Tag Archives: health

MS Whammy: The Raw Emotional Impact

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God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. ~ Reinhold Niebuhr

Well, I have been “off-line” for a few weeks, you may have noticed. Why? A bunch of things…but suffice it to say the bottom line was because of an MS back-handed WHAMMY!

In recent weeks I have been trying somewhat unsuccessfully to juggle my health management needs, family needs, and work-related needs. As is my wont, I pushed myself much to hard to meet a deadline at work for a high-profile opportunity (which was successful, by the way). At the same time I was dealing with a teenager’s confused and volatile life-searching angst which had direct repercussions on how I manage my household, and dealing with a new “complication” related to my MS. All this combined to bring me down to a state of total disengagement and “cocooning”. I was bone tired. I was at a level of raw emotional pain that literally had me keening in the fetal position in my shower almost daily. Basically – I needed to check out for a bit – from work, from tech, from everything…and simply rest. Rest, rest, rest.

Have I ever mentioned that it is hard for me to “slow down” and actually rest, despite a chronic illness that requires it?

With all the stuff going on, my self-identity took a direct hit, leaving me wondering what my life would be like without MS & seizures. Would major decisions have been different had I never had that seizure that forced my car accident all those years ago? Would my family have been better cared for if I had died in the accident? Did I do enough for them despite my MS? What is my life purpose? Why can’t I stop crying? Who am I? I felt angry as hell at my health situation – angry that maybe it was a main reason behind the teenage angst I was seeing.

What was all this? Grief.

You see, grief that is associated with living with a chronic illness can back-hand you at the most surprising times, and in any of its various stages. The past month I was feeling deep grief and anger and depression – triggered by a decision made by a family member. That in turn made me more ill with a flare of MS symptoms and more despondent, especially since I was already at a low ebb due to giving everything I had to teaching a professional workshop.

I am crawling out from under my rock now. But these past few weeks have served as a strong reminder to me that the grief of living with a chronic illness such as MS sometimes lies much closer to the surface than I am willing to admit.

But it also shows me that there is always a light shining somewhere when that rock is moved away.

“Life is a song – sing it. Life is a game – play it. Life is a challenge – meet it. Life is a dream – realize it. Life is a sacrifice – offer it. Life is love – enjoy it.” ~ Sai Baba

Be gentle with yourself. Namaste.

Carolyne

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A Type-A Personality Trapped in a Type-MS body?

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“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” ~ Marilyn Monroe

Have you ever felt…well, trapped…trapped in your own body?

I recently was talking to a friend of mine who was experiencing just those feeling, and was down emotionally. She has an injured foot, and it is a permanent injury thanks to the incorrect efforts of a doctor who initially treated her. As an athlete, she can no longer participate in her sport. Walking for her has become a painful experience – and sometimes she needs a cane. Running – well, just forget it. But the loss of her usual mobility has left her feeling trapped – trapped in a body that won’t function like she wants it to do. Her identity is impacted – who is she now, in her own mind, “excluded” from her sport of gymnastics? Depression is a resulting possibility.

As a person with MS and Seizures (or any person with a chronic illness, such as multiple sclerosis), I fully understand that feeling of being “trapped”.

Sometimes, I want to rant and rail at the world too, asking the heavens “Why? Why am I trapped in this body that won’t keep up with my mind?? Why me? Why now?”

Lately, I feel like I have been dealing with an inner simmer of emotions, tears often close to the surface. (Well, that may be due to menopause or just that fact that I am a soft-hearted sappy and sentimental person…but that’s for another story! :) )  I have been dealing with an MS exacerbation for a number of weeks now, and it has weakened & fatigued my muscles to the point of significantly affecting my back injury from my seizure/car accident years ago. I have had to pull out the old cane, and I am on restricted activity as a result. I feel trapped by my own body’s limitations. I am wondering if I am dealing with a new “normal”.

