foggy brain

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Maybe There Are Just Too Many Maybe’s… Making Decisions With A Foggy Brain

Let’s say, for instance, you have to make a life altering decision. How do you go about thinking through this decision? Do you talk to your friends? Do you go in a dark room and think, think, think? Do you sit down and make a list of the pro’s and con’s? Do you talk to your counselor? Do you talk to your significant other? Do you talk to your dog? parents? What do you do?

Let me give you an example. You have the option to make a change that will make a significant difference in your income, your social life, even your daily life and will cause you to go through some pretty major positive and negative stress. You can either make this change OR you can keep  going in the life you have. The life you have is not bad. You make a pretty good income, you work with some of the best people on earth, you have some pretty major stress.

So, what’s the problem? Well, that was just an example. My question still remains. What do you do when you have a problem and you need to think it through? I struggle with this all the time when I have issues. With a foggy brain, when I try to figure things out… well, let’s be honest… I don’t get to the “figuring out” part. I start to do the research, but I have a difficult time reading through the policy jargon. The stuff that used to be so easy for me… this is the shit that I used to read through and help OTHER people understand. Now I’m the one that can’t figure it out. What. Happened. To. Me.

I have my good days when I can be a Lawyer! Of course these are my husband’s worst nightmare days. He should really pray these are the days he doesn’t get into an argument with me… because if I’m feeling good, I’m probably going to really want to use my brain! (God help him!) These are the days that I will willingly work 16 hours to get through as much email and paperwork as possible. I can process stuff very quickly vs. the normal time it takes. Quickly. This is how I used to work in the late 80’s and 90’s and early 2000’s bcp (before chronic pain).

I can remember those days. I used to work 16 hour days… everyday. I used to work 6 days a week… every week. My life was work, work was my life. Hmmmmm, I don’t think I should look back on those days and say “those were the good ‘ol days!”. There were definitely some GREAT days! I had a lot of fun working, I learned a hell of a lot… but I gave up a hell of a lot as well. I am certainly paying the price now. People still expect the same output or I should say, people would still like the same output. I also expect myself to be able to work like that. I still push myself to work those hours. I don’t know how to work an 8 hour day, stop working and then figure out what to do the rest of the time. Well, let’s be real here… after those 8 hours, I’m pretty much useless. BUT, IF I had energy after 8 hours, what would I do? I have no idea. There is so much to do… where would I start?

My problem is… I have so many things I want to do, I am overwhelmed. If I wasn’t working at all, where would I start? Where would I stop? How would I prioritize? The thing is… why think about it at all if there’s no chance at the moment?

So… again, I have this question about how to make this big life altering decision. I have this damn foggy brain. I have all these questions in my head. I am completely overwhelmed. I know there are all these processes you can use to make decisions… and well… I think when it comes down to it… maybe I’m just not ready to make this decision. Maybe I’m afraid. There are just so many Maybe’s.

Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe I’ll figure out what I want to do soon.

But for tonight… I think I’ll go to sleep… and maybe, jussssttttt maybe, when I wake up I’ll have an idea of how to think through this decision!

Y’all stay cool! Thanks for reading…

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A Simple Post: My Fibro Journal Template… Use It & Track Your Daily Progress… YES I SAID PROGRESS!!

Hi everyone!

I created this template based on the 10 week Level II Pain Program I took at Kaiser and I have used it every day for a month. It has helped me remember to take my meds, really understand my sleep (lack of sleep), how my pain goes up and down, when and how often I flare and… when I talk to my dr… I can actually speak factually (what a concept)!

Try it, tell me what you think… these are just pictures. I posted it a couple of weeks ago, but I thought if I showed you what the pages looked like, you would be more apt to try it out. :) You can download the template in my Awesome Resources tab.

If you are not tracking your progress… if you don’t use my template… create your own or buy one or do something! It’s important so you can see your PROGRESS!!!! Even if it’s small, you do progress. Even if it doesn’t feel like it… you are making progress. You will have bad days… but you will have GOOD days. Journaling forces you to see the GOOD!!

