Greetings good readers,
So, it has been a while since I have commented on my FM or on any other medical type issues. In fact, I will admit that with regard to this particular blog I have been horribly slack and for that I will give a little apology. It has been one of those things where I have been wondering whether it was really appropriate to be putting in the blog anyway. Yes, sure it is my blog therefore anything that I like can go in it, but the reverse is the same. Anyway on to the topic at hand time for some news and some which may surprise some people. Oh, sorry, but this is going to be a long one...
Time for some news then. Seems that there have been a couple of questions rolling around the local branches of the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) about my health and "some chest issue" that I seem to be having. Well, in order to squish some of those rumours and get the story straight, I will present the following...
Some months ago I was getting dressed and noticed a lump down toward my stomach. I thought nothing of it at the time and decided to ignore it. A little while later I noticed it again and decided that I should really do something about it and see what it was. So, off to the doctor for an examination, and then off to get an ultrasound. The result was an over-enlarged spleen. What? What is that from? So more tests now we get to go off for a CT scan of the abdomen/chest area to see what is going on. The preliminary result at that point in time once it all came back was sarcoidosis.
Well, after a referral to the general specialist at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, followed by being passed along to another respiratory specialist in another department of the same hospital, it has been confirmed that it is sarcoidosis. In this particular case the result and diagnosis is a good thing as it could have been a lot worse, and sarcoidosis is something that can be dealt with. In my case I am just putting it on my list of irritations. It is something that I have been keeping to myself and those people who really need to know for sometime on the basis that I did not want people making a fuss. For the most part it is really easy to handle things myself, hence no need for anyone else to worry about it.
So, what does all this mean, well if you want some information about sarcoidosis, the easiest one that I have found to read about this particular issue is the wikipedia version (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcoidosis). So, in essence it is something which just turns up for no apparent reason and in most cases goes away without assistance. In some rare cases it can be life-threatening, but I really don't think that I am going to end up in that basket. In my particular case the most part of the condition has been found in my lungs and this is where I am being most affected. The specialist is organising for me to have various tests to ensure that it has not got anywhere more inconvenient, but we are dealing with what is in front of us. Me, I am not particularly worried, I am counting it as a long-ish term inconvenience.
So, for me the three major symptoms are, a reduction in my lung capacity leading to getting out of breath quicker and more often, an enlarged spleen which needs to be protected, and the most annoying of all an occasional "smoker's cough" which just irritates the hell out of me as I quit 7 August 2010. The hardest part for me is really the having to slow down a bit due to the reduced lung capacity and thus reduced energy levels to tell you the truth. I have some other symptoms such as random pains in the chest here and there which can be a bit painful, but they are less of an issue. With these symptoms on the table and presented to the doctor it was decided that medication in my case to control or at least deal with some of the symptoms to a degree was a good idea.
So, my GP (general practitioner) put me on symbicort as a start once the diagnosis was confirmed as sarcoidosis as a stop-gap until the specialist decided what she wanted to do about it. With the symptoms present it was decided that a course of prednisone to start with would be a good idea. Yay, more drugs to take, not. So these get taken once every morning with food. Food? In the morning? That means breakfast! Not being a breakfast type person this has taken some weeks to get used to I can tell you. Now of course we begin to look at the side-effects of the medication, and what an interesting list it is. Once again lets look at our friend the wikipedia for prednisone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prednisone). What you will notice is an interesting list of side-effects, some of which I am going to notice and others which could be confused for the FM playing up. Just another list of possibilities is what I am putting it down as, nothing more.
So, I have this additional "thing" wrong with me, and what do you think I am going to do about it? Well, if you have read any of my previous blog posts about how I deal with my FM for the most part you will not be surprised about my response to this. The first part of my response is to do what the doctors are telling me to do about it from their point of view as they have my best interests in mind (Yes, I really do believe that). Second part of my response is to look at exactly what I can do about the situation and what I cannot do about it. The second bit is just for reference as focusing on what I cannot do is just going to annoy the hell out of me. Once I have figured out what I can do, do something about it. The third part of my response to this condition is to respond to it in much the same way that I deal with the FM, I will be doing what I can when I can, and attempting to grow the ability to slow down a little bit and not push myself too hard. I can tell you out of all of it, the last bit is the bit that is going to annoy me the most. So, now that is dealt with we can move on to something really interesting.
My good sister recently sent me an article which postulates that fibromyalgia (FM) may actually be related to brain injuries on some level and thus through this may actually be more to do with the brain that the other parts of the body. This is rather interesting for me especially with my history, but also because this might actually give an answer as to how I got FM in the first place which would be truly amazing. This is the bit where I have a situation where I might have an answer finally.
