Whole30 - 31 Days in

Well yesterday was the 30th day of doing this 'Whole30' way of eating.  Do I feel any different?  NO Have my energy levels increased? NO    Have my pain levels decreased? NO  Have I lost weight? Marginally, although this wasn't a goal, just a nice bonus.

Well either most people who embark on this must be on REALLY BAD diets to begin with or I am just immune to the effects.  I have read of people having such amazing results, it has really been disappointing not to really experience any.

There wasn't a huge change in the way I eat, just the complete elimination of some foods that I had already dramatically decreased in my diet years ago.

My energy levels are still at an all time low with lack of enthusiasm to boot.  Not so bad if it is a sunny day, but as most of winter is grey, that is somehow reflected in how I feel, no matter what I try to improve it.

I guess if I REALLY think about it, I have had less severe headaches and also of far less frequently during the course of the last month. That is a GOOD thing.  As for the rest of my pain, I haven't noticed a difference...perhaps a very small one, but I could be just imagining that as it isn't significant enough to think wow, look at the difference in my body pain chart that I coloured in 'before' and 'after'.

In fact today after vacuuming just one room, my levels are as high as they ever have been, the burning sensation all down my right side and to be honest I am feeling very despondent with it. I am just so fed up with hurting all the time.  This is my only place to really have a good 'moan' about the pain so this is where it has to be.

I was so hopeful.  Seems it doesn't really matter what I try to do, I am destined to have pain and I guess with that comes the lack of energy and enthusiasm for doing things.

This week is the re-introduction of some of the key foods eliminated.  I will go through with this as that is the whole point of the programme.

Legumes are first - I only really eat peas out of this food group so I don't think they probably have much effect, but I will go through each stage to just be sure.

Day 4 - Non gluten grains are re-introduced

Day 7 - Gluten or Dairy

Day 10 - Dairy or Gluten.

The days in between you return to the Whole30

It will be interesting to see if any of the above bring on the headaches as I have seen a general reduction in those so that is one good thing.

It has been suggested with chronic inflammatory pain conditions that all soy and nightshades also need to be eliminated.  I haven't had any soy during the last 30 days, but perhaps at some stage I will also try eliminating the nightshades as well for several months.  It will have to be after my trip to NZ now.

Just so this post isn't completely picture free I thought I would post some photos of my whimsical Wentworth Wooden puzzles.

Kitchen Cupboard

Books shelf

Pain's Embrace

She wraps her arms around me in an embrace,
the flames lick up the side of my face,
Tightly she holds me, crushing me, bruising me,
My ribs, my arm, the whole of my back,
No release, not even in sleep,
Day and night, night and day,
She keeps up with me in a most relentless way.

She is no stranger this companion of mine,
I've known her since 10 years plus 4
When the chair was pulled and I fell to the floor,
To provide a laugh to those with small minds.

But after a while it wasn't constant, there was an off switch,
Life could resume, she often left me alone, it was not all the time
Now it has all changed and this 'friend' of mine
keeps me company too much, she is with me always,
Day and night, night and day.
For the last long eight years there is no relief,
And now it has spread, you see
not just my arm, my side, my face,
but my whole trunk front and back
the pain never leaves, and is growing
Her company is wearing, I get fed up,
Just to leave me alone for a while would be good
So I could sleep and wake feeling rested and refreshed
Not constantly caught in her tight embrace.

Pain

I have been walking everyday for over six weeks now, sometimes twice a day, especially now we have the puppy as well. You would think the walking would be getting easier!

Instead, I am getting sorer and sorer it seems...  I am a little bit worried about how much the pain is intensifying over the whole of my back area.  My left leg feels 'funny' when I walk too far as well, it started the other day when we overdid it a bit over at Ashridge Estate, but it hasn't eased up at all and starts to feel 'heavy' after a while during the walk.    But it is the back pain that is bothering me the most.

I wake up in the morning with what feels like sore muscles all across my neck and shoulders which eases up slightly but then gets worse again during the day.  My lower back aches by the time I get back from my walk, and bending down to take the dogs leads off is uncomfortable, and by the end of the day the whole back is in 'screaming' mode.

Even the spa doesn't seem to be helping much.  I have started back on the Magnesium yesterday and am hoping that it might help.

Hence why not a lot of blogging has been happening.

Pain.

I have been walking everyday for over six weeks now, sometimes twice a day, especially now we have the puppy as well. You would think the walking would be getting easier!

