I love humor

BRAINS! I NEED BRAINS!

Hehehe, I love classic zombies. But today, thank you Chronic Fatigue, I feel like the walking dead. I have found that coffee and caffeine do nothing to for the foggy feeling but I always press on - just tend to give people a lot of confused looks and THEN the "Ah Ha!" kicks in. Makes for some interesting days in the office. But hey, they get a laugh and that always makes me feel better too!

With chronic illness of any kind, it is important to maintain a positive outlook no matter how crummy, or in my case stupid, we feel. Often times I have found that just changing my mindset, makes a huge difference in how I feel throughout the day. Our physical health starts with a cognitive desire to make a change. And adding a little humor to a frustrating situation, makes it a little easier to face.

So, find something to laugh at today, and make it the BRAINIEST day ever!

Be Happy, Be Healthy!

Love, Rachel

A Peak at Chronic Fatigue

What an amazing day! I am putting the finishing touches on my final project for my Human Resource Management class, joined the local Fibromyalgia support group for an afternoon of learning and friendship  and then enjoyed a beautiful evening at the park with my daughter and my best friend. While the average person might not see this as a “busy day”, those of us who deal with pain and fatigue fight a daily battle to accomplish the things that must be done and those things that we want to do. I will start by saying that I am flaring and I apologize in advance if this sounds a bit disjointed or less eloquent than many of my other posts. I dedicate this post to my Fibro Fog.

Today at the support group we talked about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the way that it impacts the lives of those who struggle with it. Over the years I have managed to find ways to cope with the pain of my Fibromyalgia but the fatigue and brain fog are often more debilitating than the pain itself. So many times my best friend has told me when we are out that she can see my energy level just bottom out despite my attempts to appear perky and jovial. I will usually admit that it’s like my body is finally giving up and forcing me to stop even when I don’t want to.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is pretty much as it sounds – the feeling of constant fatigue. These symptoms are often brought on by simple, everyday activities and can range from mildly tiring to complete and utter exhaustion that actually inhibits physical activity.  Characterized by severe insomnia and/or un-refreshing sleep, chronic fatigue also tends to increase the frequency and severity of the headaches, muscle and joint pain, and a general feeling of illness.  These symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to months on end and frequently are the cause of Fibro flares, increase depression, and other physical and psychological symptoms.

As I mentioned the brain fog, or impaired memory and ability to form cognitive thoughts, is the most frustrating symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome.  Because I work in a professional field that requires acute attention to detail, I find that the stress associated with my responsibilities cause extreme mental fatigue that actually carries over to my physical abilities.  To combat this and keep it from a affecting my abilities to function, I plan mental breaks in my day in which I physically leave my desk, go outside, and take a few moments to breathe deeply and clear my mind and allow myself and to relax.  By doing this, I am able to focus more clearly on the financials that I deal with on a daily basis and can offer my coworkers better advice because I am in a better frame of mind.

Chronic fatigue is not just physical – it can severely impair mental abilities too.  The best way to combat the effects of chronic fatigue is to get sufficient sleep, learn to pace your activities, and know that it is OK to stop and take a nap, or read a book, or just enjoy the sunset with the mug of soothing tea.  I know that this is hard to do because I will fight the mentality of needing to “keep up with my peers” and be the overactive, hardworking, party on the weekend, soccer mom that many of my friends are.  Let’s face it friends, being us as fibromyalgia fighters, is hard enough – why should we make it any harder by trying to be someone else.  Just thinking about it makes me tired.  It has been a long day, and I am going to sign off by saying: Be Happy, Be Healthy – and don’t let the fatigue get you down!

Rachel

Expression of Gratitude

This is a short message to all my followers and those who have stopped by my blog:

WELCOME!

It is truly a blessing to see people from all walks, races, and cultures coming to my humble blog as I openly share my struggles and seek to be an encouragement to Fibromyalgia Fighters, parents, and those seeking to lose weight and improve their health around the world and to bring hope and encouragement to those who seek it.

It is my truest desire to bring AWARENESS to Fibromyalgia and show people that while we look normal, we don't feel normal. I want to bring HOPE by showing that it is possible to lead an active and productive life despite our limitations. And I want to ENCOURAGE those who are joining me for my life walk to find within themselves the will and the strength to be Happy and Healthy.

I cannot express just how amazing it feels to know that so many are at least curious enough to stop and view my journey. Join me! If you have a blog and would like me to share your story, email me! I want to share stories that will lift up, encourage, and empower each and every individual who comes here! If I can help to improve the life of even ONE, then I have succeeded.

Many blessings to you all! Be Happy, Be Healthy!
Rachel

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Forgive My Tears

I served on Active Duty for just over 6 years and those were the best years of my life! I was still in high school when the World Trade Towers fell but my years in service only made me more appreciative of what FREEDOM means. Stand Proud, Stand Free! Thank a Veteran for your freedoms - wearing the uniform is not easy, but we do it with pride, and we do it because we BELIEVE it is the right of everyone to enjoy their natural given rights!

