself as "the turtle" because I knew it was going to be a slow, steady process, but that I would win my battle with pain!

Is my battle over? No! But several very important changes have happened. I no longer struggle. My husband has his wife back, my mother has her daughter back, my children and grandchildren have their mom and Nana back! I am no longer an angry, bitter person, rather, I am happy and grateful to God to be alive and living my life to the fullest once again. Am I still in bed for most of the day? Yes. Am I getting stronger every day? You bet!!!

Holistic medicine is about empowering you to be in charge of your life and the pain. I love standing in my power. I believe with my whole heart that this is how God intended each of us to live....strong and powerful in Him! This is why I love holistic medicine. It works! It saved my life and helped me to be a much, much better person.

Music to Soothe the Soul

2010-02-19T04:48:00.000-09:30

I am always amazed at the power of music to affect my mood. I meditate to music most of the time, so I have specific music for meditation. Oftentimes, and I hate to admit this, but it's true, the best part of church service is the music! What would Christmas be without all of the music??? And Easter??

It's Lent. A time to reflect, renew, to "begin again", to "die to your old self and be reborn"! Music is so very much a part of that. So during this time of contemplation, reflection, and rebirth, I ask you to take the time to think about what's causing your pain, especially if you're suffering with it.

We can have pain without suffering. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional! I believe it was the Dali Lama who once said that. It's important to note that we do not have to suffer! We were given the option of peace by grace! Music is a tool to help you through this!

Use music as part of your pain management. It is powerful therapy and soothes our souls! And when the pain gets high, up the music! Choose something with a quick tempo, something upbeat. I love Christian rock for that or even, being a child of the 60's, music from the 60's! I grew up listening to country music, (my mother) and Frank Sinatra (my dad) and love it all! Listen to what makes your heart sing! Let music soothe your soul, ease your mind, and renew your weary body!

May God bless you always in all ways! Wishing you a blessed season of Lent!

The Power of Hope

2010-02-18T14:14:00.000-09:30

I live just north of Austin, Texas where today a man flew a plane into an office building, just two buildings away from where my husband was working. The man purposefully chose the particular building he hit because it housed the IRS and he was angry with the IRS along with the government in general. My husband and his co-workers quickly concluded which building was hit, once they realized it wasn't theirs because they knew there were government workers in it.

Some people say this man was crazy. Perhaps in some ways, he was. It certainly seems crazy to me to purposefully fly a plane into a building, but I believe it was something else. I believe he had no hope. As a pain patient, I've been in that place and let me tell you, it is an extremely dark and lonely place. I don't believe I was "crazy". I just wanted a break from the pain and had lost all hope of ever getting that break.

Many pain patients have suicidal thoughts; too many go through with it. People need hope. Remember....."faith, hope, and love"? Without hope we have nothing. What is our future if we are hopeless?

If you are in excruciatingly unbearable pain right now and are simply at the end of your rope, I am begging you, do not put the rope around your neck, rather tie a knot at the end and hold on! Seek help!
Reach out to someone who can help you....do it now!!!

If you know someone who is in unbearable pain, reach out to them, even if they reject you, reach out anyway!
Help them in any way that you can. Just talk to them or let them just talk to you. You have another human being who is in an awful, horrible, dark place just as the man was today who acted so desperately. We cannot not help!

Hope when there seems as though there is no reason to hope. Hope beyond all hope! It will get better.....honest! We must believe in something greater than ourselves......God is good, loving, and just! He will not let you suffer more than you can bear....only believe! It's faith that sees us through these difficult times. It's love of our neighbors that causes us to reach out to lend a helping hand, to provide hope to those who have none of their own. Faith, hope, and love. Words by which to live!

Words are Powerful

2010-02-17T17:03:00.000-09:30

"When love, health, happiness, and plenty hear
Their names repeated over day by day,
They wing their way like answering fairies near,
Then nestle down within our homes to stay."

Our words are powerful. The book of Genesis tells us that "in the beginning was the word". God thought the world into creation. Thoughts which are always clothed in words are extremely creative. Nothing happens without us thinking it so! We must think something before it can happen.