Being an active person, and always “into things”, the idea of having to slow down, or even stop, can really impact my own identity – even though I know that slowing down is necessary as a management strategy for my health. I have SO many things I want to do – go out with friends; be more active with my family; participate in my hobbies; be able to work full-time and with full cognition at all times. Personally, I can get alternately weepy or cranky as the intensity of the feelings of “trapped-ness” vary. Right now – with my exacerbation lasting so very long, this trapped feeling is too real. Having to slow down and really rest is too constraining, irritating, frustrating…and down-right annoying.

So – how does one deal with those feelings? Well – that is very individual. Personally, I deal with it with sheer stubbornness. Is this always good? Sometimes yes, sometimes no – depends on the situation (and how ornery I am being). For example – my back injuries have been so painful of late that only being in the water gives me any real relief. So I went to synchronized swim practice as per usual, despite fatigue, seeking the bliss the water provides me. Well, early into the practice, I had a wave of virtigo hit me so hard that up was down, down was up…and my coach had to steady me on the side of the pool. She asked if I needed the lifeguard, and I said no – determined that this too shall pass. It idid – after about 10 minutes of resting on the side. I then got back into the water and continued the practice but at a reduced level of activity. (Note: I do not recommend this level of stubbornness to everyone. Safety first!!! I am just sharing my stubborn levels and its craziness!) 

I got through the swim practice fine thereafter, and found the bliss of the soothing water once again. But, whew – am I nuts? I just refused to be “trapped” by my body’s limitations that night, dammit! I am a type-A personality “trapped” (at times) in a type-MS body.

So – if this IS my new “normal”, then I have to re-discover myself a bit. I have to re-jig my health management routines and strategies to accomodate that new “normal”. Living with MS, that is simply a fact of my life. Change is a fact of Life – no matter who we are.

“When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everyone will respect you.” ― Tao Te Ching

Oh – and my friend? She took up a new sport as a way to “un-trap” herself: synchronized swimming! It accommodates her foot injury just fine! See? There is always another option, a way to manage and accept what you are dealing with in life. One just has to be open to looking for it – and seeing it! (But maybe keep an eye on the level of stubbornness in your choices! :) )

Namaste

Carolyne

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Health Management still applies during the Festive Season

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Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship. ~ Buddha

We are in the midst of the holiday season festivities. This is a happy, busy and tiring time for many. It can also be a lonely time for some. Both ends require efforts to management of health.

When dealing with a chronic illness, there a more challenges afoot: trying to maximize your ability to meet social and family commitments while minimizing the drain on your energy and any impact to your health. Impacts that come not just from the demands on time and energy, but also the changes in diet and drink consumption. (Those mince meat tarts of auntie’s are to die for…oh and the cookies, cakes, hor d’ouevres, tourtieres,…oh my! What do you mean this is not the way to eat every day? Oh…my head…how many glasses of wine did you say?)  We eat differently, don’t sleep the way we normally do, and push our bodies to meet social and family functions. While all this can be fun…we need to pace ourselves and keep our health management need very clearly in mind. Because pay back is a Bi**h!

In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it ‘Christmas’ and went to church; the Jews called it ‘Hanukka’ and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say ‘Merry Christmas!’ or ‘Happy Hanukka!’ or (to the atheists) ‘Look out for the wall!’ ~ Dave Barry, Christmas Shopping

So, from me and mine to you and yours: Happy Holidays! Happy Hannuka! Happy whatever! (And look out for the wall…)

Oh – and congrats on surviving the end of the world prophecies! ;)

Namaste

Carolyne

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Try, Try, Try. Period.

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“If you can’t fly, run. If you can’t run, walk. If you can’t walk, crawl. But, by all means keep moving.” ~Martin Luther King Jr

Sometimes it takes digging deep – really deep – to keep getting back up and trying. Has anyone else noticed that?

