Miss Mara and where has Raven gone??

[Guest guest]

Hello all,

I do miss Mara, and have been thinking about her alot...i never got

to wish her good bye and good luck prior to Sunday evening....but, i

do believe she is well and learning alot....Raven has not posted in a

while, i was wondering if (he or she)!!!! was o.k.??? Talk about

brain dead, it is so difficult to remember everything, there are so

many posts....sending sunshine and happy thoughts to all...janine

[Guest guest]

Hi Janine (et al)! Thank you for asking about me. <g> My migraine went into a

really bad spell for a couple days...I was down for the count between the

pain, dizziness, and nausea. Topped it all off with a 6 hour aura... couldn't

move, couldn't speak, everything I heard had a horrible echo to it, and " saw "

some nasty hallucinations (kept seeing my puppy melt, Salvador Dali style,

whenever he howled ::shudder:. Not fun.

Feeling better today though...well, back to the usual level of pain anyway.

LoL Glad to be back online with the group though! <g>

Raven, who is definitely female (but who understands that being named after a

bird who eats roadkill off highways and mimics train whistles for fun doesn't

exactly lend itself to being gender specific <g>)

janine wrote:

<< Raven has not posted in a while, i was wondering if (he or she)!!!! was

o.k.??? >>

[Guest guest]

Thanks everyone for the kind words. I'm just here very briefly

reading through the emails with my name in them. I'm home on the

weekends briefly, but go back to the inpatient chronic pain program

tonight. The first 2 days of the program were hell, because I had

overdone it before I went and the first 2 days of the program were

much more than I normally do in a day, so my pain was at the max -

like 10/10 in at least 5 body parts and all the rest of my body was

more like a 9 (and I've been completely off all pain pills for like 4-

5 months, finally begrudgingly took one vicodin that day), and I

hadn't had enough sleep in like 5 days. I am used to living alone

with my 2 cats. At first I was with 2 roommates and one had the

light on next to my bed really late, so I couldn't sleep and when we

finally did try to sleep we kept waking each other up because we

weren't comfortable in our beds, had to go to the bathroom, etc. So

by Tuesday, I was a crying mess of pain and virtually no sleep, and

anxiety about things the people in authority wanted me to do that I

didn't feel I could physically do. Plus I was PMS-ing and not

getting enough alone time.

Got my room changed late Tues. night (to a much quieter darker room

where I could actually sleep and my bed was better and I wasn't by

the air conditioner - the cold makes my muscles spasm and hurt and

wakes me up) and talked to my nurse about that I was overscheduled

and she cut back some of the things on my schedule and I told her

some of the exercise stretches cause me flare-ups so could I do less

of them - she agreed. Once I took control and stated my limits and

refused to go beyond them, things got a whole lot better. I'm still

doing more and different things than at home, but avoiding going so

overboard and avoiding getting to 10/10 pain.

After getting even 1 night of sleep (I don't get the greatest sleep,

but it was good for me), Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were all

very good. I felt calmer and my pain was better. Everyone in week 2

and week 3 of the program was telling us that week 1 is the hardest.

So I am relieved to make it through the first week. Tonight/tomorrow

starts the 2nd week. I really like the classes where they are

teaching us to cope with our pain and I like the relaxation

exercises. And I am now doing yoga first thing in the morning

instead of the warm water pool therapy everyone else is doing (I have

problems with the pool chemicals).

One of the leaders in the program is a yoga teacher and he spent a

couple mornings teaching me some gentle yoga that works with my

limitations. I really felt it was helpful. I've tried yoga class

before, but hurt because I tried to keep up with everyone else. This

time, this yoga instructor has chronic pain himself and understands

it, and it was one-on-one, so I could go at my own pace and really

pay attention to my deep breathing and pay attention to where it

started to hurt a little more and then back off of the stretch, so I

felt I stretched at a really great level for me, without flaring

myself up - and while still being at the right level of stretching

for me. It felt really good.

I have fibro and lots of car accident injuries - back, neck,

shoulders, knee, headaches, chest pain,...the list goes on.

I am not normally a morning person and tend to be crabby then, but in

the program I get up around 6:15-6:30, take a warm shower, then with

my muscles all warm, do the yoga around 7:00 - 7:30. All the deep

breathing/oxygen and gentle movement of the yoga seems to really help

my muscles feel better and like they are more ready to move and

function for the day. It really helps reduce that morning pain and

feeling like I've been run over by a truck.

It also feels like I am meditating while I am moving and I end up

feeling really peaceful, calm, and happy. Those positive feelings

and my positive attitude tend to keep going for at least 3-4 hours

after doing the yoga and it really helps me feel better physically,

mentally, and emotionally. After yoga, I eat a peaceful breakfast

before everyone is back from the pool and then I have some time, for

example to call my mom or do a few minor things, before our first

class starts at 9.

I really like the classes, because the people teaching them

really " get it " about chronic pain and what goes through our heads

and stuff. It feels like they start talking and they know exactly

what I am thinking, without even having talked to me personally. Our

last activity of the day is relaxation between 5-6p.m. and it really

helps transition into the night - eating dinner and having a pleasant

evening. All the patients and staff are really nice and helpful.

And for the first time in years, I am making some new friends in real

life. I even went out to a movie the other night with a couple

women from the program. One lives really close to me, she just

graduated/finished her 3rd week in the program on Friday, and we are

planning to get together to exercise and socialize when I am done

with the program.

Ever since Wed., I feel the program is much more do-able and less

stressful. I am very happy to be there. I gotta go soon, because my

house is still for sale and there is a showing soon. I still need to

pick up the stuff I brought home friday and finish a little laundry

and pack. It is so nice to see my cats this weekend. They really

missed me, too. My 2 cats are staying with my mom at her house

during the week and staying with me on the weekends. I've got 2 more

weeks to go with the chronic pain program - graduate on Oct. 15 and

will write more if I have time. We do each meet with our own nurse,

counselor, biofeedback teacher, vocational counselor, and other

people separately for individual appointments, during the week too.

The program seems very very very helpful!

I am sending out positive thoughts and prayers and hugs to all of

you!!!

Mara

lakelover125

> Hello all,

>

> I do miss Mara, and have been thinking about her alot...i never got

> to wish her good bye and good luck prior to Sunday evening....but,

i

> do believe she is well and learning alot....Raven has not posted in

a

> while, i was wondering if (he or she)!!!! was o.k.??? Talk about

> brain dead, it is so difficult to remember everything, there are so

> many posts....sending sunshine and happy thoughts to all...janine

[Guest guest]

Hi Mara,

You have probably already left, but, it was so nice to hear all is going well.

Good for you letting them know your limits....thats an awesome thing...so happy

for you...see you next weekend....janine

lakelover125 wrote:

Thanks everyone for the kind words. I'm just here very briefly

reading through the emails with my name in them.

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