A Journey With Pain, Sincerely Yours

 

Colorado 2022

   Take a Stand © by Celeste Cooper

 

   Swirling ideas, each significant to plan.

   Upholding brave principles and taking a stand.

   Provisions of nature and all living things

   Gives fortitude, fulfillment of what life brings.

 

   Taste the climb; take pause, ageless, forever;

   Ours for the taking–precious gift of endeavor.

   Inherited by forefathers, a guide for our path,

   Achievement secured when we learn from the past.

 

   So stand up we shall, securing our position.

   When acted on, they are more than conditions.

   Comrades, principles, nature, history, at hand

   Are the tools that endure when taking a stand.

 

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

 

A LOOK BACK

 

I have worked as a real estate salesperson, office manager, switchboard operator, bookkeeper, income tax preparer, and more. As a single mother of two small children, I accomplish my dream of becoming a registered nurse. I hold a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN), and a Legal Nurse Consultant degree in Paralegal Studies with a plethora of experiences related to emergency nursing, staff development, nursing administration, and education.

 

Because of chronic illness and painful disorders, I have learned the importance of sharing information from the perspective of a fellow patient, and I have enjoyed writing and blogging from that point of view.  

 

My life experiences have had a huge influence on my writing as an author and blogger. My experience as a freelance contributor to Sharecare, Health Central, ProHealth, and journals, has helped me grow as a writer.

 

I have had the pleasure and the opportunity to collaborate with robust advocates from ALL aspects of care in an effort to change the way chronic pain has been perceived, judged, and treated.

 

OUR JOURNEY

 

As we work through the process from denial to acceptance, we must not underestimate our abilities to live a meaningful life despite the obstacles we might encounter.

 

As I experience new chapters in my life, I accept change; a great deal of change has been for the better.  In addition, I strongly feel that we are our own best advocates and we should not forget to use our voice on matters that are important to us.

 

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to write on issues that affect all of us who live in this special community. I will still pop in now and then.

 

   Sincerely yours,

 The Pained Ink Slayer

  http://www.CelesteCooper.com

A Pocket Full Of Change For Managing Pain This Fall

 

Not every day presents a crisis of earth-shattering magnitude. However, those of us who experience chronic pain do have challenges to overcome on a regular basis making it important to be aware of system breakdown predictors. Factors apparent in a total system breakdown include a loss of our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual safety net (the four-seated teeter-totter we discuss in this series of books). If we are aware that mounting daily stressors are precursors to a crisis, can we be better prepared should a crisis occur?
 
Symptoms that risks are mounting:
 

• We become short-tempered.
• We don't feel rested for several days in a row.
• We have more difficulty than usual concentrating.
• We feel overwhelmed and without resources.
• Our pain is not being managed adequately.
• We struggle with tasks that we normally manage well.

 
What can we do when we find a consistent pattern that could be leading up to a coping failure? We can:
 

• Delay chores or break them down into segments.
• Approach each day individually and break it down by each hour if necessary.
• Summon help from support system members or healthcare providers.
• Give ourselves permission to rest.
• Change what we can, and let the rest go.
• Accept that some days doing the minimum allows us to charge our battery and prevent a total breakdown later.
• Focus on our successes.

 
Preparedness Is the Next Best Thing to an Apple Pie, Day Three, Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, Fall Devotions by Celeste Cooper RN and Jeff Miller, PhD. Read the reviews on Amazon here.
 
An effective tool for combating the effects of stress is positive thinking.  So when my stress meter is about to blow mercury into the universe, I open my tool kit.
 

• Say no to negativity.
• See opportunity in adversity
• Say, “I will.”
• Do a kindness.
• Create a positive word list.
• Imagine positive energy.
• Have a positive dialogue with my body.
• Write an affirmation.
• Write an “I am” or “I like” poem or phrase.

 
From my private collection...

The Promise of Like ©
 
I like camping, picnics, mountains with streams,
Invading my space and into my dreams,
Loony family, self, friends, and birds,
Even failing to speak with words.
 
