Friday, April 5, 2013
Master of the Six Ps
Greetings,
Yes, I know the title for this one is a little odd but there will be an explanation of what I am talking about very shortly. For starters, this particular entry is all about preparation. Preparation is important in many different facets of our lives.
The six P's are as such: "Proper Preparation Prevents Piss-Poor Performance" and it is the concept which goes with this that I am attempting to master. This is obviously a long-term project and applies not only to my fencing, which takes up a big part of my life, but many other parts of life. It is a statement which was made by my father some time ago. I thought, at the time that it was an awesome saying, and needless to say it has stuck in my head.
So, time for a bit of examination. For starters we look at the concept behind it. It points toward what a person does before an event in order that the event goes off properly. However, underlying this particular idea is also the point that if the event does not go off, there is the high likelihood that the person only has their self to blame for the outcome. These two are the important elements overall, but it is also useful to look a little closer.
The statement could have said "Preparation Prevents Piss-Poor Performance", but this would not be as accurate. We can prepare for an event of any kind, be it an examination, a tournament of some kind, or a performance piece. The level of preparation is important we can prepare a little and brush over the important bits, and this can lead to a substandard performance. This highlights the importance of proper preparation. It is proper preparation which is of the greatest use in preparing for an event.
The next part to look at is the word "Prevents". The word "prevents" implies that the thing goes a great deal toward something not happening. However it is important that it is not complete. There are things in our lives which we cannot control which can affect a performance. For an outside performance, the weather is a big factor in this one. Of course, it could be argued that a wet-weather back-up plan could be part of the preparation. There are things we cannot control, injury, illness and family issues, all of these things can affect the performance, and in some cases whether it happens or not. What this does say is that proper preparation puts you in the greatest position, for elements you can control, to succeed.
With a little more focus on the medical side of things, making sure that the appropriate medications are taken at the correct times goes a long way to ensuring that the day works out. In some ways it can be argued that the taking of such medication is the proper preparation for the performance of the next day. For the individual with fibromyalgia preparation can be difficult. However, we all know the signs of a bad day coming up, the creeping pain issues building and general feelings of not being well. In the case of preparation in these cases it is ensuring that there is nothing important planned for that day, or cancelling it if there is.
I am still in the process of mastering the Six Ps, but I can guarantee that life gets easier the more that you are prepared for things. Hell, preventative preparation counts on this one. Of course we can never take into account everything that may happen, but there is a lot that we can examine and take into account. Preparation helps with regard to this. Putting in the preparation even if the event does not happen is a good thing as it gets you used to the idea, and will make things easier for you in the long-run.
Cheers,
Henry.
Monday, March 25, 2013
The Inevitable Crash
Greetings,
Well, I have been cruising now for a couple of weeks doing stuff at home and with regard to several projects. This is not to mention my usual training sessions that I am involved in. All in all I have made some progress over the past couple of weeks, but I know what is coming around the corner... the crash.
The crash for me is usually the result of pushing myself a little hard for a single burst or over a period of time. For the most part in this instance it is the second one. This one has been building up for some time and I have been putting off the rest-breaks I should really have been having. What does this mean? This means I am going to pay for it in the not too distant future. It will probably result in some severe down-time for a couple of days while I recuperate.
At the moment I am putting this one off until after Easter. I have an examination to test in Renaissance fencing to do down near Gosford. My accommodation has been paid as has my flight down so all I have to do is hold this off until I get back and it will all be good. Of course this is going to have to result in some "artificial buoyancy" for the period, mainly consisting of more sugar and caffeine in my system while I am up and the possible increase of some pain medications overnight. Why would I do this to myself you would ask?
Because the effort is worth it. I would rather have some big high points in my life and have to put up with the lows that accompany it than just coast where it is comfortable. This is my nature I am stubborn and I refuse to let my condition determine what I will do in the future. I want to be able to do stuff now, and have the chance to do it again later. If this means that I have to pay for it... so be it. As far as I am concerned hitting the heights is most definitely worth the lows that accompany it.
Cheers,
Henry.
Well, I have been cruising now for a couple of weeks doing stuff at home and with regard to several projects. This is not to mention my usual training sessions that I am involved in. All in all I have made some progress over the past couple of weeks, but I know what is coming around the corner... the crash.
The crash for me is usually the result of pushing myself a little hard for a single burst or over a period of time. For the most part in this instance it is the second one. This one has been building up for some time and I have been putting off the rest-breaks I should really have been having. What does this mean? This means I am going to pay for it in the not too distant future. It will probably result in some severe down-time for a couple of days while I recuperate.
At the moment I am putting this one off until after Easter. I have an examination to test in Renaissance fencing to do down near Gosford. My accommodation has been paid as has my flight down so all I have to do is hold this off until I get back and it will all be good. Of course this is going to have to result in some "artificial buoyancy" for the period, mainly consisting of more sugar and caffeine in my system while I am up and the possible increase of some pain medications overnight. Why would I do this to myself you would ask?
