Category Archives: Fibromyalgia

I Choose to be Distracted! 13 tips to help deflect chronic pain (Pt. 2)

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I Choose to be Distracted! 13 tips to help deflect chronic pain (Pt. 2)  Joining my friend, Joy Terrell, for the second part of her wonderful suggestions for helping to distract from chronic pain. If you missed the first one you can find it here! Be blessed!

Yesterday, we focused on things that you could gather ahead of time and have ready for those days when functioning is a chore all its own. Today, there are other helpful activities that do not require any physical things but are just as helpful!

Distracted

Before dismissing these, give them a try. Remember, focusing your attention away from your pain is the goal. Keep your brain busy! Don’t allow your thoughts to wander back to your pain.

• Prayer or meditation can be calming and soothing.

• I find guided imagery to be very effective. All it requires is your imagination. Think of a place that makes you feel happy and safe. Allow yourself to remember the sounds, smells and other attributes that make this place special. For instance, I like to transport myself to the beach. I feel the sun warming my face, feel the sand as my bare foot sinks into it, hear the seagulls squawking, feel the spray of the ocean, hear the waves, feel my hubby’s hand holding mine. You get the idea. The possibilities are limited only by you!

• Controlled breathing is also a great technique. It takes concentration to slow down and control each breath. There are many apps available to help you learn to do this. I have used this when in line at the grocery store, and the pain is screaming at me. You can do this anywhere, and no one will even notice.

• Here are a couple of things that may sound clichéd, but they are useful. Turn your thoughts to gratitude. Yea, I know it’s hard to think gratitude when your pain is a 10. Just do it! Think of five people you are grateful to have in your life. Think of the things they have done to make your list. Think of five blessings you are thankful for. The list could go on and on.

• Another thing that sounds a little bit hard is to do something to show compassion to someone else. No one understands compassion like someone who has suffered their own share of misery. This doesn’t have to be a major production. Write a note in a card for someone who is lonely or hurting. It will make both of you feel better. Send a text that says you are thinking about and saying a prayer for someone. It doesn’t take much to brighten a day. You can’t think about yourself while caring about another person.

• Doing some gentle stretching and range of motion exercises can be helpful. Just saying the word exercise can sometimes be painful! But, if you can get yourself moving a little bit, you just might feel better.

By now, you may be thinking I am crazy if I think these things will fix your pain.

Here is the bottom line, nothing short of a miracle, is going to fix your pain.

The best pain medications will take off the edge, but never make you pain free. Distractions will not fix it. However, they can get your mind off it. Experiencing pain requires you to consciously think about it. Remember, your brain can only focus on one thing at a time. None of these ideas are intended to be used 24/7. If I can distract myself from the pain for even a short time, that break gives me the ability to carry on. Maybe you are waiting for pain medication to kick in. Dwelling on how much it hurts, will make the wait seem forever. We do have a choice about the way we allow ourselves to react to chronic pain. I think I will choose to be distracted!

385665_437965479547500_1068992269_nJoy is a graduate of Purdue University School of Pharmacy. She is a licensed pharmacist, in early retirement. She is married to her favorite guy, Doug. They are “pet parents” to Kenzi, a golden doodle. Joy has served her church family as a Sunday school teacher, church secretary/treasurer, board member, and a willing helper.

 You might also like her post, Living at the Intersection of Faith and Chronic Illness, along the same subject lines. Blessings.

I Choose to be Distracted! 13 Tips to Deflect Chronic Pain

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I Choose to be Distracted! 13 Tips to Deflect Chronic Pain…

My friend, Joy Terrell, is a survivor and you will be forever blessed by her words. She lives with chronic illness and has been a lifeline for me the past few years in dealing with “issues”. I have quoted her famous line many times that she uses to encourage me when I think that MY ailments and struggles are not as BIG or important as hers: “Just because I have two broken legs and you only have one doesn’t mean that YOUR broken leg hurts any less.” In this two part series, she is helping us to think of other things when the pain is overwhelming.

A distraction is something that makes it difficult or impossible to think about or pay attention to something else. We are all familiar with the consequences of driving while distracted. It is not possible to pay attention to our phones and our driving at the same time. Studies of the brain have debunked the idea that we can be multi-taskers. The brain can only pay attention to one conscious activity at a time. (Automatic and repetitive things like walking and eating get assigned to special networks in our brains that do not require conscious thought. Yes, it is possible to walk and chew gum!)

Even when we think we are multitasking, the brain is rapidly toggling back and forth between activities. Only one thing is toggled to the “on” position at a time. Although distractions often have a negative connotation, I want to look at them from another perspective.

Those of you who live with chronic pain can use distractions to your advantage.

I think we can agree that focusing on pain only intensifies our perception of the misery. I sometimes catch myself thinking, “I hurt sooo bad! Oh, I hurt SOOO BAD! I can’t take this! I hurt sooo bad!”. Guess what? The more I think about it, or say it, the worse it becomes. Especially on the “bad days”, I have learned that distractions are wonderful!

The ability to toggle off the pain and toggle on a distraction takes some practice and some preparation. I can promise it will be worth the effort.

A distraction from pain needs to be something that requires minimal effort.

Thinking ahead and having some options available, before the next difficult day, is important. Use a basket or a box to gather some things that will work for you. This can be a fun project. I am going to share some ideas for distractions that I find helpful.

Distracted

• An activity that requires some level of creativity is great for keeping thoughts off pain. A few years ago, I rediscovered how much I enjoy coloring. Apparently, a lot of other adults did the same. There is no shortage of adult coloring books. Coloring is really relaxing. Thanks to Amazon and other online retailers, you can find what you want from the comfort of your recliner! One suggestion, if you have pain in hands or wrists, look for designs with larger patterns. The idea is not to create more pain! If coloring is not for you, try painting, knitting or whatever creative outlet you enjoy. Put the things you will need in your basket or box.

