Acupuncture has been one of my go-to treatments for chronic pain for a good six or seven years, but it doesn't come cheap. Even with insurance, it adds up to have a treatment on a regular basis (and don't even get me started on the expense of massages, but I fork over for those too… Continue reading Acupressure Mats: Torture Devices, Pain Relievers, or Both?
One of the best ideas I've come across about managing chronic pain/chronic illness is the Not To Do List. I read about it in one of Toni Bernhardt's books about living well with chronic conditions, but I can't remember which one. (You can view all her books here. They are all lovely.) The gist of… Continue reading Revisiting the NOT To Do List
With quarantine going strong, I notice more and more people sharing how much they miss people, often expressing this to the people they miss. There is an exchange of affection expressed. It got me thinking again how I participate in this give and take of mutual reassurance. Am I merely expressing a kind of gratitude… Continue reading I Don’t (Want to) Need You to Love Me Back
So, life has been challenging this summer. My back has not been playing nice, which means my house is a disaster, my productivity has been dismal, and my blog neglected. But, I just finished six weeks of aquatic physical therapy, and my body is feeling so much better. Of course, then my husband gave me… Continue reading Aquatic Physical Therapy is My New BFF
To my mother-in-law, who I know reads my blog, feel free to stop reading now. 😉 One of the least talked about (on the surface, although you can find stuff if you search for it) is how much of an impact chronic back pain has on your sex life. We all hear about how sex… Continue reading Let’s Talk About Sex … and Chronic Back Pain
Ambitious title, huh? You'll probably be disappointed, but maybe not. I hope you'll keep reading anyway. I had a major back flare up last week. I could barely walk or sit up for two and a half days. I'm still on muscle relaxers and it still hurts to sit up, but not so excruciatingly that… Continue reading Suicide, Shit, #itgetsbetter, What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger, Zen, and Platitudes
Here's the thing about depression and anxiety: sometimes you just can't seem to get anything done. Depression leaves you apathetic, although so can anxiety. Anxiety leads to distraction and difficulty concentrating. Depression drains motivation like a sieve until you're only left with the lump of your body stuck in bed or on the couch or… Continue reading Motivation, Distraction and Apathy
My friends all know I meditate. Recently, one was asking me for ideas on how to get started, and it got me thinking about the styles of meditation I've used and what I like and dislike about them. And then I figured I might as well blog about it. 🙂 The three types of meditation… Continue reading Three Types of Meditation and My Pros and Cons
After having a carcinoid tumor removed from my stomach and then developing SIBO, my GI system has been having a rough year. I got to the point this year that I could barely eat anything without bloating and nausea. Antibiotics helped, but I was still having a lot of food sensitivities, dyspepsia, and general uncomfortableness.… Continue reading Black Seed Oil is Saving My GI System
Several months ago, I attended a yoga mudra class. Previously, I viewed yoga as the stretchy, bendy, whole-body practice I'd done since my early 20s up until my back injury. I've tried yoga several times since the injury, but I could never make it work. Even gentle styles seemed to irritate the injury. So I… Continue reading Y is for Yoga Mudra
Suicidal Tulip 