Because the effort is worth it. I would rather have some big high points in my life and have to put up with the lows that accompany it than just coast where it is comfortable. This is my nature I am stubborn and I refuse to let my condition determine what I will do in the future. I want to be able to do stuff now, and have the chance to do it again later. If this means that I have to pay for it... so be it. As far as I am concerned hitting the heights is most definitely worth the lows that accompany it.
Cheers,
Henry.
Friday, March 15, 2013
On Goals and Successes
Greetings,
The following entry in this blog is sort of a way of explanation. A couple of days ago I made a post on Facebook and Google+. I will admit that I was a little short tempered at the time and a little unimpressed. So I will present the post below and then explain a little more of what I meant with regard to that expression. The post was as follows:
1. Figure out what you want to do
We all tend to muddle through life a little at least. I suspect that even with the most focused of minds there are times where the targets are a little blurry. This step is about regaining the focus and figuring out what you want to do with yourself. This lays the foundation for the following steps, and in some ways is one of the most important steps. If you don't know what you want to do it is difficult to set goals for yourself. An important point here is that this target can be small or large, near or far. This is a personal journey.
With regard to this, this is for people who want focus. There are those of us who are quite happy to coast through life. This is fine. This is for when the coasting stops in their case. There are those of us who devote our time to other people all of our time. This is for when they decide that they want to do something for themselves, whether or not this assists others or not. As I have stated, this is a personal journey.
2. Set your own goals and work toward them.
This follows on nicely from the last one. Once you figure out where you want to be, you need to set goals in order to get there. You need short-term goals and long-term goals. Once you have the goals you need to work toward them. Seems relatively simple really, however this can be tricky. If all the goals are long-distance or long-term it will be difficult to see how to get there. Remember that you also need short-term goals as well.
The second part of this is can be a difficult thing. People can set goals but if they do nothing afterward they should not be surprised that they cannot get there. Being a personal journey these goals should not be dependent on other people only ourselves. These are goals for yourself. Do not hinge them on the success of someone else, only your own successes. You need to work toward the goals.
3. Do not compare your successes to others as it is not a relevant reference for your goals.
Even when you are on a similar path, comparing your successes to another's is irrelevant. So a person achieves a goal that you were going for, this does not mean that you should not also go toward it still. So a fellow student out-performs you, this does not reference your goals as theirs are not yours. Your goals are yours to achieve, you are the only person who is relevant in achieving them.
Even more importantly, your goals may be smaller than their goals. This is nothing to be ashamed of. You do what you can. If your goals are small, there will be more of them. It is important that these small goals build to a bigger goal. You need to achieve your goals for yourself.
4. Even if these goals do not yield "real world" results your goals are just as important as people's goals which do.
Everyone likes to hear of goals which are achieved. We hear them on the news, "Professor Smith has found a cure to a disease.", "Joe Blogs has won gold at the Olympics" and so forth. I do not expect that any of the goals which I have achieved or will achieve will ever be noticed in this form. This does not bother me in the least.
Goals which get "real world" acclaim are important, but it does not mean that all goals need to be like this. Every goal is important at least at a personal level for the individual who achieves them. This success is more important than any amount of acclaim which a person gets from the outside. I suppose I need to give a little bit of personal detail here.
I have now been fencing in some form for 20 years. This is an achievement in itself. I have been doing Renaissance martial arts for almost as long with a medieval and Renaissance recreation society for almost as long. In that time I have risen to the top levels in that society. This is an achievement which took at least 10 years out of that 20 year stretch. I have been teaching Renaissance martial arts for some time as well and have had students also raise themselves to the high levels with my assistance. In the "real world" this does not mean much, but it is an achievement that I am proud of. These are my goals, they are important to me, and that is all they need to be important to.
5. Be brave enough to evaluate your own level of work truthfully as you have only one person to blame if you are not getting there.
Self-evaluation is important and is also one of the hardest things. Step 5 is all about being truthful about the amount of work you have put in in order to get your goals. This is about not blaming others for your own lack of success. The only person who can achieve your goals is you, and thus you are the only person who can put in the work to get there.
We need to evaluate our own progress toward our goals and find the reasons for why we are not getting there. In some instances it is because the goal is too far to evaluate the success. In some instances it is because the goal is a bit too big for what we are capable at that point in time. In some instances circumstances have made the situation not appropriate for that goal at that point in time. However we also have to admit that sometimes it is because we have not put in as much work as we should have. In all these instances we have to be honest and find out the real reasons.
Most Important
Most important of all, they are your goals, you have to set them, and you have to work toward them. This is one of those times where people can help you toward your goal but the work is going to have to primarily be done by you. Be honest in your evaluation of your goals and also your efforts toward your goals. Both of these are important.
Cheers,
Henry.
