Body Pain Solutions

Almost Gave Me a Heart Attack!

2011-05-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

If you are anything like me, you don't like being forced to learn vocabulary words. Some new ones that I had crammed down my throat this past month: Atherosclerosis, CAD, Coronary Artery Disease, Heart Attack, Stent.

I just wanted to cover my ears and scream "lalalalalalalalala, I can't hear you!"

When the doctor came out of the OR and calmly stated, "Your husband had a heart attack." I replied, "WHAT????" as if I couldn't hear him, or like he was speaking in tongues! Then he showed me the "before" and "after" pictures of his artery that required a stent. He obviously knew he had to tote some kind of proof with him to convince me or at least make me understand what had just taken place.

Would you believe I was with my husband the entire time his heart attack was taking place? I was a witness to all of his symptoms, yet the doctor's statement nearly knocked my knees out from under me.

I'm sure it was because I didn't want to believe it, and besides that, he didn't fit the profile of a heart attack victim. He is anything but a couch potato, he is slim and active, he eats things that are good for him. Ahah! Genetics. After an angiogram to place the stent, he was lying on his bed and made a phone call to his mother. Sure enough, his maternal grandfather had several heart attacks, and one that actually took his life. His uncle also had several attacks, and his same-age male cousin had an attack years ago. He knew about the cousin, but had no idea of his other family history.

How many times have we been taught the signs of heart attack? How many are guilty of not listening, learning or knowing? How many will be like me, and know that something is desperately wrong, but not know what to do about it? I have made a decision that from here on out, I am not a doctor, nor a medical professional. I cannot diagnose. When I am in doubt, in a quandry as to what to do, or scared spitless, I will take whomever to the Emergency Room, and let those who ARE professionals do the diagnosing and treatment.

The American Heart Association lists these warning signs for heart attack along with CHEST DISCOMFORT:

Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

DISCOMFORT IN OTHER AREAS OF THE UPPER BODY

SHORTNESS OF BREATH

OTHER SIGNS

Other signs are nausea and vomiting, pain, numbness or aching of the left (or both) arms, profuse sweating and abnormal skin coloring.

In my mind's attempt to block the scene before my very eyes, I didn't associate the word "aching" with "numbness". However, the profuse sweating and abnormal color were huge clues that something was terribly wrong. My husband minimizes pain. He told me to call his doctor for an appointment. When I told the receptionist his symptoms, she said very calmly, "Don't take him to Instacare, they will just have you go to the ER anyway. So just take him to the ER, and take him NOW."

That's exactly what I did, and within two hours his procedure was completed, he was resting, and then it was an appropriate time for me to fall apart. I did that, too.

One more lesson that I learned is that the best time to gather family contact information is BEFORE the emergency.

A warm welcome to new followers - thanks for joining!

Sleep well!

P.S. Watch for an Elite Sheet Giveaway - coming soon.

Everything in it's Place, and a Place to Heal

2011-04-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

As I was watching HGTV’s “Dear Genevieve” a couple of weeks ago, I had a light bulb moment. The couple that Gen was doing a bedroom makeover for had some special requests due to the fact that the wife had RSD, Reflex Sympathetic Disorder, which I have written about previously. It is a neurological problem with severe sensitivity to touch.

As they discussed their needs, the wife stated she has had this disorder for 15 years, and when it is especially bad, she lives in her bedroom. The husband stated that he was fearful about even touching her while they slept. They both wanted the room to be serene and tranquil, but also a place where their twin 8-year old boys could come in and feel welcome when Mom’s body kept her from doing anything else.

After listening to their requests, Genevieve suggested that they absolutely needed a king- sized bed to have plenty of room for each of them while sleeping. She told her staff that the room needed to be a place for healing.

Of course the reveal was fabulous, with all the needs met in the most beautiful fashion imaginable. Perfect pastel colors, nice textures, grand light fixtures, lovely bedding and pillows, with everything in its place. Serene and tranquil it was, just as requested. When the couple saw the room for the first time, the wife cried, and she blurted out, “Ooooh, you’ve healed me!” Genevieve commented how powerful it was to have someone say that the work she did was “healing”.

Now. . . for the rest of us. . . how nice it would be to have a whole team come in and completely make over a room in our house where we could escape to feel peaceful, tranquil, and healed!

That show reminded me of how important it is for each one of us to have a place for that purpose, and hopefully, that place is not just in your head. For me, having a clean and orderly home is a high priority. It doesn’t always happen, but it is a priority. We have so many distractions in our lives, having a house of order can certainly be a refuge.

After my divorce and the suicide of my ex, my life was a train wreck, and so was the house where I was raising my boys. It was obviously suffering from a brutal case of neglect. I was most embarrassed about my living room since it was the first place a person would see upon entrance to the house. I knew it was the place to focus my attention.

I measured the floor in the room and ordered hardwood flooring. My friend volunteered her husband to “help me” install it. (I had no clue how to do it or what a difficult job it would be.) I pulled out the wood-burning stove that I detested. I tore out the ugly blue tile around the stove and put travertine in its place. My sons ripped out the stained carpet and removed all the tack strips. A talented neighbor volunteered to remodel the mantle. He was also the one who instructed me on the tile work and cut the few tiles that needed to be. I stained the new wood and re-stained the mantle to match. I spent way too many hours on a ladder texturing the main wall – all 11 x 17 feet of it. I painted that enormous thing the same color as the background of a sizeable picture of my grandfather at age five.

That picture was the inspiration for the whole color scheme, and would be the focal point as well as hold a place of honor on that beautiful new mantle. I installed new light fixtures by carefully paying attention as I dismantled the old outdated ones. I sanded and repainted one of my favorite antiques, an old wash stand. On it I put a lovely bowl and pitcher that a dear friend had made me years earlier in her ceramics class. Above it I hung some hand towels with textured squares, found on clearance that matched the big rug I purchased to show off the hardwood floor. I could have never found towels like that if I had actually been trying to! I lucked out at Wal-Mart and found two really big square mirrors that were very inexpensive and found a third one at another location. They looked expensive after my young neighbor offered to apply her favorite finish on their frames.

A big-name local retail store was changing owners and clearing out all the furniture in stock. Again, I got a steal of a deal on a luxurious microfiber sectional in a neutral color. It came with a free recliner. The lamp next to the chair was a gift from my son.

I placed the old kitchen cupboard (similar to a Hoosier) that once belonged to my great-grandmother on the textured wall, showing off its height and size. Restored to its original beauty, it fits the space like it was always meant to be there. A few decorative pieces were added to complete the new makeover.

It took longer than I thought it would. It was much more difficult than I anticipated. I made an excessive amount of trips to the hardware store. It cost more than I was planning to spend. My hands were covered with spray paint, lacquer, wood stain and paint. My legs and feet ached from climbing up and down the ladder a thousand times. I sustained cuts and bruises. My clothes and hair and face were dirty every day.

Looking around the room at the finished product was pure gratification. Accomplished by hard work, and with the help of friends who cared about me, and being reminded by of that care by the treasures of their handiwork, I realized it was much more than a living room renovation. This was a personal cleansing of body, mind, and spirit. And a beautiful new beginning.

I have to agree with Genevieve. There is power in having someone say the work you do is “healing”, especially when that someone is you.

I'm no photographer, but scroll down for pictures of my tranquil spot, and sleep well!

One Size Does Not Fit All

2011-04-05T12:14:00.000-07:00

We are all looking for solutions for pain. I did some research about what upper cervical Chiropractic can do for many symptoms. Although I found results that it DOES help with all sorts of mental issues, such as depression, bi-polar, etc., I still don't think "one size fits all". Again, you must listen to your body, do your own research, consult with professionals, and make the best decision for yourself. I know what it has done for me, and I'm so glad that I've done what I've done. I feel better than I have for years. I'm not completely healed, but it is a journey, and anything worthwhile takes time.