So, with our words being creative and so incredibly powerful, does it not make sense to speak words of love, health, happiness, and plenty??? What are you creating with your words? Do you complain about your pain, or what a bum deal you got from life? I beg you to stop right now and think about what you're saying. You will know what you're thinking and saying today by what shows up in your life tomorrow. Ofcourse, you didn't ask to get arthritis or fibromyalgia or CFS, it just happened. But what are you doing about it now??
Develop a positive mental attitude and I promise your pain will seem less and you'll be a much happier person as will everyone around you!

Breathe!

2010-02-16T05:29:00.000-09:30

It may sound funny to most of you that I'm telling you to breathe, but if you live with chronic pain, chances are you are similar to me in that you hold your breath quite often and/or you're a shallow breather. Neither of these things are healthy for you, of course, but either one of these particular ways of breathing will only prove to increase your pain.

I spoke with my chiropractor about this, a very wise and gentle soul, in relation to restless limb syndrome symptoms. One of the things he advised me to do was to stop and take deep breaths several times throughout the day. Great advice! Not only for RLS, but also for pain in general. A brain deprived of oxygen is a poorly functioning brain and since pain is in the brain, it only makes sense to give it what it most desperately needs...oxygen!!!

So, pay attention to your breathing. Do you tend to hold your breath, especially if you have pain? We need to breathe through our pain! Taking deep breaths will relax the body, get us out of "fight or flight" and give our beautiful brains that much needed oxygen. It will also increase our energy and give us a better sense of overall well being. Here's to better health through breathing!

Love Heals Pain

2009-12-15T04:08:00.001-09:30

To follow the theme of Faith, Hope, and Love which Paul wrote about in his letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13 if you want to read it, Paul told us.......and the greatest of these is love.

Paul knew well what Jesus' teachings were all about.......love. Did you know that Jesus had two and only two commandments? They were to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, and spirit and secondly, yet equally important love thy neighbor as thyself.

I could write an entire book on this second commandment and have the outline right now as a matter of fact, but I'll be brief for the sake of this blog. I simply want you to think upon loving thyself as thy neighbor. Yes, I turned it around. How can you give away something you yourself do not have??? If you try, you will end up completely exhausted, never get replenished and probably feel a bit angry or depressed over it. And for someone with chronic pain, that is sooo not good!!!

Do you love yourself enough to take care of your body, the temple of the living God??? Or do you even think about how you abuse your body temple?
When you wake up in the morning, do you say, "good morning, God!" or rather, "oh God, it's morning!".

When we begin to Love our lives and ourselves enough to care how we treat them, when we become thankful for how good we have it instead of complaining about all the 'bad', our lives will turn around like magic! Seriously, just magically our lives begin to change. God takes notice that we care and does His thing among which is easing our pain!

My prayer for you today is that you may find the peace of God in loving yourself as God loves you, not in an arrogant way, but in a most humble way, knowing that you deserve that peace, God's love, it is your birthright!

Hope and Chronic Pain

2009-12-14T01:37:00.000-09:30

In continuing with my theme for the last blog post and the next one, this post is about Hope. Without hope we have nothing. With faith, hope, and love we have everything!

As someone with chronic pain, I can honestly say that I have perpetual hope for a better tomorrow. Where would we be without hope? I'll tell you where I would be......down, depressed, and angry!!! The same places that I would be in without my faith!

Hope for a better tomorrow comforts me. It gets me through the day just knowing that 'the sun will come out tomorrow'......or eventually!!! Hope means I'm not stuck in one horrible place. living hell on earth. Hope means that there can be a better tomorrow.

Just a couple of years ago, my life was a living hell. Slowly, steadily, and surely, I have climbed up out of the depths of my own hell that was full of drugs (all prescribed by well trained doctors!), anger and resentment of my situation and my pain. Were it not for faith, hope, and love, I would still be in that awful place. Yet, here I am now, writing this blog, counseling others with chronic pain, working as a Holistic Nurse Practitioner! As the catepillar thinks its life is over, it inches its way out of its cocoon to become a beautiful butterfly!!!

