Go Make Some Viramin D

Yesterday was a glorious day!  The temperature was close to 60 degrees, and the sun was shining.  What a wonderful gift for the end of February.  My husband went out to cut up a fallen tree into firewood for our woodstove, our main source of heat. I went out to help.  Initially, I wore a long john shirt with a long sleeve turtle neck shirt over it, topped by a jacket.  Too warm!  I took off the two shirts, and ended up with just a t-shirt, no jacket. 

My job, as assigned by my husband, was to lop off the smaller branches from the tree, while he cut up the larger parts of the tree with a chainsaw. While doing this, I also cut down some thorny bushes that were in the area.  Our property seems to be getting taken over by thorny things (blackberry, wild rose and something else, the name of which I have forgotten).  I try pulling them up by the roots every chance I get, but they grow faster than I can pull. 

So, on to our topic, making vitamin D. Our bodies make vitamin D with exposure to sun.  In this northern area, where much of our year is too cold to be outside exposing our skin to the sun, the majority of Americans don’t have sufficient vitamin D in their bodies.  Low level of this vitamin is being implicated in all kinds of things, including autoimmune syndromes. My doctor has me taking 2000 mg of vitamin D per day.  This has brought my levels up to the current standards, but doctors are revising what those standards are, as well as what a daily dosage should be.  

Another complicating factor in getting enough vitamin D is the use of sunscreen.  We are being told that we should wear sunscreen whenever we go out in the sun to prevent cancer.  Sunscreen may help protect out skin from developing cancer, but it also blocks the sun’s rays from reaching the skin, hampering the skin’s ability to produce vitamin D.  I have seen some recommendations that we should go outside for 10 minutes a day, exposing our arms and faces to the sun, without sunscreen. If we plan to be outside longer than that, we can put on the sunscreen after the 10 minute exposure. 

Yesterday I was outside for two hours, without sunscreen, with my arms and face exposed. The sun was in a position where it did not burn the skin (time of day? time of year?)  I wonder how much vitamin D I made.  I don’t know how that would be calculated, but I can tell you that I feel great. Being in the sun brings a smile to my face, and working outdoors makes me feel strong and healthy.  I don’t even have any aches from the work I did.  Wow! 

The temperature has been descending all day today.  When the northern world warms up again, plan to go outside.  Spend a little time in the sun.  Absorb some rays, and make some vitamin D.   

White Noise Blocks Other Noise

A couple of days ago, I was talking to my sister on the phone, and she commented on hearing our grandfather clock chime.  I told her that I like the sound, except if I am trying to take a nap in the living room.  She asked if we hear it in the bedroom, and I said “No, there is too much white noise”. 

White noise is similar to white light.  White light is made up of light of all the different colors or frequencies of light waves.  White noise is sound made up of all the different frequencies of sound waves. Think about the sound a fan makes, or the sound you get when you turn a radio dial off of a station.  White noise is good at masking other sounds, because the other sounds get mingled with the white noise, and you can no longer pick them out.  My husband and I were at a hotel last week, and the people next door were making a lot of noise.  We turned on the fan, and the party next door no longer intruded.  White noise is also used to mask tinnitus, or ringing in the ears.

I use a CPAP machine, which helps me breathe at night.  It blows air into my nose, and the sound it makes is white noise -white noise # 1.  In our bedroom at home, we also have a HEPA air filter running- white noise # 2.  Then there is the humidifier we run during the winter-white noise # 3.   These three sounds surround me, no other noises intrude.

When trying to get to sleep, I often focus my mind on the white noise, and it helps to block out thoughts as well as sounds.  It is like mindfully focusing on a blank sheet of paper- nothing is there to distract me.  You can buy machines that make white noise to use in your bedroom, or to take with you on trips to block out other noises.  These machines usually have several sounds to choose from besides the white noise, including ocean waves and rain.  Choose whatever sound you find most soothing and relaxing.  