Anyway the document proposes that FM might be caused by trauma to the brain. Now this trauma is not necessarily large, but in some cases it is actually quite small. Essentially the brain chemistry releases chemicals etc to deal with the injury itself and thus results in the symptoms of FM as expressed in many sufferers. In some cases FM has developed in a patient after Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and after surgeries related to such TBI or other conditions where the brain has been operated on. This is something which is of real interest to me due to some past history of mine.
In my particular case I had a very active childhood which in some instances due to my activity and exuberance resulted in impacts to the head. In my case I have had several doses of concussion in my life due to various incidences and accidents and also other head injuries. Now with the information which has been detailed above in my case I might actually have an answer as to the reason for me actually having FM. What is potentially truly exciting about this particular situation is that this means that there might, and I am not getting my hopes up, be a chance that there may be an end to it. In my situation I have had various promises with regard to answers which have fallen flat so I am not getting my hopes up just yet.
I don't expect miracle cures for anything, they are something which would be nice if they happened but not something that I expect. For the most part I am happy to plod along with the way that I am going. I will do what I can when I can and that will please me. Sure there will be those times where frustration will get the better of me, but the hardest lesson that I have had to learn is that sometimes I actually do need to slow down a bit. Sure I can tell others to do it, but it is one of those cases where I have a hard time taking my own advice. Best thing I think for all is pick yourself up and keep going, sure it may take some time, but you will get there in the end as long as you have the guts and the drive to do so. Quitting is easier, but it is sure as hell less satisfying.
Cheers,
Henry.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Sunday, December 5, 2010
What Can I Do About It?
Greetings,
Interesting question huh? The first question that will be asked of me with regard to this particular question is "What can I do about what?" There is a very simple response to this, but one that needs a little bit of qualification and explanation. From this there are questions about actively doing things and what this will require of the individual, and also some processes that you can go through to get there. Now, these are just my ideas applied to things in a generic fashion, each problem will require its own approach.
What can I do about what?
The simple answer to this is "everything". Everything has a solution and everything can have something done about it. In some instances what can be done about something is simply the wisdom to know whether you can actually do something about it. There is no point in wasting energy beating against a problem you can actually do nothing about. On the other side of this is also knowing the difference between those things you can do something about and those things which you cannot do anything about. If you can't do anything about it, there is also no point in focussing on it, leave it alone and move on. If you can do something about it, you then need the courage to stand up and actually do something about it. In some instances it will be easy, in most it won't.
Taking charge
Taking charge is about not sitting around waiting for a solution to be dropped into your lap. Taking charge is about actively going out and seeking a solution to a problem yourself. It is important that you do it yourself and not rely on other people to do it for you. Your problem, you need to be doing something about it. Go and find out what you can do about it, and then actually do it. There are always options available, one of those options is doing nothing, the other options are sometimes not the best to choose from, but if they are what you have, then they are what you have.
Doing things yourself
Doing things yourself is an important aspect of problem solving. Problems are often best solved by ourselves and in our own ways. Other people can help us with it, but in the end it is really a "do it yourself thing". With regard to doing things yourself, the first thing is that you have to find what works for you. For some this means taking the problem head-on, for others it means skirting around it and doing a little at a time. You need to figure out what is going to work for you. This approach can even be modified by the problem itself. The next part is making sure that you do not push too hard too fast. You need a measured response to the problem and a measured approach to the solution. There is no point in burning yourself out otherwise it will just make things harder for you later.
Focus on "can" rather than "can't"
Many people are too busy focussed on what they can't do to realise the great lot of things that they can do. It is important that you focus on those things that you can do rather than those you can't. This way you will find more things that you can do and this will improve things for you. This is an attitude thing more than anything. You need to focus on the positive side of things and find those advantages you can use to aid you. Being positive is a great advantage.
Importance of positivity
Being positive is important especially in problem solving. Attacking a problem with a positive frame of mind allows you to see what you can do more than what you can't do and this will assist you greatly. Positive thought will also have a positive effect on your emotional state as it will allow you to have more positive emotions, and thus more positive emotional responses. This has a strong link to the mental side of things which is also strongly effected by a positive or negative approach to things. If you are mentally more positive it is more likely that you will find more things that you can do. This is because you will be actively seeking them. A negative attitude will limit your mental approach to the problem solving and will restrict you. The positive approach will also improve you physically as well. Positive feelings will help you feel much better than if you are being negative about things.
Asking for help
Asking for help can sometimes be a problem for people. Some people feel that if they ask for help they are showing weakness and this will reflect negatively on them. In the case of very independent people this can be a real problem as they do not really know how to ask for help. Asking for help is not and admission of failure in any way, shape or form. It is just an admission that some assistance will further you toward your goal. You need to know how to ask for help and also when to ask for help, as most people will actually quite willingly give you assistance if they are able. The other part of this is that unless you do ask for help, do not expect any. People are not mind-readers, they need to be told that you need assistance.