The following entry in this blog is sort of a way of explanation. A couple of days ago I made a post on Facebook and Google+. I will admit that I was a little short tempered at the time and a little unimpressed. So I will present the post below and then explain a little more of what I meant with regard to that expression. The post was as follows:
Just a short bitch... On Goals and SuccessesAs I stated, I was unimpressed at the time and now I have some time to look back at what I wrote and give a little more explanation as to what I meant by my five step plan. More to the point I can explain a little about what I have been doing with regard to my own.
1. Figure out what you want to do.
2. Set your own goals and go toward them.
3. Do not compare your successes to others as it is not a relevant reference for *your* goals.
4. Even if these goals do not yield "real world" results your goals are just as important as peoples' goals which do.
5. Be brave enough to evaluate your own level of work truthfully as you have only one person to blame if you are not getting there.
Sorry, I just needed to get this out of my system.
1. Figure out what you want to do
We all tend to muddle through life a little at least. I suspect that even with the most focused of minds there are times where the targets are a little blurry. This step is about regaining the focus and figuring out what you want to do with yourself. This lays the foundation for the following steps, and in some ways is one of the most important steps. If you don't know what you want to do it is difficult to set goals for yourself. An important point here is that this target can be small or large, near or far. This is a personal journey.
With regard to this, this is for people who want focus. There are those of us who are quite happy to coast through life. This is fine. This is for when the coasting stops in their case. There are those of us who devote our time to other people all of our time. This is for when they decide that they want to do something for themselves, whether or not this assists others or not. As I have stated, this is a personal journey.
2. Set your own goals and work toward them.
This follows on nicely from the last one. Once you figure out where you want to be, you need to set goals in order to get there. You need short-term goals and long-term goals. Once you have the goals you need to work toward them. Seems relatively simple really, however this can be tricky. If all the goals are long-distance or long-term it will be difficult to see how to get there. Remember that you also need short-term goals as well.
The second part of this is can be a difficult thing. People can set goals but if they do nothing afterward they should not be surprised that they cannot get there. Being a personal journey these goals should not be dependent on other people only ourselves. These are goals for yourself. Do not hinge them on the success of someone else, only your own successes. You need to work toward the goals.
3. Do not compare your successes to others as it is not a relevant reference for your goals.
Even when you are on a similar path, comparing your successes to another's is irrelevant. So a person achieves a goal that you were going for, this does not mean that you should not also go toward it still. So a fellow student out-performs you, this does not reference your goals as theirs are not yours. Your goals are yours to achieve, you are the only person who is relevant in achieving them.
Even more importantly, your goals may be smaller than their goals. This is nothing to be ashamed of. You do what you can. If your goals are small, there will be more of them. It is important that these small goals build to a bigger goal. You need to achieve your goals for yourself.
4. Even if these goals do not yield "real world" results your goals are just as important as people's goals which do.
Everyone likes to hear of goals which are achieved. We hear them on the news, "Professor Smith has found a cure to a disease.", "Joe Blogs has won gold at the Olympics" and so forth. I do not expect that any of the goals which I have achieved or will achieve will ever be noticed in this form. This does not bother me in the least.
Goals which get "real world" acclaim are important, but it does not mean that all goals need to be like this. Every goal is important at least at a personal level for the individual who achieves them. This success is more important than any amount of acclaim which a person gets from the outside. I suppose I need to give a little bit of personal detail here.
I have now been fencing in some form for 20 years. This is an achievement in itself. I have been doing Renaissance martial arts for almost as long with a medieval and Renaissance recreation society for almost as long. In that time I have risen to the top levels in that society. This is an achievement which took at least 10 years out of that 20 year stretch. I have been teaching Renaissance martial arts for some time as well and have had students also raise themselves to the high levels with my assistance. In the "real world" this does not mean much, but it is an achievement that I am proud of. These are my goals, they are important to me, and that is all they need to be important to.
5. Be brave enough to evaluate your own level of work truthfully as you have only one person to blame if you are not getting there.
Self-evaluation is important and is also one of the hardest things. Step 5 is all about being truthful about the amount of work you have put in in order to get your goals. This is about not blaming others for your own lack of success. The only person who can achieve your goals is you, and thus you are the only person who can put in the work to get there.
We need to evaluate our own progress toward our goals and find the reasons for why we are not getting there. In some instances it is because the goal is too far to evaluate the success. In some instances it is because the goal is a bit too big for what we are capable at that point in time. In some instances circumstances have made the situation not appropriate for that goal at that point in time. However we also have to admit that sometimes it is because we have not put in as much work as we should have. In all these instances we have to be honest and find out the real reasons.
Most Important
Most important of all, they are your goals, you have to set them, and you have to work toward them. This is one of those times where people can help you toward your goal but the work is going to have to primarily be done by you. Be honest in your evaluation of your goals and also your efforts toward your goals. Both of these are important.
