Health, Harmony and Healing
10/25/2012
Many of you have been aware that I have had some medical issues since last March or so. I have spent my summer chasing diagnoses from rheumatoid arthritis to Lyme disease to Lupus, and have currently landed on an answer that I much prefer, which is that this has been a rheumatoid-like reaction to a virus (possibly human parvovirus) that I encountered last winter, that should eventually resolve. I have had symptoms of “migratory arthritis,” which was jumping around from wrists and hands to knees, ankles and toes. Now the swelling has subsided and it seems to have settled to a dull ache in my wrists and hands. I am also experiencing fatigue and have not been able to exercise as I like to. The good news is that I seem to be recovering!
This has been an education in many things including humility and mortality as well as gratitude to my friends and family that have pitched in when I needed a hand. It was difficult to accept that I was unable to do all of the things that I wanted to and the thought that this was my new permanent state was rather daunting. Our family still has many plans, which include hiking and rafting the Grand Canyon, traveling, camping and paddling and otherwise being active for many years to come. I adapted my thinking to include these things, perhaps at a modified pace.
I have gained a much better understanding and compassion for those who live their lives in chronic pain and fatigue – even a few days were enough to show me that was a challenging way to live. I have renewed respect and admiration for my sister-in-law who lives with these challenges and just keeps on smiling. I also feel like I’ve gained just a little insight into the arthritic pain of my animal patients. I was amazed that I didn’t realize how cranky I was being until the pain was better controlled with anti-inflammatory medications. My family appreciates it when I take my medications!
So those cranky old dogs and cats may be experiencing more pain than we realize. The gradual decrease in activity, jumping less, slow to get up, I can now relate better to all of these things. This has also given me an opportunity to experiment on myself with some of the herbal treatments that I use on my patients. I have found some nice herbs that control the pain at least as well as my anti-inflammatory pills, without the concerns for some of the long-term side effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs.) I also feel a higher level of energy when I am taking them. I have been on herbs alone for the last month and have been quite comfortable – to the point that I thought my condition was going away completely. Then I took a few days off, just to assess things and, wow, those herbs do a really great job! Without the herbs, after a couple of days, the pain in my wrists and hands returned, and I think I got a little cranky… so, back to my herbs and we’ll see where I go from here.
Here is a link to a new page I have added highlighting some of my favorite local sources for Human Health: Health, Harmony and Happiness
Wishing you all health, harmony and happiness!
This has been an education in many things including humility and mortality as well as gratitude to my friends and family that have pitched in when I needed a hand. It was difficult to accept that I was unable to do all of the things that I wanted to and the thought that this was my new permanent state was rather daunting. Our family still has many plans, which include hiking and rafting the Grand Canyon, traveling, camping and paddling and otherwise being active for many years to come. I adapted my thinking to include these things, perhaps at a modified pace.
I have gained a much better understanding and compassion for those who live their lives in chronic pain and fatigue – even a few days were enough to show me that was a challenging way to live. I have renewed respect and admiration for my sister-in-law who lives with these challenges and just keeps on smiling. I also feel like I’ve gained just a little insight into the arthritic pain of my animal patients. I was amazed that I didn’t realize how cranky I was being until the pain was better controlled with anti-inflammatory medications. My family appreciates it when I take my medications!
So those cranky old dogs and cats may be experiencing more pain than we realize. The gradual decrease in activity, jumping less, slow to get up, I can now relate better to all of these things. This has also given me an opportunity to experiment on myself with some of the herbal treatments that I use on my patients. I have found some nice herbs that control the pain at least as well as my anti-inflammatory pills, without the concerns for some of the long-term side effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs.) I also feel a higher level of energy when I am taking them. I have been on herbs alone for the last month and have been quite comfortable – to the point that I thought my condition was going away completely. Then I took a few days off, just to assess things and, wow, those herbs do a really great job! Without the herbs, after a couple of days, the pain in my wrists and hands returned, and I think I got a little cranky… so, back to my herbs and we’ll see where I go from here.
Here is a link to a new page I have added highlighting some of my favorite local sources for Human Health: Health, Harmony and Happiness
Wishing you all health, harmony and happiness!