Okay, I’m off my soap box. :)

Thanks for reading and have a super cool and pain-free week-end!

MY FOGGY BRAIN: Daily Fibro Journal - Page 1

MY FOGGY BRAIN: Daily Fibro Journal - Page 1

MY FOGGY BRAIN: Daily Fibro Journal - Page 2

MY FOGGY BRAIN: Daily Fibro Journal - Page 2

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Eczema, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Depression & ADHD? Anything Else Want to Join This Party?

Let me tell you something funny. I thought I knew pretty much all I needed to know about Fibromyalgia. I thought I knew all the pain and exhaustion and crap that I was going to know that came with MY Fibromyalgia. Pretty funny, huh? Obviously I was naive and completely missed the chapter about the skin and the effects that FMS has on it. I admit it… I’m a dumbass. I have spent the last 3 days… one, two, three and let’s count today so this is the fourth day… itching like a dog dipped and rolled in fleas. If you could see me now… I have hives all over.

Pain+crazy itchy=psychotic mom. My dog Tani, also has some kind of crazy itchy thing going on. I want to do what she does. She literally walks and randomly throws herself on the floor, I mean this, THROWS herself on the floor and “THUD!” rolls to her backside and vigorously wiggles back and forth to scratch her back. I’m jealous. I want to do this. I know I sound crazy, but she looks pretty content when she’s done.

I gotta be honest, I think I’ve been pretty okay to live with. I haven’t thrown things around the house or screamed for no reason or even cried like there’s no tomorrow (although I’m seriously on the verge). I have pretty much just sat on this couch and played Facebook games on my computer. Non-stop. It’s the only thing that can distract me enough to keep me sane. Thank goodness there’s a new game to play as well… I can’t read or Twitter or watch TV. I can’t sit still or barely write this blog post. I’ve been trying to write it for the past 24 hours. Idle time for more than 10 seconds and I am scratching like crazy. This seriously SUCKS. I mean, I am ready to take any drug offered to make this stop. I am anxious and stressed and frustrated and exhausted all at the same time… AND in pain. How is this even possible?

If you could see me now….

It’s Wednesday and I just finished this post. I hit save and the page exploded before my eyes.

The login page comes up and I login and I come back and … it’s all gone. All my edits are gone up to the point where I had last saved. What do I do? Do I give up and just scream? Do I say eff it and just leave the post yet again for another day? (yes that is EXACTLY what my first reaction is) or do I suck it up and just finish it?

This is me sucking it up… so be nice! hahahahahaha.

So! It is Wednesday (I know I just said that, cut me some slack here) and I am still itching away… I found out the problem, I’m just not sure I believe it. On Friday, like a good patient, I had sent an email to my chronic pain doctor. On Monday he gave me a call and we talked about what the issue might be. He decided it wasn’t a reaction to my meds (good thing). He also thought it would be  a good idea for me to see my Primary Care Physician (PCP). I had a feeling this was going to happen. I still find it super cool that he even calls me to check in with me. Kaiser has such a bad reputation, the fact that he calls me, and first thing in the morning, and then tells me why he didn’t call me on Friday?? Awesome! The people in the Chronic Pain group…. they are the best! I can’t recommend the Level II Pain Program enough!!

I went in to see my PCP and she figures it’s chronic hives… I’m not so convinced. She’s thinking and asks me if I want to go on steroids. Hmmmm, how about NO! Prednisone? Hmmmm… HELL NO! Then she tells me she is going to have this “Roving Dermatologist” check me out. Cool. I’m cool with that. Sounds interesting and a good idea. We wait. I have my husband and daughter in the room with me. We wait. She comes in the room with my PCP (I just like saying that… funny how that acronym just happens to be the same as, well…. you know). Anyway, the Roving Derm and my PCP start talking and the Derm starts looking at my hives and asking me the questions, “when?”, “how long?”, “anything new?”, she wants to see where all the hives are and then she keeps asking me … literally over and over and over again… “did you use any new lotions?” me: “no” okay, “but, have you used any new lotions?” me: “ummmm, no”. It was almost as if she didn’t believe me. I guess she gave up after she kept getting the same answer. She then does this doctor speak with my PCP and pretends my family and I are not in the room. Riggghhhhhtttttt. This 6 foot black man is not in the room. I am thinking… “I wonder if I pinch her, will she notice?” and then I think… I better not, the consequences of that are probably not very good… and just as I finish with my thinking, the doctor bubble breaks and “PING!” we are all in the same room again. My PCP gives me my prescription and we are on our way. I like my PCP, but it’s always kind of a strange visit to me.

