Reading and riding.

When you are on forced rest books seem the likely option but for myself I need to employ a few techniques as I am very active so it isn't in my nature to keep still.

I have been doing some reading of late. When you can't move much, have to do something.

This one is hard to take in and now I am only needing painkillers a couple of times a week I might have more of a chance of getting it! It's a Brahma Kumaris book and usually they are easy to take in and uplifting but I do find Mike George rambles a bit,  I need more to the point books.

This one I am enjoying immensity, the author is bringing up her children how I would like too, it has tips on how to get more connected to your children, slow cooking, growing things from scratch and community connecting, teaching your children good values.  

This, I just received from Book Depository, prior to injuring my back this month I had been really starting to get very fit and doing a good 5 yoga classes per week.  I will admit I was avoding my family a little by doing this but yoga interests me hugely.  It quietens my busy mind and makes my muscles and joints feel flexible.  There is a section on sore backs so I am focusing on these asanas at home. I hope to get back to the studio very soon though.

Right now this would be my favorite parenting book, it's more geared towards reaching kids to get I touch with nature, be outdoors and for parents to show kids how to slow down and have unscheduled time just being in the moment.  I am very much enjoying this one.  Of late I have started to play some more board games and card games with my boys.  I often wish the wii fii would blow up and never work again so we can get back to fun things and time will slow down.

I do read many fictional books but right now I just have a strong urge to read about how I can make my home life more positive and bearable living with 3 boys that seem to dislike each other and try to create a calm haven for them to be happy in.

On an upbeat note I can walk around the block now.  My beautiful dog is doing ok, he came totally off antibiotics 2 days ago, I am watching him closely ready to make the trip to Melbourne should he need it. 5 more days and if he stays the same he will be in the clear.  Fingers crossed.

As part of my back rehabilitation I brought a vintage bike, it was down from $539 to $239 and I will add baskets to both the front and back to ride up and get groceries, maybe to yoga and library. The suspension means my back remains very stable while riding, this isn't the case on my mountain or road bikes. There are no gears so it will be a leg workout but last year I managed to save a good $100 per month by walking the kids to school and riding everywhere else.   How cool is this red devil....?

The effects of stress.

This year I think our family has dealt with more stress than ever in my life.  Still it's taken me a good week to realise my realise health issues just may have been caused or much exacerbated by stress.

Earlier in the year my husband business an online weather metre set up had the domain name challenged and the eventual result meant the business folded, this was deveststing for him as it was 10 year old and doing nicely. It involved costly Lawyers and much uncertainty.

I am involved in stressing situation that has been safely tucked away in my closed memories for 30 years.  I finally decided as my eldest son reached 14 it must be resolved. It began when I was 14 It's taken 18 months and is nearly at it's end.  But either way the resolution is something adding stress.

The final straw my dog, a few weeks ago we think he inhailed a shard on bone which became stuck in his oropharangeal area (above the roof of the mouth) he became sick fast and had excellent treatment meaning he is now well - whilst on anti inflammatories and anti biotics, when he comes off if the shard is still there he will get sick fast and require another emergency trip to Melbourne.  Very soon I must accept that it's time to forge ahead and stop his medication.  Maybe he will be ok after the op I feel by now 3 weeks later the tissue will actually have thread into the shard and the flush they will do will not be enough to save him, but we can only try he's our family.

Brahma - Rhodesian Ridgeback - 4.5 years. August 2014

I have always had back soreness periodically, I know I cannot lift much with out pain and I'm pretty good at not doing that however as a massage therapist I am constantly bending to assist others when treating but 2 days after we returned from the Melbourne Vet trip I could barely walk, I did continue to treat clients until my GP gave me strong medication so I could get through the day, ordered me to lie for 48 hours in bed and not to do much at all for 1 week.  I had a MRI & x-ray both showed facet damage scoliosis and a disc bulge in the lower vertebrae however I now seem to have myofascial pain (the fine sheath of muscle that covers a muscle) and it's flaring up constantly.

Monty my constant companion.

Monty helping Brahma too while he has been sick.

By the 7th day I could barely sit, walking hurt and still does and I think I spend way more time in bed that I should have as my back was starting to seize up.  By the 5th day I hated the effect the painkillers had on me I was very flat so I reduced then stopped them.  I looked up rehab exercises for disc issues and began them.

I started googling my symptoms and the effects stress can have and how it can switch on illness that may never have happened without the stress!

I used a lot of heat on my body now I am using ice too, I've made a new essential oil mix for the tender areas using Eucalyptus, Rosemary and Peppermint, I am using massage balls to try and stretch the fascia. I've researched a list of anti inflammatory foods and will begin a diet of these next week. I've started a cognative bias therapy to try and become more positve and a new mindfulness app to try and tap into a more relaxed state.  I'm going to switch this illness off whatever it may be. The disc will heal eventually. 

I've often said to my clients if you do not slow down your physical body will make you.  I cannot believe it's taken me so long to apply that logic for myself!

It may mean reducing my work hours which is a shame because for the past 2 year things had gotten really busy but I have a loyal group of clients and was touched when I cancelled appointments and advised of a different therapist they could use people are happy to wait for me to heal. One even sent a lovely card, such a kind gesture and the poor man had no idea who was actually ill in the family as I had not said.

I became pretty down so tried to focus on positive mantras.

So, for now I will focus on getting well, I am in charge of that no one else,  I love research and am not afraid to try anything, sure I can use the assistance of doctors I can choose alternate medicine too, I have already found an excellent myotherapist who happens to also be one of my yoga teachers.   I have learnt my lesson and I did too much.  Never underestimate the power of stress, at the same time never underestimate your intuition, your ability to take charge and heal yourself.