In writing this, some will ask "What right does he have?" I will say, "None really, just giving advice." These are some of the things that I have found myself when it comes to problems. As anyone who knows me will confirm, I am one of the worst for asking for help, and as such I should really take my own advice, and I do try to. The important thing here is that we all need to look at problems and see what we can do about it, and if we can to actually do something about it. Have a look at the situation. Figure out what you can do about it. If you can, do something about it. Figure yourself out a plan and work at it, and don't forget to ask for help if you need it.
Cheers,
Henry.
Interesting question huh? The first question that will be asked of me with regard to this particular question is "What can I do about what?" There is a very simple response to this, but one that needs a little bit of qualification and explanation. From this there are questions about actively doing things and what this will require of the individual, and also some processes that you can go through to get there. Now, these are just my ideas applied to things in a generic fashion, each problem will require its own approach.
What can I do about what?
The simple answer to this is "everything". Everything has a solution and everything can have something done about it. In some instances what can be done about something is simply the wisdom to know whether you can actually do something about it. There is no point in wasting energy beating against a problem you can actually do nothing about. On the other side of this is also knowing the difference between those things you can do something about and those things which you cannot do anything about. If you can't do anything about it, there is also no point in focussing on it, leave it alone and move on. If you can do something about it, you then need the courage to stand up and actually do something about it. In some instances it will be easy, in most it won't.
Taking charge
Taking charge is about not sitting around waiting for a solution to be dropped into your lap. Taking charge is about actively going out and seeking a solution to a problem yourself. It is important that you do it yourself and not rely on other people to do it for you. Your problem, you need to be doing something about it. Go and find out what you can do about it, and then actually do it. There are always options available, one of those options is doing nothing, the other options are sometimes not the best to choose from, but if they are what you have, then they are what you have.
Doing things yourself
Doing things yourself is an important aspect of problem solving. Problems are often best solved by ourselves and in our own ways. Other people can help us with it, but in the end it is really a "do it yourself thing". With regard to doing things yourself, the first thing is that you have to find what works for you. For some this means taking the problem head-on, for others it means skirting around it and doing a little at a time. You need to figure out what is going to work for you. This approach can even be modified by the problem itself. The next part is making sure that you do not push too hard too fast. You need a measured response to the problem and a measured approach to the solution. There is no point in burning yourself out otherwise it will just make things harder for you later.
Focus on "can" rather than "can't"
Many people are too busy focussed on what they can't do to realise the great lot of things that they can do. It is important that you focus on those things that you can do rather than those you can't. This way you will find more things that you can do and this will improve things for you. This is an attitude thing more than anything. You need to focus on the positive side of things and find those advantages you can use to aid you. Being positive is a great advantage.
Importance of positivity
Being positive is important especially in problem solving. Attacking a problem with a positive frame of mind allows you to see what you can do more than what you can't do and this will assist you greatly. Positive thought will also have a positive effect on your emotional state as it will allow you to have more positive emotions, and thus more positive emotional responses. This has a strong link to the mental side of things which is also strongly effected by a positive or negative approach to things. If you are mentally more positive it is more likely that you will find more things that you can do. This is because you will be actively seeking them. A negative attitude will limit your mental approach to the problem solving and will restrict you. The positive approach will also improve you physically as well. Positive feelings will help you feel much better than if you are being negative about things.
Asking for help
Asking for help can sometimes be a problem for people. Some people feel that if they ask for help they are showing weakness and this will reflect negatively on them. In the case of very independent people this can be a real problem as they do not really know how to ask for help. Asking for help is not and admission of failure in any way, shape or form. It is just an admission that some assistance will further you toward your goal. You need to know how to ask for help and also when to ask for help, as most people will actually quite willingly give you assistance if they are able. The other part of this is that unless you do ask for help, do not expect any. People are not mind-readers, they need to be told that you need assistance.
In writing this, some will ask "What right does he have?" I will say, "None really, just giving advice." These are some of the things that I have found myself when it comes to problems. As anyone who knows me will confirm, I am one of the worst for asking for help, and as such I should really take my own advice, and I do try to. The important thing here is that we all need to look at problems and see what we can do about it, and if we can to actually do something about it. Have a look at the situation. Figure out what you can do about it. If you can, do something about it. Figure yourself out a plan and work at it, and don't forget to ask for help if you need it.
Cheers,
Henry.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Time for a Change of Tact
To my dear readers,
I have come to the conclusion that unless I start droning on about each day, I have pretty much run out of stuff to talk about with regard to FM. I will probably still put a couple of posts here and there with regard to what's going on, but I think it is time for a change of tact. A change of perspective is what I am going for here.
