Ouch... a brief vent

[MightyMouse]

Okay, for the 2nd night in a row I'm up during the wee hours of the morning (it's now 2:22 am) because of pain. All I did was some house cleaning Friday and today--and now I'm paying a very high price. My feet are screaming at me... as is my entire back ... my arms and hands ... and ribs. OWWWWWWWWWW!

I pushed through the pain while my friends were here (the reason I cleaned), and Teri did most of the cooking, so I was able to sit for most of the visit.

Okay, I said it was a brief vent, and so it is. Off to take some drugs to try to tone this down enough to sleep. Nina

[Guest tearose]

Well it would be nice if I knew the formula for figuring out just how far you could push the body before having pain, but I don't. What do you think pushed you over the edge Nina? Did you push and pull the vacuum? You have to learn your limits my dear...or, stop having friends over! yes, I am teasing you!

I am sorry that you are in such pain, and had trouble sleeping. The house is now clean, the friends are gone. I bet Teri has leftovers in the fridg, so put on your loose comfy sweatsuit and pamper yourself today. Does applying cold or heat help? How about soaking in a tub? Make sure you don't run out of your pain medication, tomorrow some places will be closed. Hopefully tomorrow you can rest too since it is a day off for many...

feel better, tearose

[Nicole's Mom]

Nina,

I hope you are sleeping as I type this out because you went to bed so late after having been in all that pain. I'm sorry that you had to pay such a high price. It sounds like it was pretty tough as you hardly ever vent. I hope the drugs you took helped you and it is toned down and that today is a better day for you.

Bev

(By the way- I asked you a question under the post by Ramakentesh re: hypovolemia and kidney problems).

[Guest Julia59]

Nina,

Now it is time to rest and recover. I know the feeling---but sometimes you have no choice. I will usually have Ron do all the clean up after the guests leave---and during the visit. I will also ask him to serve the drinks ect. to let me get my bearings-----otherwise I will be miserable during the party.

I found what helps is to start way ahead of time and do a little each day, but it doesn't always work that way---especially with your busy schedule.

I hope you as pain free as possible soon.

Julie :0)

[MightyMouse]

Thanks folks. I'm the walking (barely) wounded today. My whole body hurts--feels like I'm a giant bruise... the jammies are staying on all day. As usual, when I push myself this much, I'm also getting sick with a sore throat and headache.

I'm not as tough as I used to be--I think age is making it harder for my body to recoup after pushing. Yes, planning ahead works well but only if I actually DO what I planned as is usual for me, I ran out of time and steam throughout the week. I did get little stuff done, but procrastinated and did all the big chores two days running (like vacuuming, cleaning the bathrooms, doing the laundry and mopping).

Off to get more meds--it's been 12 hours since the last dose and I'm feelin' it. I used to hate taking medications, but today I'm singing their praises!

Nina

[Jersey Girl]

Dear Nina, I am also "lying low" today after my husbands office party last night. We visited the Statue of Liberty via party boat last night and boy am I dizzy today, even after sleeping in until 9a.m. I feel like I am on a rocking boat today still, even though we had a fairly quiet ride. I didn't even do that much at the party, just stayed up past my early bedtime. It's not fair that we have to pay so much the next day. Commiserating with you, Martha

[Guest GayleP]

Nina,

Sorry about the pain. I hope taking it easy today helps.

GayleP

[EarthMother]

Dear Nina,

You are our rock and inspiration. So sorry about the pain -- when it interrupts our sleep it makes it SO hard to rebound. Good thoughts your way dear.

Wouldn't it be cool if our DINET bracelets had these magic sensors that would turn red when we were getting close to overdoing it! :-) We could just put them on everyday and they could have a little flashing light that tells us we have danced enough for the day it's time to go take a rest.

Feel better soon.

EM

[geneva]

Earthmother, what a great idea! I think they would need to flash red AND send out a screeching noise to slow some of us down (not naming names!!!)