Cheers,
Henry.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
FM for Others
Greetings,
The idea of what other people can do to help a person with fibromyalgia has been something which has been rattling around in my head of late. This mainly comes from a point of people not understanding what having FM is like and also not understanding about what a person with fibromyalgia really wants in the way of support. In some ways this comes from not understanding the condition itself, but it is not just that.
Dealing with someone with a chronic condition is difficult for others most especially where they do not understand what the person wants. It is even more difficult where the person with the condition is unable to articulate what is going on or what they want. In this way it is really a two-way street in that information needs to be flowing in both directions for real understanding. With this situation in play, it is of little surprise that people get frustrated, on both sides.
So I will start with something simple. A person (friend or family) with FM approaches you and looks like they are not doing well at that time. As well as many of us have learnt to hide our pain, there is still evidence of it present. You ask how they are doing, they give you a list of what hurts and in what way (if you are lucky). Here is where people go wrong, it is not sympathy that the person wants here, they want some understanding and empathy. This is a not a competition for the "Mine hurts more than yours" trophy. You will find that empathising with the person will do a lot more for them than sympathy.
One of the greatest things about FM is the feeling of being alone. When a person empathises with them with regard to their condition, and they can see even a glimmer of understanding, the individual with the FM can see that they are not alone, and will begin to feel better. This is really simple but really useful. Sympathy is like a pat on the head and a pass off to the next topic. Empathy is engagement with another person with a degree of understanding and this is so much more useful.
The feeling of being alone also affects other things especially where it comes to getting support which can aid them. The feeling of being isolated means that many develop tough skins and become highly independent individuals. Used to struggling alone and dealing with what they can. This independence unfortunately also makes it difficult for them to ask for help, even when it is really needed. This is where some of the understanding which was mentioned before becomes even more important.
If it is your first time dealing with a person with a chronic condition knowing what to do and when is hard. This is because it is difficult to understand what is going on with the individual. It is at this time that engagement on your part is necessary, remember the point about empathy made before. Once you understand what is going on it is easier to see the signs where help would be appreciated, even if it is not asked for.
It is surprising but at this point in time, it is where the small things help. Getting an item, or volunteering to do so is helpful. Even if the request is denied, once again there is the feeling of not being alone as indicated above. Many people with FM have issues with asking for help due to some of the stigma attached to the condition, so they will often struggle, or simply do without. Small amounts of assistance go a long way at this point in time. Simple things will all person to understand that help is out there and all they have to do is ask. This may take some time though.
Most of the highly independent individuals will push until they cannot, and even at this point in time will deny help, it is at this point in time if help is denied, it may help to be a little forceful in your approach. Encouraging the help will often break through such stubbornness and make the individual realise that it is okay to ask for help, or even accept it.
This is a rather rough guide for dealing with an individual with FM. It can also apply to people with other conditions also. Many of these individuals will not ask for help, but when it is offered will take it, or understand that they are not alone. Remember it is understanding that these people want, a degree of empathy. Sympathy is a stop-gap measure, empathy and understanding are much more useful and give much more aid.
Cheers,
Henry.
The idea of what other people can do to help a person with fibromyalgia has been something which has been rattling around in my head of late. This mainly comes from a point of people not understanding what having FM is like and also not understanding about what a person with fibromyalgia really wants in the way of support. In some ways this comes from not understanding the condition itself, but it is not just that.
Dealing with someone with a chronic condition is difficult for others most especially where they do not understand what the person wants. It is even more difficult where the person with the condition is unable to articulate what is going on or what they want. In this way it is really a two-way street in that information needs to be flowing in both directions for real understanding. With this situation in play, it is of little surprise that people get frustrated, on both sides.
So I will start with something simple. A person (friend or family) with FM approaches you and looks like they are not doing well at that time. As well as many of us have learnt to hide our pain, there is still evidence of it present. You ask how they are doing, they give you a list of what hurts and in what way (if you are lucky). Here is where people go wrong, it is not sympathy that the person wants here, they want some understanding and empathy. This is a not a competition for the "Mine hurts more than yours" trophy. You will find that empathising with the person will do a lot more for them than sympathy.
One of the greatest things about FM is the feeling of being alone. When a person empathises with them with regard to their condition, and they can see even a glimmer of understanding, the individual with the FM can see that they are not alone, and will begin to feel better. This is really simple but really useful. Sympathy is like a pat on the head and a pass off to the next topic. Empathy is engagement with another person with a degree of understanding and this is so much more useful.
The feeling of being alone also affects other things especially where it comes to getting support which can aid them. The feeling of being isolated means that many develop tough skins and become highly independent individuals. Used to struggling alone and dealing with what they can. This independence unfortunately also makes it difficult for them to ask for help, even when it is really needed. This is where some of the understanding which was mentioned before becomes even more important.