Thanks for reading, and please come back soon for some ideas regarding health that just became a lightbulb moment for me!

QUESTIONS

2011-03-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

After my last post, and thinking a little more about the brain stem, how everything in our bodies is controlled by our brain, how our nervous system "communicates" and send messages to the body globally, and on and on, I discovered that my head was about to explode because that was just
TOO MUCH THINKING!

It brought up many more questions in my mind about when the brain stem has undue pressure on it, and its communication system is flawed and allows disease. . . Makes me realize that the more I learn, the more I realize that I don't know much about anything! Now I have so many more questions for the doctors about other symptoms or diseases than can be treated using upper cervical. Time to research. I'll get back to you on this!!! Check back soon.

In the meantime, thanks for reading and sharing with your friends.

Sleep well!

HEALING

2011-03-08T13:42:00.000-08:00

I scheduled my mid-treatment update last week at www.thespecific.com to verify my improvements. I've been feeling so much better. It is interesting that our bodies "retrace" what we've been through, so when I started having adjustments, I would have headaches just like I used to, as my body "retraced" my symptoms. One day after an adjustment, I thought for sure he messed it up because the left side of my spine ACHED so bad, it was just like before. Then I remembered the "retracing", and knew I was really OK. The improvement that the Thermography showed (evidence on paper!!!) was remarkable. My first appointment showed lots of red and orange and little yellow and green. The red is severe, orange is moderate, yellow is mild and green is normal. So, I am happy to report that I am now a little moderate, a lot mild, and SOMEWHAT NORMAL. Whew. And I'm only mid-way through my treatment. Give me another couple of months, and I am going to be absolutely normal.

Let me bring you up to date and explain the idea of upper cervical treatments as I did in my post in November when I started treatment:

New Chiropractors have extended training and a new philosophy. I learned that this type of care focuses on the nervous system rather than the back or spine. The nervous system controls the function of every cell, organ and system in the body, and "communicates" with those systems. If it is not communicating properly, then the muscles, organs and tissues begin to malfunction. This allows sickness and disease to develop. With fibromyalgia and other health issues, the body is miscommunicating. So it sends an abnormal amount of pain and other signals to the brain.

Restoring function to the control center of the body, the brain stem, which is located in the atlas and axis or the first and second cervical vertebrae, sends healing messages to the body globally. Again, proper nervous system function, which means sending the proper messages to the rest of the body systems, allows the body to respond by healing itself.

Thermography is the latest and most accurate medical technology that objectively measures nervous system function. This is a temperature-sensitive instrument used by scanning over the spinal column, and shows on a computerized graph the areas of dysfunction in the nervous system. Also used is digital radiography for the most accurate and effective x-rays possible. This is printed out so you can witness your progress (thus the evidence on paper.)

It is so amazing to me that our bodies are so wondrous. Give them correct tools, and they will heal themselves. Dr. McEntire reminded me that taking undue pressure off the brain stem can do wonders.

Healing is such a great concept, don't you think? I would encourage anyone with pain and health issues to check into upper cervical treatments in whatever area you live. It certainly has been a gift to myself - I mean - from my husband. He is the one who encouraged me. If it wasn't for him, I never would have gone. I was a total skeptic (sorry Dr. McEntire and Dr. Cheney). I can say that this total skeptic has become a total believer. I want you to have a chance to heal, too! The center that I go to is located in Draper, Utah.

Did you know that by clicking on the little envelope you can send this information to a friend? Click on it for someone that you think can be helped by this incredible treatment.

As always, thanks for reading, and sleep well!

Cure for Insomnia. . .

2011-03-02T12:30:00.000-08:00

. . . get a lot of sleep. - W. C. Fields

Sleeplessness. Tossing and turning. Wide awake when you should be asleep? If you suffer from insomnia and fatigue due to life's circumstances, you may have to do some self-examination as I said in an earlier post. Are you ready to do the dirty work? Remember, sometimes it's easier not to take inventory, because if you do, you may need to make some changes, and that can be very difficult. Some logical advice from http://www.womentowomen/ :

Take a look at your life from 20,000 feet. Shine a light on the real levels of tension and pressure you live with everday. Have you gotten used to being stressed out? Do you thrive on excietment and "need" to be connected 24/7? Have you been compartmentalizing or carrying any emotional burdens for a long time? Be honest and compassionate with yourself. This could be an important opportunity to clear out old emotional connections that may be holding you back - and keeping you awake at night.

This sounds kind of silly now, but at the time it was a big deal. One of my kids, who was about 9 at the time, would ask at bedtime what we were having for breakfast the next morning. Because I was constantly stressed out, that question made me angry. (Sad for my child) I couldn't think of the morning because I still had so much to do before I went to bed, and I didn't realize that he was a kid that just wanted to know what to expect, that's all. And it wasn't a monumental question that took a lot of thought and planning, yet it still made me angry. After a counselor pointed out what a simple questions it really was, how it would make my son's life better (because he could count on it) and that in the end, it would make my life easier, I made sure I could give him a simple answer every night - pancakes, cereal, french toast. No more anger at bedtime. And he was happy to have a simple answer without retribution. (Sad again for my child) A tiny change like that made both of our lives so much easier, and certainly eased the stress for me. Of course my life was much more complex than that little example, but my son didn't know that, and it certainly wasn't his fault.

Start with small things like that and you will be amazed at the effects that small changes can create. And SO worth it.

I love this quote from Emily Bronte: "A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow"

Make some changes, and sleep well.

S-T-R-E-S-S

2011-02-24T11:38:00.000-08:00

As one who has been through many ups and downs over the years, meaning mental, physical, and emotional highs and lows, and I would like to share some information from www.womentowomen.com, by Dr. Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN/NP over the next few posts. You may just see yourself in this information!

As I said in the last post, prolonged stress had become my "normal". Like many people today, we live under this canopy of ongoing stress, so it, unfortunatley, becomes our normal state. We are all familiar with "fight or flight" response. It triggers a response in the pituitary glad to prepare your body for an emergency. So the body releases adrenaline, cortisol, and cortisone in response to the emergency of fear, anxiety, and physical threat - real or perceived. A healthy body returns to normal once the threat has passed. But because of our new "normal", the body cannot distinguish the difference between real physical danger and intense, work-related stress, relationship issues, etc., so the response is the same.

These are the stress horomones:

Adrenaline: increases the speed and force of your heart's contractions
Cortisol: increases blood presure and blood sugar, while dampening your immune response
Cortisone: shuts down pain receptors

A body cannot sustain this long-term stress response without consequences, including adrenal imbalance symptoms like fatigue, insomnia and more. I am inclined to say pain goes along with it, although the cortisone shuts down pain receptors, but over time, this stress has to go somewhere, and for me, my muscles were the perfect place.

Are you needing to take a closer look at your life's stressors? Do you know you need to but are fearful of what they might be? After all, if you acknowledge a problem, the next step is taking action to correct it. And that can be a fearful thought all in itself.

More ideas to come. . .try to sleep well.
P.S. Did you know that you can email this post to a friend by clicking the little white envelope?

Make Your Bed - And Sleep in it!

2011-02-23T09:28:00.000-08:00

Stop eating, turn off the television, and shut down your computer two to three hours before bedtime: relax, unplug, and unwind.
Head to bed at least 10-15 minutes earlier than usual (aim for no later than 10:00 pm).
Make sure your sheets, blankets, and pillows are inviting and comfortable — just the way you like them — and that your bedroom is cool, quiet, and dark. Darkness is absolutely crucial for inducing sleep in people with insomnia.
Try to let go of unresolved problems until tomorrow, and as you settle down to sleep, think of five things for which you are grateful. This simple affirmation can provide a peaceful transition to sleep.

