Cluttered Shelves

Network for Good digital giving index. Great information and a...

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:36:41 -0500

Network for Good digital giving index. Great information and a cool format.

Yoga for Fibromyalgia: Day 1

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 11:09:07 -0500

I picked up Yoga for Firbomyalgia the other day, and read it quickly. Today, I made my first attempt at one of the routines.

I give the book high marks for having short routines with basic asanas. I did a series today for upper body pain that took about 12 minutes. There are often several variations given, depending on what hurts or what difficulties a person has. It remains to be seen if it will prove to be useful over the long term, but for now, I am pleased with the purchase.

pbsconstitution: Here’s what comes to mind for Russ Mayes from...

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 20:00:52 -0500

pbsconstitution:

Here’s what comes to mind for Russ Mayes from Glen Allen, VA when he thinks about the meaning of the Constitution. In his words:

This is a picture of my son running on a pier by a lake. To me it represents the future, hopefulness, and potential. The Constitution is an old, historical document, but I don’t see it as something at the end of its life. It is full of vibrancy; just like my son.

Russ responded to our PIN question about what images represent the Constitution. Now we’re asking folks: What does the right to vote mean to you?

or a healthy liver…

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 16:15:55 -0500

or a healthy liver…

Overdoing it

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 11:01:15 -0500

It used to be that if I said “I overdid it” on the Monday after Thanksgiving, it meant either:

I ate too much and followed it up by eating too many leftovers; or
I spent too much on the first days of Christmas shopping.

Now it means I put up a few ornaments, raked a (very) few leaves, and did a little exercise. And each of these were on a different day. Still, I overdid it.

To me, the most important thing that happens today in the United States is not who wins the...

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:59:20 -0500

To me, the most important thing that happens today in the United States is not who wins the Presidential election, important though it is. It is the actual vote that is most important. After months of campaigning, we can be almost certain that voting will occur throughout the country, that it will occur without violence or widespread fraud, and that votes will be counted and the winner in many cases is not a foregone conclusion. The only thing that I expect will mar this amazing display of human rights is that more than 4 in 10 eligible voters will not participate. Don’t be one of them: if you are eligible, vote.

When does a flare become a new normal?

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 09:24:41 -0500

For the last 6 months, I have been in an extended flare. Some days are better than others, of course, but my quality of life has definitely decreased. I have had to reduce my hours at work and cut back on some of my commitments. I’m beginning to think, though, that this isn’t a flare but rather that my base and average pain levels are now just higher than they were a year ago. That frightens me, because it means that in the future I will have flares that ramp the pain up from this new higher normal.

sick-girl-problems: Stay Strong. Reblog if you’re there for...

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 12:02:53 -0400

sick-girl-problems:

Stay Strong.

Reblog if you’re there for anyone who ever needs to talk, vent, scream…anything

Reblog if you promise to try your very best not to judge someone. No matter what.

<3 nashay

Adjust your attitude for better sleep

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 09:19:29 -0400

Adjust your attitude for better sleep:

I wish it were easier to not think about my pain.

A day in the life: Feeling Better With Fibromyalgia

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 12:40:21 -0400

A day in the life: Feeling Better With Fibromyalgia:

heathersday:

Get enough sleep—Getting enough, and the right kind of, sleep can help ease pain and fatigue.

Exercise—Research has repeatedly shown that regular exercise is one of the most effective treatments for FMS.

Make changes at work—Some people with FMS cut down the number of hours they work, switch…

I have just this week reduced my hours at work so that I can get exercise in a therapy pool. I have hopes that it will help, but my biggest surprise is how psychologically difficult it has been to admit that I just can’t work full time hours. I’m hoping it is just temporary, but I feel like my depression is worse now that I’ve reduced my time at work.

TENS Unit

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 21:46:06 -0400

lovelyday2bme:

Anyone have experience with TENS Unit?

Tell me about it.

Please and thank you

I had one for awhile, but it mostly felt weird to me. I remember one setting in particular was painful. I’ve known others it has helped, though, so it is worth at least giving it a try.

