Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Dealing with Chronic Pain

It seems that lately the weather in the midwest has not been playing nice. It is so hard to maintain a positive attitude when my muscles and joints are screaming. I have been able to cope (some days better than others), but I found something surprising yesterday and today.

I had a sinful brownie sundae yesterday (a weekly treat), and a small order of french fries this afternoon (rarely have french fries). It was amazing how much better I felt. Was it the endorphins from the fat, or do my muscles crave the extra fat that these two treats offered.

I have done research, and our bodies do need fat! Of course, this doesn't mean that I will be eating brownie sundaes for lunch or having french fries everyday, but I did find a couple of hours of relief which was a real blessing.  I'll take what I can get!

And above all, I find that rest and exercise offer more relief than most anything. I will keep my sites on summer. Warmer weather is usually my friend for sure!

4 comments:

Kathryn at Good Life Road said...

Sorry you're not feeling so great. I'm glad you found something that's a treat and also seems to help. I wish french fries helped me in some way! :-) Sending you healing thoughts xox

Amy Whelan said...

It's just one of life's challenges for sure. I'm glad I'm able to find ways to cope. Thank you so much, Kathryn, for the beautiful message. MMMWWWWAAAAHHHHH!

Martha Bourke said...

Hi Amy! I'm a writer and I tweet with Jeff and check your blog from time to time. I am also a chronic pain patient. I'm super struggling try to find exercise that will work for me. I love Yoga, but I'm reduced to very few asanas now that I'm dealing with these issues. Hope you are feeling better soon. (BTW - I totally think pain if affected different ways by diet. If I cut back too much on calories, my pain goes through the roof!)

Amy Whelan said...

Oh, Martha, I hear you girlfriend! There is nothing more frustrating than trying to live a normal life while dealing with pain. I'm sure you've noticed that when you share your stories with others, they always have that perfect fix! Sleep more, eat better, exercise, stop worrying...and yes, they all do play a part, but finding that perfect balance is critical and not always doable. This has been a tough spring for me here in the midwest...at times Jeff has almost convinced me to move to Arizona to get away from the fluctuating weather here! Take care of yourself--and be gentle with yourself (something I have a difficult time doing!)