Fortune to learn, watching children at play,
Scenery, lakes that reflect on the day,
Cakes, spirituality, flowers, a good book,
And cactus that winks with a funny look.
 
Mixed sun, rain, fall, a cloud that churns,
Laughter, antiques, Hummel’s and urns,
Gentle music, dogs, sea horses and cats,
Wildlife inspires me, even the bats.
 
I like promise and hope, flowers I like.
I like beginnings and endings, I just like.
 
Written by Celeste Cooper, author (Colorado, 2011). I wrote this poem from a random list of things I like.

Find more tips that are helpful in our Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain series and Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-body Connection available at https://www.amazon.com/Celeste-Cooper/e/B002X2IZYG
 
 In healing

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

The Pained Ink Slayer

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

Spring Pleasures: Hobbies, Pain Diversion, And Discovery

 

Photograph Courtesy Celeste Cooper, Author

Spring is a time of reawakening after a long cold winter and this year it means so much more. It is a time to explore things that bring us pleasure as we break through the shell of our own winter cocoon.

 

I find great enjoyment in photography, and I am thankful that I have found ways to fill up my thought spaces on this learning journey with my digital Canon EOS. I am grateful to have hobbies that occupy my time in isolation from chronic pain, but this past year has been difficult because of the COVID-19 virus. In some ways, those of us who live with chronic illness have had a head start on the isolation that has affected so many because of this horrible pandemic.

 

That said, I still have plenty to learn about my camera, so there was no shortage of building on the mental seat of this four-seated teeter-totter I try to keep off the ground. Understanding the importance of mental, physical, emotional and spiritual balance has given me the foundation to make it through these trying times.

 

The canvas of life to a photographer is limitless and spring provides many photo ops as the season of birth gives rise to new photo moments. I anticipate a plethora of opportunities as I guide my lens toward my new granddaughter, who is full of light and life. I look forward to capturing butterflies and bees spreading their wings, trees blowing and bowing to the wind beckoning me outside to experience the essence of light and love for photography.

 

…Hobbies create the presence of desire in our lives and keep our mind open to opportunities for exploring our creativity. Learn to make jewelry, read palms, fish, line dance, take photos, make bird houses, collect antique watches, start a joke book, crochet, or hand glide. Take up scrap booking, wood burning, or calligraphy; it's totally up to you… [Excerpt, day 69, Spring Devotions in the Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain series.]

 

My hobbies are huge self-esteem boosters for me as one who lives with chronic pain. 
What hobbies would you like to explore this spring?

 

"We are all subject to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune; they are around us, in a space we do not control. This book is a gentle, yet forceful reminder that the best defenses against them reside within- in a space we do control, welling up from resources we can learn to cultivate. Hope here is equally soft and irresistible, much like Spring itself."

 

Dr. David L. Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP

Director, Yale University Prevention Research Center

 

[Inside the Cover, Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, Spring Devotions.]

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

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. 

AACIPM: Resources For People With Pain

These have been trying times for everyone, and anxious times for many of us living with conditions that cause chronic pain and illness.  Everything I write about, being with people to avoid feelings of isolation, focusing on what we can do, and finding coping mechanisms that promote mental, physical, emotional, spiritual balance has been helpful to me, and I hope our readers. 

When I wrote my last blog, I talked about how we have a leg up on this staying in isolation thing. A lot has happened since then. We know more about COVID, we have better treatments and some options, all the things people living with intractable pain hope to have. However, the virus is not gone and neither is our chronic pain.

 

Though I have cut way back on the computer and social media time in an effort to manage my own pain issues, I cannot let September roll by without expressing the importance of accessing our resources. Therefore, when I got my monthly email from my wonderful group at PAINS-KC with a link to the updated resources at AACIPM, I was excited to highlight this valuable resource for my fellow fibro and chronic pain survivors.

 

WHAT IS AACIPM?