ARMY STRONG!

With Love,
Rachel

Healthy Choices

WhooHoo!! And the numbers are in!!

The beginning of the month is when I take my official weight and measurements to track my progress from the preceding month of eating healthy and exercising. Do I eat “healthy” every single day? No – I am human after all and well, I really REALLY like pizza….and chocolate…and Olive Garden bread sticks. What matters though is that even though I experience “setbacks” (this month it was totally due to a seizure and a subsequent Fibro Flare) and do enjoy a weekly “cheat day” (Reference my August blog ‘Fibro, Weight Loss, and FOOD’), I don’t allow these obstacles to become roadblocks on my journey to a Happier, Healthier Me!

This month I weighed in at 185 pounds. That is 5.2 pounds down from last month AND I lost another 3.5 inches off my body over all! This brings my total weight loss to 47 lbs and 13.75 inches gone! It’s not easy and yes there are sacrifices and new habits to build, but the end product is SO worth it!

I did experience some weight gain after my seizure which caused me to fall further into the depression that the episode had already created for me. During the middle of the month I had weighed myself at 182 and I was stoked and ready to go for those two additional pounds that would bring me another ten pounds closer to my 145lb goal. And then my body went through a trauma and I was forced to resort to the pain medications and muscle relaxers that I had been able to avoid for the past several months. I also couldn’t exercise which I quickly realized didn’t help my mental state either – I had gotten used to that daily endorphin rush from working out and not being able to hit the gym, much less move in general, really got me down. I felt like I was falling back into that pit of immobility and despair that I had been fighting tooth and nail to get out of! Depression leads to really poor eating decisions for me too and the fact that moving was nearly impossible made cooking pretty low on my list of activities. For two days I ate only what I could just open and eat….which meant lots of breads, fruits, cheese, and a whole bag of Cheetos. My hands and arms hurt so much I couldn’t even use my shaker bottle to make Nutrimeal shakes and I couldn’t tighten the blender well enough to get it to turn on – talk about frustrating! Thankfully my body was able to recover sufficiently over the next two to three days that I was able to start making very simple meals and was able to get myself back on track with my healthy lifestyle. But the damage was done. I put on 6 pounds over the week following my attack because I couldn’t workout the way I was accustomed to and I admit that my depression was still affecting my food choices.

Breaking the cycle of poor eating habits is tough, really tough, but if you are going to accomplish your weight loss goals and live a healthier lifestyle, it is well worth the effort that it takes. The USANA foods help me make good eating decisions for my busy life with the Nutrimeal shakes that I can take with me anywhere and I am allowed to enjoy rich chocolate snacks that won’t destroy my hard work or make me feel guilty – even though they are guilty good. The Nutritionals help my body to function the way that it was intended to, recover more quickly when my illness strikes, and gives me the energy to bust out my workouts at the gym. It’s not a diet; it’s a lifestyle and a truly rewarding one at that.

One of these days I will find the courage to write about my depression but for now, I want to just encourage you by letting you know that you are not alone and I do understand. Every choice that we make in our lives affects every facet of our being – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I challenge you to make one healthy decision each day and I guarantee that if you stick by that one healthy decision you will begin to see changes in other parts of your life that you didn’t necessarily consciously make. Making healthy decisions isn’t always popular or easy, but the feeling of complete liberation is so worth the energy that it took to get the momentum going. There will be curves in the road that force us to change direction, hills that make us work a little harder, and potholes were we will get stuck, but if you allow your vision for a Happier and Healthier You be the driving force then I know that you will be successful. And remember – you are never alone! You always have me!

Be Happy, Be Healthy!

Rachel

I am a Survivor!

(Someone once asked me how I hold my head up so high after all I have been through. I said it's because no matter what, I AM A SURVIVOR. NOT a victim. -Patricia Buckley)

 

I am frequently asked how I can be so happy and upbeat when they know I am in pain, stressed, and tired beyond all belief.....the answer - Because I have so much to be HAPPY about! Life has ups and downs, throws curve balls, and sometimes just flat out runs us over, but if we allow ourselves to focus on the negatives then we will fail to see all the positives. Today, I want you to find one thing that always makes you smile, it doesn't have to be huge, life altering, or anything that others would see as significant, and write it down. Put it somewhere that when you feel defeated and sad, you can reach for it, and remember that even though the right here, right now is getting you down, you have so much to be happy for. Feel free to share if you would like, there is no judging here - you may be surprised, maybe we all find solace in similar things.

 

My happy thought: My daughter! She frustrates me, makes me mad, and wears me out like you wouldn't believe, but she makes me happier than anything else in the world. When I see her smile and hear her giggle, I can't help but to smile too. Her accomplishments are my accomplishments, her curiosities are my opportunity to teach, and her fears are my time to hold her and comfort her. Everything I do is to ensure that she has the best educations, opportunities to learn and grow, and a childhood full of fun memories. I mean how isn't that the cutest smile you have ever seen? (I brag, I brag)