Now, this is my personal blog and is designed for me to get some personal stuff out there for anyone who is willing to read it. The primary aim of this blog was to talk about FM and how I deal with it, and I think I have for the most part covered those subjects. I think it is about time that I used this blog for some more personal stuff, but on a broader scale.
So, unless there is something you want to know about FM, and want to send me an e-mail or contact me via this blog, I am going to broaden the scope of what is going to go in to my blogs. There will be some opinions and also some discussions about what is sparking my interest at the particular time. Expect there to be a lot of errors, expect there to be a lot of opinions and meanderings about things, don't expect it to be any more regular than I have been of late.
Cheers,
Henry.
I have come to the conclusion that unless I start droning on about each day, I have pretty much run out of stuff to talk about with regard to FM. I will probably still put a couple of posts here and there with regard to what's going on, but I think it is time for a change of tact. A change of perspective is what I am going for here.
Now, this is my personal blog and is designed for me to get some personal stuff out there for anyone who is willing to read it. The primary aim of this blog was to talk about FM and how I deal with it, and I think I have for the most part covered those subjects. I think it is about time that I used this blog for some more personal stuff, but on a broader scale.
So, unless there is something you want to know about FM, and want to send me an e-mail or contact me via this blog, I am going to broaden the scope of what is going to go in to my blogs. There will be some opinions and also some discussions about what is sparking my interest at the particular time. Expect there to be a lot of errors, expect there to be a lot of opinions and meanderings about things, don't expect it to be any more regular than I have been of late.
Cheers,
Henry.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Henry's Rules
Greetings,
It has been a while since I have written anything in my blog and for those who have been particularly interested in reading what I have to say, I am sorry. I got to the situation where giving simple updates on my current state of health just was not appropriate to my aim for this blog. For those who have been keeping up, my chest is much better and has improved a lot with excercise and physiotherapy. Now on to the topic at hand...
This particular blog is about 10 rules that I do my best to apply when dealing with my fibromyalgia (FM). What I will do with regard to this is not just simply list them and let people work out what I am saying, but write a small paragraph about each in explanation for each one. The first thing that needs to be realised with regard to these rules is that they are rather general and mostly aimed at the physical aspects of life and especially exercise. This being said, they can apply to less physical things as well.
1. Do what you can when you can.
Rule number one. This is about not having too strict deadlines because you never know what is around the corner. It is also about making the best out of a good situation and achieving all that you can when you are able to do things. When you are feeling your best you should try to achieve the best that you can. This rule is also about not pushing things too hard.
2. Do what you can with what you have.
If rule number one is about what to do when you have all of your facilities and abilities, then rule number two is about what to do when you don't. This rule is focussed upon doing things that you are able to do at the time. If you can't walk comfortably, find something that is sitting down to do, and so on. It is also about maximising the usefulness of the abilities that you have at all times, this way you will always be getting the maximum amount out of your day.
3. Any exercise which gets you to move and helps you to continue to move is great.
One of the biggest problems with FM is that if you start on the downward spiral it is very difficult to recover from it. This rule is about keeping your mobility and maintaining it. Excercise is important for keeping mobile and simple things such as walking and doing simple physical activities will improve your health. Obviously running marathons and excessive exercise in the beginning is not such a good idea, you need to ease into things.
4. Find your limits and push them.
Everyone has limits. Some of these limits are imposed upon them involuntarily, and some are imposed voluntarily. Both of these sets of limits can be pushed within reason. If you think that you cannot do something and never try to do it, you never will. This is self-limiting. On the other hand, if you try something and find a limitation there is something that can be pushed until the real edge is found and you will have made progress. This limits should be pushed carefully and with consideration for consequences.
5. A little advancement is better than none at all. Aim for 105%.
Little advances are better than big ones as little advances are progressive and one can be stacked upon the next, and before you know it the large advance is made, even if only made a little at a time. The idea of 105% is in order to stretch your limits and improve them. If you only go to 100% you will end up with the same limit as you started. If you push for a little bit more, over time your limitations will improve and be further along. Steady improvement is much better for you than over-reaching yourself.
6. If you push it too much today, remember you will pay for it later.
Burn-out, what a nuisance. This is the result of pushing things a little too hard. You need to know that if you attempt to push way beyond your limits you will end up paying for it later. This can result in some extended downtime, but this being said if you are prepared to do this and it makes you feel good to push your limits do so. This is one that I am personally guilty of on a regular basis. I get going, have too much fun and then don't know when I should have stopped. I then pay for it afterwards.