If it is your first time dealing with a person with a chronic condition knowing what to do and when is hard. This is because it is difficult to understand what is going on with the individual. It is at this time that engagement on your part is necessary, remember the point about empathy made before. Once you understand what is going on it is easier to see the signs where help would be appreciated, even if it is not asked for.
It is surprising but at this point in time, it is where the small things help. Getting an item, or volunteering to do so is helpful. Even if the request is denied, once again there is the feeling of not being alone as indicated above. Many people with FM have issues with asking for help due to some of the stigma attached to the condition, so they will often struggle, or simply do without. Small amounts of assistance go a long way at this point in time. Simple things will all person to understand that help is out there and all they have to do is ask. This may take some time though.
Most of the highly independent individuals will push until they cannot, and even at this point in time will deny help, it is at this point in time if help is denied, it may help to be a little forceful in your approach. Encouraging the help will often break through such stubbornness and make the individual realise that it is okay to ask for help, or even accept it.
This is a rather rough guide for dealing with an individual with FM. It can also apply to people with other conditions also. Many of these individuals will not ask for help, but when it is offered will take it, or understand that they are not alone. Remember it is understanding that these people want, a degree of empathy. Sympathy is a stop-gap measure, empathy and understanding are much more useful and give much more aid.
Cheers,
Henry.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Doing Stuff
Greetings Readers,
So, the title of this one is really specific... NOT. This one is about how I deal with my condition in general and some ideas about the implementation of some of the other stuff which I have already spoken about previously. You will have to excuse the format a little as I am going to do this all off the top of my head while the ideas are flowing.
First thing about doing stuff is that it is important. It is important that you find things to do. Do not expect other people to find things for you to do, though they will in some cases. You need to find something that you want to do that is going to motivate you. This needs to be something that you are interested in and something that you are not easily distracted from. In my case I have two things, writing and fencing, or as Miyamoto Musashi would put it "the art of the pen and sword". The two work really well together.
I have all sorts of projects on the run. Some of these are for the benefit of others in the long run and some of them I am doing because I am simply interested in doing them. I will admit even the ones which are for others I do because I am also interested in them. What is really neat is when I can link on to the other.
Blogs, I have three. I have this one, I have one on fencing (http://afencersramblings.blogspot.com.au/), and I have one on Elizabethan English (http://oldewordes.blogspot.com.au/). These are designed to encourage me to write. This blog is the most personal one of the lot. The other two are more formal, though the most formal one is the Elizabethan English, for the most part. The blogs cover three different subjects and I try to make regular posts on all of them. As can be seen this ties in with my fencing... and even more than you would realise.
To be more specific I study Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) rather than modern sport fencing. This means the instructions which I read, and techniques which result from this, come from manuals from the medieval and Renaissance period. Thus rather than a foil, epee, or sabre, my primary weapon is a rapier, though I have been investigating a bit of longsword here and there. I have found this pursuit, which I started some 20 years ago, has assisted in keeping me motivated, and more to the point my FM more under control. This is because it is movement and has me being motivated relied upon it. I have fought from a chair when my legs were giving me trouble due to the FM, this is either the definition of motivation or being too stubborn for my own good.
My interest in the English of the Elizabethan period should be a little obvious, aside from the fact that I am a history nut and enjoy reading about history, more focused on medieval and Renaissance more recently. I have one particular manual which I have been studying for quite some time, Vincentio Saviolo's "His Practice in Two Books" (http://www.umass.edu/renaissance/lord/pdfs/Saviolo_1595.pdf). No surprise it was published in 1595 and thus written in Elizabethan English. I am studying Elizabethan English in effect so I can understand the language better in order to decipher this manual better in order to be able to perform it better.
I have found that staying active in some form allows me to better cope with my FM and my level of fitness and health as been at least maintained, if not improved, because of this activity. Sure there are days when fencing is out, so I tend to do more research. Sure there are days when both are out, and that is time to rest. Rest is something which we all need. The point is that when it is available, and you can, you should do something with yourself, I have no doubts that this will make you feel better about yourself at least if not improve your condition.
Hey, I am not claiming that my approach works for everyone, nor am I claiming that this is some miracle cure, what I am saying is that you should give it a go and see how it goes. The feeling of accomplishment, no matter how small is an awesome feeling and it can only be good for you. Your mental state is important and constructive things which you can do to improve it can only be good.
Cheers,
Henry.
So, the title of this one is really specific... NOT. This one is about how I deal with my condition in general and some ideas about the implementation of some of the other stuff which I have already spoken about previously. You will have to excuse the format a little as I am going to do this all off the top of my head while the ideas are flowing.
First thing about doing stuff is that it is important. It is important that you find things to do. Do not expect other people to find things for you to do, though they will in some cases. You need to find something that you want to do that is going to motivate you. This needs to be something that you are interested in and something that you are not easily distracted from. In my case I have two things, writing and fencing, or as Miyamoto Musashi would put it "the art of the pen and sword". The two work really well together.
