Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Spring into Action…Gently

Ahh….Springtime.  The time when the early morning sun wakes us from our slumber, beautiful birds singing outside our window, nature begins waking with it's colors and life and we all emerge from the hibernation of Winter.  According to the commercials on TV and the ads in magazines, we should be skipping down the street in a flowy yellow dress with some theme song in the background. "It's a new Day, la, la, la."

Well, not all of us enjoy the sun peering through the window in the morning.  Especially if we just fell asleep after hours of staring at the ceiling.  The birds need a mute button because during a fibro flare, everything sounds like it's channeled through a megaphone.  Don't get me wrong, I love seeing the tulips emerging from the dirt and the grass regaining it's green color once again.  Although, when I see this, I wonder where the spring is in my step.  The song in my head goes something like, "Just get through the day with the least amount of pain, bahm, bahm, bahm…"

Of course there's no medical data showing that as the seasons change, flares become more frequent, but just ask someone with fibromyalgia. It's like saying that there's no proof that bad weather triggers arthritis pain.  Just because it's not proven in a lab, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

These days, I'm all about recognizing that weather patterns can change my circumstances then adjusting accordingly.  My pain actually gets worse if I begin to get angry or stressed about the changed experience.  So, I do my best to forgive my body for the pain and do more to nurture my achy back or pained hips.  I think everyone should have a basket full of magic.  Fill it with a favorite bath salt, a good book, soothing music, a comforting blanket, peppermint foot lotion or a great neck pillow.

Today I woke up aching all over and walking into walls.  Really…my daughter even asked why I walked into the wall.  I misjudged the area I had to walk through the doorway.  I haven't felt a flare like this in a while, so I looked out the window and there it was.  It was grey and cloudy.  The clouds looked like they were going to burst with the pressure of the water inside.  That pressure, I feel in my head.  What I did was putter a bit to get some food, tea and my pills and I bumper carred my way back to bed.  I had a bunch on my to-do list but I knew that it would be more frustrating and painful to push myself through the list.  I sighed, embraced and accepted that my to-do's will be to-done another time.

It's so important to know our bodies and to accept each moments.  On the days we feel better or even good, we can get two days worth of to-do lists done.  Then celebrate!

Thank you for reading, forwarding and following!!!
Terri