Wondering What the New Year Holds in Store for You?

Welcome to another Question of the Week.

A new year seems like a pretty good time to contemplate what is going to happen over the next 366 days (err, make that 363.)

Let's face it; we all want good things to happen to us.  I know for a fact that some good things will happen in 2012.  I also know some not-so-good things will happen too.  But I chose to focus on the good things because it's the good things in life that help me get through the not-so-pleasant stuff that shows up uninvited on my doorstep.  

But if you are thinking about the new year and saying to yourself, 'It's just going to be the same thing, day-in and day-out, like it was last year.' well, that's not going to fly with me.  If you don't think anything good will happen to you this year, I'm going to challenge you to think otherwise.

Yes, there are things we can control and things we cannot control.  And it sure seems like it's the unpleasant circumstances not within our control that grab hold of our attention and won't let go.  It is all too easy to get demoralized, depressed and worn down by the stuff we can't do a darn thing about.  I completely understand if this is where you are at, because I have been there too and it sucks.

Here is the thing.  If you spend your time trying to fix the things that are unfixable, you are going to be a very unhappy camper.  On the other hand, if you switch your focus onto the things you can control, you will start to feeling better about yourself and your life.  Nothing is more empowering than reclaiming your potential and doing everything you can do to better your situation in life in spite of your health problems. I promise!

To get you started, let's assume for a moment that the Mayan prophecy is true and the world is going to come to an end on December 21, 2012.  If you truly believed this, what would you want to do between now and then?  Hint, hint!  Maybe it's that something fun and life-affirming you've been holding off on because you have been waiting until your feel better...

Me?  I want to go on a vacation with my husband, somewhere pleasurable, where we can take a leave of absence from the daily grind and just enjoy ourselves and each other.  A couple of places come to mind as I think about this, but the one place I know we can both agreed upon is Las Vegas.

Now because I live with multiple chronic illnesses, going on vacation takes a lot of planning and preparation.  I start with a Special Event worksheet.  It helps me start thinking about all the extra things I need to do before, during and after any event that will ensure I can participate without causing a huge flare-up of my symptoms. It also gets me thinking about modifying how I do things given my health challenges.

Chronic illness does impose limits and restrictions on how I do things, but it can't stop me from doing the things I want to do.  It is a lot of work, but it is so worth it when I am able to do something fun AND really enjoy it despite my chronic illnesses.  Plus having something fun to look forward to really helps get me through the sucky stuff in my life.

So what about you?  What does the new year hold in store for you?  What can you take charge of in your life that will help you feel better about yourself and your life?  What is something fun and life-affirming that would bring you more laughter and joy in 2012?

I'd love to hear from you, even if you are struggling with this challenge.  Perhaps, together, we can engage in some problem-solving and come up with a plan of action that lets you do something you didn't think possible because of your chronic illness.  So please leave a comment here or over at the OMA&P! Facebook page.

If you are really stuck, feel free to contact me via email.  I'd love to take this conversation further if you are willing to be featured in a future post here at OMA&P!.

Question of the Week: Getting a Head Start on the Holidays?

Good grief!  It's holiday time again.  You know, that magical time of year where there is too much to do and too little time to get it all done.

Almost makes me want to hide under the covers until after New Year's...

This is also the time of year where the tome Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy the Things That Really Matter by Elaine St. James would really in handy.  Come to think of it, I have a copy of this book somewhere in my house.  Maybe it's time for a refresher course!

Now my personal favorite holiday by far is Thanksgiving.  And I get to celebrate it in a very low-key fashion, with just my husband and our furry kids.  It used to be the holiday we spent with my family, but since my parents passed away and my sibling have scattered, it's just me and the hubs now.

Truth be told, I don't mind.  We can eat what we want, when we want and don't have to get all dressed up (or out of our pajamas) to do it.

I know this kind of holiday isn't possible for some of you because of family obligations.  Or maybe it is and you just haven't considered this option yet. After all, you can see the family on Christmas instead, right?  That's what me and the hubby do.

Either way, it's time to break out the OMA&P! Special Event form and create your plan of tackling Thursday's holiday TODAY if you haven't already.   You may decide to:

• Spread the cooking out over several days.  
• Delegate some tasks to others.  
• Ask guests to bring a food dish with them and have a potluck instead.
• Purchase a heat-and-eat meal from a local restaurant, grocery store or gourmet food shop.
• Go out to eat instead (and with this current economy, there are probably reservations still to be had.)

