GOOOOOD MORNING!

As I have mentioned before on this blog, when a person with fibromyalgia has a good day, we want to scream about it and tell the world!  I feel great today!

I did go to bed very early again last night, I listened to my body.  Lack of sleep is probably my biggest trigger to pain.  I hate the fact that I will probably always be someone that needs more sleep than the average person, but I have come to accept that.  What I cannot accept is dealing with pain everyday for the rest of my life and not doing the things that I want to do.  This is my biggest reason for trying alternative medicine. 

Today, 4 days after the camping excursion, I finally feel fully recovered.  It has taken my body a few days to rest and feel normal again.  I am out of my fog.

Yesterday was an interesting experience at the chiropractor's office.  My skin was "mildly" sore before arriving.  I had an itch on my leg and when I scratched it (without thinking) I felt the fibro pain.  Pain instead of relief from scratching the itch.  It's a throbbing pain that lasts a few minutes, sort of a reminder to me that the fibro is there even when I think it's not. 

So, I was in the therapy room before seeing the dr. for my adjustment.  I use a TENS unit for 8 minutes and then a wave (massage) table for another 8 minutes.  Sometimes I do this before my adjustment, sometimes after...it all depends on how busy they are.  So, I noticed that most people in the therapy room have their TENS unit set way higher than me.  I started at a 5-6 and then saw people coming in and setting theirs up to 15-25.  So, I decided to turn mine up.  I set it up to 10 the other day.  I feel much more sensitivity in my right shoulder, so I know my nerves are not functioning equally.  It was too high and it kind of hurt.  To me, this just proves that people with fibromyalgia have a higher sensitivity to touch.

On to the wave table.  Again, mine was set fairly low.  A wave goes up and down your back and it generally feels pretty good.  I kept seeing people using the highest level of the wave table and so I decided to give it a try.  Ouch!  It hurt my shoulder blades and I could feel pain in my lower buttocks area.  Another indication that I am not able to tolerate touch like most people. 

Interestingly enough, by the time I got in to see the Dr. for my adjustment, she could feel the tense muscles in my shoulder and pin pointed the exact spot of my pain.  She was unaware of my experience in the therapy room.  This makes it more credible to me, that she can feel where it hurts and work those areas.

Needless to say, I feel great today.  I hope I can maintain this over the weekend and I will not mess with the TENS unit or wave table again.  As much as I am fighting it, these are little reminders that I need to take it easy and listen to my body.  I am not "like" everyone else.  I need to stop trying to be and just accept the little ways that I feel better. 

Friends dropping by...

So, yesterday was a challenge for me.  A friend called around 11am and asked if her and her son could stop by and "Boo" us.  This is something new, the "Boo" thing.  They fill a goody bag and then they place it on the door and ring the bell and run away.  They hide on the side of the house and then pop out and "boo" us.  It's really cute.

So, she wanted to stop over at 4 and boo us.  Then, she said "and maybe we can hang out and the kids can play for a little while."  Her son has a few behavior problems and tends to destroy my house.  I was planning on using the day to get caught up on cleaning and laundry because my mom is coming into town on Wednesday.  I told my friend this, that normally that would be fine, but I was cleaning all day and I didn't want the kids to destroy the house after my efforts.  She said they could play outside.  She wasn't getting the hint, I just didn't feel like I had the energy for this. 

But, she said she was coming at 4pm.  I know it probably sounds rude that she just invited herself and her child over...and well, it was.  But, I am kind of glad because my kids really enjoyed being "boo'd" and it was nice to see my friend as well.

I cleaned most of the house, except the kids bedrooms.  I had to do this anyway- whether they were coming or not.  When they came, I just set the rule that no one could play in the kids bedrooms.  We don't have a playroom, so kids tend to play in their bedrooms.  I told them they could bring a few toys to the living room, but that is all.  It worked out pretty good.

They ended up staying for dinner and that was fine.  One thing my friend said to me that I thought was a strange perspective of fibro was that I must have a high pain tolerance.  She thought since I was in pain so much, I must be able to tolerate higher levels of pain.  I don't think this is true, but I thought it was interesting.

So, yesterday turned out to be a pretty good day.  I realize too that friends don't really care how clean your house is.  If they do, probably not worth keeping as a friend.  And, as much as I don't like talking about fibro, people need us to in order to understand.