7. Don't feel guilty about taking a rest when you need one.
This one applies to everyone, regardless if you are completely healthy or not so much. Rest time is important. This is how we build our energy to deal with the next day, next task, next event or whatever. If you do not take the time to rest you will not perform at your peak. Listen to your body and what it is trying to tell you. Have a break, you will feel better for it afterward. Just remember not to stay on the break too long.
8. Respect, do not fear pain.
There is a guage that I use which puts fear of pain on one end, disregard on the other and respect right in the middle. If you fear pain then you will never attempt to push yourself as as soon as it hurts you will stop, this just may be from fatigue. On the other end of things if you keep pushing yourself even though you are in real pain you can do yourself some real damage and this is to be avoided also. Understand that if you push things then it will hurt, for the most part this will just be due to fatigue, just don't push it too far. If you are getting pain beyond fatigue then you really need to stop.
9. If you don't use it, you will lose it.
FM like all forms of arthritis and similar conditions locks joins and restricts movements. If you let your condition dictate to you, you will end up less able to move. You need to be doing some sort of gentle exercise at least in order to keep your movement up. If you fail to do this you can end up being worse than you were before. The only thing that will keep you mobile is if you move. The only thing that will keep your joints operating is to use them.
10. Recovery is a long road, but it will be worth it in the end.
Recovery takes a long time and if you rush things you can put yourself back further than you were before. It is important that you take your time to recover in order to make your recovery effective. This being said, you also need to be doing things as you are recovering in order to maintain your recovery. Once again it is a balance between doing not enough and doing too much. If you put effort into making your recovery effective you will thank yourself in the end.
These 10 rules are pretty simple and their explanations are also. I have found it useful to keep these rules in the back of my head. This way you are always considering what you are doing. In effect each person should make up a similar list of rules for themselves, this way they can be modified to suit the individual. I have given an example of a list which I have found works for me for the physical aspects, you can even have a list of rules for each area in your life, and they do not all have to go together and they can contradict one another, they only have to make sense to you.
Cheers,
Henry.
It has been a while since I have written anything in my blog and for those who have been particularly interested in reading what I have to say, I am sorry. I got to the situation where giving simple updates on my current state of health just was not appropriate to my aim for this blog. For those who have been keeping up, my chest is much better and has improved a lot with excercise and physiotherapy. Now on to the topic at hand...
This particular blog is about 10 rules that I do my best to apply when dealing with my fibromyalgia (FM). What I will do with regard to this is not just simply list them and let people work out what I am saying, but write a small paragraph about each in explanation for each one. The first thing that needs to be realised with regard to these rules is that they are rather general and mostly aimed at the physical aspects of life and especially exercise. This being said, they can apply to less physical things as well.
1. Do what you can when you can.
Rule number one. This is about not having too strict deadlines because you never know what is around the corner. It is also about making the best out of a good situation and achieving all that you can when you are able to do things. When you are feeling your best you should try to achieve the best that you can. This rule is also about not pushing things too hard.
2. Do what you can with what you have.
If rule number one is about what to do when you have all of your facilities and abilities, then rule number two is about what to do when you don't. This rule is focussed upon doing things that you are able to do at the time. If you can't walk comfortably, find something that is sitting down to do, and so on. It is also about maximising the usefulness of the abilities that you have at all times, this way you will always be getting the maximum amount out of your day.
3. Any exercise which gets you to move and helps you to continue to move is great.
One of the biggest problems with FM is that if you start on the downward spiral it is very difficult to recover from it. This rule is about keeping your mobility and maintaining it. Excercise is important for keeping mobile and simple things such as walking and doing simple physical activities will improve your health. Obviously running marathons and excessive exercise in the beginning is not such a good idea, you need to ease into things.
4. Find your limits and push them.
Everyone has limits. Some of these limits are imposed upon them involuntarily, and some are imposed voluntarily. Both of these sets of limits can be pushed within reason. If you think that you cannot do something and never try to do it, you never will. This is self-limiting. On the other hand, if you try something and find a limitation there is something that can be pushed until the real edge is found and you will have made progress. This limits should be pushed carefully and with consideration for consequences.
5. A little advancement is better than none at all. Aim for 105%.
Little advances are better than big ones as little advances are progressive and one can be stacked upon the next, and before you know it the large advance is made, even if only made a little at a time. The idea of 105% is in order to stretch your limits and improve them. If you only go to 100% you will end up with the same limit as you started. If you push for a little bit more, over time your limitations will improve and be further along. Steady improvement is much better for you than over-reaching yourself.
6. If you push it too much today, remember you will pay for it later.
Burn-out, what a nuisance. This is the result of pushing things a little too hard. You need to know that if you attempt to push way beyond your limits you will end up paying for it later. This can result in some extended downtime, but this being said if you are prepared to do this and it makes you feel good to push your limits do so. This is one that I am personally guilty of on a regular basis. I get going, have too much fun and then don't know when I should have stopped. I then pay for it afterwards.