Steroid lotion and cream and Atarax. I start day 2 of this lotion/cream twice a day schedule along with an Atarax pill and so far it’s not really working, but I’m giving it a chance… because that’s the sort of girl I am! I don’t like to take the Atarax during the day. I have to get my work done so I will wait until it’s time for bed. This means I’m itchy all day… all I’m saying is… you don’t want to irritate me… you don’t want to irritate the irritable, right? Pass it on.

Okay and here’s the thing… Eczema, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Depression and ADHD?? Good damn thing I’m married!! I’d never find a man with all that shit! What I’m sayin’ is anything else want to join in this party?? You better come quick!! I’m closing the door to this gosh darn party, I’m lettin’ the door hit ADHD in the ass as it closes! This is bullshit!! I did not sign up for this, but I’m handling it. I’m takin’ it. I’m living with it and I’m not going to sit down and cry my eyes out. Try me, damnit!! Okay, maybe some days I’ll cry my eyes out… but not EVERYDAY!! These things do not make for the end of the world… they cannot kill me and I won’t let them kill my spirit. Right? Are ya with me?? Good!

I will say this though!!! 2000+ hits to my blog?? That is WAY TOO AWESOME!! When I first started writing this blog I never ever in my wildest dreams (okay now I am going a bit overboard, I don’t really dream about my blog, but you get my drift) thought that I would have this many folk read what I’m talkin’ about. I love the fact that people understand and get what I am talkin’ about.

You all have a wonderful and blessed day!! Leave your comments, I love to read them!

Stay super duper cool!

PS. I was chicken, you would have pinched her, right? :)

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Expect the Unexpected… The Life of a Fibromite

Expect the unexpected… that should be the motto of our lives. Each day we wake up we never know which part of our body will function, or not. This is always an interesting part of my morning routine… I wake up and lay in bed for a few minutes and sort of have a chat with my body:

“okay feet, what’s going on… crazy nerves or are you going to be cool today?”

“legs and knees, numb this morning? can we stand up? walk?”

“back… oh back, let’s just rest a bit and then stretch out and … we really can do this… right?”

“shoulders… breathe…  breathe… release (I always have to remember to let my muscles relax in my shoulders!)”

“neck.. relax.. relax! .. oh I mean …. breaaaathhhheeeee… relaxxxx”

I have had one flare free week and what a blessing that was. I haven’t had a relatively pain free week like that in a very long time. Today is a new day. I will take it for what it is. I have new challenges to face today and I will face them and I will use my tools to manage through the pain and I will fight the flare monster away!

Today is a new day.

Expect the unexpected… and accept, sometimes it’s good and sometimes it’s not so good. Everyday is a new day, which means every day you have a new opportunity to make it a GREAT DAY!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stay cool.

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I am Flare Free!!! This and my Journey with Fibromyalgia the Last Few Weeks

I have to tell you… I have started this post and others many times. It is now May 16th and I am happy to say that I am flare free. Did you hear me??? FLARE FREE!!! Uh-uh. No. Don’t just read that sentence like it’s nothing. Read it again… Say it out loud with me. Wait a minute, Let me make it easier for you:

I   A M   F L A R E   F R E E !!!

I actually feel good. I can’t believe it. What the hell is going on? I’m not complaining or anything, but seriously, what the hell is going on? I like it! The timing is great! I need the energy to get through the next few weeks to get shit done. I hear you, PACE. I know. I am learning. Every day I am learning.