 

"The Alliance to Advance Comprehensive Integrative Pain Management (AACIPM) is the first-of-its-kind multi-stakeholder collaborative, comprised of people living with pain, public and private insurers, government agencies, patient and caregiver advocates, researchers, purchasers of healthcare, policy experts, and the spectrum of healthcare providers involved in the delivery of comprehensive integrative pain management.” Read on…

 

RESOURCES

 

The AACIPM website offers many helpful resources and useful tools for those of us living with chronic pain, such as:

 

• Apps to help manage pain, track pain, deal with flares, etc.
• Books written by friends and fellow authors, Toni Bernhard, Dr. Lynn Webster, and more that I look forward to reading.
• Videos offering summaries and visual aids for understanding pain.
• A short summary of various websites and the support or information they offer.

 

THE ALLIANCE

 

The patient and pain care providers are the two most important stakeholders for guiding and participating in important research to learn more about chronic pain as a society.  The Alliance to Advance Comprehensive Integrative Pain Management brings the stakeholders together with a united force. You can read about the history, here.

The AACIPM offers a plethora of additional information on symposiums, advocacy, who is participating, and more from those I have had the pleasure of working with in the past. I suspect you will find something that piques your interest.

 

“Those who have learned by experience what physical pain and bodily anguish mean, belong together all the world over; they are united by a secret bond.”

- Albert Schweitzer

Additional Reading:

Pain Justice: A Resource For Chronic Pain Survivors (Posted March 1, 2020)

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

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. 

When Your Frozen Muscles Need Help: Myotherapies for Managing Myofascial Pain

When the myofascia isn’t free to move, other muscle movement is also impaired. This leads to joint dysfunction and chronic PAIN. This pain is universal with distinctive patterns that remain consistent in all people. In some cases, restrictions can be so extensive joints become frozen, meaning joint motion is severely restricted. The goal of all myofascial therapies is to restore normal muscle function. Following are helpful hands-on therapies that work to release restrictions and help our body achieve full normal range of motion.

MYOFASCIAL TRIGGER POINT THERAPY

Myofascial pain syndrome  (MPS) is a constant pain source when trigger points (TrPs) are left untreated.

Trigger point therapy done by a specially trained therapist releases the knotted muscle fiber (TrP) using a compression technique. The therapist will know to look for other TrPs, which are sometimes well away from the one that is causing you so much pain. They know there is a consistent pattern related to the specific location of a TrP in that taut band of muscle. Release TrPs returns muscle to normal function.  That said, the work isn’t all up to the therapist. A good therapist will help you learn the importance of knowing what things are perpetuating your pain. A big one for me is sitting here at this desk staring at my computer screen, or riding in a car for too long.

Chronic myofascial pain from MPS is often accompanied by other disorders, such as fibromyalgia, migraine, spinal degeneration, irritable bladder, arthritis, joint hypermobility, and more. Dr. Karl Hurst-Wicker explains “Fibromyalgia Centralization and Peripheral Myofascial Pain” in an interview I did for Health Central.

Created by Celeste Cooper, The Pained Ink Slayer(c)

Chronic myofascial pain can be the primary source of pain or it can perpetuate pain in other disorders, injuries, or anatomical deformities. The good news is that myofascial pain syndrome is treatable. The goal is to release the trigger point/s so that the muscle tissue returns to its normal functioning position.

MYOFASCIAL RELEASE (MFR)

As so many of us who write about myofascial pain explain, the myofascia is like chicken skin. It’s attached to the muscle, but still moves freely. If you have ever cut up a chicken, you can visualize what that is. Each muscle is covered by myofascia (muscle covering) that draws together on each end to form a tendon. Tendons attach muscle to bone so our joints can function. The goal of myofascial release is to free up myofascial restrictions so our body can function properly.

Developed by physical therapist John F. Barnes, myofascial release is a manual therapy performed by a skilled therapist with the goal of improving movement and promoting wellness.

My personal experience with MFR was enlightening to the physical therapy student following my therapist. During a session, my back starting twitching like a flickering light bulb, the student became tongue-tied. She stated she had not witnessed such a phenomenon. The physical therapist was glad her student was able to see firsthand what restricted myofascia can do and how it contributes to chronic pain.