7. Don't feel guilty about taking a rest when you need one.
This one applies to everyone, regardless if you are completely healthy or not so much. Rest time is important. This is how we build our energy to deal with the next day, next task, next event or whatever. If you do not take the time to rest you will not perform at your peak. Listen to your body and what it is trying to tell you. Have a break, you will feel better for it afterward. Just remember not to stay on the break too long.
8. Respect, do not fear pain.
There is a guage that I use which puts fear of pain on one end, disregard on the other and respect right in the middle. If you fear pain then you will never attempt to push yourself as as soon as it hurts you will stop, this just may be from fatigue. On the other end of things if you keep pushing yourself even though you are in real pain you can do yourself some real damage and this is to be avoided also. Understand that if you push things then it will hurt, for the most part this will just be due to fatigue, just don't push it too far. If you are getting pain beyond fatigue then you really need to stop.
9. If you don't use it, you will lose it.
FM like all forms of arthritis and similar conditions locks joins and restricts movements. If you let your condition dictate to you, you will end up less able to move. You need to be doing some sort of gentle exercise at least in order to keep your movement up. If you fail to do this you can end up being worse than you were before. The only thing that will keep you mobile is if you move. The only thing that will keep your joints operating is to use them.
10. Recovery is a long road, but it will be worth it in the end.
Recovery takes a long time and if you rush things you can put yourself back further than you were before. It is important that you take your time to recover in order to make your recovery effective. This being said, you also need to be doing things as you are recovering in order to maintain your recovery. Once again it is a balance between doing not enough and doing too much. If you put effort into making your recovery effective you will thank yourself in the end.
These 10 rules are pretty simple and their explanations are also. I have found it useful to keep these rules in the back of my head. This way you are always considering what you are doing. In effect each person should make up a similar list of rules for themselves, this way they can be modified to suit the individual. I have given an example of a list which I have found works for me for the physical aspects, you can even have a list of rules for each area in your life, and they do not all have to go together and they can contradict one another, they only have to make sense to you.
Cheers,
Henry.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Four Physiotherapy Sessions Later
Greetings,
In my last post I mentioned that I was beginning to see a physiotherapist about doing something about the damage done to my chest. This is really the first development toward progression that I can talk about. The medication worked on the symptoms of the problem it is true, but the physiotherapy seems to be making some real progress.
I have been for four sessions with the physiotherapist. I have been given movement exercises to do and have been having various techniques applied to various parts of my body. I can say for sure that there has indeed been progress. I have actually been feeling an increase in movement in the area. Of course the weather of late being cold has not helped things particularly much, but I feel that I would be feeling a lot worse than if I had not been going.
One of the big things that we have been working on his my posture. I am now standing up more straight than I used to be and it is helping a great deal. I have noticed improvements in other areas thanks to this actually. I can now sit and work at my computer a little longer, and sitting for extended periods of time is causing less problems than it used to. These are small improvements, but still significant.
The other major area that the physiotherapist and I have been working on is getting some muscle tone into my right shoulder in order to place my shoulder blade back up against my chest wall where it should be. It actually stands out a bit and the exercises that I have been given are designed to assist with this. This is in turn working on muscles in the front of my chest around the area and improving things in that particular area.
I am hoping that with continued maintenance and stretching and the exercises I may eventually be able to finally solve an issue and improve my current condition, well at least back to how I used to be. I can tell you for free that there are no miracle cures, but if you are willing to put in the work which is required in order to improve yourself, the benefits from this are great. I am even considering some more physio after the chest has improved in order to focus more on a fitness increasing regime to improve things overall.
Cheers,
Henry.
In my last post I mentioned that I was beginning to see a physiotherapist about doing something about the damage done to my chest. This is really the first development toward progression that I can talk about. The medication worked on the symptoms of the problem it is true, but the physiotherapy seems to be making some real progress.
I have been for four sessions with the physiotherapist. I have been given movement exercises to do and have been having various techniques applied to various parts of my body. I can say for sure that there has indeed been progress. I have actually been feeling an increase in movement in the area. Of course the weather of late being cold has not helped things particularly much, but I feel that I would be feeling a lot worse than if I had not been going.
One of the big things that we have been working on his my posture. I am now standing up more straight than I used to be and it is helping a great deal. I have noticed improvements in other areas thanks to this actually. I can now sit and work at my computer a little longer, and sitting for extended periods of time is causing less problems than it used to. These are small improvements, but still significant.
The other major area that the physiotherapist and I have been working on is getting some muscle tone into my right shoulder in order to place my shoulder blade back up against my chest wall where it should be. It actually stands out a bit and the exercises that I have been given are designed to assist with this. This is in turn working on muscles in the front of my chest around the area and improving things in that particular area.