I have been going through an exacerbation of my MS symptoms, with old symptoms returning with a vengeance. To complicate matters, my peri-menopausal flare-ups are adding new symptoms that I am trying to wrap my head around, as well. Combine the two – and well, we have a pretty fatigued and worn-out Carolyne on hand.

Last week was a particularly busy week at work, and I had to be on-site at the main office for most of the week. My MS symptoms were flaring pretty badly before the week had even started, with MS Hug episodes taking my sparkle down to a dull “splat”. Then, the 2nd day into the busy week I was hit by what I am now calling the dreaded peri-menopausal period. My fatigue and pain got so bad that one of the days I actually left the room full of people I needed to be with, headed to my office, shut the door, and lay there doing the yoga “legs up the wall” pose for 20 minutes…just breathing and trying to meditate to reduce the pain and fatigue and brain fog. (I think someone may have come into my office during that time…but left when they saw how busy I was!)

My synchro swimming was also affected in that my coach could tell right away that something was not right. She could see my fatigue and my balance was way, WAY off.

SO…this peri-menopausal period stuff seems to be becoming quite the deal-breaker for me lately. Cramps worse than when I was a teen. Fatigue like a sledge hammer. Brain fog galor.  Is this normal for someone with MS, or for anyone?? I really don’t know. Doctors don’t like to say anything for sure, though some websites do mention that hormonal changes can affect MS symtoms. I am here to say that when my period comes these days, it is like I have been hit with the Fatigue Hammer of the Gods! Holy crap! I can’t think straight; my pain levels skyrocket; and my fatigue takes me down to the ground. So…seeing as I am my own science experiment…I would say that my observations are telling me that my peri-menopausal menses and symptoms are prone to exacerbating my MS symptoms greatly. And I don’t like it!!!

But – no matter what, crushing pain or no, I have a family to take care of…so I gotta push through the pain, fatigue and brain fog and just keep tryin’. When I came across the song and video by Pink, it resonated with me…and to me, it inspires the will we need to keep trying.

“But just because it burns
Doesn’t mean you’re gonna die
You’ve gotta get up and try try try
Gotta get up and try try try”
~Pink

So that’s what’s been going on with me. I am getting up. I am trying. Period.

So what’s going on with you?

Namaste.

Carolyne

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It Takes a Team to Manage your Health

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Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.  ~World Health Organization, 1948

One thing I have learned over the years is that the support of a team is essential for so many achievements in life, be it at work or at home. The same is very true for managing health if you live with chronic illness.

But what does that team look like? Well – it varies for every person. A team can be you and a family member. It can be small. It can be large. One large team…or teams within a team. It can consist of close contacts. It can consist of near strangers. What matters is that you feel supported by your team.

I consider myself very lucky, despite my health challenges. I have a fantastic support team. My support team includes my family, my colleagues, my medical healthcare team, my pets, my yoga community, and my new synchro swimming buds. One large team…with teams within a team.

Each member of what I call my support team helps me along my journey and in managing my health in his or her own way, at various times. (And yes – sometimes they don’t even know how much they may have helped me in one moment or another.) My husband cheers me on, and is there to catch me when I fall or when I just need someone to hold me and hug me and tell me it will all be ok. The rest of my family are also there to cheer me on and catch me when I fall – as are my closest friends. My boss allows me to work primarily from home so that I can keep working. I also am lucky enough to have developed good relationships and friendships with my medical support team – from my neurologists to my massage therapist, chiropractor, and osteopath. With my synchro team, I have a fantastic coach who supports my goals for competition and respects me enough to push me when she knows I need that pushing. My health history doesn’t scare her at all.

I am very appreciative of all of their contributions to how I manage my health. And I try to let them know that as often as I can.

And I appreciate you all – as my readers, you are also a part of my support team…so thank you!

Teamwork is the ability to work as a group toward a common vision, even if that vision becomes extremely blurry. ~Author Unknown

Who  makes up your support team?

Namaste

Carolyne

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