It’s important to always check the credentials of anyone doing body work. They must have a firm understanding of anatomy of physiology. Here is a directory of myofascial release therapists recommended by John Barnes. http://mfrtherapists.com/

NEUROMUSCULAR THERAPY AND REPROGRAMMING (NMR)

The goal of Neuromuscular Therapy and Reprogramming (NMR), founded by body-worker Jocelyn Olivier, is to balance the central nervous system and the musculoskeletal system by engaging the motor center of the brain.  Therapists specifically trained in NMR treat soft-tissue restrictions, which relaxes muscles, rebuilds strength, improves flexibility, restores venous and lymph flow, and relieves the underlying cause of pain. The therapist will assess blood flow, myofascial TrPs, nerve compression, problems with gait, posture and body alignment, and perpetuating factors.

Other types of bodywork include spray and stretch, Bonnie Prudden Myotherapy, strain counter-strain technique, and deep tissue bodywork, such as Rolfing and Active Release Technique (ART). I caution those with fibromyalgia on deep tissue work. It can be too painful for some. I am lucky to have a physical therapist that does ART. Some chiropractors also use this technique, but the most important thing is to have a working relationship with your therapist and keep the lines of communication open.  

WHAT WE CAN DO

Any myofascial therapy requires us to contribute for the best outcome. We can identify perpetuating factors and practice preventive strategies like stretching and strengthening to maintain muscle health, stamina, and general overall wellness. (Caution: strengthening should be done once the muscle is functioning properly again.) We can be persistent in finding the right therapy or the right therapist. Both are equally important. Maybe you find a therapy you want to try, insurance covers it and all seems well. However, I offer a word of prudence, the type of therapy doesn’t matter if you don’t have a knowledgeable therapist who is willing to work with you and teach you why certain things are important.

A guidebook that focuses on the work of doctors Travell and Simons will help you learn methods of self-treatment and a good therapist will suggest that you do just that. There is information to suggest that when home therapy is encouraged, we do better.

IN CLOSING

Always talk with your doctor for medical clearance. Sports medicine physicians and physical therapists are often a good resource for those of us living with chronic myofascial pain.

Additional Reading:

Physical Therapy for Chronic Pain

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

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. 

Heroes As Helpmates Dealing With Fibromyalgia Or Other Chronic Pain And Illness

PublicDomainPictures.net

I think we would all say living with a condition that causes us chronic unrelenting pain is a threat to our overall well being. It's because we travel an unpredictable road full of potholes. But despite this reality, I still try to find opportunity in adversity because I know it is important to maintain a balance that keeps me mentally, emotionally and spiritually healthy. I can't change my physical condition, but I can control how I react to it. Viewing my circumstances from the perspective of my heroes helps me with this.

__________________________________________________________________________________

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. 
Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved."

-~Helen Keller

__________________________________________________________________________________

Heroes

For me, heroes are people I admire for their tenacity and their ability to show gratitude despite facing significant obstacles. My heroes are people I admire for the way they confront adversity with success. 

Know your heroes

Identifying our hero or heroes is an important first step. 

I have many heroes. Several also face chronic illness. Another is my granddad, who always related to others in a positive way, without judgment and with a willing and giving spirit. He grew tomatoes, just so he could give them to his neighbors, and he kept cookies for all the neighborhood children who came to visit.  Some are my heroes because they make me feel loved or safe. Many heroes are advocates who use their voice for the greater good. Not all of my heroes are people I know personally.  I have had several through the years, actor Christopher Reeve is one.

Have you thought about who might make this prestigious list in your life?

Reasons we choose our heroes

There are many reasons we admire certain people.

·        They confront obstacles head on.

·        They are work to turn obstacles into opportunities.

·        They avoid a negative vortex.

·        They are empathetic.

·        They stay focused on resolution.

·        They are a positive role model.

When I think of how my hero would handle something, I feel their strength. 