• Make a list of movies you really enjoy. Don’t go for the ones that always make you cry! Think comedy, or at least happy endings. With a list, you won’t have to try to think of something when you are hurting and your brain is in a fog. If you don’t want to mess with searching for the movie, put an actual DVD in your “bad day” box.

• Include a book of crosswords, Sudoku, word search or whatever you prefer. It is good to have options to fit that day’s mood.

• Include prints of pictures that make you feel happy. Think pets, kids, grandkids, or your favorite vacation spot.

• Who doesn’t feel better with some chocolate? Include a favorite snack.

• A fuzzy blanket, heating pad, or other things that bring you comfort can be added.

• A smartphone can put almost limitless activities at your fingertips. Social media, YouTube, or games can all pass a lot of time. Ask your online friends to send you a funny video or joke. Try it! I guarantee you, it will be entertaining.

There are other helpful activities that do not require any physical things and we will discuss those tomorrow! Be sure and join us for Part 2 of “I Choose to be Distracted”.

385665_437965479547500_1068992269_nJoy is a graduate of Purdue University School of Pharmacy. She is a licensed pharmacist, in early retirement. She is married to her favorite guy, Doug. They are “pet parents” to Kenzi, a golden doodle. Joy has served her church family as a Sunday school teacher, church secretary/treasurer, board member, and a willing helper.

 You might also like her post, Living at the Intersection of Faith and Chronic Illness, along the same subject lines. Blessings.
Evil and Good

Processing Pain

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Contentment is a rare bird, but it sings sweetly in the breast. ~ Martin Luther

“Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keep your word…It is good for me that I was afflicted that I might learn your statutes.” Psalm119:67 and 119:71.

Is it possible to have contentment in life regardless of your circumstance?

Job was stripped of everything that was of any importance to him: His family, possessions, seemingly taken in an instant. His wife was not much help, encouraging him to curse God and get it over with. His friends were not necessarily the neighborhood welcoming committee. Listening to them hour after hour would depress anyone and make you want to give up.

But Job didn’t do any of that. He continued to hang on to his faith in spite of his circumstances, even in the middle of intense personal pain and suffering.

How did he do it? How did Joseph do it?

There are few people in the Bible that had worse luck than Joseph.

  • Favorite of his father; despised by his brothers.
  • Sold into slavery; reported as dead.
  • Taken to Egypt and sold to Potiphar.
  • Gains favor in Potiphar’s house only to have Potiphar’s wife attempt to seduce him.
  • Interprets dreams for baker and butler only to be forgotten.

He is finally remembered for his special dream interpreting skills and gets a spot in front of Potiphar and then goes on to be second in command in Egypt.

When Joseph is reunited with his repentant brothers he assures them it isn’t entirely their fault: “But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” Genesis 50:19-21.

Evil and Good

Joseph would never have risen to the top without first overcoming the obstacles that were put in his way.

He learned, he grew, and he gained knowledge from his difficulties that would help him when he finally got to where God intended him to be: a leader of leaders.

happy daysRemember the TV show Happy Days? Richie Cunningham had been grounded for life by his father for disobeying. Being the fatherly adviser that he was, Richie’s dad, Howard, asked, “Did you know that there is a lesson in this for you?’ Richie replied, “I figured anything with this much pain had to have a lesson in it somewhere.”

Yes, Richie, there is a plan in the hardships of life. And even if God doesn’t put these things upon us, He can turn them around for our good!

Does that apply to physical pain and suffering? Can it be for our good? How is that possible?

Our infirmities, and especially our weaknesses, will cause us to look to God, rely on Him and help us to achieve His purpose.

We don’t need the crutches of this world if we have Jesus!

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When we are desperate for Him, when we have nowhere else to turn, our sickness, illness and infirmities will cause us to search the Word for answers. There, in that secret place of prayer and devotion, the Holy Spirit helps us to know the will of God!

Joseph and Job both left us examples to follow. When they were at their lowest, lost everything that meant anything to them, afflicted physically, suffering intense pain and even imprisonment, they looked up. They could have done as Job’s wife suggested, “Curse God and die!” But neither one of them chose that path and instead left us with Godly wisdom for the ages. Job even responded to his wife and said, “‘You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?’ In all of this Job did not sin with his lips.” Job 2:9-10.

When Job learned that all of his children had just been killed?  “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshipped.” Job 1:20.

He went to the Source, the Creator of life. He knew where his strength would come from and eternal hope abided!

Is your pain too great to bear? Are you struggling with what you have been dealt with today? Are family situations, relationships, work difficulties causing you heartache? Is chronic pain, fatigue, fibromyalgia, cancer, MS, MD, (Insert pain here_________) weighing down your faith?

They are all very real to you, friend they are very real to God.

God sees it all. He also sees down the road and knows that you will be stronger, wiser and able to help others when you overcome your own adversity. The best part? He is with you. Always. He never leaves us in our weaknesses, He walks beside us, carries us if necessary. He gives strength for each new day, so try not to rush through, be patient, depend on the Word and meet Him in prayer every day. There you will find your sustenance; enough for each 24 hour period.

Call on Him throughout your day! He will show up!! He is alive IN you, the Comforter was sent just for that purpose.

Use the following scriptures to encourage yourself in the Lord as you process through your pain with prayer and the Word!

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end..” Jeremiah 29:11.

“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” James 1:2-3.

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”  Corinthians 10:13.

“No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” Isaiah 54:17.

Kingdom2

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