Don't forget to sneak in extra rest where you can and reserve the rest of the holiday weekend for lots of downtime to recover.

You are a brave soul if you decide to participate in all the Black Friday shopping madness.  Although, since many stores will be open Thanksgiving Day, does that make it Black Thursday instead?  I'm doing my shopping online, as usual, because I just won't have the energy to deal with crowds and chaos.

Which brings me back to that book on simplifying your life...





So are you getting a head start on the holidays?  What do you do to make this season less hectic and more enjoyable?  Please share the secrets to your holiday success here or over on the Oh My Aches and Pains! Facebook page.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my chronic friends, wherever you live.

Question of the Week: What's Worth a Flare-Up?

Image by MASolari via Flickr
Friday I had lunch with a very good friend who is back in town for a few short months.  We got together for a late lunch (breakfast for me) and spent a total three hours catching up.

It was wonderful!  When our time together came to an end I hated to say goodbye, but she promised to get together with me again before she returned to her adventures in Africa helping people living with HIV/AIDS.

Then I got into my car and everything hit me.

I had been sitting for three hours in an uncomfortable chair.  I had been sitting outside on a patio on a warm summer day.  I had been using energy to stay plugged into a riveting conversation, during which I felt a lot of different emotions.  And this was a day when, amidst a change in my medications, my diabetes was causing me more problems in the form of higher than normal blood sugar levels. 

I checked in with myself and I felt horrible.  I was dizzy, exhausted and worried I wasn't going to be able to drive myself home.  But I heard my couch calling me, so I turned the key and started on my way.  Several times I thought to myself  'Pull over and get yourself together.'  But I somehow convinced myself that it was better to keep going and get myself home.

It was the longest 3 miles I have ever driven in my life.

Now don't get me wrong, it was totally worth it.  At least that is what I can say today.  The white-knuckle ride home was a nightmare, but I survived it and promptly plopped myself on the couch and recuperated for several hours afterwards.

I know I spend a lot of time talking about staying within my energy limits and using all kinds of strategies for preventing symptom flare-ups.  But I also know that sometimes, when something really good comes along, it is time to bend my rules and enjoy life, even if that means paying for it with higher symptoms afterwards.

What I have discovered is that, if I am really diligent about taking care of myself most of the time, I can get away with a special event every once in a while.  That diligence pays off afterwards too.  Staying within my energy limits most of the time means I have an energy reserve I can tap into, which means I can make a quicker recovery if I do flare myself up.

My big adventure on Friday got me wondering: what people, events and activities are worth risking a flare-up of your chronic illness symptoms?

Share your answer with me at the Oh My Aches and Pains! Facebook page or as a comment here.

Mission 2011: Plan for Success With This Special Event Worksheet

This is the fifth and final Mission 2011 post on the topic of special events, a topic we have been exploring together during this month of March.

For those of you who do better when you write things down, I have a treat for you. I have created this Special Event Worksheet form to help you plan your next special event. I hope it gets you thinking about and planning for special events in a way that ensures your success.

Rather than go into a detailed discussion of how I would use this form, I decided to share with you the actually form I recently used when I planned for my trip to the Mayo Clinic in Arizona earlier this month. Simply click on the picture below to view it full size:

As you can see, I included a wrap-up section at the bottom of the form, a place to write down your thoughts on what worked, what didn't and what you'd like to try the next time. This section gives you a prompt to evaluate your experience so you can do better next time. And by better, I mean: have more fun, be more prepared, get more help, schedule more rest, avoid flare-ups, etc., etc., etc.

If you would like a copy of this form, simply click to download the Special Event Worksheet PDF to your computer from Google Docs. You can also email me and I will send the PDF to you.

Next month I plan to talk about exercise during my Thursday Mission 2011 posts. I also plan to share with you a down-loadable copy of the Exercises to Help Manage Orthostatic Hypotension I received while at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona.

So have I inspired you to attend a special event this past month? I sure hope so! I'd love to hear about your upcoming events, so leave me a comment and let me know the special things you are planning to do.