How to think like a hero

We can’t say for certain how someone else would react to any given situation, but we can identify observed behaviors that we admire. We can:

·        Recognize acceptance is necessary to move forward.

·        Accentuate the positives that are a result of your illness, such as new friends, opportunities for helping others, becoming more spiritual, or any opportunity for personal growth.

·        Strive to react the way our role model would react. [This allows us to maintain a neutral, non-judgmental point of view.]

·        Be supportive to others.

Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross was a medical doctor, psychiatrist, and author who was world-renowned for her pioneering work on death, dying, and the grieving process. Through her work she learned that life is like the changing of the seasons from spring to summer, summer to fall, and fall to winter. 

Abridged excerpt from Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-body Connection, The Power of Body, Mind, and Spirit (Chapter Five).

__________________________________________________________________________________

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross has influenced the world. The impact of her work affected me through my nursing career and has had a great influence on my writing. Learning to live with chronic pain is a process we work through to acceptance, much like the grieving process. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's work on the changing seasons of life was instrumental in the development and writing of our (co-author Jeff Miller, PhD) Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain series, Winter Devotions, Spring Devotions, Summer Devotions, and Fall Devotions.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Obstacles are necessary turning points. If we cultivate them into opportunity, we know triumph. For those of us living with chronic pain, success is measured by how far we come in our reaction to it, for that is the only thing we can control. Heroes are my helpmates for dealing with fibromyalgia, migraine, autoimmune chronic illness and rheumatic disease.

Additional Reading:

·        Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants: Managing Chronic Pain And Invisible Illness With Words From the Wise

·        The Pained Ink Slayer Series: Mindfulness and Chronic Pain

·        The Gift of Connection, Communication for Managing Pain (Pts as teacher)

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

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. 

Road Mapping The Hazards Of Pain And Averting Crisis This Fall

As we descended the Rockies, marking the end of our annual respite, my husband and I were blasted by the summer heat. Yet, I am grateful for the opportunity to renew my spirit, comfort my body, and bring calm to my mind because of my shared experience with the ever changing temperament of nature.

As we travel across the flatlands, which are alive with corn fields and roads lined with bright yellow sunflowers, I am reminded of the purpose of a Midwest summer, its sun, color, and growth. Yet, I am also aware summer will soon surrender to the crisp chilly air of fall and the harvest moon.

Some of us living with chronic pain will see an uptick in our symptoms as a result of the changing season. So, as summer transitions into fall so does our need to adapt. 

Reflections on the Road from Celeste’s Photography©

“To map out a course of action 

and follow it to an end requires courage.” 

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

________________________________________________________

       

Not every day presents a crisis of earth shattering magnitude. (See “Day Twenty-eight.”) However, those of us who experience chronic pain do have challenges to overcome on a regular basis making it important to be aware of system breakdown predictors. Factors apparent in a total system breakdown include a loss of our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual safety net (the four-seated teeter-totter we discuss in this series of books). If we are aware that mounting daily stressors are precursors to a crisis, can we be better prepared should a crisis occur?

Symptoms that risks are mounting:

·        We become short tempered.

·        We don't feel rested for several days in a row.

·        We have more difficulty than usual concentrating.

·        We feel overwhelmed and without resources.

·        Our pain is not being managed adequately.

·        We struggle with tasks that we normally manage well.

What can we do when we find a consistent pattern that could be leading up to a coping failure? We can:

·        Delay chores or break them down into segments.

·        Approach each day individually and break it down by each hour if necessary.

·        Summon help from support system members or healthcare providers.

·        Give ourselves permission to rest.

·        Change what we can, and let the rest go.

·        Accept that some days doing the minimum allows us to charge our battery and prevent a total breakdown later.

·        Focus on our successes.

What can I add to the list of warning signs?

Excerpt, Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, e Fall f Day Three

 
Available on Amazon and all major outlets in paperback and Kindle.

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Other articles you might find helpful:

Pained Ink Slayer Series: Avoiding Lockdown

A Fall Lesson on Mindfulness

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

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.