Prolonged stress is not normal for your body, so it may be time for an honest examination of how you might reduce stress, and your reactions to it. Be patient and kind to yourself as you investigate the stressors in your life and discover ways to resolve them. In the end, this exploration will make a difference in your ability to fall asleep, and stay asleep.

Did everyone get that - prolonged stress is not normal for your body. In my case, it was normal for my life, although it is not normal. In future posts, we will be discussing ways to combat the "normal" in our lives.

Thanks for checking in, and try to sleep well.

Love As a Drug?

2011-02-14T08:26:00.000-08:00

In honor of Valentines Day, and the original "Love Bug" Cupid, I found an interesting article that was printed in the United Kingdom in October 2010, with proper credits being given under the title. I thought you might be interested in it, too. No spelling has been changed, and I haven't tried the links that it shows, but the article itself was appealing. Here it is:

Love really is a drug – and it can work a treat with pain relief

By Steve Connor, Science Editor Thursday, 14 October 2010 ( Independent co.uk)

Love is a smoke made by the fume of sighs," wrote William Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet.

Love is also an effective pain killer as good as many of the strongest drugs, scientists have found.

For all the many musings in literature on the nature of love, nobody has quite realised its potential as an analgesic medicine until now, with a study showing that a romantic affair makes physical pain more bearable.

Scientists believe that the findings make sense because pain control and the intense feelings of being newly in love appear to be centred on similar regions of the brain.

The study, carried out on love-struck American students, found that the euphoria of the intense emotional attachment that comes with a new romance can override discomfort generated by a physically painful stimulus, such as touching something hot.

"It turns out that the areas of the brain activated by intense love are the same areas that drugs use to reduce pain," said Arthur Aron, professor of psychology at State University of New York at Stony Brook, who carried out the study with colleagues from Stanford University in California.

"When thinking about your beloved, there is intense activation in the reward area of the brain – the same area that lights up when you take cocaine, the same area that lights up when you win a lot of money," said Professor Aron, who has been studying the scientific nature of love for 30 years.

The students were asked to look at photographs of friends and their lovers while being subjected to mildly painful shocks to their hand when lying in a brain scanner. They were also asked to perform distraction tests, which are known to reduce the feelings of pain. Concentrating on a loved one proved equally good at minimising pain, but interestingly, the brain scanner revealed that the two kinds of pain relief were controlled by different nerve pathways in the brain, according to the findings published in the online journal PlosOne.

Pain relief by distraction was associated with the "higher" areas of the brain in the outer cortex, while pain relief by love was linked with deeper, more primitive regions of the brain.

I am personally inclined to believe this. I know that after I met my husband, and during the time we were dating I absolutely felt better physically. As I became more secure about myself and his devotion to me, my pain was either more bearable or disappeared. We've been married for 22 months, and I've never felt better in 30 years. I no longer take my antidepressant, and haven't for about 18 months.

I still have times that are very stressful, and then the pain kicks in reminding me what I used to feel like 24/7, but as the stress decreases, so does the pain. I think love really can do wonders!

Happy Valentines Day. If you are not in love romantically, you can still have a great day by showing those around you - children, grandchildren, friends and family how much you love them. Sleep well!

neuroworx.org

2011-02-11T13:17:00.000-08:00

I dropped into “Neuroworx” while checking other retail outlets, and what a wonderful surprise! Neuroworx is part of the Dr. Dale B. Hull Foundation for Neurological Rehabilitation, Inc., a qualified non-profit organization.

About 10 years ago, Dr. Dale B. Hull, an OB-Gyn doctor, was injured while jumping on a trampoline. He wasn’t just injured – he was paralyzed. Can you imagine how he, his wife and family took that kind of news? What would you do? What could you do? In his own words:

In July 1999, I found myself totally paralyzed from the upper shoulders down after sustaining a dislocated neck and spinal cord injury. Life as I knew it ceased to exist. In some ways, I ceased to exist. I no longer could do the things that had defined me as a person. I have spent the past ten years not only rehabilitating from my injury but redefining my existence. Moments of progress are celebrated but a restless desire for improvement continues. I am pleased but not satisfied.

Dr. Hull realized right away as he worked with his physical therapist, Jan Black, that once a person was out of the hospital, there really wasn’t much help in learning to make all the transitions necessary from being an independent hard-working individual to one who was totally dependent without the use of his arms or legs.

As he said above, he has spent the last ten years rehabilitating from his injury and redefining his existence. Half of those years he has spent as co-founder, along with Jan Black, of Neuroworx. It is located at 10376 S. Jordan Gateway, South Jordan, UT. People come from other states for rehabilitation at this facility. Soon they will have a patient from South Africa.

They do rehabilitation, physical therapy, and aquatic therapy. My favorite part was the “apartment” in the back which is set up to simulate a home environment, complete with bathroom, bed, washer/dryer, “front door”, kitchen, - anything you would find in a regular apartment. The purpose of this is to practice ADL’s (activities of daily living) with the patient along with transfers (getting in and out of bed, moving from room to room) and accessing other areas in the apartment to help the person become as independent as possible. I was shown how a person could use an ipad or other such device to control the light switches, unlock the front door, and other uses that most of us just take for granted. I was honored that they would let me put my Elite Sheet on their bed for their patients to try.

They will be building a bigger and better facility soon. The land has been donated, and the rest is in progress. What a wonderful facility to have in our valley.

You can find more information at www.neuroworx.org.

Neuroworx is a designated Community Fitness and Wellness Facility under the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation's NeuroRecovery Network

Sleep well.

H E L P. . .s

2011-02-07T15:25:00.000-08:00

We are in the throws of a snow storm here in Salt Lake City. Brrrrr. It's dark, cold, wet, and windy. Because of that I have a tip from Ayleen in Miami, Florida - where you would think it was warm:

· I just wanted to share a pain relieving tip for you since it's helped me so much. I live in Miami but it's gotten very cold over here, not snowing but in the 30's which to us is freezing!! For Christmas, I received an electric fleece blanket and it has helped me immensely. It's better than a heating pad or space heater anytime. I sympathize with all of my fibro friends who're battling the cold weather. Stay warm my friends!!

Th Thanks, Ayleen, and hope you are staying warm, too. A nice, electric fleece blanket sounds just perfect right about now. My fingers and toes are cold. Do you get cold from sitting?

A A helpful hint from Shauna:

"I've found that my vitamin/mineral supplements have been the biggest key to keeping my energy levels where I want them. Won't be without them!"

Shauna, that is great advice. Make sure you research the supplements you take to be sure they are good quality. Some supplements have unnecessary ingredients or fillers.

Melody, from http://momssick.blogspot.com/ recommends having neuromuscular/myofacial therapy, which is a holistic option for treatment. Melody is the single mother of young children and is extremely careful with medication, if she takes any at all. For her, holistic is the preferred method for feeling better.

Thanks, Melody, for this tip, and kudos to you for being vigilant about how medication affects you AND your children. She has had many a doctor offer her medication only as a means of treatment.

As a massage therapist, I am familiar with this neuro/myo type of therapy. "Neuro" is nerves, "myo" means "muscle" and "fascia" is the connective tissue, that is at the ends of the muscle and attaches to the bones. Thus, the nerve/muscle/connective tissue therapy term. Sometimes the fascia is just as sore as the muscle itself. Having this type of treatment is very beneficial. It can relieve the pain. It helps the blood and oxygen get through your muscles to keep them healthy and to keep them from "sticking" together. This "sticking together" (for lack of better terminology) is what makes the muscles sore. Exercise does the same thing - it allows the blood and oxygen to circulate properly; however, if you have fibromyalgia, is it any wonder that exercise is so painful??? If your muscles weren't "stuck" together in the first place, it wouldn't hurt so much to do things.

(Ahah! That is why I can't stand to be "stuck" on a cotton sheet!)