The lesson is all of this? Never, never, never, ever give up!!!

Faith and Pain

2009-12-10T09:13:00.000-09:30

"Faith is believing in something when common sense tells you not to".
from "Miracle on 34th Street"

This is by far my favorite definition of faith. I think for most of us who live with pain 24/7/365, faith is the most difficult attribute to achieve and maintain. But Paul tells us in his letter to the Corinthians the importance of faith as he puts it in the same line with hope and love.

It is all three that get me through my toughest days. Without faith, hope, or love, I would have given up on life a long time ago, but faith gives me the strength to hope and hope helps me to remember that I am loved by God always in all ways and all three of these give me the courage to write this blog, develop a website, and write books on the subject of pain.

It all begins and ends with faith, even when your pain and common sense tell you not to!!! It's then that you MUST have the faith to push onward! Practice, practice, practice........never give up!!!

Being at Peace

2009-12-04T12:25:00.000-09:30

There's a wonderful quote I want to share with you. Unfortunately I do not know who said it, but it's brilliant.

"Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart."

If you suffer with chronic pain, the above quote is what I want for you. Trust me when I say that you can get to that point where your perspective of the pain is minimal at best. It takes time and effort and practice, practice, practice, but you can get to a place in your life where you no longer suffer with the pain, rather see it as "just a thing" and become able to be at peace in your mind, body, and spirit.

This is what "Peace with Pain" is all about. It is about learning means of Holistic healing for your chronic pain management. You can visit my website at www.peacewithpain.com for further information about mind/body/spirit healing techniques.

Appropriate Exercise

2009-11-28T04:28:00.003-09:30

Yes, I'm going to talk about that nasty little word of which none of us like to think.......exercise. But I'm taking it one step further because as a person who lives with pain, regardless of the cause of your pain, you cannot and MUST not go out there thinking that you can do the same exercises that you used to do. So....I'm going to bring up three of what I believe to be and have been told by the experts to be the best and most appropriate exercises for someone in chronic pain.

Always, always speak with your health care professional before beginning any exercise regimen!!!

Gentle stretching. I mean gentle. Remember slow and easy wins the race! There are a few very good DVD's on the market made by yoga instructors who will gently guide you through a stretching routine. Even though I'm not a "Senior" by definition, my body certainly is, so I always look for a DVD that says it's for "seniors". That way I know I won't be pushed too hard or beyond where I need to be.

If you are able to walk, please do. Again, slow and steady. If you have pain in your hips or knees, why on God's blue planet do you think that you could, should, or would RUN??? We're all such intelligent creatures yet sometimes we do the dumbest things!! Yes, I'm certainly included in this!!! And while I'm on this subject, hiking is not a really great idea either! Walk, walk preferably on a soft pavement, as soft as you can get anyway. Do you know that when you walk on your street, the road (asphalt) is much better than the concrete sidewalk? Asphalt will give a bit. All runners will tell you that. Serious runners would never run on concrete!

I saved my favorite for last. Swimming! Or water exercises. Swimming is the best exercise in the world. No pounding of the joints, no tearing ligaments or stretching them past the point of no return. Just smooth easy strokes preferably in a heated pool. Even wheelchair bound folks can with proper guidance, instruction and equipment, get in a pool. It's the best rehabilitation therapy....period!

Whatever you decide to do, I beg of you to use that magnificent God given sense and be smart about it. Speak with your doctor, your rehab therapist, and here's one more important point.........not all rehab therapists are created equal~~if one is doing something that you know in your gut and your body is screaming at you letting you know that you should NOT be doing that particular exercise........just say NO!! If necessary, go find a new therapist! Be smart about this and trust me, I know all too well of which I speak on this subject and have at times paid high prices for doing stupid things!!

One final thought......use it or lose it! Is not just a pretty expression, it's fact!