Just don’t overdo it with the white noise.  Many years ago, before I started using the CPAP, we had one of those sound machines, which we set to play sounds of a bubbling brook.  We also had an air filter and humidifier going.  My brain kept trying to hear the brook separately, and I had a hard time relaxing, which was the whole point of the sound machine.  We ended up getting rid of the sound machine, and just letting the other machines provide our white noise.  Ahhh, peaceful sleep.

Dance Dance Revolution

A couple of years ago, I decided to get a Wii, and the popular workout program, Wii Fit.  I got the Wii, but the stores were always out of stock on the Wii Fit.  After a few months of searching, I found the Wii Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 2.  (Other game systems have their versions of this, too).  I used to like to dance, so I decided to try it.
I used it regularly for a few weeks, then off and on for awhile, then seldom.  Fairly typical way that people do any exercise routine.  Since last July, I have been fairly diligent about exercising, and I have written about my 2 usual routines, Pilates and Water Walking.  I was looking forward to going to Pilates today, because I have been working at the hospital for the past week and a half, and missed the classes.  We had quite a bit of snow yesterday, and many schools are closed today.  I know that our Pilates instructor has difficulty getting there when the roads are bad, so I went to my backup plan, my Wii. 
Dance Dance Revolution has a floor mat, maybe 45 inches square, set up like a tic tac toe board.  It has arrows marking front, back, right and left.  There are also hand held devices called nunchucks.  While the songs are playing, there are cues on the screen for which of the 4 directions to step on, as well as which hand to shake.  (I just shake my hands continuously, so I have fewer cues to watch.)  While dancing, you get feedback about how well you are doing, as far as hitting the the beats of the music with your feet and hands.

There are 4 levels, I stick with the beginner and basic levels. The program has different modes, I use the workout mode, which tells how many calories used.  There are also modes for instruction, dance for fun and for competition.  You can compete against other people, the program, or against yourself.  You can even create your own 'Mii", the character that represents you dancing on the screen   There are many songs to choose from, as well as workout mixes of about 6 songs in a row.  
I really enjoy this program.  Never mind that I often get boos, and I get a score of 'D' as often as I get a score of 'A'.  I enjoy it anyway, and I get just as good a workout no matter how well I hit the beats.   There are many ways to customize your dance experience, such as turning off the jump, which makes it lower impact. You can also customize by sitting down between songs and keeping it at the beginner level. 
Share your favorite ways to exercise, and how you adapt it (if you need to adapt it).

Easing the Strain

My post today is short and sweet.  It is mainly a link to someone else's post that I think is great.  It is by a woman who has lived with disability for 12 years, and she lists 10 items she has found that make her life easier and more comfortable.  In addition to her post, read the comments, as others have added their suggestions of good things to have.
This post is on a site that I often read (I get their emails whenever there is a new post.) The site is 'But You Don't Look Sick' (how many times have we heard that?) by a woman with Lupus.  She has a number of people who write for her, always interesting and informative. Here is the link for the particular post I wrote about: http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/top-ten-lists/easing-the-strain-tips-for-body-mind/ 
Enjoy!

Escape Into Music

One of my earliest posts was about singing, and how when I am down or in pain I like to put on music that I know all the words to, and I sing.  I can escape into the music, and I feel better, not only while I am singing, but after as well.

Today I discovered a new way I can escape into music.  I have been reading about mindfulness, and trying to meditate several days each week.  Mostly, I have been trying to focus on my breath, and when thoughts come to mind, just notice them, and let them go.  Some days I am more successful than others at focusing, but I am trying, and that is a good thing.

Today, the radio was tuned to my favorite radio station, WILE, 97.7 in Guernsey County, Ohio, where our cabin is located.  This radio station plays oldies, but not the usual kind.  The music ranges from Frank Sinatra, to Barbara Streisand, to the Beatles.  My husband was doing some work downstairs in the cabin, the furniture was pushed together, blocking the stairs, and I was upstairs.  I could have asked him to turn off the music, but I decided to try meditating with the music.

