Restcation

I just finished an unscheduled "restcation".  What is a restcation?   Unlike a vacation where you plan your activities and look forward to being carefree for a few days, a restcation can be torture for planners or just another curve in the road for those who take life one day at a time.  For me a  restcation is when my body decides that I will do nothing but rest for a undetermined amount of time.  There is no fighting a restcation, my limbs feel like they have 50lb weights holding them down, just lifting my head can make the room spin.  Life as I know it STOPS.  Thankfully my family has had eight years of life in the Fibro lane, and everyone knows what chores or responsibilities to take over when I am knocked down.  Before we got into the swing of things, everything would fall apart.  The dishes would sit in the sink for days, sweeping, mopping and dusting, everything would just build up, creating more work for me when I recovered from my restcation.  Now I don't even have to say anything.  My family can recognize when I am falling into restcation and gone are the days of me worry about everything falling apart.


 How you handle disappointment will have a major role in your emotional state. I used to agonize during my restcations, laying in bed worrying about when and how I was going to ever catch up, or worry about the appointments that I had to cancel.  Now I embrace my restcations.  They are a part of my life, there is nothing I can do to avoid them.  To make the most of the days when I can't even lift my arms or fingers to type on my laptop, my family joins me in the big bed and we do movie marathons, play board games ( I usually have someone roll the dice and move my game piece for me), sometimes we just snuggle and read.  Naps are a necessity, brain fog comes and goes.  Once my husband called me while he was at the supermarket, I answered the phone and while I heard everything he was saying, all he heard was snoring.  My side of the conversation was in my head, the words never made it out of my mouth.  Restcations are not a time to have important conversations.  LOL .  My family has learned to go with the flow and lean on friends to help with car pools, most of all I have learned to NOT feel guilty about what I can not do.  It is not my fault my body doesn't want to do what I want it to. 


Thankfully this most recent restcation is over and I feel human again.  Felt great to cook for my family today!!  My tip of the day is do not let your body dictate your attitude, embrace the little things and moments of life that have meaning. 


Until next time, chin up, smile and enjoy riding thru life in the slow lane!
~gentle hugs~ Dee Dee the disabled Diva!

Who needs sleep? Just give me COFFEE!

Insomnia...... gotta love it, right? Who doesn't enjoy staying up all night?  If it were not for Netflix, Hulu, Facebook and Twitter, my sleepless nights would be unbearable.  I am curious how other Fibro/Chronic pain sufferers deal with insomnia.  I can not take sleeping pills for more than 2 nights in a row within a 2-3week span, or they end up having the opposite effect on me.  Yep, nothing like popping an Ambien and being awake for several days!  Woo Hoo!  Let the party begin.  :)     I have searched the web for "remedies", what I have found is a lot of crap.  Drink hot milk.  EEEWWWW, unless its in my COFFEE!  Basically everyone tells you to cut out caffeine, TV or anything that will stimulate your mind or body.  Are they kidding?  I don't believe the authors telling us how to sleep have ever had to deal with insomnia.  I read that Valerian Root is supposed to help with sleeping.  Wrong!  I was up for two days straight after trying it one eve.   I have found a product that actually helps me fall asleep and helps with my nightly inflammation. My wonder cure? NyQuil.  Yep, NyQuil, not just for colds! 


For those of you who suffer with countless sleepless nights, you have my sympathy.  If you have found something that helps you sleep, please share!!!  It is just after noon and my body has decided that it is ready for some rest.  I know most would tell me "Don't do it! Taking a nap will ruin your chances of a good nights sleep".  But not for me.  When the mood to sleep hits, I have to take it.  If I try to push past it, I will end up awake for another few days and almost 99% of the time, if I take a nap, I end up with a wonderful nights sleep.  Hey, I never claimed to be normal.  LOL!


Hoping everyone is getting their nightly ZZZZZZ's and enjoying life in the slow lane!
Sweet dreams,
Dee Dee the Disabled Diva ;)  

These boots were made for....

I love rain boots.  Doesn't matter if I am having a good day and can walk thru a store or if I have my chauffeur (my hubby) pushing me in my wheelchair.  Pretty feet are a must, cold and damp weather is not an excuse to ignore your feet.  I have rain boots in many colors.   Along with rain boots, I love a fun and bright umbrella as well.  Two inexpensive ways to brighten up a dark and dreary day. When my body is aching, I have found that simple fun accessories like rain boots and umbrellas help cheer me up as well as those around me.
Have a FANTASTICAL day! And take time to enjoy life in the slow lane! :)
Dee Dee the Disabled Diva

Cold weather ahead! OH MY!

I am obsessed with weather.  I check the forecast at least twice a day.  It is not that I love storms or look forward to changes in the weather, in fact the very opposite is true.  Storms are my enemy.  They do more than cause traffic delays or make mud puddles in my yard, they leave me physically feeling as though I have been beaten head to toe with a baseball bat.  My heart sunk when I saw the forecast this morning, no sun until next week, and the rain starts tomorrow, although with the way I am feeling, I wouldn't be surprised if the rain starts tonight.  I was starting to feel guilty for wanting to whine about my weather until I checked the forecast for Dayton, OH.  Their forecast is pretty much the same just a few degrees cooler than my part of the country.  Almost made me want to jump out of bed and dance! Woo Hoo, I am not the only one with crappy weather this week. LOL. Knowing that the next five days are gonna be rough, I am armed and ready with my heating pad, electric blanket and firewood.  Lying next to a blazing fire feels sooooooo good :).  I will continue to check the forecast, looking hopefully for a warm sunny day that I can stretch out on my lounger and soak up some of that glorious sunshine! What do you do to comfort your body when the weather is working against you?

Meet Dee Dee the Disabled Diva

Happy Valentines Day!  What better day to launch my blog than Valentines Day.  Besides the flowers and chocolates, it is a day for me to remember how blessed I am to have an outstanding Valentine: MY HUBBY!  I was "healthy" when my hubby and I married.  A few years into our marriage, I was diagnosed with severe Fibromyalgia and later developed problems with adhesions and nerve damage.  Each day I am reminded how fortunate I am to have a spouse who took his vows of "for sickness and in health" and "till death do us part" seriously.  There were times I have wondered why he sticks with me, especially since there were and still are days when I don't want to be stuck with me.  LOL.  My hubby has pushed my wheelchair, loaded my walker in and out of the car, picked up the household chores that I can no longer do; ALL without complaining.  Believe me, I know just how blessed I am.  To my hubby: I love you and can't imagine my life without you!!!! 


Along with having a fantastic husband, I am equally blessed to live in Southern California.  The weather is ideal for someone whose body reacts to different extremes of temperature.  I am not an idiot, I know not everyone who lives in pain can move here, but thru my travels, I have learned to appreciate where I live and to have even more sympathy for my other friends who live in pain elsewhere. 


My ultimate goal with this blog is to HAVE FUN! And to share information, along with products that have made my life easier, life's trials and joys, to share pain relief ideas, and to learn from my readers too. 


Life with chronic pain isn't a picnic, but with a few laughs shared with friends, and support from someone who understands what you are going thru, we just might make it thru the day with a smile :) 


With that said: How did you spend your Valentines day?  Mine is being spent in bed....  get your head out of the gutter. LOL  It's an extreme pain day and just getting up to go to the bathroom is agonizing.  Thankfully I had a few "good" hours over the weekend and we went out for dinner.  The food was fabulous and I am still FULL!!  :) 


Living life in the slow lane, with my hair blowing in the breeze, and a smile on my face, till next time:
DEE DEE the Disabled Diva ;)