Balancing Pain and Illness through Poetry

All Eyes to the Sun © Celeste’s Photography

"Poetry is writing about yourself waiting to see what will show up, the words are the finger points of your soul.”

~Sandford Lyne, author of Writing Poetry from the Inside Out

Maintaining forward momentum in the face of pain, fatigue, and unpredictable symptoms can be challenging. In our book Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, SPRING DEVOTIONS, we talk about inner expression through poetry and how it can help us cope with pain and fatigue. All our books have tips for writing for self-exploration. Poetry is one of those.

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APRIL IS POETRY AWARENESS MONTH

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Poetry is often thought of as the conduit to our soul. For me, writing poetry heightens my senses and provides an alternative path that promotes mindfulness. The words I chose give my thoughts texture, making them palpable, at least to me. Writing poetry provides a beautiful detour, because unlike physical pain and illness, there are no boundaries, no limitations. We have unabashed freedom to explore and express ourselves using colors, shapes, and concepts we might not otherwise. 

I am in awe of the power of randomly chosen words and their ability to bring me peace. Whether I am working through a difficult situation or embracing the wonders of the world, I know when I'm done, I am connected to an inner being I only know through poetry.

I wrote a blog on how to write “I am” poem, which you can use as a template to write your own.

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CREATING AN "I Am" POEM

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I love it when the words fly, coming together effortlessly, but that isn't always the case — at times — I have to put my words aside or work from a different angle. But that's why I love to do it.

I wrote this poem staring with four random words: truth, bird, broken, observe. It went through several transformations before I felt a deep meaning for myself. Some of my poems don't make a word of sense to others, but they don't need to. They are mine, just as your will be yours.

This Is My Truth © by Celeste Cooper

Like a bird with a broken wing,

I can stray off course, my flight pattern disrupted.

Wounded from the fall, I will not judge, because

As a wise owl, I observe, I accept, I understand—

Before I take flight, I need time to mend, plan a new course.

This is my truth.

Imperfection as clear as a broken mirror,

Though broken, goals are transformed.

Seedlings forced into maturity will not thrive.

Accepting that mistakes are the seed, I cultivate.

The broken mirror affords a self-reflection of reality.

This is my truth.

I falter, sometimes wretchedly, but enlightened.

Sweet is the nectar of success—not synonymous to perfection.

Erupting from deep inside a reminder from Edison,

"I did not fail; I found 10,000 ways that won't work."

I accept my imperfections—only then—can I take flight.

This is my truth.

I hope you will pick up a pencil and a piece of paper. Write down some of your favorite words, you can find them in crossword puzzles, a good book, the dictionary, or make them up; that's the beauty of it. Let your mind float and your hands glide across the paper as the words guide you to a new place, a place hopefully free of pain and illness, but if you need to work that out, you can go there too by observing until it dissipates in the background. Just do it.

Additional Reading: Minimizing the Consequences of Pain and Illness by Exploring Your Creative Nature through Poetry by Celeste Cooper

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

“Listen closely; I hear the sweet sound of existence.”

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Learn more about Celeste’s books here. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

Inspiration for Reclaiming Control over Pain and Illness

A Beholding Forest©

A respite in the Rockies is something my husband and I have enjoyed for thirty-five years and since we are in our sixth and seventh decades of life, we are grateful to have done it yet again. It’s a marriage retreat of sorts, a time to appreciate my husband’s hard work, allowing me to use my photography to escape into the bowels of majesty.

I feel an intimacy with nature, wild flowers coloring the landscape, wild animals outside our RV door, rainbows that astound us and pink sunsets that devour our sensibilities. I am touched by my husband’s desire to find joy in something I love. My soul is awakened when I hear these words…

Come quick; grab your camera!

Young Buck Innocence©

Early fall makes itself known in the mountains where summer is short. The aspen’s are beginning to turn and as their  leaves shudder to meet the sun’s rays, I am reminded that the warm days of summer will soon give way to crisp chilly air that awakens the season of harvest and preparation.

Chronic pain and illness dictates that we adapt to change. But, unlike nature’s beings, it isn’t always instinctive. I know I need daily reminders on how to apply the things I learned when writing our first book  (with contributions of my co-author, Jeff Miller, PhD).

Fall is looming and change is upon us. Find out how you can adapt as nature does by using the daily tips in the Fall Devotions edition of the book series. If you already have the book, it's time to get it out and re-explore. I suspect you will see things from a different perspective this year, and you will learn something new to share.

Find detailed information at CelesteCooper.com:  

• About ​Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the SeeSaw of Chronic Pain, FALL DEVOTIONS
• Table of Contents
• Endorsements - Inside the Cover

  

September is pain awareness month and a busy one for those of us who advocate for balanced affordable care for everyone. My greatest desire as an RN is for patients to have choices. It’s empowering to reclaim control over the thing we can change, and I hope you find Fall Devotions helps you do that.

Here’s to a colorful and hearty fall season.