This type of therapy can take many treatments to feel better because you can only take so much pressure when your body is so sore, so the therapist has to start out lightly, only going as deep as you can allow. I always tell my clients, "We want to go deep enough to do some good, but not so deep that you can't get off the table. I want you to be able to come back." A word to the wise, if you are having this type of treatment, DO NOT HESITATE to let the therapist know what pressure is tolerable. It is your job to communicate that information. A therapist is not good at guessing what pressure works for you.

Let me re-word that. It is not good to let the therapist wonder if he/she is killing you.

Myofascial treatments feel like you just had the best workout ever. It is because your muscles have been worked, just like exercise. It has been my personal experience that I feel great for several hours, and then I wonder what kind of truck hit me. But after a day or so, I feel great again. I would recommend getting these treatments (from someone familiar with Fibromyalgia) twice a week for a few weeks, and then once a week for as long as you feel that it is doing some good. I would increase personal exercise to enhance the treatments, but of course, without overdoing. That is another reason you need to know your own body. You need to listen to your limits. I sound like a broken record.

I really wish I had that electric fleece blanket now.

Sleep well.

P.S. I can't seem to get those errors in the left margin out. Maybe it's the weather.

Prevent Stroke - Know the Warning Signs

2011-02-02T12:51:00.000-08:00

One of our Feisty Followers, Angela Ison, of http://groovybabyblog.blogspot.com/ is a stroke survivor. I will refer back to her a little later.

We probably all know someone in our families or otherwise who has been affected by stroke. Stroke damage runs the gamut from barely noticeable to life-altering and death. There is so much information available on the internet and other places, so feel free to do your own research for statistics.

This is a personal subject to me because it runs on both sides of my family. My paternal grandmother was paralyzed on the left side. I don’t know her age at the time of her stroke. It also affected two of my sisters, my mother and aunt (her sister). All four of them started with TIA’s, more commonly known as Trans Ischemic Attacks, or mini-strokes. All four women had these BEFORE the age of 50. Strokes happen when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. The recovery from a stroke depends on which side of the brain it occurred and the amount of damage.

What matters most right now is that sometimes strokes are preventable, and everyone should be familiar with the warning signs so you will know what to do in case you are in a position to help.

The American Stroke Association wants you to know the warning signs of stroke:

Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden severe headache with no known cause

If you suspect that someone has had a stroke, get them to the ER immediately or call 911. Not all warning signs occur in every stroke. Check the time. You may be asked when the first symptoms started. If possible, ask the victim to repeat some words, to swallow, to stick out the tongue, or raise an arm. If they have any difficulty with these commands, a stroke is likely.

Help prevent stroke by your lifestyle. Unhealthy lifestyle factors include smoking, drinking and drug abuse, obesity and physical inactivity. Treat high blood pressure. Lower your cholesterol. Exercise and eat right.

It’s very frightening when your loved one doesn’t fit the obvious profile of a stroke victim. None of my family members smoked or drank or had drug issues. Only one had a weight issue. Some had high blood pressure, but were being treated for it. My sister passed away last year after having several strokes over the course of a few years, and she was very thin.

My friend just informed me that her sister recently had a sudden severe headache with no known cause, but she did not realize what was happening. She was on a date at the time, and did not get recognize that she needed to get to a hospital. A week later, she is in the hospital, paralyzed on one side following surgery to stop the bleeding. Her family has no idea what the outcome will be.

Angela, our follower, was lucky to be with her daughter at the time of her stroke, and was alert enough to know that her daughter needed to call 911, which she did. She had almost all the symptoms listed above, and recognized that something was definitely wrong with her. Calling 911 may have saved her life. You have a three-hour window in which to get help after a stroke to lessen the damages. Don’t take any chances.

Angela was kind enough to share some of the things that have helped in her recovery:

"First and foremost being able to connect with others, not just with stroke survivors like myself, but others in my community and around the world. Blogging has given me the chance to do this, and it keeps my mind active. I love taking walks, being around nature, and meditation. This always seems to put me in a relaxed state of mind, and It helps reduce stress. Lastly, having a healthy diet is always important. I try and make sure I eat the right things, since it helps me feel better physically and mentally. I hope that helps! Thank You for including us!"

Our thanks to Angela, and continued wishes for a full recovery! Not everyone is that lucky, but being familiar with the warning signs will at least help you be prepared in case of emergency. Hope this information was beneficial to you. It always bears repeating. Thanks for reading.

Sleep well.

No Small Task

2011-02-01T12:14:00.000-08:00

Managing pain is no small task. I live in in a world of daily pain. I will not surrender to that pain. I will take back control of my life by looking for ways to reduce and manage it. I will enjoy my life in spite of my pain. My pain will not dictate my quality of life. I will search for solutions to body pain that will reduce it and make it manageable so I will have the energy and motivation to engage in the activities that I want and need to do. My life belongs to me, not my pain.

For best results, repeat all day long.

Challenging tip: Stand with your feet, rear end, shoulders and head against the wall for period of 2 minutes of time at least once a day to improve your posture and spine alignment. (This is not as simple as it sounds.) You will be surprised at the points where you feel your muscles stretch. This takes practice!

Special thanks to all those who participated in the fabulous deal for followers! I can see a lot more people sleeping better at night!
Thanks for stopping by, and sleep well!

THAT Voice

2011-01-28T08:56:00.000-08:00

Our bodies are truly wondrous. So complex. So incredible. It’s no wonder that when we are struck with maladies, syndromes, diseases, illnesses, etc. that it is a difficult journey back toward wellness.

It’s been said that it is easier to MAINTAIN wellness than it is to ATTAIN wellness.

This is the same as a teenager saying “it is easier to keep my room clean than it is to clean my room.” That is because by the time he/she actually starts tackling his/her room, it is so out of control, where does one begin? If they had just kept the room clean from the time before, they wouldn’t be faced with this huge task of trying to tame this wild beast that it has become. Now the beast has teeth and horns. . . . It is easier to keep the room clean than it is to clean the room.

Anyone who has been ill will understand.

Our bodies systems are designed to work together, so it is only natural that when something goes wrong, it affects multiple systems. That is why “fixing” the problem can be so complicated. And if that isn’t bad enough, everything used for treatment has a side effect or natural consequences; some good, some bad.

If we listen to our internal voice, and take care of things as they come up, it may prevent it from becoming a full-grown monster. When we hear That Voice, we quickly try to squelch it. We keep squelching and squelching and then wonder how we ever reached the rugged point we are at. Then the voice of regret roars, “Ohhh, if I had only paid attention earlier. . .”

Here are some things to consider:

· Weight gain. Tight clothes. More weight. This can cause diabetes, and now your heart and kidneys are a concern.

· Smoking. Hard to breath. Bronchitis on a regular basis. Emphysema risk is high, and a little cold can turn into pneumonia.

· Blood pressure. Blood pressure rises and stays high. Risk for stroke increases. Now your heart and brain are at risk.

· Drinking. Drinking excessively. Risk for liver damage increases. This also affects the stomach, gall bladder and kidneys.

These changes happen over a period of time, but it may seem like overnight by the time you reach the stage where prevention is impossible because you failed to listen in the early stage.

Personal responsibility has to be part of the patient/doctor equation.

A couple of years ago, I was having trouble distinguishing whether or not I had to urinate. Seemed like I was going all the time – if only to check to see if I really had to go! I knew it wasn’t right, so I went to the doctor who was also a personal friend.

He gave me samples of a medication (I do not even remember the name of it) to help keep it under control. I read all the side effects and decided that they were worse than checking 20 times a day! Within a month or so things got back to normal. I figured out that my problem was a symptom of stress, and the medication would have done nothing for me. I drank lots of liquids and paid closer attention. I felt that I used good judgment in this case, and I didn’t have to deal with any side effects of meds. My doctor also did the best he could for me. I’m glad that I listened to my “voice” by going to the doctor, making an informed decision, and then let the problem clear up the best way I knew how.