I have all sorts of projects on the run. Some of these are for the benefit of others in the long run and some of them I am doing because I am simply interested in doing them. I will admit even the ones which are for others I do because I am also interested in them. What is really neat is when I can link on to the other.
Blogs, I have three. I have this one, I have one on fencing (http://afencersramblings.blogspot.com.au/), and I have one on Elizabethan English (http://oldewordes.blogspot.com.au/). These are designed to encourage me to write. This blog is the most personal one of the lot. The other two are more formal, though the most formal one is the Elizabethan English, for the most part. The blogs cover three different subjects and I try to make regular posts on all of them. As can be seen this ties in with my fencing... and even more than you would realise.
To be more specific I study Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) rather than modern sport fencing. This means the instructions which I read, and techniques which result from this, come from manuals from the medieval and Renaissance period. Thus rather than a foil, epee, or sabre, my primary weapon is a rapier, though I have been investigating a bit of longsword here and there. I have found this pursuit, which I started some 20 years ago, has assisted in keeping me motivated, and more to the point my FM more under control. This is because it is movement and has me being motivated relied upon it. I have fought from a chair when my legs were giving me trouble due to the FM, this is either the definition of motivation or being too stubborn for my own good.
My interest in the English of the Elizabethan period should be a little obvious, aside from the fact that I am a history nut and enjoy reading about history, more focused on medieval and Renaissance more recently. I have one particular manual which I have been studying for quite some time, Vincentio Saviolo's "His Practice in Two Books" (http://www.umass.edu/renaissance/lord/pdfs/Saviolo_1595.pdf). No surprise it was published in 1595 and thus written in Elizabethan English. I am studying Elizabethan English in effect so I can understand the language better in order to decipher this manual better in order to be able to perform it better.
I have found that staying active in some form allows me to better cope with my FM and my level of fitness and health as been at least maintained, if not improved, because of this activity. Sure there are days when fencing is out, so I tend to do more research. Sure there are days when both are out, and that is time to rest. Rest is something which we all need. The point is that when it is available, and you can, you should do something with yourself, I have no doubts that this will make you feel better about yourself at least if not improve your condition.
Hey, I am not claiming that my approach works for everyone, nor am I claiming that this is some miracle cure, what I am saying is that you should give it a go and see how it goes. The feeling of accomplishment, no matter how small is an awesome feeling and it can only be good for you. Your mental state is important and constructive things which you can do to improve it can only be good.
Cheers,
Henry.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Best Things I Did for My FM...
Greetings,
So, I have been adding to my blog with reasonable regularity of late. I have decided that this is just not good because I keep losing subjects in the meantime. I have thus decided that I am going to treat this blog the same way that my Fibromyalgia treats me, with complete random. No more regular blogs I am just going to write when I feel the urge or find a subject. To this, my first one is actually a little back "on track" with the original idea of the blog.
So the post is called, Best Things I Did for My FM. Most importantly these are things that I did rather than things that other people did for me. If you have this condition you need to help yourself. No one is going to do it all for you. Sure, people can help you along the way, but the real stuff you have to do yourself. This requires motivation, and it requires courage.
Ironically this is actually a list of things but I will be focusing on a couple in this one. Most obviously, I found a doctor who actually believed me that there was actually something wrong. He actually looked at my medical history and what I actually did and devised a medical plan of how to deal with things from his end. What is even better this changes depending on my needs at the time, thus the program is flexible. So find a doctor you can talk to, explain what is going on, explain what you need, and work it from there. If the doctor is good he will take in what you say and things will improve.
For some people their little eyes and ears are going to burn when I explain what another thing that I did was as it is something I have been harping on for ages. I took up fencing. This happened because I was interested in it, not because I was told to exercise. In fact I actually took up fencing before any of my symptoms actually arrived. The point here is that fencing is something which keeps you active. The simple work of fencing is even movement based. What you need to do is something aerobic.
Now, I am not saying that you should take up running marathons or something equally silly. I am saying that you should find some sort of exercise which is easy to start with. A regular walk around the block or similar is a good start. If you can find a sport which will keep you interested and motivated that is your second step. The third step is sticking with it, even when things get hard.
I will admit there are sometimes when it is easy to pike going to training or even doing stuff at training. It is at these times that you need the most motivation and courage. You need a reason to be there a goal to set yourself. Make them small to start with and allow them to get bigger as you go along. Find some good reason to go along and make an effort, even when things seem hard. This is the reason why you need something that you are interested in and not something that you are taking up because you "have to" or "need to". This is one of those times where a "want" to is more important than a "need". Needs are things that are important to us for survival, you need to eat, you need to sleep and so forth. Wants are things that make things better for you, you want a new game, you want chocolate. In this particular case you have to "want" to do the activity, not because you have to but because you want to. This want has to overpower things that may stop you from doing this thing. It needs to get past your depression, it needs to get past your pain, it needs to be more important and a reason to go and do it.
