Stubbornly Healing Myself

Stubbornly Self Healing

I admit it. My patience is about the size of a gnat. Some might say it’s part of my charm, though I suspect most would use less complimentary descriptions. Either way, it’s what’s kept me moving instead of sitting on the couch, eating my troubles away (or unsuccessfully trying) while feeling sorry for myself. Frankly, I don’t have time for that nonsense, no matter how freed up my time might be right now. I have far too much living to do.

Instead, I’m doing everything I can to get those herniated discs in my neck to calm the heck down and stop pressing on the nerves that impact my left arm and shoulder. Whether it’s the daily stretches I’ve learned from several rounds of physical therapy, the rotating ice packs on my back and neck, daily walks, dance nights, or chores, I’m applying what I’ve learned from over a decade of managing this intermittent issue to improve the current status of my life absent the afore-mentioned physical therapy.

What surprises even me is I’ve learned when to push it, and when to (gasp!) ask for help. When the sandboxes needed dumping, scrubbing, and refilling, I knew lifting an awkward sandbox filled with about 20 pounds of sand was ill-advised so I engaged my walking partner to do the carrying. Not only did I spare myself the pain and perhaps, backsliding from the progress I’ve already made, but we got the job done in half the time it would have taken me, going back and forth 4 times.

Improvement Through Consistency

Using my head instead of my oh-so-stubborn heart, I was even able to sleep in my bed for part of the night for the first time in over a week! Sure, I woke up achy again this morning, but as I age, I’ve learned it’s part of my morning routine until I move around a bit, and stretch. Often it’s my knees, which have been surprisingly cooperative lately! After morning stretches, cat feeding, and another liberal application of Salonpas, the aches are mostly gone, and I’m able to go about my regular, daily business, if not in complete comfort, at least most of the way.

Knowing movement eases most of the pain incurred from sitting, or lying still for too long gives me the momentum to unkink the creaky parts (some days, more slowly than others) and move my increasingly less lazy self through my morning routine, and even into extra things like washing bedding, vacuuming, and mopping up more cat vomit.

Though I may, at the moment, be disinclined to travel to more distant dance venues in case the pain becomes less manageable, I’m beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel, simply because I’ve once again taken my healing into my own hands. The years when I’d sit on my butt feeling sorry for myself, and failing to see improvement are long behind me. Perhaps knowing I have less years ahead of me are the inspiration and motivation I need to avoid wasting what I have left in that manner. Still, applying what I’ve learned about managing intermittent pain plays a huge part in my current methodology.

Healing Lessons Learned and Applied

Some of those lessons include:

• Move as much as possible
• Avoid doing things which might exacerbate the issue (aka ask for help)
• Revisit my list of anti-inflammatory and inflammatory foods, and focus on the former
• Add a night time dose of Turmeric to my regimen
• Provide ample opportunities for cat cuddles and purrs
• Use ice, heat, or both to help relieve the symptoms
• Take Aleve as necessary (I learned the hard way, no matter how bad the pain, avoid Tylenol with Codeine, aka Norco as it does nothing for my nerve pain, and gives me insomnia.
• In the event of sleeplessness, use the Ambient Music station on my Pandora account. Rest is as essential to healing as movement.
• Apply SalonPas, BenGay, or similar non-Lidocaine containing products as needed

Utilizing all of these lessons has moved me from counting the days until my first PT appointment, to trying to decide which heavy household chore I’ll tackle today even if I’ll approach whatever I decide slowly and carefully, and stop if I feel like it’s making things worse. As such, I’ll probably give it a few more days before I tackle mopping, but vacuuming is definitely a consideration.

Moving Intelligently

Knowing there are times my movements will be limited, I’ve even invested in a few devices to make my chores easier. I currently have 2 robot vacuums, one with a mopping attachment that seems to work best on clean-ish floors, and a long-handled, battery operated scrubber which makes it easier to scrub things like tubs, and dried on cat barf.

I know I could, like many of my friends, hire someone to clean house for me, I’ve resisted even if it would mean a much cleaner house than I’ve been willing or able to achieve on my own. In the first place, there are areas I’d be embarrassed to let someone who’s profession is house cleaning see. In the second, I don’t really trust strangers in my house, especially after the incident with the plumber who didn’t close the door to the garage securely, allowing some of my cats to go on an adventure.

Besides, having the chores to do myself means I have one more way to remain active, at least until I resume the online ballet classes I subscribed to many months ago when the Zoom ones no longer served me. For now, I’ll move more, and sit less, knock a few chores off my list, learn a new line dance or two, and move ever closer to being pain free again by healing myself slowly but surely.

Grateful for Progress

My gratitudes today are:

1. I’m grateful for the lessons I’ve learned about pain management and movement.
2. I’m grateful for knees which are keeping themselves out of the current equation.
3. I’m grateful for being too stubborn to sit around and wait until my physical therapy begins.
4. I’m grateful for being my own best health advocate.
5. I’m grateful for noticeable improvements.

About the Author

Sheri Conaway is a Holistic Ghostwriter, and an advocate for cats and mental health. Sheri believes in the Laws of Attraction, but only if you are a participant rather than just an observer. Her mission is to Make Vulnerable Beautiful. In her spare time, she’s also an accountant with extensive experience in Government Contracting.