Certainly we have not had the training that a doctor has, or studied anatomy and physiology like they have. But YOU are the one who has lived in the same body for all these years.

It is easy to deny responsibility, but this is a gentle reminder to take care of your inner voice. Listen to it. No more squelching it. Pay attention! Don’t doubt it because it is a soft voice. A soft voice is much easier to tolerate than the roar of regret.

Be proactive. You only have one body.

Sleep well.

Remember, only a couple of days left to buy your Elite Sheet at a fabulous price!

RSD or Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy

2011-01-24T14:08:00.000-08:00

Thanks again to all of my Feisty Followers. This information below was a real eye-opener (or should I say eye-closer) for me. In fact, reading about it brought tears to my eyes. This kind of suffering makes me want to shudder.

Readers, PLEASE, if you have anything that has helped you or others you know with RSD, please send your suggestions to peggy@elitesheetcomfort.com! A person with RSD would have to be feisty in order to deal with it!

The winner for our blog drawing is Nancye Davis of Louisville Kentucky. Congratulations, Nancye, and my heart goes out to you and all who suffer with this debilitating illness.

I wanted to share some information that Nancye passed on to me about her condition, RSD or Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

Nancye said, “I got RSD when I broke my foot almost 4 years ago. A simple break changed my life completely. I went from a very active wife, mother, and teacher to wheelchair-bound, in pain 24/7, disabled 40-year old. RSD has taken so much from me. It's kind of like a kick in the pants to have something as sleep taken from me too. I rarely get any more than 2-3 hours of sleep at a time. When I am lucky enough to sleep, I toss and turn but my body is in so much pain it is hard to even get up. This sheet sounds like it will be a great help to me.”

Who would have thought that a broken foot would lead to this? I would like to know how. As described on the website:

CRPS is best described in terms of an injury to a nerve or soft tissue (e.g. broken bone) that does not follow the normal healing path.
CRPS development does not appear to depend on the magnitude of the injury. The sympathetic nervous system seems to assume an abnormal function after an injury.

So, from this information, it does not matter how severe the injury is, but the sympathetic nervous system reverts to an abnormal function after the injury. If the sympathetic nervous system is at fault, then my question would be, “how do you correct the sympathetic nervous system?”

This information from Nancye came from the CRPS website: http://www.rsds.org/2/what_is_rsd_crps/index.html

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), also known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, is a chronic neurological syndrome characterized by:

severe burning pain
pathological changes in bone and skin
excessive sweating
tissue swelling
extreme sensitivity to touch

As a former Case Manager, I worked with a woman who had RSD. She was a very complex case. Seemed that nothing I suggested was helpful to her. I could not suggest the Elite Sheet to her at the time, as it would have been a conflict of interest. I am eager to hear the response from Nancye about how the sheet works for her.

Here is a little more in-depth information about RSD from another website,

http://www.rsdrx.com/what_is_rsd.htm

1. Pain: constant, burning pain, and in some forms at times during the course of the disease, stabbing type of pain (causalgic). The pain is relentless and is invariably accompanied by allodynia (even simple touch or breeze aggravating the pain) and hyperpathia (marked painful response to even a simple stimulation).

2. Spasms in the blood vessels of the skin and muscles of the extremities. The spasms in the blood vessels result in a cold extremity. The muscle spasms result in tremor, movement disorders such as dystonia, flexion spasm, weakness and clumsiness of the extremities, and tendency to fall.

3.RSD is accompanied by a certain degree of inflammation in practically all cases. This inflammation may be in the form of swelling (edema), skin rash (neurodermatitis), inflammatory changes of the skin color (mottled or purplish, bluish or reddish or pale discolorations), tendency for bleeding in the skin, skin becoming easily bruised, inflammation and swelling around the joints as well as in the joints (such as wrists, shoulders, knee, etc.) which can be identified on MRI in later stages, and secondary freezing of joints.

4.The fourth component and pre-requisite of diagnosis of RSD is insomnia and emotional disturbance. The fact that the sympathetic sensory nerve fibers carrying the sympathetic pain and impulse up to the brain terminate in the part of the brain called "limbic system". This limbic (marginal) system which is positioned between the old brain (brainstem) and the new brain (cerebral hemispheres) is mainly located over the temporal and frontal lobes of the brain. The disturbance of function of these parts of the brain results in insomnia, agitation, depression, irritability, and disturbance of judgment. Insomnia is an integral part of an untreated RSD. So are problems of depression, irritability and agitation.

Well, dear readers, quite possibly I have given you reason to be thankful – thankful that you don’t have RSD.

I know that with Fibromyalgia, sensitivity to touch is a big issue, but I’m afraid it has been trumped by RSD. The woman I worked with said that it was hard to get dressed because wearing clothes was painful. In fact, anything brushing over her skin - including an outdoor breeze - was painful. Is it any wonder that insomnia, agitation, depression and irritability go along with it?

Again, I would ask our readers to please send in suggestions to help those afflicted with this terrible dystrophy.

Thanks for spending some time here today. I hope you have learned something beneficial for yourself or someone else.

As always, sleep well!

And the winner is. . .

2011-01-17T15:27:00.000-08:00

I wish I could tell you! A winner for our giveaway has been notified. I am waiting for her response in order to give you more information, and as soon as I can, I will.

THANKS to each one of you who have signed up as followers. The giveaways are great, but I hope you will find more from this site than a freebie. I sincerely hope that you will learn something from the information provided that will help you understand yourself or someone else a little better.

So many of you have body pain, and I believe that the Elite Sheet will help you with that. Of course, that is the reason for the creation of it!

Now, for the special offer I promised our Feisty Followers:

Are you ready??? We are offering a Twin for the incredible low price (almost a give-away) for $39.

A queen will be offered at the incredible low price (almost a give-away) for $49.

At this price you can stock up, use for wedding gifts, birthday gifts, or just a gift for someone you love that needs it for pain.

We are happy to report that our sheet is now available in several Medical Supply Stores in Utah (but certainly not at this fabulous price).

This offer is only good through January 30^th, so take advantage of it now. I don’t know if they will ever be priced this low again.

To take advantage of this offer, click on this link: http://www.elitesheetcomfort.com/blogger-special.html

If you order more than one size, you must ORDER SEPARATELY, and from this link. It is a special page created just for blog followers. If you get knocked off this special purchase page and back to the regular website page, just go back to the above-link to purchase. Thanks for reading, and sleep well!

Sometimes the Truth Hurts - Literally

2011-01-13T20:11:00.000-08:00

Ok, it took a lot of prodding, but I changed my profile to reflect some harsh realities. Writing it was difficult. Reading it was worse. Thinking about it was almost too much.  Quite honestly, it drained the life out of me. To top it off, this morning I had to put down my sweet little Maltapoo dog that I've had for almost 14 years.

This is not my favorite week.

I had to edit some parts out of my profile because it was just too long. I need to put those edited parts here because it all ties in with the subjects of this blog:

I know now that the constant fear that coursed through me during the months following my divorce was because my ex was stalking me.  I'm grateful that the fear I felt kept me away from him in spite of his pleadings to meet him somewhere to "talk about the kids." After his suicide, when it actually processed in my brain that he was seeking a way to take my life, it was devastating. All I could think of was how awful it would have been that my children wouldn't have a mother or a father.

I am so very thankful that it didn't end up with the same result as my older sister's divorce just a year earlier. She was the victim of a murder/suicide by her estranged second husband.