There are times when we all need down-time, this is something that I will admit. But when your down-time seems to be more important than actually doing something, this is the beginning of a slippery slope downward. There are levels of pain you should not fight past. My biggest problem is confusing it with the ones which I can, and doing stuff when I really probably shouldn't. There is a great feeling of accomplishment at the end, but boy do I pay for it. Recognise the signs and don't let your body fool you.
A lot of people think that when they are diagnosed with FM things are really in the hands of other people, doctors and the like. Well it is NOT. It is still in your hands and you can make the difference. It is your life after all it is up to you to do something with it.
Cheers,
...Henry.
So, I have been adding to my blog with reasonable regularity of late. I have decided that this is just not good because I keep losing subjects in the meantime. I have thus decided that I am going to treat this blog the same way that my Fibromyalgia treats me, with complete random. No more regular blogs I am just going to write when I feel the urge or find a subject. To this, my first one is actually a little back "on track" with the original idea of the blog.
So the post is called, Best Things I Did for My FM. Most importantly these are things that I did rather than things that other people did for me. If you have this condition you need to help yourself. No one is going to do it all for you. Sure, people can help you along the way, but the real stuff you have to do yourself. This requires motivation, and it requires courage.
Ironically this is actually a list of things but I will be focusing on a couple in this one. Most obviously, I found a doctor who actually believed me that there was actually something wrong. He actually looked at my medical history and what I actually did and devised a medical plan of how to deal with things from his end. What is even better this changes depending on my needs at the time, thus the program is flexible. So find a doctor you can talk to, explain what is going on, explain what you need, and work it from there. If the doctor is good he will take in what you say and things will improve.
For some people their little eyes and ears are going to burn when I explain what another thing that I did was as it is something I have been harping on for ages. I took up fencing. This happened because I was interested in it, not because I was told to exercise. In fact I actually took up fencing before any of my symptoms actually arrived. The point here is that fencing is something which keeps you active. The simple work of fencing is even movement based. What you need to do is something aerobic.
Now, I am not saying that you should take up running marathons or something equally silly. I am saying that you should find some sort of exercise which is easy to start with. A regular walk around the block or similar is a good start. If you can find a sport which will keep you interested and motivated that is your second step. The third step is sticking with it, even when things get hard.
I will admit there are sometimes when it is easy to pike going to training or even doing stuff at training. It is at these times that you need the most motivation and courage. You need a reason to be there a goal to set yourself. Make them small to start with and allow them to get bigger as you go along. Find some good reason to go along and make an effort, even when things seem hard. This is the reason why you need something that you are interested in and not something that you are taking up because you "have to" or "need to". This is one of those times where a "want" to is more important than a "need". Needs are things that are important to us for survival, you need to eat, you need to sleep and so forth. Wants are things that make things better for you, you want a new game, you want chocolate. In this particular case you have to "want" to do the activity, not because you have to but because you want to. This want has to overpower things that may stop you from doing this thing. It needs to get past your depression, it needs to get past your pain, it needs to be more important and a reason to go and do it.
There are times when we all need down-time, this is something that I will admit. But when your down-time seems to be more important than actually doing something, this is the beginning of a slippery slope downward. There are levels of pain you should not fight past. My biggest problem is confusing it with the ones which I can, and doing stuff when I really probably shouldn't. There is a great feeling of accomplishment at the end, but boy do I pay for it. Recognise the signs and don't let your body fool you.
A lot of people think that when they are diagnosed with FM things are really in the hands of other people, doctors and the like. Well it is NOT. It is still in your hands and you can make the difference. It is your life after all it is up to you to do something with it.
Cheers,
...Henry.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Camouflage
Greetings,
Ok, so the title of this one is cryptic as hell. Camouflage is the art of concealment and is most usually heard with regard to military matters or animals. Camouflage is about blending into your surroundings. For this blog entry I am using it in a medical sense one condition covering another.
My first experience with regard to this one with regard to fibromyalgia (FM) was interesting and put quite a few people into a state of panic, ironically I was not one of them. So the story goes like this... One day I wake up and my left shoulder was really aching a lot, so as per usual I ignored it as best as I could. Later on in the day the shoulder disapates, but my chest starts aching and making it a little hard to breathe, further down the track the left shoulder moves to the left arm. By this time I am in quite a bit of pain and really unimpressed with the world. So, I decide that this is beyond the joke. As far as I was concerned I had a developing chest infection and a muscle issue in my shoulder. Time to call an ambulance as I was not in a condition to be walking to my doctor. So I rang up the ambulance and gave them my symptoms, much to my surprise I had one around to my place about 10 minutes later. The paramedics ask me my symptoms and bundle me into the ambulance. I arrive at the hospital and they immediately get me in and put sticky things on my chest and hook me up to a machine. Doctor comes in later with a puzzled look on his face as he cannot find a reason, he asks me some questions and I answer him, eventually getting to the bit about having FM. He then smiles leaves, comes back with some aspalgin and gives it to me. It all begins to feel better a little while later on. Seems that going by the diagnosis I was having a heart attack, nope just the FM playing up and messing with people.