30 Things Meme

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 21:43:57 -0400

1. The illness I live with is:Fibromyalgia
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2009
3. But I had symptoms since: 2005
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: about to start as I reduce my schedule so that I can get PT regularly
5. Most people assume: Only women get Fibro
6. The hardest part about mornings are: deciding which hurts more: getting out of bed or staying in bed
7. My favorite medical TV show is: House, I guess, but I don’t watch very many
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: Kindle Fire
9. The hardest part about nights are: exhaustion that doesn’t bring sleep
10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins: 11 minimum
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: have tried a few without success
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: neither. Chronic illness leads to suffering regardless of how visible it is.
13. Regarding working and career: It’s hard, and has recently gotten harder. I’m fortunate, though, as I know many with Fibro and other invisible diseases are unable to pursue the career they would like.
14. People would be surprised to know: how impossible it is to get used to the constant pain
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: the ways it has affected my interactions with my kids
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: dramatically reduce my foot pain so that I could do some minor hiking again
17. The commercials about my illness: reinforce the idea that only women get fibro. To be fair, 9 out of 10 people with fibro are women.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: hiking, biking, and being more active with my kids.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: my complacency about living with my body.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: reading about fibro and related diseases??? OK, maybe meditation.
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: feel completely foreign to myself
22. My illness has taught me: how many people in the world suffer regularly with problems I didn’t even know existed 10 years ago.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: Aren’t you worried when you take that medicine?
24. But I love it when people: offer support and friendship
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: This too shall pass.
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: There are many helpful, supportive, loving people in the world: find them.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: how it overwhelms my world.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: made it clear that it was OK for me to rest
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: no one should have to suffer alone.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: like understanding has increased.

Medical News: Brain Activity Reflects Pain in Fibromyalgia - in Clinical Context, Fibromyalgia from MedPage Today

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 12:13:20 -0400

Medical News: Brain Activity Reflects Pain in Fibromyalgia - in Clinical Context, Fibromyalgia from MedPage Today

crystalisalive: cardsforpain: kidchic: i think im up to 9 at...

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 11:49:36 -0400

crystalisalive:

cardsforpain:

kidchic:

i think im up to 9 at a time

Jealous! The most I can manage at a time is 4.

Ha, real talk

I used to do several at a time…until I started having swallowing pain. Now I sometimes gag on one. Gotta love fibro…

Narcolepsy Drug Aids Sleep, Pain in Fibromyalgia

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:48:30 -0400

Narcolepsy Drug Aids Sleep, Pain in Fibromyalgia :

“Patients with fibromyalgia treated with the narcolepsy drug sodium oxybate (Xyrem) had significant improvements in the important clinical domains of pain and sleep, an international study showed.”

thereluctantrawfoodist: Haven’t checked all these out yet but...

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 12:11:59 -0400

thereluctantrawfoodist:

Haven’t checked all these out yet but looks like a good resource!

healthiie:

Neck & Shoulders

Hatha Yoga for Neck and Shoulder Health - 57 Min

Yoga for Neck and Shoulder Tension and Injuries - 14 Min

Feel Good Friday: Yoga for Neck & Shoulders - 14 Min

Back to School Shoulder Stretches - Yoga Sequence - 6 Min

Yoga for Your Shoulders 10 Minute Workout Routine - 10 Min

Beginners’ Yoga for Shoulder Strength with Melissa McLeod - 22 Min

Chest:

Yoga Workout Beginners Home Chest & Shoulders Exercise Routine How To - 11 Min

Yoga for Heart Opening - 10 Min

Heart Opening 30 Min Yoga Class - 31 Min

Heart Chakra Yoga Sequence - 10 Min

Arms:

Yoga for Firm and Shapely Arms and Shoulders - 9 Min

Arm Yoga Workout - 4 Min

Total Body Transformation Yoga: Hips and Arms - 11 Min

Yoga For Arm Strength: Part One (8Min) & Part Two (2 Min)

Yoga For Guitar Players — Arms, Wrists, and Fingers - 8 Min

Back:

Yoga for Back Strength - 7 Min

Yin Yoga for the Spine - 60 Min

Restorative Yoga For Back - Restoraflow - 40 Min

Yoga for Back Care - 15 Min

Yoga Workout | Low Back Pain Stretches Routine - 10 Min

Yoga for your back - 19 Min

Lower Back Relief - 17 Min

Abs:

Yoga 4 Abs with Gillian B & Sebastian - 10 Min

Yoga for Abs and Core Strength - 8 Min

Yoga Abs Workout - 10 Min

Iron Yoga Abs & Closing Stretches - 15 Min (Note: Includes weights. If you dont have weights, use a can from the pantry or something similar.)