What I’m saying is… it can happen, I went from excruciating pain to feeling good. My medication is working. My exercise is working. It’s not magic. It’s not a miracle. It’s work, it’s what I learned from Physical Therapy, Counseling and research and most  important it’s about being consistent! Don’t give up. Each and every day I have to remind myself that it takes positivity and work to create change. Some days it takes more positivity than others… “This too shall pass” are the words I meditate by on those days. I deep breathe and on the in and out, I say those words and with each breath I get a little bit calmer.

This last 6 weeks has been a super-duper challenge for me. I thought I was going to lose the ability to walk and was starting to wonder about the use of my hands. Very scary. Noone can understand the fear this creates in the brain of a fibromite. I am feeling really blessed to be able to walk without my cane for an entire day.  I’m excited to be able to go to my son’s High School graduation in a couple weeks and not have to worry about being completely out of it. I can walk without everyone asking me what happened! This. is. awesome.

I understand tomorrow is not promised. I understand tomorrow I could wake up and not be able to walk. I have not lost my marbles (well that can be debated, I know! :)). Today is a great and awesome day. I am going to enjoy it. I am going to appreciate what I have. If tomorrow is completely different, I will deal with it when it comes. For now? I can walk and I can do what I want and I LOVE it!!

You all have a beautiful week and thank you so much for stopping by! Please leave a comment and let me know how you are doing.

Stay cool!

PS. I started and stopped the two posts below and never got around to posting them, I thought I’d include these posts with this one since it’s all a part of my journey…

Wait Do I Really Have Fibro?

It’s May 13th… April 9th is when it started. That is the day I woke up to the most horrible FLARE in a long time and I am praying tonight that it is finally coming to an end. Today was the first day that I woke up and felt human. I had one of those days, you know what I’m talking about — you wake up and you think “Wait, do I really have fibro… I’m feeling really good right now!”.

I felt so good I didn’t want to admit it to anyone. I didn’t want to say it out loud. I didn’t want to even whisper it. I did, however, say to myself “Today’s going to be a good day!” over and over in my head. I believe in the power of positive thinking.

You have to understand… stay with me for a minute.

  • For the last month I haven’t been able to stand up in the shower, wash my own hair and to get really personal, on most days I needed help to wash my own body.
  • I haven’t been able to walk without my cane. Walking with my cane, making it around the block would be an amazing feat!
  • I haven’t driven myself anywhere in so long, it’s amazing I even know how to drive anymore!
  • Just this week… I was in a wheelchair on Tuesday so I could participate at a conference with my colleagues at work. A wheelchair. Let me say that again… a wheelchair. Once more, a wheelchair, and let me say I was the first one to use it AND I borrowed it from a woman in her 90’s who is in WAY better shape than I.
  • Just yesterday, I was in tears I was in so much pain before going to the office.

All of a sudden today, I was able to walk without my cane and I was able to get through most of my restorative yoga class and it’s the end of the day and I now definitely feel the pain, but I’m still okay. This pain stuff is just crazy. So, all I’m sayin’ is… the FLARE better be gone! It visited for over a month, it’s definitely time to go!!

Things are about to get really crazy around here… and I mean crazy. PACE is going to either be my best friend or my enemy. I guess that’s the real definition of FRENEMY. Lord have mercy. Did I really just say that? Seriously. I need help. I mean mental help, I’m starting to lose it. Okay, so I already lost it… so that just means I don’t have to worry about losing “it”, right? If anyone finds my “it” anywhere… just send “it” back to me. I don’t know what you’d want my “it” for anyway, you can see by the way I operate, my “it” is not in very good condition!

See how easily I am distracted? FOCUS! Okay so! I have a lot coming up in these few weeks, I don’t have time for a FLARE.