I can tell you that after that experience I have been a little more careful about tracking my symptoms, and also about when I do and do not call the ambulance. It was a little scary that the FM could cover up or imitate a heart attack and I decided that being aware of this was really important. In other ways the experience has made me a little more relaxed about things, and a little more attentive to my pain needs.
Now we move on to the present my right shoulder has always been a little dodgy. I have had a nerve pinched on that side and it often gets overworked while fencing. When I woke up one morning with a really stiff shoulder I smiled and went looking for the "Deep Heat" and a hot shower. It abated it a little but not as much as I would have liked. What did not make sense was this one did not miraculously go away like the previous. I sat on it for a week. Every day same shoulder same stiffness and soreness. So off to the doctor I went.
A week and an x-ray later the result is that there is actually a problem with my neck and not my shoulder after all. Seems that the pain in my shoulder is nerve pain as a result of the neck issue. As far as rthe neck is concerned Cervical vertebrae 3 and 4, or C3/4 are touching one another and causing the issue. I have looked at the x-ray myself and it is pretty spectacular. I had intentions of scanning the x-ray and putting it on here to show you but it was not to be. Anyway we looked at physiotherapy and turned out to be a bad idea so it is medicinal relief instead, an increase in the medication. I will say that it is, for the most part, holding up quite well.
The conclusion to this one, if it hangs around get it checked out, regardless. The best news that you can get is that it is nothing, or nothing to worry about. FM has the ability to cover up other issues with its total randomness and people with FM and those who care about them should both be aware of this.
Cheers,
Henry.
Ok, so the title of this one is cryptic as hell. Camouflage is the art of concealment and is most usually heard with regard to military matters or animals. Camouflage is about blending into your surroundings. For this blog entry I am using it in a medical sense one condition covering another.
My first experience with regard to this one with regard to fibromyalgia (FM) was interesting and put quite a few people into a state of panic, ironically I was not one of them. So the story goes like this... One day I wake up and my left shoulder was really aching a lot, so as per usual I ignored it as best as I could. Later on in the day the shoulder disapates, but my chest starts aching and making it a little hard to breathe, further down the track the left shoulder moves to the left arm. By this time I am in quite a bit of pain and really unimpressed with the world. So, I decide that this is beyond the joke. As far as I was concerned I had a developing chest infection and a muscle issue in my shoulder. Time to call an ambulance as I was not in a condition to be walking to my doctor. So I rang up the ambulance and gave them my symptoms, much to my surprise I had one around to my place about 10 minutes later. The paramedics ask me my symptoms and bundle me into the ambulance. I arrive at the hospital and they immediately get me in and put sticky things on my chest and hook me up to a machine. Doctor comes in later with a puzzled look on his face as he cannot find a reason, he asks me some questions and I answer him, eventually getting to the bit about having FM. He then smiles leaves, comes back with some aspalgin and gives it to me. It all begins to feel better a little while later on. Seems that going by the diagnosis I was having a heart attack, nope just the FM playing up and messing with people.
I can tell you that after that experience I have been a little more careful about tracking my symptoms, and also about when I do and do not call the ambulance. It was a little scary that the FM could cover up or imitate a heart attack and I decided that being aware of this was really important. In other ways the experience has made me a little more relaxed about things, and a little more attentive to my pain needs.
Now we move on to the present my right shoulder has always been a little dodgy. I have had a nerve pinched on that side and it often gets overworked while fencing. When I woke up one morning with a really stiff shoulder I smiled and went looking for the "Deep Heat" and a hot shower. It abated it a little but not as much as I would have liked. What did not make sense was this one did not miraculously go away like the previous. I sat on it for a week. Every day same shoulder same stiffness and soreness. So off to the doctor I went.
A week and an x-ray later the result is that there is actually a problem with my neck and not my shoulder after all. Seems that the pain in my shoulder is nerve pain as a result of the neck issue. As far as rthe neck is concerned Cervical vertebrae 3 and 4, or C3/4 are touching one another and causing the issue. I have looked at the x-ray myself and it is pretty spectacular. I had intentions of scanning the x-ray and putting it on here to show you but it was not to be. Anyway we looked at physiotherapy and turned out to be a bad idea so it is medicinal relief instead, an increase in the medication. I will say that it is, for the most part, holding up quite well.
The conclusion to this one, if it hangs around get it checked out, regardless. The best news that you can get is that it is nothing, or nothing to worry about. FM has the ability to cover up other issues with its total randomness and people with FM and those who care about them should both be aware of this.
Cheers,
Henry.
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