Somewhat Out of Tune

Photographers: Ralph and Jenny

Since the weekend, I’ve been feeling like the musicians in this Picasso image. Somewhat out of tune and definitely disjointed. In addition to joint pain, my trapezius and SCM (sternocleidomastoid) muscles were tight enough to play music!

I think part of it had to do with the unsettled weather we’ve been experiencing. (I need to get one of those weather stations that registers barometric pressure!)

It wasn’t a full-blown flare-up, but it was enough to slow me down and restrict movement.

A big part of my self-care is to watch and change the way I think. I know that if I soak in negative thoughts and emotions, I set off the stress response – that’s a cascade of fourteen-hundred chemicals that includes cortisol, which affects the inflammatory response.

Here are some of the things I did:

• Ice and rest for my left wrist.
• Rest for me.
• A massage for my neck.
• Slow, easy dog walk.
• A sanding down of my temporary crown, which is what I think precipitated the series of unfortunate events in my neck. (Why my neck is so high maintenance: My Logo and Come Fly with Me.)
• Another massage.

I’m happy to report that as I write this, I am feeling considerably better.

Your turn: What do you do when you are out of tune and feeling disjointed? How do you manage your pain? Do you have tools and techniques that you use to help you transform your fear?

Assistance, Please

Open, close or lift. Easy to do, right? Not so, when you are experiencing a flare-up, or have collateral damage from previous flare-ups.

Reaching for a glass out of the cupboard, bringing in a bag of groceries or getting the laundry out of the washer require Superman-like amounts of effort.

It’s helpful to plan ahead and prioritize a list of the things that need doing. When someone is around, consider asking them for some assistance.

I understand that it’s not always easy to do this. I also understand that friends and family are usually willing to lend a hand.

Image courtesy of  Andy Reis.

Not Magical, but This Wand Does Wonders

I am blessed/cursed with a small mouth, which makes it difficult to floss.

The task becomes that much more challenging when it feels like I have claws for fingers. Dexterity is impacted during a flare-up or when finger joints have dislocated.

A dental wand has made this task easier.  The pay-off comes when I listen to the dentist as he does the probe test, and I hear mostly ones and twos!