Martha, you are one brave person to go out to a party on a rocking boat....thinking of it makes my head spin. Rest well and I hope you feel less dizzy soon.

Nina, you didn't say....did you ENJOY your visit with your friends? I hope so. The truth is our friends could probably care less if the house is a little less than perfect but I know I do the same thing. I wish for you a good nite sleep tonight and hope that maybe tomorrow is a holiday for you.

Today I went to relatives and had a nice 2 hour visit and now feel like a mac truck ran over my body. I don't get it!

take care.

[porque]

glad it was sunday and you got to take a day of rest before going off to work.

[MightyMouse]

Thanks again all. I slept for a few hours this afternoon, and I'm planning an early night's sleep.

I'm sure all my friends would have been fine with my messy house. My one friend, Lillian, is soon moving back to Greece, and this was probably our last big family dinner together before they leave in April. I'll get emotional right now if I say anymore!

Teri did do most of the prep work, serving and cleaning. I got yelled at today for doing too much--and told that it's upsetting to see me in so much pain. Yep. It's upsetting to be in that much pain too. I guess this is just my weekly reminder that I'm disabled, despite my protests.

Nina

[katsusu]

Nina,

After my first back surgery I found what an awful patient I made because in the past - when i just had Parkinsons and POTS- i had to do the mind over matter. Basically it did not matter what my body said we were listening to what my mindtold it to do, other wise I would never gotten off the coach.

Now - after two back surgery, i have to force myself to do nothing because i already know i over did it after the first and i am in much greater pain this time. i know time will take care of the pain, but it is so hard to tell myself not to do things. my friends are suprised i am walking about -and i am thinking -why should i not be- I wanted my sons to vacumm today- but started to do it because i was getting impatient with them- but they quickly took over. I had to have a physical theropist friendcome over here -to tell me -how i am suppose to act because i am just so used to making myself overcome.

What i am trying to say is- sometimes mighty mouse has to know when to just be a mouse - and know that is the best thing for him. I know it is hard- but you have to do it. Bythe way it is 2 am here- i am awakefrom pain-so ikindof know how you feel.

Kathleen

By the way-who is mighty mouse when he does not have his super mouse outfit on?

[Ernie]

Hi Nina,

I am sorry you are having pain because you went above your limits.

Could you hire someone to help you out with the housecleaning? This way you could have a clean house and enjoy your company.

Hope you have a nice sleep tonight

Ernie

[MightyMouse]

Kathleen, Mighty Mouse is somewhat of a gender bender of a name--I'm actually Nina and you can see me on my website if you use the link at the bottom of every one of my posts--click on "card" and then you'll see the url for my personal website.

Ernie, we've talked about getting help for me with the cleaning here at home; I may give in and do that at some point soon. I've been the reason we've not gotten it done--I don't like the idea of people I don't know well in my house when I'm not home.

Nina

[Ernie]

Hi Nina,

I feel exactly the way you do. I used to have housecleaners (I hope that's the way you say it!) and I always hired people with good references. For example, they worked for my friends or my clients or were friends with acquaintances. I never had anyone stealing. I had some breaking things and one putting the dust under the carpet but otherwise it was fine.

You could also specify that they need to work when you are home, ie Saturday.

Ernie

[katsusu]

Nina - I did figure outthat mighty mouse was actually a mighty ms mouse. But my point was - why do we think that we should be stronger and almost do more then if we were normal. To me -all you were doing would have been challenging if you did not have health problems- so of course you are tired also a bit stressed for having people over. Don't feel guilty for hurting and feeling tired. I have another interesting fact for you, too-- we are all getting older everyday- but don't tell the others that - i don't want to depress them. unfortunately, with age and over committing ourselves and trying to do everything for everybody- even might mouse might get tired. I know- because i use to think my soul purpose i was put on this world was to make others happy. but i had to learn the word NO- a very hard word for me to say, but if i did not i would have lost my marriage because i did so much for other people i had nothing left for my family and most of all myself. giving up doing things for others was the hardest thing to do and accept in my new life as a person with health problems, but slowly i have realized that it does make my life easier now. even though i still over do it, but not as much.

