What’s been happenin’
and what’s helping…
I’m awake early on a Saturday morning and decided to get up and write it all down instead of think about stuff as I lie awake. So read this if/when you have an interest.
So what has been happening? Well, not a whole lot. As I ‘quietly’ mentioned in a previous blog, when several things intersect in my life it isn’t so great. That’s when I shift into “this too shall pass” mode. So what have been my intersectors, the process and end result??
Challenging Intersectors
Fortunately they do not happen all at once, but collectively they build up steam and have their impact. And when several do intersect, GRACE needed, right now!!
1. 9 weeks of busy for me, back to back stuff. That was the MRAP seminar, kids here to celebrate Glen’s 60th birthday, road trip to ND to celebrate our farming community’s 125th anniversary, my friend, Cora, coming to visit and then Glen’s cousins here to speak at an Asian believers conference south of Portland. This is lots for me as a struggling, hang in there fibromyalgia person. God’s grace is sufficient at the time, but my system seemingly will eventually pay the price for all the activity.
2. Grass allergy season. Grass is probably my #1 allergen responder. How does that impact me? I can be overall energy-supressed, but it can also kick in a total muscle… the ‘Mac truck is parked on my body’ (fibromyalgia) response. ”Were we supposed to go somewhere?? I don’t think so!!” This too shall pass.
3. I hurt my muscles in my inner thigh, more specifically the groin muscles. This is a new location for muscle pain and what in the world did I do to cause this injury? And how do I pull out of this new joy!? Fast forward: after going to the chiropractor and even trying acupuncture, and waiting to get in to see my physcial therapist (she’s a gem!)…. here is what I learned. Yep! I lean over incorrectly as an instinctive measure in protecting my knees which I accumulatively have had 3 surgeries on. I was leaning over (from the waist) to get some brochures about Timberline Lodge (you know, sorting through/organizing the brochures drawer means dumping all on the floor) before I scooted out the door to go pick up Glen’s cousins (on their afternoon off) to take them to see Mt Hood. That was a neat time. But coming down from Timberline Lodge is like a luge run and even though I had my van in low, I still had my foot poised above the pedal. And occasionally had to use the brake.
My physical therapist said…
Women who have had babies have a stretched sacroiliac area (that diamond of ligaments below your waist in the back). When I leaned over incorrectly I strained it and then the sidewards motion of my foot from pedal to brake ‘torqued it’. That sacroiliac strain leads to pulled/strained groin and inner thigh muscles. Joy!! And as I finally figured out (once again), soft muscle injury does take time to heal. She said 8-12 weeks and, of course, for fibromyalgia people that is even longer. She gave me some stretching exercises, taught me how to NOT LEAN OVER FROM THE WAIST to get down somewhere, and said to massage the sore muscles on the cross fiber of the muscle…3-5 minutes 1X per day. Get back to the pool only 1 x per week, only walk and do my arm exercises. No specific leg exercises for now. She reminded me that the rollercoaster of it being fine for awhile and then surprisingly it hurts again is the normal process of healing.
4. I don’t do well with muscle relaxants. I have probably always had a sensitive system to medication, but since fibromyalgia I have learned that muscle relaxants, Benadryl, and progesterone cream (when I used to try such a thing) can really put me in a tizzy and more challenging scramble me to the point of struggling with depression. The first round of muscle relaxant I did OK, after the first week of pain with the groin/inner thigh muscles. The time right before going to Victoria had that depressive /feeling weird effect. Three of the four days of the trip I enjoyed the sights but inside I was saying “Oh, great! This too shall pass…. but Lord, could we speed this thing up???”
5. Response to the sun and lambsquarter weed. (Too long to attempt explaining. It made for an unusual Labor Day weekend and the week thereafter.)