To my children's credit, they are beginning the process of repairing the damaged or non-existent relationship with their father's family. Grandpa passed away a couple of years ago, but Grandma was receptive of the letter that my youngest son wrote to her from his LDS mission in Seattle, Washington, where he still has eight months left to serve. She admitted that things weren't right, but she didn't know how to change it, so she was very happy that her grandson had reached out to her. My two older boys have both been to see her. There is still a lot of work to do, but at least it has begun. I know that my ex-inlaws do not have the information here in this post. They do not know the details of what really happened in our marriage. The suicide hurt them deeply, so they lashed out at us in anger. I am fortunate enough to have children that are forgiving and willing to swallow pride in order to heal.

I am a firm believer that circumstances and events in our lives can dictate, in a large part, a person's physical and emotional state. That is why I am publicly allowing the world into my life. If I expect to help others understand and remedy the pain in their lives, I need to be completely honest and forthcoming about my own.

Pain isn't always physical. It is merely a manifestation of the mental, emotional, and spiritual trauma that we endure.

For some strange reason my left arm is in a full-blown flare this week. Imagine that.

FOLLOW and WIN - Continued

2011-01-06T12:14:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much to all who have signed up as followers! I am amazed and humbled by the stories you've sent me about your lives. I look forward to posting more information so that we can all help each other. Service is extremely important to me, and we can all contribute to serving our fellowmen by sharing our experiences and what we have gained or learned.

I am inspired by your courage and willingness to move forward with the things that life throws in your path. All these things make us who we are, and we are all "becoming" someone. Let's be the best we can be with what we have or at least try to make improvements to what we have!

I am familiar with many physical ailments, but I certainly am no doctor. The only initials I can legally add to my name is LMT, (Licensed Massage Therapist). Anything I post here is purely from experience, mine or yours, and would never suggest doing anything that may be contrary to a professional's advice.

What I would suggest, is that as the keeper of your own body, know yourself. Know your limitations, know and listen to the signals that your body is trying to pass on to you, discern for yourself by that "voice" inside you what is best for you.

I'm so excited for you for the giveaway! We have many deserving followers! Don't be discouraged if you aren't the recipient because we are going to make a VERY SPECIAL OFFER for our followers after the giveaway. So special that it will be like a "giveaway."

We are all very busy people with time constraints, so I will try to keep my posts short, sweet and to the point so you can check back often, find valuable information, and be on your way.

FOLLOW and WIN

2010-12-30T11:41:00.000-08:00

I would like to encourage more readership of this blog, which offers tips and advice for different types of painful conditions, and we know that everyone loves FREE MERCHANDISE. Who doesn't like to win something?

We will start the new year with a giveaway of the one and only ELITE SHEETTM (your choice of queen or twin size).

Elite Sheet TM was designed to make sleeping more comfortable and bearable for people in pain, women who are pregnant, or big and tall people. Elite Sheet TM is the first and only fitted bed sheet that allows effortless movement while changing positions. People in pain have to lift their bodies in order to turn without getting tangled; therefore, they have to wake up to lift up to turn - and that equals a lousy, sleepless night.

Please tell everyone you know who is miserable with pain or movement to sign up as follower of bodypainsolutions.blogspot.com, and they will automatically be entered to win this incredibly comfortable fitted bed sheet. Even if they don't win, they will be able to discover other solutions for their body pains, so it is a win-win no matter which way you look at it. The giveaway will be January 15, 2011.

I would also like to encourage my readers to send me your story of tragedy and triumph - what you have and what you do about it that makes it easier to bear. We can all benefit from other's solutions, and that is the sole purpose of this blog.

Elite Sheet TM has had four blogger reviews so far, and all have been positive. The first one I would like to post is from Libby in Louisiana, who suffers from a myriad of painful difficulties, but she keeps on going, and I surely admire her for that! She wrote a very in-depth review, and I really appreciated it. Maybe it will help answer your questions. You can find Libby's blog at http://libslibrary.blogspot.com/. Thanks, Libby!

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Elite Sheet - Review

I have been blessed - truly blessed.

Yes - blessed, by a sheet!

Thank you Peggy, for sending me an
Elite Sheet to use and review,

here on Libby's Library!

How can a sheet be a blessing?

I'll tell you right now.

I have lots of medical issues, including Fibromyalgia,

Hyper-Insomnia, and RLS.

Sleep is a VERY BIG DEAL to me.

The last 4 nights on my Elite Sheet
have been pure bliss.

I'm so serious about this.
I wish that Elite Sheet

had been around years ago,
as is would have been

so fantastic to have,
after my many surgeries.

For years, I have always tried to sleep in
tricot nightgowns,

because they aid in being able
to move around easily when in bed.

During the colder months, I need something warmer,

and lately there haven't been a large selection of
tricot sleepwear available on the market.
Manufacturers are producing more

cotton/spandex sleepwear. Elite Sheet to the rescue.

I can now wear any type of sleepwear
and be comfortable.

Each of the last 4 nights, I've slept in different P.J.'s.

Nightgowns in Cotton/Spandex...
a 2 piece Flannel set
(I turned the

ceiling fan and fan on my nightstand on HIGH)...

a 100% Polyester 2 piece set...
and a 100% Cotton sleep shirt.

All with the same results. I was able to move around,

and roll over with ease!
Since the Elite Sheet is just a fitted bottom sheet,
it is appropriate for any time of year.
You just adjust, by using different top sheets
and blankets, and/or comforter/quilts, etc. etc.

PLEASE - if you, or anyone that you love,
is a restless sleeper,

is pregnant, over weight,
or have health/pain issues,
or will be having surgery,

please check out Elite Sheet.

"Negative-Free Zone"

2010-12-29T12:13:00.000-08:00

As I stated earlier, I was so impressed by what I learned at the education night at the Specific.com Chiropractic Care, I wanted to let others know about it. The guest speaker was a young single mother of a little boy. She stated that she was everyone's disposal for pain medication that they no longer needed. They knew she was in pain with Fibromyalgia, so they gave it to her. And she was more than willing to take it. She just wanted the pain to go away. As always happens with drugs, there is never an intention to become addicted, it just happens. The pain pills create a vicious cycle and psychological dependence which makes you think you need them for pain relief, when in fact, they are creating more pain signals, and the cycle goes on an on. Hugs from her young son created more pain. She knew she was spiraling downward, but didn't know what to do about it. She was fortunate to meet the Chiropractic doctors of The Specific.com at a show in Layton, Utah. She claims divine intervention about meeting them, and I agree. She reviewed their philosphy on how treating the Nervous System of the body by adjusting the cervical vertebrae, the Atlas and Axis, (see previous post on Chiropractic) and how it could heal her body. She felt that it was meant to be, and she wanted the treatments. She drove from Layton to Draper, about 2 hours roundtrip, for her treatments, three times a week! I remember complaining about driving 20-30 minutes roundtrip! She could feel the improvements in every aspect of her life. Her pain decreased. She decreased her meds. She could spend more quality time with her son. She felt she was getting her life back. After 6 months of treatment, she is pain-free. It was also recommended that she check her nutrition and do a cleanse through their Naturopathic physician on staff. He challenged her to give up sugar and other things that are toxic to our bodies. She did it. She DID IT! She also stated that she is a completely different person and that we would not have recognized her previously. She said that one of the things that kept her coming back was the positive atmosphere of the office and the doctors. I can attest to that. It's like they have a "You are now entering a Negative-Free Zone" sign posted before you walk through the door, yet no sign actually exists.

So, the things I have learned from this woman's experience are:

l. A positive attitude makes a huge difference.
2. You can change if you really want to.
3. You can become the person that you choose to become.
4. You are the only one who can change YOU, with the help of others.
5. Fibromyalgia can become a thing of the past by treating the Nervous System.
5. Fibromyalgia can become a thing of the past by treating the Nervous System.
5. Fibromyalgia can become a thing of the past by treating the Nervous System.

No, number 5 is no typo. It bears repeating.

I am excited to continue my treatments, and am anxious to become pain-free as the woman from Education Night has.

Now that is powerful.

You can access more information at http://www.thespecific.com/.