Anyways- you sound like a great person- that is head strong and your mind is fighting your body to see who gets control. pain or you. i am in the same place (just not such a great person as you) after my first surgery my head won, but then my back got revenge for what my head made my body do- and this time i have no choice but let my body decide if itsgoing to even let me out of bed in the morning.

I hope you understanding what i mean- someway-somehow we have to make life simpler forus. and whyinthe world do we sometimes think we have to be tougher then if we had no medical problem. look at it this why- because you do have a medical problem you get an excuse to vent- if you did not you just would be complaining.

kathleen

[Merrill]

Reading Earthmother's reply to Persephone ... and also reading this string ... motivated me to type up this poem.

Pain--has an Element of Blank--

by Emily Dickinson

Pain--has an Element of Blank--

It cannot recollect

When it begun--or if there were

A time when it was not--

It has no Future--but itself--

Its Infinite contain

Its Past--enlightened to perceive

New Periods--of Pain.

[MightyMouse]

You folks are the best! Kathleen, I used to be a person-pleaser too... I'm 40 now, so all that life experience has finally taught be how to be comfortable with the tiny word "no."

As some of you may have figured out, I do everything to the extreme. I don't commit to do anything if I can't give it my all. Perhaps I should work on learning how to give things something short of ALL (ah, only one letter longer than the other naughty word, "no"). You would think that at 40 I'd have learned a bit more about stopping myself when the pain signals start; still a bad habbit of mine. I suppose there could be worse habbits, like smoking, drinking, drugs, etc.

I wouldn't say that my headstrongness is my strength as it's a double edged sword; sometimes it means I accomplish things that I never dreamed I could do...and other times it makes me do things that I never should have done!

I suppose a measure of progress will be if I stop myself a bit sooner in the process the next time around. It's only a bit after midnight and I think I'll be able to sleep tonight. Can't wait!!

Edited January 17, 2005 by MightyMouse

[blackbirdsings]

I'm so sorry you had such horrible pain after cleaning. Not being able to sleep from pain is just miserable...I go through this just about everyday.

I was wondering if you would mind explaining what kind of pain you have? What is it related to...arthritis, fibro., overuse or...?

I am just very curious because I have been having very extreme pain that I have to take meds for. The pain gets SO horrible it literally ***** the breath out of me and I can hardly move. It is worse than the pain I have had from surgerys or injuries.

We have been doing some research and think it might be related to mold exposure.

Anyhow, if you have a moment and can answer those questions when you feel better I would appreciate it. I am very curious of others that are having pain and anything that helps them and the causes of the pain.

Thanks! I do hope you feel better very soon!!!

[katsusu]

Nina,

We sound alot alike. Upset you are 3 years younger. When i had to finally start saying no- i felt i lost my idenity. Who i was. But it came to the point that the price of doing was getting to expensive on me. But like you, I am still learning my lessons and still commit myself- but at a much smaller stage and I am learning to accept help.

I really never noticed that my sword was double bladed till these surgeries. You see-till now-i could always at least be an example of faith getting me through the tough time. Indeed it made me stronger and i also am amazed with what i have and do accomplish, but I also end up in bed paying the price- sometimes it is worth it but others times- no. But i know that i have reached a new level that i need to take care of myself- Put myself first- no- i have not gotten worse but if i don't change my life - and do not start taking care of mybody- my body is going to stop taking care of me.

I think of it as not giving up on my life but that my body is saying it is time for a change. you can still enjoy life but you have to stop killing me (my body)- doing or trying to be the same person with a healthy body when you do not- basically my body has given me signs that i cannot afford to ignore anymore. so -we are trying a new goal- a happy body means a much happier me.

kathleen

like usual i hope you understand

[katsusu]

Blackbird,

I don;t think i would be a very good person to tell you about pain- because mine is due to Parkinson's disease and back problems.

Kathleen