Yoga to Build Strong Abs - 7 Min

Hips:

Hip Opening Yoga - 45 Min

Yoga Flow Hip Openers - 14 Min

Wall Yoga for Hips and Hamstrings - 12 Min

Yoga for Hip Pain and Stiffness - 17 Min

Butt, Hips & Thighs Warm up - 7 Min

Yoga Mania: Move those hips! - 12 Min

Office Yoga: Hip Release - 10 Min

Yoga for your Butt - 6 Min

Yoga Tone your Butt and Thighs - 4 Min

Legs:

Denise Austin: Yoga Legs Workout - 10 Min

Gentle Yoga for Tight Legs and Hips - 20 Min

Yoga for Sexy Legs - 6 Min

Sleek Yoga Legs - 4 Min

Full Body/Full Classes:

Jillian Michaels: Yoga Meltdown Level 1 - 35 Min

Weight Loss & Fatburning Yoga Workout - 20 Min

Yoga for Weight Loss - 20 Min

Yoga for Runners - 26 Min

Foundations in Flow Yoga Class with Fiji McAlpine - 48 Min

Connections to Core Power Yoga Class with Fiji McAlpine - 57 Min

Energizing Sunrise Practice - 38 Min

Power Yoga with Bryan Jones - 31 Min

Yoga Class with Logynn Northrhip - 60 Min

Yoga Basics to Improve Alignment - 62 Min

Yoga for Beginners Two with Dr. Melissa West - 60 Min

Intermediate/Beginner: Lunch Time Yoga Class - 45 Min

Enjoy :)

When I had an endoscopy done a few years ago, the only thing...

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 12:17:26 -0400

When I had an endoscopy done a few years ago, the only thing they found was that I had what the doctor called “a small hiatal hernia.” Over the last few weeks, I have had occasional trouble swallowing, like something is caught behind my sternum. It is very painful and causes me to gag until it either goes down or (as has happened a few times) comes up. I see my doctor tomorrow to see if this could be causing my problems and what, if anything, we can do about it.

fibromyalgiatakesmeaway: I’ve always been a writer. I’ve created stories and characters since I was...

Sat, 02 Jun 2012 21:04:21 -0400

fibromyalgiatakesmeaway:

I’ve always been a writer.
I’ve created stories and characters since I was a little kid. To me, it’s life.
No one ever understood why I kept imaging different worlds and characters and when fibro got into my life writing saved me. I would not be here without it. I can get over the endless pain, fatigue, insomnia, depression, muscles difficulties but the pain doesn’t let me write. I need that.

I struggle with this as well. For years, words came easy to me. Now I struggle even with Tumblr posts. Some days I go on only through hoping that I will be able to write tomorrow.

Head Cold + Fibro Pain =

Fri, 11 May 2012 10:18:12 -0400

A sucky day

Nothing to do but hope

Tue, 08 May 2012 14:57:04 -0400

There is a boy in our neighborhood who is the same age as my youngest son. Last year, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Since then, the doctors were able to relieve his symptoms, and for a year, the tumor has maintained its size and has not caused new symptoms. The boy played on my son’s basketball team this winter (I was coach) and has seemed to be doing great.

The family went back for a follow-up MRI, and the tumor has grown. The growth should actually make it easier for the surgeons, but the fact is that he needs brain surgery this summer. Thankfully, he is still symptom free and can finish up his 4th grade year over the next 5 weeks. Surgery will be in late June and he will have the summer to recover.

The news has hit all of us who care for this boy quite hard. But for now, all we can offer the family is support, prayers, and hope.