UPDATE - Chiropractic Treatment

2010-12-20T19:58:00.000-08:00

It's been about a month since I've been able to go to the chiropractor, and my neck is starting to feel it. I'm so impressed with the treatment program that is so much more than just a treatment - it's a healing opportunity for my body. As soon as I have a chance, I will be there! The Specific Chiropractic Center is a new concept in healing. I recently attended one of their educational nights, and I'm very excited to let you all know what I learned while I was there, and will do so ASAP. Just let me say that it is highly unusual that I have not needed to have my rib heads put back into place on a regular basis, especially when I'm under stress, so I am really amazed and impressed. I know that my body is healing, and that is a miracle!

Chiropractic care

2010-12-11T11:47:00.000-08:00

Chiropractic care has been around for eons. Everyone has their own opinion of Chiropractic work. Some people swear by it; others detest it. You probably have a story or two of your own. When I was about 10 years old, I was at a public celebration and having a great time like all the other kids. That is, until I was injured. The thrilling bumpy ride I was on jostled the children up into the air a short distance over and over. The last thing I remember was being thrown too high, and the trailer came up as I came down. Then I couldn't breathe. My fun was over in that instant.

A day or two went by, and my breathing became more and more painful. A deep breath was impossible. When my parents said they were going to take me to a chiropractor, I started to cry, but stopped immediately because even that was much too painful. I didn't know what a Chiropractor was or what they did, and I was scared. Looking back, I'm grateful that they did something because every day my breath grew more shallow.

I don't remember the details other than the doctor left me under hot lights in a dark room for what seemed like forever. I don't even remember how I was adjusted, but I do remember the relief of being able to breathe again. That experience gave me faith in Chiropractors.

I didn't have a need to go again until sometime in my 20's after a car accident. I was told that if the whiplash wasn't taken care of then, it would come back 20 years later. I totally dismissed the whole idea. Now I'm convinced he was telling the truth. I've always had good relief from treatments, but when my fibromyalgia really kicked in, it seemed like I needed treatment after treatment. Nothing ever seemed to "hold". Any time I did something out of the ordinary, I paid for it by having so much body pain, that I had to go to the Chiropractor for an adjustment. It just seemed like a vicious cycle that wouldn't end.

Fast forward 10 years. I did massage therapy for Chiropractors. The massage therapy was very effective for the people in pain. The only problem was that it increased MY pain. There was that terrible cycle again.

Fast forward again. Some new Chiropractors have extended training and a new philosophy. I learned that this type of care focuses on the nervous system rather than the back or spine. The nervous system controls the function of every cell, organ and system in the body, and "communicates" with those systems. If it is not communicating properly, then the muscles, organs and tissues begin to malfunction. This allows sickness and disease to develop. With fibromyalgia, the body is miscommunicating. So it sends an abnormal amount of pain signals to the brain.

I told the doc my story from when I was 10, and mentioned that I thought my adrenals were out of whack, because I have lived a stressful life.

A few days later, as I sat with the doctor in his office to check out my results, and looking at my skeletal self, I mentioned that I was much better looking than I thought. (HA!) He pointed out the damage in my neck. The thermography also verified the problems in my neck, and not surprisingly, that my adrenals were indeed, out of whack! Very impressive.

This is not just an adjustment, it's a plan for healing. Very, very impressive. I still have faith in Chiropractors.

Fibromyalgia and other painful conditions – Hints for spouses and family members

2010-12-11T11:45:00.000-08:00

Living with a painful condition is no picnic - for the afflicted or their family members. This is a quick guide for family members and spouses to help them understand painful conditions, to be sympathetic and still have full lives.

Limits are to be expected when a person is diagnosed with a painful condition such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, behcets, chronic fatigue, etc. Therefore, the patient and the family would all do well to lower their expectations of the other. This will help eliminate disappointment.

For the spouses and family members, they must remember that this condition was not the choice of the person afflicted with it. Here are some tips for you as family members:

1. Offer to do things to help ease the burdens of the patient, such as carrying in the groceries or putting them away. Do your own laundry. Offer to vacuum. Clean up your own mess.

2. Don't make the patient feel guilty if they cannot fulfill a request that you make.

3. Let him/her know that you feel sorry that they have this affliction, and that you are willing to help.

4. Study up on the condition so you can understand it better and empathize.

5. Offer to make your outings short so your family member can still take part in the activity.

For the patient who has been diagnosed with the condition, you must remember not to be too hard on yourself. Don't put yourself down when you can't accomplish as much as you once did. Don't overdo it just to see if you still can. You will end up paying for it in some worse way. Here are some tips for you:

1. You are not terminal. You can still do things, just not as much. Let your family bear some of your responsibilities and teach them that service is appropriate and appreciated.

2. Don't make your family member feel guilty by playing the victim. In the end, it will have the opposite effect that you intended. Don't intentionally overdue out of anger.

3. Let your family members know that you appreciate their extra efforts.

4. Be kind to yourself by allowing some rest periods and actually cutting out non-essential activities - both yours and theirs.

5. Communicate your capabilities such as "I would love to shop for the afternoon, but I know I would still be able to function if we only went to one store."

Clear communication is essential for all members. Family members must refrain from turning their loved one with the condition into a victim by doing everything for them. Likewise, it is the responsibility of the person affected to make sure they are still willing to take care of oneself with proper rest, limitations, appropriate exercise and nutrition. Taking an active part in your own care is vital to your well-being.

No one wants to be diagnosed with a painful condition, and when a person is, making the best of it is appropriate and will be appreciated by all. Education about the condition is as essential as communication with your family. Lowering expectations is helpful to all concerned. Exploring new options and researching for new information is important because things change often.

Fibromyalgia Massage Therapy - Tips for Choosing a Therapist

2010-12-11T11:37:00.000-08:00

If you suffer from Fibromyalgia, you know it is painful. You've heard that massage therapy can be helpful, and you would like to try it. Is massage therapy a good thing when it hurts? How does hurting help? How do you know if you have a good therapist? How do you know if it is going to help you? As a massage therapist for 10 years, and having fibromyalgia for more than 25 years, I highly recommend massage. Here is some information to help you choose a therapist and get what you pay for.

With all the new massage schools and massage businesses popping up all around us, it is difficult to know where to go and what to expect unless you have a recommendation. The types of modalities and styles vary as much as each individual therapist. You may have to try several modalities and several therapists before deciding on which is right for you.

With my experience as a therapist and having fibromyalgia, here is what I would recommend you ask a therapist before making an appointment:

Call and ask lots of questions about the type of massage they do.

Ask if they have experience working on clients with fibromyalgia.

Ask for the names and numbers of people they have worked on for references.

Ask what they charge and for what length of time so there are no surprises.

Ask about the protocol for the massage, such as clothing vs. sheets, etc.

The more information you have beforehand, the better decision you can make. If the therapist seems irritated by all of your questions, it's already time to move on. You are a customer, and you are HIRING a therapist to help you. Once the massage starts, keep in mind that you are still the customer and have hired the therapist to work for you. You must tell him/her what you need.

It is YOUR responsibility to give the therapist feedback. If you don't tell him/her that it is too deep or too light, you have no complaint. You need to keep giving the therapist information about you because every body is different, and every part of the body has a different pain tolerance.

For instance, on me, a therapist can't go deep enough on my neck and shoulders, but then they must use the lightest pressure possible on my ankles so I don't leap off the table. He/she will not know that unless I speak up (or scream). Therapists are not mind-readers. If you don't communicate with them, then they should be asking questions of you such as, "Does that feel deep enough? Would you like lighter pressure? Does that feel like the right spot?"

Although massages are supposed to be relaxing, fibromyalgia is somewhat different. With many of my clients I had to start out very lightly, and over time increase the pressure in order to get deeper into the muscle to release the pain and allow the blood and oxygen to get through the "knots" that seem to be consistent with fibromyalgia. This is how massage helps with fibromyalgia; it hurts and it does take time.