I am hoping that with continued maintenance and stretching and the exercises I may eventually be able to finally solve an issue and improve my current condition, well at least back to how I used to be. I can tell you for free that there are no miracle cures, but if you are willing to put in the work which is required in order to improve yourself, the benefits from this are great. I am even considering some more physio after the chest has improved in order to focus more on a fitness increasing regime to improve things overall.
Cheers,
Henry.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
8 June 2010 - Progression at Last!
Greetings,
I know it has been a while since I have posted anything, well finally I have some news and some good news at that. I went to my new physiotherapist today as part of a program I have been put on in order to improve things for me. Seems that there is actually a cause for the "chest issue" that I have been having over the past months.
About a month and a half before my chest started causing some real issues I cracked a rib while fencing. Once again, my own stupid fault not parrying properly and impaling myself on my opponent's weapon. Of course that meant six weeks of pretty much no fencing at all. Only a few days after that I went to a fencing event and pretty much fenced for about six hours with very little break, not very smart, but a lot of fun.
Of course the lack of activity followed by an extensive amount of activity was bound to cause issues, and I expected that. I expected to be out of action for a couple of days after the event, I did not expect that it would have longer lasting effects. Well it seems that to compensate for the lack of activity, the joints from the sternum to the ribs tightened up along with the muscles associated, leading to the "chest issue".
So, I am off to the physiotherapist for some sessions to get the muscles and joints moving again, and thus bring back my activity level and comfort. What I am hoping is if I can convince the physiotherapist that giving me exercises pointed toward fencing would be an awesome idea. I will just have to see how it all goes. For now it is doing some exercises targeted at the particular area and working on my posture.
I am back again to the physio in the next couple of days and hopefully I will have another progress report for you all. Looks like things are finally looking up for me, which is a nice change. I am thinking with a little work, I may actually be able to progress toward some real improvements in my condition. I am not expecting to it all to "cure" me, but I am sure as hell going to do what I can to improve things for myself. If I can at least get some flexibility back and some movement I will be much happier.
Cheers,
Henry.
I know it has been a while since I have posted anything, well finally I have some news and some good news at that. I went to my new physiotherapist today as part of a program I have been put on in order to improve things for me. Seems that there is actually a cause for the "chest issue" that I have been having over the past months.
About a month and a half before my chest started causing some real issues I cracked a rib while fencing. Once again, my own stupid fault not parrying properly and impaling myself on my opponent's weapon. Of course that meant six weeks of pretty much no fencing at all. Only a few days after that I went to a fencing event and pretty much fenced for about six hours with very little break, not very smart, but a lot of fun.
Of course the lack of activity followed by an extensive amount of activity was bound to cause issues, and I expected that. I expected to be out of action for a couple of days after the event, I did not expect that it would have longer lasting effects. Well it seems that to compensate for the lack of activity, the joints from the sternum to the ribs tightened up along with the muscles associated, leading to the "chest issue".
So, I am off to the physiotherapist for some sessions to get the muscles and joints moving again, and thus bring back my activity level and comfort. What I am hoping is if I can convince the physiotherapist that giving me exercises pointed toward fencing would be an awesome idea. I will just have to see how it all goes. For now it is doing some exercises targeted at the particular area and working on my posture.
I am back again to the physio in the next couple of days and hopefully I will have another progress report for you all. Looks like things are finally looking up for me, which is a nice change. I am thinking with a little work, I may actually be able to progress toward some real improvements in my condition. I am not expecting to it all to "cure" me, but I am sure as hell going to do what I can to improve things for myself. If I can at least get some flexibility back and some movement I will be much happier.
Cheers,
Henry.
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Two Sufferers
Greetings,
First a little update. Nothing has been found by X-ray, ultra-sound or blood test that gives any definitive explanation for the long-term pain in my chest. The result of this is that it has been a little difficult to deal with the particular problem. Most recently the options were lined up for me by the doctor: 1) injection of cortisone and local anesthetic into the area; 2) physiotherapy in order to possibly strengthen the area; 3) quitting fencing as it may be a repetitive strain injury; and 4) doing nothing and just hoping it will go away with time. I am happy to tell you that options 3 and 4 have been taken off the table by both of us. Needless to say I have a referral for physiotherapy. Anyway, on to the blog.
I have found in my travels there are two types of sufferers of fibromyalgia and how they deal with the condition does directly affect their lives and the quality of it. I am going to present these two types of sufferers and describe how they deal with having fibromyalgia. I am hoping that this may give some people some idea about how to deal with the condition or possibly help a friend or loved one about how to deal with the condition. You will also find that this is closely related to the previous blog.
