Hi, everyone.
I found this website through the facebook page Creaky Joints and have spent quite a good deal of time on it this morning. I have been battling depression and a not of negative self talk which has really made my chronic pain worse. I am learning to challenge myself, but with careful and realistic pacing techniques. I have joined the Y and am doing some gentle exercise to strengthen by body and mind.
There are so many good tips here. I hope you find it helpful too.
Thanks. I just checked it out.
Good for you mimi. I have battled with depression on and off all my life. I am glad you are challenging yourself and being good to yourself; it will make all the difference. Sometimes I have to force myself to take that first step and get some sun on the back of my eyes but it makes all the difference in the world. Good for you mimi. Yeah you.
Mimi thank you. I am SO excited for you. This is exactly what you/we need. I have always known you will get on top of this. Excuse me now if I keep pushing you. You ARE worth it.
Thank you so much, Lamb, and you all. I can sure use cheerleaders. I did my mile today on the treadmill at the lightening fast speed of 2.3 mph. Slow and steady wins the race !
tntlamb said:
Mimi thank you. I am SO excited for you. This is exactly what you/we need. I have always known you will get on top of this. Excuse me now if I keep pushing you. You ARE worth it.
LOL, Mimi! I am starting water aerobic next Saturday and can't wait to have my butt kicked by a bunch of women 20-40 years my senior. Don't feel bad! Moving is good. No one said you had to be fast too!
That's good, 'cause I'm not ! Yes, the water class will be great. I hope to do that soon. They offer it every day at the Y where I am going. Even just walking in the water feels good.
I love the way the water feels for my body…being a little more weightless is amazing. I’ll let everyone know how my class goes. I’m excited!
What a great website Mimi! I've been struggling with extreme pain this past month, and am needing some reminders on coping strategies. Thanks for sharing this site!
I also struggle with daily pain. I don't do water aerobics but I walk and stretch and do the exercises PT has taught me. I sometimes join the arthritis class they have but I do it slower than the grey hairs in the group. If I do it fast I get really sore. So I do a ballet rhythum while they do a cha-cha! I guess I am their mascot! They are older than I but are very welcoming. I have had to do some explaining about PsA as their class is geared for osteo arthritis. But they are very sweet to me. My favorite "move" is to hang on my noodle. I hook my arms over the noodle and it goes across my back at about bra strap height and the rest of me dangles. Sometimes it is the only thing that helps my back pain. I end every session with it and the hot tub! Heaven!
Getting in the warm water feels so good. I am a Lamaze educator and retired birth doula. This is why waterbirth is so popular and effective for pain relief ! Also, the relaxation exercises I teach for labor have come in very handy for coping with my pain, which at times have made me feel very panicked and depressed.
I have given birth without medication and I have had major spine surgery and neither of these even holds a candle to some of the pain I have experienced in the last two years. At least in labor, you get breaks between contractions and it only lasts several hours and you get a really awesome consolation prize !
This is the article that really woke me up http://goalistics.com/2011/10/living-pain-rumination-depression/
I realized that this pain and my life is like being in labor on a continual basis. Nobody can birth this baby ( my life ) but me and cesarean is not an option. I have to find a way through this and I have to reach down deep and decide that living this life is worth it in spite of this pain and my limitations. My mantra now is "Strategize, don't catastrophize!" In other words, when I wake up feeling pain that just about takes my breath away, I pray, do my relaxation exercises or grab my heating pad and put on a good movie or a beautiful piece of music and distract myself. I can't afford the luxury of a negative thought.
It's the same thing I teach in Lamaze, there are so many tools at out disposal to develop a coping strategy.
Rumination on the dark feelings and fears is a black hole and I thank God that He opened my eyes to where I was heading and snatched me out of that place.
Today I see my rheumatologist and we have decisions to make about my treatment plan, but's that's another story !
I hope everyone has a beautiful day.
Mimi,
I love that you have found all of this good for yourself. I read that last post, and my head was nodding the whole time. We have to make peace with our bodies and then find a way to get going every day, don't we? It's kind of the "key" to living well with PsA or just living with it.
Yes, exactly !
mimi you are on to something here. I tell people I had to learn to accept PsA before I could start living with it. They usually don't understand and tell me I "need" to fight it. These are people who don't have PsA so they just do not understand. When I "fight" PsA I get frustrated and enter the dark thoughts zone, That doesn't mean I lay on the couch, with a hand across my brow, moaning. It means I get up, take my meds and do my exercises and find out what the day brings. But I don't waste my time being frightened and frustrated.
I like the way you but it and I like the analogy with birth. This is the birth of our lives now with PsA!
I wanted to share with you my last three weeks. I joined a group of ladies to do The Biggest Loser Challenge. I joined because I’m 20lbs overweight & most of the time I just don’t feel like exercising. I knew I needed to change my mindset. So I started walking on the treadmill,at first it was slow but I’ve increased the speed & the amount of calories burned. I’ve got to tell you in the beginning my SI joint was grumbling a storm,now when I go on it feels good. Don’t get me wrong,my feet will hurt some & so will other body parts but its time for a change. I’ve lost 6lb and hopefully will continue to drop weight & feel good about my self. As someone on here says I’m not letting this disease define me anymore & I’m winning my battle right now. Hope nobody minds me posting this but today I’m feeling proud 
Congrats Lindseylou! You go girl!!
Exactly. When I wake up in pain (and right now, it's a 9, with swelling, blah blah blah). My first thought is never "oh poor me!". I just quickly categorize what I think I'll be able to do that day, if I feel better later in the day what I could add in, and if I don't meet those goals, I don't beat myself up. I just do the same thing the next day. I've been at this for decades, and I guess I didn't realize my mental process until you posted about it. PsA is a roadbump in my life, it is not my life. My life is separate, and though way more limited than I would like right now, it is my life and I can choose how to use it.
mimiB said:
In other words, when I wake up feeling pain that just about takes my breath away, I pray, do my relaxation exercises or grab my heating pad and put on a good movie or a beautiful piece of music and distract myself. I can't afford the luxury of a negative thought.
Exactly Marietta!
Congratulations Lindseylou. I feel staying active despite the pain is so important. That doesn't mean you won't have days where you don't get much activity as you are walking like Frankenstein. But if overall you keep moving towards a goal, any goal will do, then you come out way ahead then succumbing to fear, guilt and/or grief. I find myself waylaid by any and all of these. But you have to then take your meds, do your exercises and put on some music and see what your body will be able to do today. Tomorrow it may be more!
Way to go, Lindsay Lou !