Related articles

• Mission 2011: A Report on My Big Special Event (ohmyachesandpains.info)
• Mission 2011: When Your Special Event Involves Travel (ohmyachesandpains.info)
• Mission 2011: Saying "Yes!" to Special Events (ohmyachesandpains.info)

Mission 2011: A Report on My Big Special Event

In my Mission 2011 post today, I want to talk about my big special event this month and what I did to plan for it to make it a success.

Planning for Success
As you know from my posts earlier this week, last week I traveled to Scottsdale, Arizona for a neurology consultation at the Mayo Clinic. After making this appointment in January, the first step I took was to imagine what this experience would look like. That led me to the activities I needed to plan for: travel, packing and trip schedule.

Travel

My first consideration was traveling to and from Scottsdale. I talked it over with my husband and we decided to travel by car for this trip, with Robert acting as our designated driver. With the help of Google Maps I learned that the trip by car would take approximately 6 to 8 hours. Before we left, we decided that we would stop at the halfway point, Blythe, California, to have a late lunch/early dinner. Once we got on the road, we discovered that taking advantage of the rest stops every 100 miles or so was also a helpful strategy. I was amazed at how stiff and sore I got just from sitting still in the car for an hour and a half at a time.

I made sure to bring along a couple of assistive aids to make sitting in the car more comfortable. These included a travel neck pillow and a car seat cushion. On the trip to Scottsdale, I realized that I had forgotten something. Since I am so short I have problems resting my feet comfortably on the floor of the car when I'm in the passenger's seat. I improvised by using my backpack as a foot rest. On the trip home I acquired an old phone book to use in place of my backpack. That worked so well that when I got home I used duck tape to turn the phone book into a more sturdy foot rest alternative.

Packing

As for packing, I admit that I usually I wait until the very last minute to get my bags packed. Since waiting to the last minute doesn't work so well for me anymore now that I am dealing with chronic pain and chronic fatigue, I decided it was time to allocate a full week to this task. I broke the task of packing up into smaller projects that could be tackled one day at a time. So, for example, I spent one day packing up all my toiletries, another day packing up all my clothes, a third day gathering all my medical records for my appointment, etc. Overall, this strategy worked much better and is something that I will repeat the next time that we travel.

Trip Schedule

Since the purpose of this trip was to obtain medical care, Robert and I didn't expect to be doing much sightseeing. We knew our days would be planned around whatever medical tests and follow appointments that were scheduled after my initial consultation. Knowing that these activities would use up a lot of my energy, my main goal during the week was to use any free time we had resting and napping.

When Robert and I travel for fun, which we do about once every 18 months, we plan for one day of rest after each day of activity. For me, this is a big change from how I used to approach travel. Previously, I was the kind of person who filled every moment of a trip with all sorts of activities befitting the destination. With chronic illness, this simply isn't possible anymore. Ironically, Robert actually likes my new approach to travel activities much better.

The Week Before and After

The week before we left I made sure not to schedule any appointments or errands outside the house. When I wasn't packing I made sure that I was resting. I also made sure that I got plenty of sleep as I knew that my sleep schedule would be disrupted by both the travel to our destination and a schedule imposed upon me by all my anticipated medical appointments. I find that the night before we leave on a trip I tend to not sleep very well, probably because my body gets wired from anticipation which makes it difficult for me to fall and stay asleep.

Upon our return this past weekend I've been focused exclusively on getting extra rest and sleep to recover from our trip. Again, I have made sure not to schedule any appointments for this week and limited my errands to a trip to the grocery store where I purchased more ready-to-eat items to conserve energy on meal preparation. So far, this has worked very well for me.

The Big Pay-Off

I know my plans have paid off because I haven't flared up. Through planning, pacing and resting, I have learned to manage my symptoms despite travel, a change of schedule, unfamiliar surroundings and a different bed. Now that is my definition of successful special event planning.

Now that you know my secrets, I am confident you can do the same.