I got myself comfortable in my chair, and closed my eyes. The song that was on was Annie’s Song, by John Denver.  I know all the words to that song, so initially I was singing along in my mind.  I decided that would not give my much of a meditative state, so I switched my focus to the rhythm.  I can’t read music, and I can’t recognize notes, so I was not distracted by them.  I simply visualized the ups and downs of the music, sort of like watching a children’s roller coaster (except it always stayed in front of me, I didn’t have to follow it around).  I did this for about six songs, focusing on my breath in between when the DJ was talking.  I don’t remember all the songs; one was a Ragtime by Scott Joplin.  Some I knew better than others, but they all seemed to work as a focal point for my meditation.

When I opened my eyes, I was very relaxed but alert, and I had not fallen asleep as I sometimes do when trying to meditate.  I looked at my watch and it was almost exactly 30 minutes, which was my aim.  This type of meditation worked well for me, I will definitely do it again.  I don’t know of a radio station I would like to use at home, maybe I will use a CD, and maybe at some point even make my own CD of music that works best.

Different music would work for different people.  I know that when I am stressed, I like either music I can sing to, or quiet music.  Some people, especially younger people, like loud music, to drown out everything else.  That would make me feel bombarded and more stressed.   Give this a try.  Experiment with different types of music, and see what works for you.   

Be Happy: Its Adar!

According to the Jewish calendar, the month of Adar starts February 4th and 5th.  The Jewish calendar is very complex, because it is based on lunar (moon) cycles, but with corrections based on solar (sun) cycles. That is why Jewish holidays always happen at the same time of year, but on different dates on the Gregorian calendar.  This year is a leap year, with a whole month added, so there are 2 months of Adar this year (this happens 7 times in a 19 year cycle).
According to tradition, we are supposed to be happy during the month of Adar. This is because of the holiday of Purim, which commemorates the overturning of a plot to kill all the Jews in Persia (the story is read each year from the Book of Esther.
Whether you are Jewish or not, this is a good time to think about what makes you happy.  The pursuit of happiness is a lifelong quest for many people.  They are constantly striving for one more possession, or ten less pounds, or a thousand more dollars.  Often they find, when they get whatever it was they were chasing, that they are no happier than they were before.  It isn't having what you want that makes one happy, it is wanting what you have. The people who are happiest are the ones who are satisfied with what they have, not constantly fighting for something different. 
So how does this apply to those of us with chronic illness or chronic pain?  I doubt that very many of us are really satisfied with our health situation, especially if it infringes on our ability to function.  It is important to remember that we are not our pain, and we are not our illness.  These are just aspects of us.  We are human beings, complex packages of cells with feelings and thoughts, sensations and motivations, wants and needs.  We can choose what we focus on, and what we focus on influences what we do and how we feel.
I choose to focus on creating: writing my blog, doing my art, preparing for my support group presentations, cooking.  I am a homebody, I would usually rather hang out at home with my husband and cat than go out.  My ideal afternoon is snuggling in front of the wood stove with a good book, my fleece blanket, and my cat.  (During the summer, I would exchange the wood stove and fleece blanket for a hammock, but keep the book and the cat.)  This is what makes me happy. 
What makes you happy?  Not next week, or next year, or when the kids are grown or you get that promotion you hope for. What makes you happy right now? 