6. Sensitivity to smells. This has been something that raises its head every now and then. Well, I got my order of PartyLite candles; I thought I was OK with all the scents (surprisingly) from when I checked them all out at a party we had at a Red Hat meeting a couple years ago. Well, a tea light size sample and a large candle are two different things! I had ordered purple ones that Rachel (my PartyLite consultant and daughter-in-love) had told me would be discontinued …. so I ordered since I wanted those purple (of course) ones! Oops!! Not too sure “grape raisin” is very friendly to me. I have had that 5″ inch round in my holder on the hearth out to ‘adjust’ to. Also, a variety of PartyLite scents when the catalog order I did with friends came. I carefully put the orders together and then hid them in a big box with peanut filler bags I wanted to get rid of. It has helped until I could get them delivered. ANYWAY, last Sunday I went into service a bit late and came to sit in my regular area. I needed to get past one lady into the middle. I could smell there was a strong perfume (and I know better as nearby was one of my ‘watch out for’ ladies). (Verna, it’s not you.) I debated if I should move right away, but opted to stay put. Wrong! As we left the parking lot I could feel my chest tightening up and my bronchial spasm business start. Later that night I foolishly lit some candles. After a few moments it was the smell, the smoke in blowing them out, whatever……… I went into a mild asthma jag for several days this week. I have some stuff from my naturopath that seems to help some. I didn’t communicate with my regular doctor as I do not want any more medication. Mostly, you got it… THIS TOO SHALL PASS!! Meanwhile, that big grape raisin candle is in the big box, and the total box is outside of my house as often as possible.
My Top Ten List of what’s helping!!
1. Sermon series at church on “Joy Under Pressure”, a study on the book of Phillipians.
2. When I awake too early (probably the adrenaline thrown out by allergens wakes me up), I sing choruses to myself (current theme is worthy), pray in English and in a heavenly language, and think about scripture that helps. I try to keep problem solving thinking to a minimum. Get back to sleep.
3. Cognitive activity keeps me distracted from pain and helps override depression.
***Sudoku! I learned this summer. I have some cheap books from Dollar Tree and try my hand at WebSudoku every now and then.
***Redoing our Money program, accounting online.
***Learning about living trusts, specifically about stewardship trusts with AG Financial Solutions.
***Learning more about the challenges of former AG students who now have school debt loans to pay and would like to be in ministry. And if you go ahead and get into ministry the challenges involved. We have come alongside Peter and Rachel more closely to explore how God would want us to become part of the solution. I am starting to research how this might be addressed in our fellowship….. so we don’t keep losing so many people for ministry. (“I can’t afford to be in ministry”…. and many pastoral positions remain open.) The Northwest Ministry Network (AG district of Washington and Idaho) has something that helps and sounds like they are working on more.
I’ve been playing with debt reduction and retirement planners at www.money.com under personal finance tab.
***Work out the details for our trip to Nashville/Kentucky/Alabama the end of October. And believing I will somehow have the stamina to do all that!
4. Talk it over with my friends, Cora, Colleen, Debbie, Suzanne, Carol, Sheri, Linda, Verna, Melinda, Leila, Alma and Roxane. Glen (wonderful guy that he is) can tolerate only so much, right?? Thanks, ladies!! I am very blessed that is for sure. With that many ‘safe’ friends, no one person needs to get overload, I hope.
5. Reading some. The Joyce Meyers book I mentioned this week. The new book by Mark Batterson, “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day”. I’m learning to have a ‘chasing lions’ attitude.
6. Airing out the PartyLite candles on my porch…. handling them with a mask on. Contemplating the $$$ of switching to unscented for the bigger, decorational candles. Anyone want some cool, purple candles!!?? Made the decision to sit in the balcony at church so I can move as necessary.
7. Reading others’ blogs. Posting on my own blog very seldom. The ability to create tends to elude me when I am battling depression. However, savoring the beauty of the Butchart Gardens has been a must!
8. Reframing my thinking on these times. Rather than thinking of a challenge/situation as having an adverse reaction, see it as a learning moment. I want to write on this concept further.
9. Christian music and Bible reading.
10. And keep on saying, THIS TOO SHALL PASS!!
CORN CASSEROLE 
There was a few shots of the train going by and a short interview with one of the board of trustees. I had my friend, Dick, take my picture with my camera to prove I was in there:) Dick was also riding up in Thomas with me. We took turns between waving/running the smoke machine/blowing the whistle/roasting in the sun on the fireman side and sitting in the shade/moving the eyes on the front with a lever/looking for track obstructions or people in the way on the engineer side. I had fun and plan to go back after church today. We also have Friday/Sat/Sun this upcoming weekend so I will show up as long as I don’t get called in to work. Guess I have to start liking kids 