Related articles

• Mission 2011: When Your Special Event Involves Travel (ohmyachesandpains.info)
• Mission 2011: Saying "Yes!" to Special Events (ohmyachesandpains.info)
• My Mayo Clinic Adventure - Day One (ohmyachesandpains.info)
• My Mayo Clinic Adventure - Autonomic Testing on Day 2 (ohmyachesandpains.info)

Mission 2011: When Your Special Event Involves Travel

Image by Kuranes via Flickr
So far, we've talked about what a special event is and I described my first successful special event to a concert at Dodger Stadium. Now it's time to look at the fibro-friendly things you can do when attending a special event means traveling to a destination away from home.

I Am Disabled

More than any other strategy, I think the key to fibro-friendly travel is learning to feel comfortable saying, "I am a person with disabilities and I require reasonable accommodations." This might seem like a big task for those of us who have invisible chronic illnesses.

Think the label "disabled" doesn't apply to you? According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, the definition of a disabled person is:

The term ‘disability’ means, with respect to an individual –

(a) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual;
(b) a record of such impairment; or
(c) being regarded as having such an impairment.
(P.L. 101-336, Sec. )

I hope I've convinced you that you're truly entitled to say you are disabled. If you follow my advice, I guarantee that you'll find that mastering this skill will result in big energy-saving payoffs. Asking for and taking advantage of available help can quite literally can make the difference between having fun or suffering miserably while out-of-town.

I Require Reasonable Accommodations

Not sure what to ask for? Let me provide these suggestions:

• When you call your airline to confirm your flight plans, you'll want to tell the agent, "I am a person with disabilities and I will require wheelchair assistance in the airport."
• When you call your hotel to confirm your reservation, you'll want to say, "I am a person with a disability and I will require a shower bench/grab bars/a raised toilet seat/etc. in my hotel room."
  
• Upon reviewing your travel plans by car, you are going to want to let your traveling companions know, "Since I am a person with disabilities, I'll need to stop and stretch my legs every few hours so I don't get stiff and cramped up."
• Once at your destination, you'll want everyone to know, "Since I am a person with disabilities, I'm going to need to stop and rest every few hours. That means I might not be able to participate in all the activities you have planned for the day."
• At the concierge desk at the hotel, let them know, "I am a person with a disability and I need to rent a mobility scooter to help me get around while I am here." and "I am a person with disabilities and I need disabled seating for this show/concert/event I want to attend while I am staying here."

Lessons Learned in San Francisco

How did I get so fibro-friendly about travel? I learned to ask for these things after a completely disastrous trip to San Francisco in 2005.

I had only been living with fibromyalgia and chronic illness for about 11 months and was still pushing myself way too hard. So when I got to San Francisco, I simply did too much. I didn't ask for help at the airport or hotel and scheduled way too many activities and not enough rest. The whole weekend I was tired but wired, which resulted in poor sleep. By the time we got to the airport to fly back home, I almost collapsed from sheer exhaustion. It was only then did I ask for a wheelchair.

Don't Take "No" For an Answer

It might be hard the first time you ask for help. You might even be hesitant because you are afraid someone will say "no." Don't let fear and embarrassment stand in your way. Take the time to do a little bit of extra preparation to make sure your requests won't be ignored or denied:

• If you have a disabled parking placard, bring it with you on your travels and display it if you are met with resistance.
  
• Consider asking your doctor in advance for a letter that states you are a person with health problems and require assistance. You might even consider asking them to list your medical conditions ... at least the ones you are comfortable disclosing and are relevant to your requests for accommodations.

Don't Let Travel Stop You

Most of all, I hope this post inspires you to reconsider your plan for travel. I believe that if you follow the suggestions above, the prospect of travel will no longer prevent you from considering special events that occur away from home. You might not be able to attend as many events as you would like, but you still can go from time to time and arrive back home feeling in control of the management of your chronic illness symptoms.

Related articles

• Mission 2011: I CAN Go to a Rock Concert (ohmyachesandpains.info)
• Mission 2011: Saying "Yes!" to Special Events (ohmyachesandpains.info)

Mission 2011: I CAN Go to a Rock Concert

Image via Wikipedia
Welcome back to this month of posts all about special events. This time I want to share with you how I learned that fibromyalgia couldn't stop me from going to a rock concert.

The Ultimate Motivation

A few years ago my all-time favorite band, The Police, organized a reunion tour. I knew I had to go. I never got a chance to see them in concert back in the 80's, so I sure didn't want to miss this special event.