The first type of sufferer of fibromyalgia is afraid of pain simply put. What this means is that they will do all in their control in order to avoid putting themselves into a situation where pain may happen. For these individuals, pain and fatigue associated with doing things is very scary for them so they tend to not do very much or go out very much. They bundle themselves up and hide from the world in order that it cannot hurt them. These people don't tend to do very much with themselves, and in some situations they do less and less.
The second type of sufferer of fibromyalgia is not afraid of pain. They know it makes them uncomfortable, but they can put themselves in a situation where pain may happen. These individuals go out and do things. These individuals do not allow the condition to rule what they will or will not do just because of the result if they do it. These are the individuals who you may not know even have the condition because of the things that they go out and do and are seen doing. They know that the result of activity may be a period of inactivity, but feel that the activity is worth it.
Of course there are grades of both. There are some who have a little of both in them, or more of one than the other. There are also extreme examples of both. The extreme example of the first type is the one who does not leave their home unless they have to and does the absolute minimum required in order to survive. The extreme example of the second one is the individual who constantly pushes and pushes their body to the breaking point and beyond. This often results in a high activity and crash style of existence.
It is important that the person with fibromyalgia understands that pain and fatigue will be a part of their life, but are not scared of it. In my personal opinion it is much better to be one of the second type rather than the first type as you will get to see and do a great deal more. Of course, this must be balanced with periods of rest in order to be able to continue to do things and this is important. What also needs to be realised is that if you do an activity and push it to 5% more than you did last time you can only improve.
For those who have the first type of sufferer as friends or loved ones, encourage them to do things. Remind them that maximum activity is not expected to start with, get them to find things that they can do and then do a little more and a little more. I feel that this will eventually improve their quality of life. Get them to look at what they have achieved when they have improved, this may spur them to do more, and thus get motivation in order to gain a better quality of life.
Cheers,
Henry.
First a little update. Nothing has been found by X-ray, ultra-sound or blood test that gives any definitive explanation for the long-term pain in my chest. The result of this is that it has been a little difficult to deal with the particular problem. Most recently the options were lined up for me by the doctor: 1) injection of cortisone and local anesthetic into the area; 2) physiotherapy in order to possibly strengthen the area; 3) quitting fencing as it may be a repetitive strain injury; and 4) doing nothing and just hoping it will go away with time. I am happy to tell you that options 3 and 4 have been taken off the table by both of us. Needless to say I have a referral for physiotherapy. Anyway, on to the blog.
I have found in my travels there are two types of sufferers of fibromyalgia and how they deal with the condition does directly affect their lives and the quality of it. I am going to present these two types of sufferers and describe how they deal with having fibromyalgia. I am hoping that this may give some people some idea about how to deal with the condition or possibly help a friend or loved one about how to deal with the condition. You will also find that this is closely related to the previous blog.
The first type of sufferer of fibromyalgia is afraid of pain simply put. What this means is that they will do all in their control in order to avoid putting themselves into a situation where pain may happen. For these individuals, pain and fatigue associated with doing things is very scary for them so they tend to not do very much or go out very much. They bundle themselves up and hide from the world in order that it cannot hurt them. These people don't tend to do very much with themselves, and in some situations they do less and less.
The second type of sufferer of fibromyalgia is not afraid of pain. They know it makes them uncomfortable, but they can put themselves in a situation where pain may happen. These individuals go out and do things. These individuals do not allow the condition to rule what they will or will not do just because of the result if they do it. These are the individuals who you may not know even have the condition because of the things that they go out and do and are seen doing. They know that the result of activity may be a period of inactivity, but feel that the activity is worth it.
Of course there are grades of both. There are some who have a little of both in them, or more of one than the other. There are also extreme examples of both. The extreme example of the first type is the one who does not leave their home unless they have to and does the absolute minimum required in order to survive. The extreme example of the second one is the individual who constantly pushes and pushes their body to the breaking point and beyond. This often results in a high activity and crash style of existence.
It is important that the person with fibromyalgia understands that pain and fatigue will be a part of their life, but are not scared of it. In my personal opinion it is much better to be one of the second type rather than the first type as you will get to see and do a great deal more. Of course, this must be balanced with periods of rest in order to be able to continue to do things and this is important. What also needs to be realised is that if you do an activity and push it to 5% more than you did last time you can only improve.
For those who have the first type of sufferer as friends or loved ones, encourage them to do things. Remind them that maximum activity is not expected to start with, get them to find things that they can do and then do a little more and a little more. I feel that this will eventually improve their quality of life. Get them to look at what they have achieved when they have improved, this may spur them to do more, and thus get motivation in order to gain a better quality of life.
Cheers,
Henry.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