Being Thankful

2009-11-26T01:08:00.003-09:30

For all who live in America, I wish you bountiful blessings on this Thanksgiving day.

I have a request, a suggestion. It's a powerful tool in receiving relief from pain, to receiving numerous blessings.
I suggest that beginning today (why put it off??) that you begin a gratitude journal. A daily journal for all of the things for which you are thankful.

When we have chronic pain we so often get stuck in an attitude of negativity that we forget to look at all the many, many things for which we have to be thankful. Being thankful literally turns down and eventually shuts off the pain receptors in our brains thereby lessening our pain or even stopping it.

I'm especially thankful today for the opportunity this blog and my upcoming website afford me in helping you, even if it's in just some small way. I'm thankful for the freedom to use the internet as a means for doing this, for spreading information. I'm thankful for my health, for the knowledge to use my mind, body, and spirit to deal with my pain instead of depending on heavy and dangerous medication for which I did for several years. I'm extremely thankful for being off of those drugs now. I'm thankful for the support and love of my family and friends. I'm thankful for my home, my husband and the love that we share. I'm thankful for my husband sticking through the tough times with me and trust me when I say that there were some truly difficult years in there, but he never left my side. I am truly blessed!

I wish everyone reading this now blessings of peace, love, and joy. God bless!

Dancing in the rain

2009-11-25T15:10:00.003-09:30

I injured my back again today, slipped another disc. Actually, it's the same disc that has been operated on, had a decompression table used on, and finally, the best of all, worked on by a neurological chiropractor who really knows what he's doing!

The problem is that my chiropractor won't be in his office until Monday which leaves me dealing with the pain and weak leg throughout the week-end. Bummer! Now I could get all down and out about this, but I refuse. I know on Monday, I'll be much better; I just have to get through these next few days. No problem. I will NOT allow it to get me down!

Why? Because as 'they' say...........
"Life is not about being afraid of the thunder, rather it's about learning to dance in the rain"!

A Mixed Drink

2009-11-24T15:08:00.003-09:30

Please keep in mind that I do not and cannot "prescribe" anything for you, I can only make suggestions or recommendations. Ask your health care professional before beginning anything new.

Now, with that said, I want to recommend one of my favorite mixed drinks to you.
It consists of 2 tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar. It MUST be organic!
Mix in 1 tablespoon of honey, preferably local as this reduces your risk of allergies.
Add a slight tablespoon of black strap molasses.

Stir it all in a small glass of luke warm water and drink up! Aaahhhh!! Yummy good stuff and extremely good for you. There are so many vitamins, minerals, and energizing things in this drink that I cannot begin to explain it all. It's good for fibromyalgia, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and practically everything else that ails you. It will give you energy and lift your spirits. Take in the morning. If it bothers your stomach, take with food. You can also drink it in hot water as a "tea".

To your health!!!

Emotions and pain

2009-11-23T00:40:00.003-09:30

'Resentment is an extremely bitter diet and eventually poisonous. I have no desire to make my own toxins.' Neil Kinnock, Welsh politician

Wise words! But, OK, you do not resent anyone. How about anger, fear, frustration, stress?? ALL of these create poisons is our bodies that add to our pain.

Are you a positive thinker or do you see the glass as half empty? Do you focus on what you can NOT do instead of the things you CAN do? Do you look at the sky and thank God for a beautiful day or focus on the rain that's coming because you can "feel it in your bones"?

Do you spend time every day in thoughtful prayer and meditation? Do you listen to uplifting music? Do you exercise, doing whatever you can in that area? Do you discuss your concerns with a friend to get them off your chest and then let them go??

Emotions can be one of our greatest healers or they can be our worst enemy. Love heals. Stress kills. It really is that simple. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to what happens to you. Love your life, it's the only one you'll get!

What if...........

2009-11-22T01:54:00.003-09:30

Over the past few years, I've had to ask myself the question, 'what if this is the best it gets'? What if the rest of my life consists of spending most of my time in bed, shopping from catalogs and from the internet, rarely being able to go out to eat, never being able to see a movie in the theater, not being able to travel to see my family, having pain and seizures when I try to garden or do very much around the house? What if I never get to ride my bike again? Or travel with my husband to all the places we want to see like Ireland, St Lucia, just to name a couple.