Now it just so happens that they nicknamed their new tour "certifiable." Having disbanded in 1984 because they were all getting along so poorly, they had said they would be crazy to ever get back together again. Which is a real coincidence, since at first I thought I might be a little crazy for trying to attempt going to a rock concert when I had fibromyalgia, chronic pain and chronic fatigue making my life disagreeable.

A Plan for Success

I knew if I really wanted to do this, I had to get super serious about managing the aspects of this event that were within my control.

Special Moves

The first thing I decided was that I needed to rent a mobility scooter. I was already using mobility aids like a cane and a rolling walker, but I knew there was no way I could tackle going to Dodger Stadium with them. I also owned a transport chair, but that required someone to push me around, literally. I decided that wouldn't work either.

I needed wheels I could manage on my own that allowed me to sit so I could conserve as much energy as possible.

Imagine my surprise when at the medical equipment supply store my husband suggest we purchase the scooter instead of rent it. I have to say that this is the best chronic illness related purchase I have made to date, as it truly opened a whole new world of possibilities for me.

Special Tickets

Since I was taking a mobility scooter, I would need a disabled seat to park it in. Thankfully the folks at Ticketmaster taught me how to go about purchasing disabled seats when I called them a few days before the concert tickets went on sale. The process was super easy and actually allowed me to purchase better seats than if I had gone through the regular channels with all the other 56,000 fans.

While you don't get a discount on the price when you purchase disabled seats, you do get greater availability (even when a show is almost sold out.)

Final Preparations

With the two big concerns taken care of, I turned my focus to the smaller, yet equally important, details.

A week before the show, I eliminated appointments outside the house and drastically cut back on all other activities. I spend lots of time resting and building up my energy reserves.

On the day of the concert, I made plans to arrive as soon as the gates opened to avoid the last minute crowds filing into the stadium. A super early start gave me and my party time to find our seats, get settled and get snacks.

I brought along earplugs to reduce the noise level and help combat auditory over-stimulation.

I brought layers of clothes with me. Since the concert was outside, I need to stay cool in the afternoon and warm after sunset. To beat the afternoon heat, I brought along a small battery powered fan to cool me down.

I attended the concert with my husband and my best friend. With a friendly face on either side of me, I had lots of help if I needed it. Having both of them with me helped me feel safe and secure in a very loud, very crowded and very overstimulating environment.

The Results

I had a fabulous time at the concert. Because of all the preparations I made in advance, I was able to relax and enjoy the concert. I felt comfortable and able to manage a very demanding situation because I took advantage of all the ways I could judiciously make the little energy I had last throughout the evening.

Wrap Up

As my husband drove us home, I felt both exhilarated and thoroughly exhausted. You would have thought I'd of crashed and fallen asleep the minute we walked in the door. But the weird thing about chronic illness is that sometimes when you are beyond tired, you get so wired you can't sleep!

Luckily I had a plan for that too: I took the follow week off from appointments, errands and activities to rest and re-cooperate from my "certifiable" first concert post-fibromyalgia experience.

I recognize that I don't have the energy to do something like this more than once every year or two. But when I do choose to participate in a special event this big, I know putting plenty of thought and effort into planning translates into enjoyment and memories that can sustaining me until the next time one of my favorite bands comes to town.

Related articles

• Mission 2011: Saying "Yes!" to Special Events (ohmyachesandpains.info)

Mission 2011: Saying "Yes!" to Special Events

Image via Wikipedia
As fate would have it, I have a "special event" this month that I need to diligently plan for so I can make it through it without a flare-up disaster. Which makes this the perfect month to tackle the topic of special events for my series of Mission 2011 posts.

Defining the Term "Special Event"

Let's start with talking about what exactly I mean when I say "special event."

I guess for someone healthy, a special event might be a wedding, a party celebrating a milestone birthday or a dream vacation--something big, fun and out-of-the-ordinary. For those of us living with chronic illness, a "special event" could simply mean leaving the house! Or it could mean going to a concert, a play, visiting friends or going to a holiday dinner.

Whatever the occasion, I think you'll agree that in the grand scheme of things special events are important. Why? Because they are opportunities to create special memories and participating in them fuels our passion and creates moments of enjoyment in our lives. Sure, chronic illness makes attending these events problematic, but I don't think the solution is eliminating them all together.