Available:

Amazon in paperback 

Kindle version 

Amazon UK Kindle 

Amazon Canada Kindle 

Barnes and Nobel paperback 

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"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Health Central Chronic Pain Pro —Advocate

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Learn more about what you can do to help your body function to its potential in the books you can find here on Celeste's  blog. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

A Message of Hope from My Guest, Clarissa Shepherd

 “There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow.” 

~Orison Swett Marden, 1850 - 1924

Did you know that March is “Brain Awareness” month? We know the brain is a very complex organ, many people, with many disorders could have many things to say to raise awareness. Being one with a fibro-migrainus brain, I also know how important a message of hope can be for anyone who shares this journey with us. I am truly blessed to be able to share with you a message of hope written for you by my friend, Clarissa Shepherd, the, leader of the Facebook Group, Fellow Travelers. 

Get ready to face illness with courage, a sense of renewal and hope.

Renewing in Hope by Clarissa Shepherd

For those of us who face chronic illness each day, thinking positive is not an easy task. It's not as if we dwell on the negative, yet it finds us. We not only deal with daily pain and many other symptoms – we also deal with all of life's difficulties. I feel we do a magnificent job surviving a long list of daunting symptoms. Following is what you mean to me.

Learning to live within your limitations is not a negative thing; it’s a way to rearrange your life so you can live to your fullest potential. Finding new ways of doing daily tasks is a very creative thing. I find it amazing that you manage so well. You find new ways of healing, new ways of coping, new ways to entertain yourself, new talents that you didn't know you had.

Your journey may be very difficult. It may be very long and tiresome, yet you do it with such grace. A grace like I've never seen before. You're learning a new way to live, a new way of thinking, and ways of doing it soulfully. You've learned how to rethink what being productive means to you now, and you acknowledge that everyone's yardstick for measuring what’s productive isn't the same, and that's OK. You're still alive and moving ever forward as you learn to maneuver this new way of life. You've accepted the challenge and looked it right in the face. I call you—courageous.

You are a vital human being. This illness is not of your own making, and it does not define you. It just is. You show your strength and courage with each breath you take, every obstacle you overcome, and every new way you learn to cope. You are fearless, even in your pain.

Now I want you to take this truth into each day. Allow it to cover your entire being. There will be those in your life that don't, or won't, understand what you face each day. Chronic illness has taught me this…

Some people will fill you up,

Others will drain you of energy better spent,

So, choose wisely.

The reality is you are wonderful—just as you are. Your bravery is unparalleled, because you live it in solitude. Believe in yourself, as you renew in hope. Just as the season's change, so does your strength. Hope, courage, and renewal define you. They are in you, beside you, in front of you. Know this, and let the beacon, your bright light, guide you, hold you, and sustain you. You are brave. I applaud the person you are.

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I am constantly encouraged by Clarissa and her generous spirit. Following is perhaps one of my favorite affirmations from her, which is included in one of our books.

"Be kind to yourself.

Respect who you are.

Walk in the light of your fearlessness."

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"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Health Central Chronic Pain Pro —Advocate

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

A Winter Metaphor - Sculpturing Our Thoughts on Pain

Each season offers change and this winter reminds us of how different each season can be from year to year. We have seen some game changers, new records, and new challenges, because like pain, this winter is turning out to be anything but predictable. So as we think about the winter of our symptoms, maybe we can imagine the beauty of being able to sculpt our thoughts like the driving force of a winter storm creates a beautiful snow drift that inspires our imagination and leaves us in awe. 

The winter season is often compared to death. In this case, it is the dying off of old thoughts and destructive behaviors. Because of this, we must experience many feelings, good and bad, so we can be born into a new way of thinking about chronic pain and how it affects us all.… Confronting chronic pain takes constant reminders…motivation to stay focused on goals and achievements.… Come with us as we walk the barren winter land, appreciating the necessity to rid ourselves of previous perceptions and prepare for the spring season of rebirth.

 Excerpt from Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the SeeSaw of Chronic Pain, WINTER DEVOTIONS 

  

Day 34 - Ice Wonderland

The goal is to sculpt our thoughts so they lift us up, so they gleam like a beautiful ice sculpture. Paul Gileno, Founder/President of one of the largest pain advocacy groups, the US Pain Foundation   said in his pre-publication review of Winter Devotions what many of our readers have shared.

"Anyone with chronic pain can and will be helped by reading and using this book as a tool. It is the perfect blend of inspiration and helpful information to guide people on their pain journey, in fact, as a person with pain; I have learned some important techniques that have helped me."

So, as I look back to the beginning of winter, I reflect on what it has offered thus far. I spent four weeks recovering from pneumonia. I have had many interventional procedures for my pain and tests for those yet to come. But, I also celebrated with my dad as he reached a personal landmark in his life, ninety wonderful years. 