Well, I could have a royal pity party or I could be thankful that I live in a beautiful home on a gorgeous piece of land with birds of all kinds including blue heron, geese, and ducks who visit our constant level creek. It's heavenly to see them swoop down and fly low over the top of the water before they land. I walked out once to first hear then actually see an American Bald Eagle sitting atop one of our telephone poles, just screeching away, I assumed calling its' mate. I can sit outside on my rather large deck and just enjoy the peace and quiet of nature and when my back gets tired, I lay in my zero gravity deck chair.

So, a pity party??? I don't think so!!! I have a very, very good life. I have a husband who is the love of my life and a family who loves me, wonderful neighbors, and fantastic friends. I have a job I love in helping other people who live with chronic pain and have disabilities. I get to write with my trusty laptop while laying in bed. My legs work, so I can walk although not very far, but I can walk!!! I've managed to study holistic/alternative medicine and earn the title Holistic Nurse Practitioner just when I thought my entire career was over!

So, if you're feeling kind of down, take time to count your blessings. You have many, I promise you! It's all in how you choose to look at your life! "Be ye grateful".

One of those days

2009-11-19T19:21:00.004-09:30

As many of you know by now, I live in south central Texas and I honestly like it here. But sometimes we have these big ol' Texas size weather fronts that come through and bring 2-6 inches of rain at a time and just give my poor old(er) aching body the "what for".

I have to ask God "what for" are you doing this to me? Making me hurt so badly that if I didn't teach and practically preach holistic healing, I would be in the Emergency Department at my local hospital yelling I want Morphine NOW!!!!

Yet I stay away from the hospital, (they're extremely dangerous places, in my humble opinion and I used to work in them!), as I know this too shall pass. So I take my Motrin, I soak in a hot tub with epsom salt, I rub my poor aching knees with emu oil, yes, the oil of an emu bird, I guard my thoughts as not to focus on the pain, I turn on my Shinzen Young CD of "Break Through Pain", listen through the entire disc and fall blissfully to sleep knowing that tomorrow will be a better day.

Oh yes, I also pray for my cousin who is suffering with bone cancer and I thank God that I only have arthritis and fibromyalgia!

Psalm 55:22

2009-11-19T04:11:00.004-09:30

I read something inspirational every day, oftentimes it's scripture as that is where I find my most strength. Today someone sent me this one from Psalm 55:22: ' Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall sustain thee".

I think that says it all.

May God bless you always in all ways and may He lighten your burdens moment by moment.

Diet and Pain

2009-11-15T17:37:00.003-09:30

I must admit that I have my own difficulties when it comes to staying away from foods that I know will cause me physical pain. The two largest culprits are sugar and wheat. Studies have proven that sugar, including all of the sugar substitutes, causes pain for arthritis and fibromyalgia patients. Wheat has been proven to be practically poison for all patients with any type of inflammatory diseases as well as diary products.

If you don't believe me, go off of these foods, sugar, wheat, and diary for 21-28 days, preferably 28 days as this will provide a complete cleansing and give your body a chance to get all of the "poisons" out of your system. I predict you will be amazed with your new found energy and significantly lessened degree of pain as a result of giving up these foods.

For bread, you can find oat bread at most health food stores. I eat Ezekiel bread which is made from sprouted wheat which contains no gluten. It's the gluten in wheat that causes inflammation. I buy this bread in the health food section of my local grocery store. Rice is also a great substitute for wheat, especially in cereals or anything else you would want to make with flour. There are many different flours on the market other than wheat. Just look around for it, you'll find it! People who are wheat intolerant learn to live without wheat. What many people don't realize is that inflammatory diseases are also many times if not most, a result of intolerance of wheat and dairy.

I encourage you to research this yourself, don't just take my word for it, but I promise you that this information has come from several very reliable sources. Here's to your health!!!