My Strategies for Attending Special Events

Rather than forgo them, I find that if I employ a variety of strategies before, during and after a special event I can attend a few throughout the year. Here are some of the things that I do:

1. I am choosy about the events I attend, weighing physical strain vs. pleasure gained.
   
2. I RSVP for only a handful of events over the course of a year.
   
3. I always leave myself the option to cancel if my health won't cooperate with my plans.
4. I schedule lots of extra rest before, during and after an event.
5. I know that it will take me 3 to 10 times longer to prepare for an event than I initially think it will and plan accordingly.
6. I purposely cut back on appointments, driving, errands and other activities at least a week before and a week after the event.
7. I employ as many energy-saving strategies as I can before and during the event, like having someone else do my hair and makeup, using a mobility scooter, asking someone else to drive or arranging for a place to lie down and rest during the event.
8. I make sure I bring my flare-up medications and some snacks with me.
9. I always attend with someone who understands my situation and can help me if I run into trouble.
   

Big Challenges + Extra Work = Big Rewards

You might be reading this and thinking 'This seems like a lot of work Selena.' I agree. But I also think that it is a tragedy to let chronic illness stop you for doing things you really want to do.

Like I said early, it's the special events in our lives that create some of our most memorable and cherished moments.

Initially, I shied away from special event because of the really big challenges they present when you live with chronic illness. In fact, the first big outing I attempted post-fibromyalgia was a huge disaster that landed my in the Emergency Room with a massive seven-day headache.

But you live and learn. In my case, I learned more about self-management strategies to cope with my fibromyalgia symptoms. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that employing these self-help techniques could help me do some pretty awesome things despite living with fibromyalgia. Not only could I get out and have some fun, I figured out how to avoid getting all flared-up in the process.

For me, the extra work in planning, pacing and resting really paid off. I've got the proof too! Next time I am going to share with you how I successfully attended a really big event, The Police Reunion Tour, back in 2007.

This Month's Goal...

Until then, start thinking about the special events you'd like to attend. You know, the ones you have been putting off or gave up on because of your chronic illness. My goal this month is to inspire you and give you the tools to create your own plan so attending a special event can be a reality for you too.

Ho, Ho, Oh! How Am I Not Ready for the Holidays?

It is clear that this year I have not followed my special event planning guide well enough, because I find myself all flustered 9 days before Christmas.

To be fair, I have been sick since last Friday, the 10th. Being sick wiped out last weekend as viable 'get it done with help from the hubs' time. Getting sick wasn't part of my holiday planning, but I think I've learned a valuable lesson here. It's no surprise that this is cold and flu season too, so I really should add a cold and flu variable to my holiday prep equation.

Leave it to the Universe to reinforce this point yesterday.

Last weekend was supposed to be the big trip to the Hallmark store to pick up my ornaments--specifically ornaments featuring penguins--something I save up for and collect every year. Well, that didn't happen. So when I went yesterday, I got a shock when many of the ones I wanted were simply out-of-stock, gone and weren't there.

Then I got a half sympathetic, half sarcastic reminder from the salesgirl when I mentioned that several of the ornaments I wanted weren't on the shelves. She said, "It's 10 days before Christmas and a lot of people came in here last weekend to buy ornaments."

'Wow, really, you don't say,' I wanted to snark back, but I just smiled instead.

I wish I could say that this was the only hiccup on the road to Ho! Ho! Ho!, but it's not. There is still grocery shopping to do, baking to get done, gifts to acquire and wrap, side-dishes to plan and prepare ... plus things to do to get the dogs ready to travel with us down the highway and next to the beach to grandma's house.

O.K., so I need to stop panicking and start formulating plan B. That means three things:

• scale down
• scale back
• slash

So instead of HO! HO! HO!, I might be looking at ho, ho, ho this year.

If nothing else, living with chronic illness has taught me how to be resourceful and tackle the unexpected. It's all about being in the moment and becoming better at managing my circumstances and situation. Maybe next year I can incorporate what I've learned and try getting prepared earlier, like at the beginning of November instead of the beginning of December.

Better yet, I should take a cue from Hallmark: after all, those ornaments start showing up in stores in July!

