Re:feeling confused & disappointed

[Guest guest]

Dear Heidi,

I just read your post & wanted to tell you I know how you feel. I've

had this stupid illness for about 9 years now & I still have no

definate answer to what's " exactly " the problem or what's causing

it. It's very frustrating. I feel like I have no control b/c I

don't know how to address the root of the problem. All I do is try

to reduce the symtoms.

I'm sorry it's been harder for you to get over this attack. I pray

that they come less often & are less intense in the future. And

never give up hope. I used to be in the hospital about every 3 or 4

weeks. I haven't been hospitalized for 19 months now! So I am proof

that it can get better.

Take care of yourself, listen to your body, & be sure to allow

yourself time to rest.

Hugs!

Deanna

[Guest guest]

> Take care of yourself, listen to your body, & be sure to allow

yourself time to rest.

Deanna

Thanks, Deanna,

I took some of everyone's advice. I put myself first, went into the

kitchen and put a pot of black bean soup mix into a big pot,

added all sorts of goodies; petite diced tomatos, white northern

beans, cut up little cubes of venison and some tiny macaroni,

lots of water, put it on to simmer, and set the timer for 30

minutes. Then I filled up the tub, added a little Ben's Bees Body

oil and some fragrant bath beads, lit some tahiti vanilla candles,

turned on some favorite tunes, climbed in and turned on the

jacuzzi full blast, and made myself stay there until I heard the

timer in the kitchen go off. I changed my duragesic patch and

noticed that it was a day overdue, perhaps this is why the pain

was worse this morning.....

The jacuzzi's there and I'm always in such a hurry that I shower

and forget to use it. It's a shame because a good soak with

those jets at full can do wonders to ease my back pain, and I so

often fail to remember it's there.

I emerged with dinner done, the house fragrant with good

scents, and finally feeling relaxed, un-tense and with my mind

and body cleared of pain.

That's much better!!

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC & SE Regional Rep.

PAI, Intl.

Note: All comments or advice are personal opinion only, and

should not be substituted for professional medical consultation.

[Guest guest]

Heidi,

Most excellent! Hot baths, especially when you are lucky enough to

have some water jets, are really great to unwind and relax. My wife

and I spent 5 days in Gatlinburg, TN last week in a cabin in a resort

area. The cabin was awesome and we had a hot tub on the patio out

back, and a nice jackuzi tub. We'd start the days with the jackuzi and

often end the night that way too.

I love to add music to the mix, especially something that has a

healing and meditative quality to it. I will then relax in the tub and

focus on my breathing. I visualize each breath taking away my stress

and bodily toxins and I visualize the bath cleansing me on a deeper

level. I think one can improve their health by visualizing healing

taking place. It might be subtle but it can help. Do you ever use

mediation or visualization to help control your pain level? I would

use this trick to get me through the time it would take to go through

triage and evaluation in the ER before pain meds would be prescribed

and given.

Glad to hear you are pampering yourself and proactively improving

things for yourself.

enjoy,

Bert

>

> I emerged with dinner done, the house fragrant with good

> scents, and finally feeling relaxed, un-tense and with my mind

> and body cleared of pain.

>

> That's much better!!

>

> With hope and prayers,

> Heidi