Day 25 of My Very Intense Flare…

I will apologize now. I am not the most upbeat today. It’s Day 25 of a very intense flare. One of the most intense flares in, wow, SIX months! Just looking back through my posts, I thought it had been much longer, but it’s only been six months. I am now feeling just a little bit worse. I am going to allow myself to feel like shit for just this moment so I will hopefully feel better by the time I get done writing this post. It’s getting very difficult for me to keep it together minute to minute, hour to hour, day-to-day as this flare continues.

This flare is different from before… very different. For the first time in the history of my flares, I cannot get enough sleep. I am tired all the time. I mean, I am exhausted when I go to sleep, when I wake up, when I eat, when I work, when I breathe… just when. On Monday when I went to the dr., he got it. Exhaustion from pain. This time is different. I am in level 8-10 pain 24 hours a day, 7 days a week… every second of the day… and it makes me tired. It makes me frustrated and it’s starting to make me really angry. I am really, really, really trying not to let this shit take over my life.

Today was the day I hit the wall. If I had the strength I would have beat the shit out of the wall. I have taken a vacation and not been able to walk, I have been to a wedding and not been able to dance, I have been to the beach twice and not been able to walk to the ocean… for me? not walking to the ocean is actually a first… I should not whine, it’s a blessing that I can walk at all. It’s a blessing that I am able to go to the beach and I was invited to a wedding… a beautiful wedding with some great people and I got to watch my son dance all night, it was the best night ever! What the hell am I complaining about? I’m not complaining… I’m not.

I believe what I am trying to say is… I am tired. I am in a lot of pain and it is hard to deal with. Some days are harder than others and today is one of those hard days.

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Fibromites, Do You Wake Up Refreshed? Just Smile!

It is Saturday morning, 6:30am and I am sitting here wide awake. Ask me why… c’mon, ask. Come onnnnn…. Okay fine! Because it’s Saturday and I can actually sleep in (well not really, my daughter has a soccer game and I would have to get up in a bit anyway, but that’s not the point!). The point is, it’s Saturday and I don’t have to get up at this time and it’s like flipping backwards day as usual in my life and I am awake for no reason when I should be asleep and here I am wide awake! Whew! That was a long sentence! It is not as if I got enough sleep so I woke up feeling…. and I hate this word now –> REFRESHED (Wait a minute, I honestly have tried to take that word out of my vocab… so rewind, erase and replace hate with strongly dislike). How many fibromites actually feel “refreshed” when they wake up? (could you actually feel me doing the quote/unquote really strongly with my fingers that time? because I was, well as strong as these grip-less hands would let me). I mean, that is just not something I have felt in years. I wake up feeling like …. hmmmm … not sure I have thought about this … I wake up and think about how I slept, what hurts and will I be able to walk when I get out of bed and then I try and figure out what day it is. Now as my daughter says, “sharing is caring” so when y’all read that one, laugh with me, not at me… because, for example, today I woke up and really thought it was Thursday for some reason. I was pretty happy it was Saturday once I figured it out. Still laughing at me, I mean, with me? That’s alright, that’s why you visited my blog today, some pain relief. :)

So back to my point, most days I wake up feeling tired, half of those days along with tired foggy decides to join the party and maybe 15% of those days depression decides to crash the party and bring everyone down. So refreshed never really happens. I wonder what that’s like. You know when you are watching t.v. and that commercial comes on with the chick in her all white pajamas changing the all white sheets, and the light shining through the wall of glass behind her and she just looks all clean and refreshed? She is the anti-me. I ha… oh wait, really dislike her.

It’s really not all bad, it’s my reality. I’m just saying it’s Saturday and “hellllllooooooooo”, just thought I might sleep in today, but apparently I needed to get up and greet the world. Okay… seriously, I am smiling… I really am. I just realized it. I am crackin’ myself up as I write this… I have to take my own advice, right? Don’t take life too seriously… and THAT my friends is why I am up early. I needed to wake up and get an early start so I could smile and hopefully make you smile. If I didn’t get up early enough I would not have been able to write this before getting out of the house for my daughter’s game. That’s the start of my day… smiling. Awesome!

Hope you enjoyed my post. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you start your day with a smile!

Stay cool!