The Holiday Blues & Be Good to You

Image via Wikipedia
Chances are you are going to get a least one gift this year that isn't going to be what you asked Santa or your favorite Holiday gift-giver to get you. So to ensure that at least one gift this year is something that will bring a smile to your face, consider buying a gift for yourself. Here are some favorites that I have purchased for myself, many of which have the added benefit of helping me cope with various aspects of my chronic illnesses. Which means these items make great gifts for people living with fibromyalgia, dysautonomia, sleep disorders, etc. (hint, hint holiday gift-givers!)

Enjoy A Cup of Comfort

This time of year is perfect for a nice, hot cup of tea. Besides being warm and soothing, tea has many health benefits too: read this great article Tea for Fibromyalgia. One of THE best cups of tea I have ever had was from the Mighty Leaf Tea Company, which I discovered in 2004 at the Portofino Hotel in Redondo Beach. I have been ordering their artisan blends in biodegradable tea pouches ever since.




Curl Up With a Good Book

Some of my favorite authors are Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Geneen Roth, Sylvia Browne and Marianne Williamson. In fact, I own books by many of the authors published through Hay House. My favorite categories to browse are inspirational, health and healing, spirituality and self improvement. I currently have my eye on Happy Holidays! by Dr. Dyer, which is about beating the holiday blues.




Splurge on a Back-Friendly Item

I covet just about every back-friendly gadget in the Relax the Back store. From pillows and plush supports that make sitting and lying down more comfortable, to ergonomic pens that make writing with carpal tunnel symptoms a little bit easier, this store is a great place to browse for helpful products and ideas. Of course, these days I'm doing my browsing online at the Relax the Back website.



Sleep to the Sound of the Ocean

With all my sleep problems, it takes a variety of strategies and solutions to get me close to a good night's sleep. One thing that really helps, so much so that I simply cannot sleep without it, is a sound soother. I own the Sound Oasis Deluxe. My favorite sound is white noise, which magically drowns out my husband's snoring, noise from outside my window and the doorbell when I am resting.



Tap Into Powerful Stress Relief

My doctor recommend the emWave® Personal Stress Reliever to help me manage my dysautonomia symptoms. This simple hand-held device uses colorful LED displays, audio feedback and a powerful stress relief technique to help me increase my feelings of well-being and train my nervous system to relax. Best of all, it is simple, fun to use and ON SALE for the holidays (through December 28th.)



So be good to you this holiday season. Splurge on a gift just for yourself and be your own secret Santa.

Question of the Week: How Do You Plan for Special Events?

Image by anselm23 via Flickr
I'm afraid this is going to be one of my posts where I talk about a good idea that I clearly struggle to implement regularly...

First I should clarify. We all plan for special events, like birthdays, holidays and vacations. Maybe we create a packing list or a menu or go shopping for a present. But when you have chronic illness, planning for special events takes on a whole new dimension, because traveling, shopping, cooking and decorating use a lot of energy.

So now I need to plan for allocating my energy before, during and after a special event. And to be honest, doing anything outside my normal, daily routine is now defined as a special event.

Thankfully the online CFIDS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help group introduced me to a concept that makes planning for special events much easier:



The key to filling out this form is to allocate plenty of time to tasks and adding lots and lots (and lots) of extra rest time.

So, if I had been smart, two weeks before Halloween I would have worked out my costume for handing out candy and run my Halloween related errands. The following week, I would have spread out decorating the house over a long weekend, with rest days scheduled before and after. I would have set up for candy dispensing at least a day in advance and spend most of Halloween resting before and after the main evening event.

I am spending this week staying home and resting to make up for my poor planning over the last couple of weeks. I am skirting the edge of a flare-up and doing everything I can to insert extra self-care activities into this week to prevent one from happening. Let's see if I can avoid one altogether.

Next time, I need to remember this form and complete one in advance to prevent a setback or worsening my symptoms. After all, I'm not going to pass up on fun just because I have chronic illness. I know that if I plan ahead I can do these things with minimized impact on my chronic pain and fatigue.

So do you plan ahead? After reading this post, will you give it a try or give it another try? (You can download this form by going to CFIDS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help.) Please add your feedback to this post or head over to the Oh My Aches and Pains! Facebook page to join the discussion.