Some patients - especially men - require a deeper pressure right from the beginning. How do I know this? Because I never hesitate to ask questions or ask for feedback.

As a paying client you also have the right to ask the therapist to spend more time in whatever areas you feel need more work. If there are some areas that you prefer not to be worked on, you also have the right and responsibility to let the therapist know. Clear communication is the only way to get what you pay for.

A word of caution: Never go alone the first time to someone's home for a massage unless they have been recommended by someone you know.

If you have any questions about massage for fibromyalgia, please don't hesititate to contact me at the address below.

Pregnancy - Dads Get a Clue!

2010-12-11T11:34:00.001-08:00

Pregnancy has many faces. A happy face is the best. If you are now pregnant, hopefully it is under the best of circumstances. Every baby is entitled to a mother, father, and loving circumstances. Of course that brings the flip side up. As I attended a show featuring products specifically for women, I saw women of all ages and walks of life.

Two young women caught my attention. One was obviously close to her due date, and the other had a beautiful newborn baby girl. They stopped at a booth to find out about the product. I was horrified by the response of the pregnant gal. She said, "Well, we just came here from rehab and they won't allow us to bring anything back." "Rehab?" I said out loud to myself.

I was suddenly sick to my stomach thinking that both of these girls were in rehab with little innocent dependent babies either here or almost here. How many of us moms remember sweating just thinking about taking a Tylenol for that terrible headache and wondered what kind of side effects it would have on that fetus growing inside? What will the future hold for these precious babies? An unhappy face comes to mind.

A great solution for their situation would be adoption, but even that certainly couldn't stay the effects of harmful drugs and alcohol on a developing fetus. What about the future of these babies? Would their lives be permanently damaged from the effects of what their mothers did, or would they be able to escape such fate? What about the fathers of these babies? Are they the same as the mothers?

Back to the flip side, a face that I would like to call attention to is that of the author of the sweetest blog about the happy face of pregnancy from a dad's point of view. This blog chronicles the wait of the arrival of not one, but two, precious babies. All dad's should get a clue from this one and become HALF as informed as he is. Hey, this dad even puts me to shame! He is my definition of a real man! Kudos to you, David.

Personally, I have been pregnant for 27 months. Fortunately, not all at once! When I learned that Killer Whales have an average gestation of 17 months, I immediately decided that is where the "Killer" part came from. I do remember feeling like a beached whale at times - mostly the end of each of the nine months. Luckily all three gestational periods had happy endings. Seventeen months at a time is just totally unfathomable for pregnancy. Makes me happy that I'm not a whale.

Although I did not have the pleasure of having a daughter, others were much more disappointed than I was. Girl or boy; it didn't matter. Healthy mattered.

Three boys were a wonderful pay-off in exchange for all the sleepless nights, morning sickness, throwing up at the thought of certain foods and smells, emotional highs and lows, worry, excitement, frequent trips to the bathroom, "falling out" syndrome, body changes, varicose veins, not being able to tie shoes or see my toes, weight gain, indigestion, hiccups, pain, more pain and then labor pain (oh my!) Even having my last one without anesthesia or anything else was well worth it. After it was over, I had a very tired but happy face.

Pregnancy is such a precious time in a couple's life. It is sad that all the faces of pregnancy can't be happy ones.

Pain: My Constant Companion

2010-12-11T11:32:00.000-08:00

In my five decades, pain has been my constant companion. Different kinds of pain. Physical, emotional, mental, situational... how many kinds of pain are there, anyway? I'm not complaining. Having pain in life also allows a person to see the opposite side of it. Health, happiness, joy, and growth, to be specific.

Let's start with physical pain. Not my own, but my father's. He was a victim of rheumatoid arthritis, which is typically a women's disease. I've always wished there was something I could have done to ease his pain. I regret that my product was never available for him to use.

He became ill with rheumatoid arthritis when my mother was pregnant with me, so I never knew him any other way. I was the baby of seven children, so my siblings knew him before he had it, so they have many different memories of him than I have.

As a child, I was always careful to avoid bumping into him and accidentally bending his stiff wrists. I didn't want to hear some of the words that came out of his mouth when that happened. In the summertime, when he came home from work he would sit on the back porch and sometimes lie down for a rest before coming into the house. Seems he spent most of his energy working and just getting back home. His rest didn't ever last very long, because there was always some kind of task needing to be done.

Just because he couldn't move easily, it was never an excuse not to do things. He shopped for groceries, did laundry and hung it on the line outside to dry. I hated seeing underwear blowing in the breeze! He always helped my mother with the summer canning. He did his own car repairs for as long as possible. When he couldn't, he was the verbal instruction manual for my young, stronger than usual, nephew as he replaced the engine in the old Mustang so my sister would have a car to drive.

We always had a tidy yard and fresh vegetables. Broken washing machines, flat tires, bicycle maintenance and dental appointments were just parental chores that needed to be done. Calling and visiting his aging parents was a must. I've always wondered how he picked up his oversized and partially-paralyzed mother the day she fell.

I didn't think my Tower of Strength would ever stop crying after my 5-year old nephew passed away.

At 14, and having the seasoned wealth of knowledge that I did, I wanted him to take more medication than he did. To me, more medrol and at least a pain pill once in a while would be a good thing for him. I begged him to go to Mexico when I heard that others were being "cured" back in the early 70's. I was angry at him when he set me straight.

I was horrified when I came back from my honeymoon to find him in the hospital where he had undergone gall bladder surgery. I had no idea he was even sick at my wedding.

With his stiff wrists and bent fingers, everyday he had two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches ready and waiting for a grandson upon his return from Kindergarten. In his mind, no kid should ever be hungry or have shoes that were too small. Sometimes my siblings returned only to find that the toes had been cut out of their childrens' shoes with his trusty pocketknife.

He called me when my children were young to find out about their doctor appointments, or to check to see how they were doing when they were sick. The day before he died, when he was weak and could barely talk, he "strongly advised" his brother to find out what was wrong with his mouth before it was too late. My uncle ended up with throat cancer.

Dad couldn't do much about his own physical ailments, but he seared into my mind by his example that you think of others first, and don't let your physical problems interfere with everyone else's lives. I wish he had the chance to get some relief from my creation. I'm sure he would tell me he was proud of me.

2010-11-24T12:48:00.001-08:00

Hello, everyone and welcome to my blog, "Body Pain Solutions".

After searching the web, and this mass media with its barrage of information, I feel like I'm knee deep in sheep! Definitely TMI. It's exhausting, and we already have enough of that, don't we? We need solutions for body pain, and we need them yesterday.

If you are serious about wanting to reduce the pain caused by fibromyalgia and other chronic pain diseases, and you are interested in finding out what actually works to reduce pain, send an email to peggy@elitesheetcomfort.com with your story - the type of pain you have, what you have tried, and what works for you. I will compile the information and post the results on this blog, so we can work together and make finding solutions less of a hassle. We can provide a service for each other. Service is a positive, and positivity is absolutely necessary in healing.

I can appreciate all the facebook groups that cater to this type of interaction, but honestly, it brings me down. That is why I want to offer hope and solutions (not cures) from this blog. Although I am compassionate, I need people who want to DO something to feel better - not just talk about how miserable they feel. We need information that is uplifting and celebrates triumph over tragedy. That is what will spur us on to help others who need it so desperately. Together we can help lift those hands that hang down.

It's no secret that I have come up with a solution for my own pain, Elite Sheet, and it is now available for others to try. It has saved me throughout the last 25-30 years. I would give them away if I could because it has been such a lifesaver for me, but that is obviously not feasible. I have stories from many people who have purchased them, and have received relief that they have been seeking, and will post them on occasion.

Can't wait to hear from you. . .