Talk about an inspiration. After bouncing over rough terrain as a heavy equipment operator nearly his entire adult life, his spine shows the wear and tear and it causes him pain. But that’s not all, he also has severe neuropathy, which has affected his ability to drive safely. As one who retained his driving skills to this day, this was troublesome. But, he did not wallow in self-pity; instead, he set about accepting the danger that could be involved, and began to think about how he could move forward. He got hand controls installed on his truck and passed the special drivers test with flying colors. The point is that in his 9th decade of life, he still knows how to adapt, to embrace change, and to make the best of a given situation. We talked after his big bash (over 100 people there). I asked, so dad, “what’s next on your agenda?” he said, “Well, I guess I will shoot for 100!” He is a champion; he has had more struggles than I would ever want for him, but despite any adversity, he sees opportunity. If his purpose is to inspire me, he has certainly done that.

So I leave you with this…I hope you will pick up a copy of Winter Devotions. You can use it as your guide every winter, because like the unpredictability of each season, our thoughts and ideas change too. We need reminders on how to go about creating a new sculpture, one different than the season or year before.  

One of the dearest people I have the pleasure of knowing, Myra Christopher said, “I love the very idea of 'Winter Devotions'. The struggle of living with chronic pain is compounded for many by the winter months when it is cold, damp, and often gloomy. Bones ache, joints hurts, and the spirit sometimes become depressed. This wonderful book provides a tool to help with those issues. The quotes, photography, and motivation of authors Celeste Cooper and Jeff Miller all bring much needed hope and relief.”

Myra J. Christopher, Kathleen M. Foley Chair in Pain and Palliative Care at the Center for Practical Bioethics, and Principal Investigator of the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a NationalStrategy.

An Amazon reviewer of the Spring Devotions book in the series shared her disappointment thinking the book was a Christian devotional. So, I want you to understand that each season (book) has daily “DEVOTIONS”, that offer inspiration, interaction, and information on how to care for ourselves. When we heal any aspect of our being by embracing the power of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual balance, we reduce our suffering. Using our own experiences, we can inspire others who share our journey, and that is empowering. But, these books are not religious devotionals.

I encourage you to visit my website so you know what WinterDevotions is about by following the highlighted text. And if you are one of our readers, please leave a comment on Amazon. 

Amazon

US Paperback http://amazon.com/dp/0615924050

US Kindle http://amazon.com/dp/B00HAVXLYO/

UK Paperback http://www.amazon.uk/gp/product/0615924050/  

UK Kindle http://amazon.co.uk/dp/0615924050

CA Paperback http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0615924050/  

CA Kindle  http://amazon.ca//dp/0615924050

Barnes and Noble paperback http://barnesandnoble.com/w/1118942182?ean=9780615924052

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"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Health Central Chronic Pain Pro —Advocate

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Learn more about what you can do to help your body function to its potential in the books you can find here on Celeste's  blog. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

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Pushing the Reset Button on My New Year’s Resolutions by Celeste Cooper

How are you doing with your New Year’s resolutions? I know I am working at them; I even have them listed and taped to the top of my laptop so I don’t forget.

• M-F— write 1,000 words each day.
• M-W-F—10 minutes of Yoga.
• Tu-Th-Sa—T’ai Chi (at least the 24 movements).
• Every day—meditate.

But, is this a wise thing to do?

I am making an effort, but like all people living with chronic pain, some days are better than others. If I am honest with myself, I would give myself a D. That’s not much of a self-esteem booster, is it? I am certainly writing, but the thing is—the 1,000 words are intended to be on my next book. Instead, I am writing blogs like this one. In the suggested New Year’s resolution for writers, sticking to the goal means avoiding distractions and they suggest the biggest for everyone is social media. So while the intent is there, my effort is not would it should be. Or is it?

How we manage our resolutions is most likely more important than making them in the first place, especially in the face of illnesses that can cause a flare. We are already dealing with the overdoing we experience after the holidays. Shouldn't I be kinder to myself, cut myself some slack, provide for down time so I can manage my real priorities and work on striving for that balance I talk so much about in my books?  

It's not the amount of time as much 

as it is about how I use and manage it.

I need to regroup. I will set aside time for my other New Year’s Resolution, the one that didn't make it to that note on my laptop, learning how to use my new digital SLR camera. I even bought a book on how to use it and it still sits there, not a page turned. I give tips to others on how to set priorities, now it’s time to do them for myself. There is such peace and appreciation when I am totally in that moment of photography, seeing life from various angles and resolutions through the lens of my camera. That is the metaphor for living, not sticking to New Year’s resolutions.

I still need to make the effort when I can—no excuses, but aren't New Year’s resolutions intended to make us wiser, more accomplished? I think in order to do that, we must focus on the intent instead of holding ourselves up for defeat. That is a more attractive resolution.

So I am pushing the reset button. My New Year’s resolutions now read.

• Find resolve, peace, and joy.
• Experience a sense of accomplishment.
• Find a way to achieve despite the obstacles of chronic illness and pain.

How will your resolutions change when you hit the reset button?

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Update 2015

"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Health Central Chronic Pain Pro —Advocate

New Website

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Learn more about what you can do to help your body function to its potential in the books you can find here on Celeste's  blog. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.