*in radio advertiser voice* “Today’s blog is brought to you by brain fog! It’s like a Winter morning in San Francisco, but a lot less pretty…”
I’ve been in a pain flare up for the past several weeks, which hasn’t been fun, but I am coping. I started seeing a new physical therapist who is trying to get my joints back in alignment and loosen up my tight muscles.
The way she explained it is that my muscles are trying to overcompensate for my weak joints and that is why they get so cramped up. My muscles have been tight my entire life, so I don’t know what it feels like to have muscles that aren’t constantly in knots.
I wish my house had a functional bathtub that I could take epsom salt baths in when I feel like this. Unfortunately, our’s makes water drip into the foyer whenever we use it, so we use the downstairs shower. I do have a nice shower chair at least.
I could start seeing a massage therapist, but I doubt that is covered by Medicare and I don’t know if I can fit it into my budget. I will look into it though. I have a friend with Lupus who sees a massage therapist locally. She is on a fixed income like me so I can ask her how she pays for it.
I have had to take a break from my volunteer work during this pain flare up, but I hope I can return to it soon.
Still no college for me either, but I am not giving up on that dream yet. Maybe once I get a service dog it will be easier to give college another go.
I am on the wait-list with CCI for team training. When my turn comes around I will go live on a CCI campus for two weeks to get matched with a dog and train with them. It will be exhausting, but hopefully at the end of it I will have a dog that can stick by my side and help me gain a little more independence. No idea when I will get the call. Could be any time in the next year and a half. I have a feeling it will be some time in 2018, but I could be wrong.
Haven’t started archiving Dad’s photos yet, but I will once I feel a little better.
All in all I am doing okay:
- I have great friends and family who are always there for support.
- J is as sweet and caring as always. We’ve been together for seven and a half years and have lived together for almost a year.
- Ollivander remains my devoted feline companion. He is snuggled up next to me now as I type.
- I am signed up for a painting class at the local art center starting next month. It has been a long time since I have taken an art class, so I am excited for that. The teacher is an old friend of mine and I have taken classes from her before, it will be nice to see her again.
- I have a car and wheelchair that are both 100% mine that help me to be more independent.
- I am getting pretty good at machine sewing considering I have only really been doing it for six months!
- Some friends of mine are getting married next month and I am going to help them make some of the decorations!
[always nice to reflect a little on things that are going right in my life. there is more to my life than my illness and when it knocks me down like this it is good to remember that I do have good days and this pain will go back down to a more manageable level eventually. it is okay to get frustrated and sulk a little sometimes, but then I have to pick myself back up.]
cyberneticrose 