Don't be Penny Wise and Pain Foolish

Medications are expensive, especially those that are not yet available as generics.  I know people who don't take their medications regularly, or try to use something less expensive that doesn't help as much as a more expensive med might.  (This is not to say that more expensive medications are necessarily better, often they aren't, but newer meds usually are more expensive.)  Some people stop taking meds altogether because of the cost.  Sometimes it is a matter of affording either meds or food, and food wins out. These are not easy decisions to make.   If these issues are familiar to you personally, there may be options you did not consider or did not know about.
Before deciding not to take a medication because of the cost, talk to your doctor.  There may be other meds that will work as well for you that cost less.  Your doctor may have samples.  (Be aware:  often the meds that doctors have samples of are the more expensive, newer meds that the drug companies are pushing.  Sometimes a doctor will prescribe one of these meds because he has samples, or because the name of the med is on his mind because of the drug rep recently brought in the sample.  This is a good time to ask about the price, and if there is something just as good but less expensive.)
If there is a med that helps you but is expensive, search online for the drug's name, and also the name of the pharmaceutical company that makes it.  There are often websites not only for the company, but also the med itself.  Many companies have assistance programs for people who can't afford their meds.  There are even websites that can help you find this info.  One of them is Patientassistance.com.  You can search for specific meds or drug companies, they will give you info on the med, as well as what assistance is available, including coupons you can print out and take to your pharmacy.  Another, SCBN claims to have info on 270 patient assistance programs, and they work one on one with people to hook you up with the program(s) you need.  Another site is rxassist.org.  These programs have application processes, you need to not have medication insurance, and your income must be below a certain level based on number of people in the household.  
If you are on meds (as most of us are who have pain or illness issues) and are struggling to pay for them, or should be on meds, but aren't taking them because of finances, check out these routes I suggested, or google 'patient assistance program' to see what else is available.  There are always options.  Don't be penny wise and pain foolish.   Life is so much easier and pleasant when you have the meds you need, and less to worry about.

Serenity Prayer

I often talk about the Serenity Prayer with my patients.  It originated with Alcoholics Anonymous, and has taken on a life of its own.  It goes like this:  God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.  People seem to spend alot of energy and time in trying to change things that can't be changed, and complaining about things that could be changed.  The most difficult part, it seems, is the wisdom to know the difference.
Yesterday the second session of my new Chronic Illness/Chronic Pain Support Group was scheduled to begin at 4:30 pm.  I had 4 people who had told me they definitely planned to come, and a couple other maybes.  Compared to some places, the local effects of the winter storm that hit the US were relatively mild.  We did not have alot of snow, but we had ice.  Schools were closed for the second day, including universities.  As the day progressed, one by one I got e-mails and phone calls- can't get the ice off of the car; can't drive down the icy driveway; afraid to go out.  3 out of the 4 let me know they were not coming.
I had all my notes and handouts ready, I had the materials and samples of the art project we were going to do. I decided I did not want to use the topic I had prepared if just 1 or 2 people showed up, so I put them in a folder to use for the next session.  We would have a free, open session, I would give them options to play with clay, paint or draw, do a collage, or try an art therapy type experience.  I was looking forward to a chance to have a little fun, to explore ideas with other people. 
There is a Yiddish saying "Man plans and God laughs".  4:30 came and went.  At 5:00 I went home (that is, I walked through the door that separates my gallery from my apartment).  I did not feel disappointed.  I had actually expected that no one would come, but I had been prepared if they did.   I had (wisely) put the Serenity Prayer into action.  I (serenely) accepted that I could not change the weather, and the fact that it affects people's behavior.  I (courageously?) changed my plan for the session as the afternoon progressed and cancellations came in.   I made my plans, but at the end of the day (I hate that expression, but it is literally accurate here), I, too, was able to laugh, because of the Serenity Prayer.
Over the years since I learned it, I have practiced putting the Serenity Prayer into practice (pun intended).  It does take some practice to apply the right part of the prayer.  I think we often know the difference between what we can and cannot change, but don't use our wisdom of that knowledge to direct our actions.  It takes stepping back from the situation and thinking 'What is the best course of action?  What is most likely to bring about the desired outcome?'   Using the Serenity Prayer leads to more efficient use of time and energy, and less frustration.
I do sometimes wish I still lived in El Paso, Texas, where I grew up.  We never had to cancel events because of weather (at least, not as I remember).