Instead, I am getting sorer and sorer it seems...  I am a little bit worried about how much the pain is intensifying over the whole of my back area.  My left leg feels 'funny' when I walk too far as well, it started the other day when we overdid it a bit over at Ashridge Estate, but it hasn't eased up at all and starts to feel 'heavy' after a while during the walk.    But it is the back pain that is bothering me the most.

I wake up in the morning with what feels like sore muscles all across my neck and shoulders which eases up slightly but then gets worse again during the day.  My lower back aches by the time I get back from my walk, and bending down to take the dogs leads off is uncomfortable, and by the end of the day the whole back is in 'screaming' mode.

Even the spa doesn't seem to be helping much.  I have started back on the Magnesium yesterday and am hoping that it might help.

Hence why not a lot of blogging has been happening.

Kidney Detox

I have been suffering from lower back pain and aching as well as shoulder pain and pins and needles for some time now.  As a sufferer of RSD/CRPS, pain isn't a stranger to me, but this is something new.  

I have been to see someone today and he is sure my kidneys aren't functioning like they should and has recommended I embark on a lemon detox juice diet for a few days to kick start them into working properly again, as well as to up my daily dose of Magnesium for a month.  So I will see how it goes.  

I have had my first 250 mls so far and it tasted good.  

The ingredients are lemons, maple syrup and cayenne pepper.   It said to juice the lemons - well I juiced the whole lemon in my juicer - yes the whole lemon.  

I am hopeful that this will help.   Will report back in a few days to measure the success.  

Dreaming...

A visit to the pain clinic today... this is what I told them....

I was asked what strategies I employ when I am feeling this way!

Um...I just get on with things like I always do...

Whatever!

The Pain Chronicles, Debt & Daily Doodles.

Way back in September last year I wrote a blog post about debt here

Well I can now say that with determination and a real effort the last month I have finally paid back my debts and have enough left over for a dreamed about trip to the USA to attend the Sasha Festival.

The relief and peace that not owing any money on my credit card brings is amazing and I won't be using it again.  Instead I plan to make and sell things to get my 'spending money'.  

Of course it turns out I DID overdo things on Monday as I was very sore yesterday.  It is a bit easier today but a strange thing happened during the night.  I woke with a sharp constant pain in my ear and a burning sensation on my head.  I made an appointment with the GP thinking perhaps I had an ear infection (never having had one before I wasn't really sure what earache felt like).  It turns out my ears and throat are clear.  He said that the pain on my head definitely sounds like nerve pain and possibly the ear is as well - so nothing can be done - just got to wait and see.

He did ask me how I got on with the morphine.... I told him it gave me stomach pains, made me drowsy and VERY irritable so wasn't taking it.

Back to the drawing board, he said he really didn't know what to offer me as we had pretty much tried everything.  I already knew that.  He has given me something I can try 'ad hoc' for when the pain is really bad - which I am happy to try - I just didn't want to take any more constant/daily meds as all the side effects just aren't worth it for the minimal (if any) relief they offer.  So I have now got some OxyNorm to try.  I had to laugh at the name....

So that is the update on the Pain Chronicles.

A couple of daily doodles:

Oh and the other news is that Percy went for his first walk with us and the other two dogs today. 

He was very good - I think the encouragement of wanting to keep up with Shadow and Pirate was a big incentive to him :-)

Lots more walks to come.

Just need the weather to clear up for longer than two days!!

Morphine for pain.

Wednesday I was prescribed Morphine twice a day for the pain.

By yesterday afternoon, having taken the first three tablets...I was still in pain, plus was drowsy, very irritable and had stomach pains - needless to say I didn't take the fourth tablet and had an early night!

Thank goodness for small puppies that exude happiness and enjoy cuddles!

A wonderful recital

I went to a fabulous recital last night.  My friend from Uni took me, we haven't seen each other for such a long time...since the Martin Frost concert if I am remembering rightly.

My clarinet teacher from Uni was playing.  It was the first time I had had the opportunity to see him perform, and he was fantastic!

The concert opened with the clarinet and 'cello playing a Duo in C WoO27 by Beethoven

This was followed by a piano and 'cello duo 'Variations on a theme of Rossini (1942) by Bohuslav Martinu.

The first half ended with a Trio by Nino Rota which was good fun.  

The only criticism I really have is that the piano drowned out the other instruments in places, which they always insist on having a grand open at full stick in such a situation is beyond me.  I also felt the 'cello could have put a bit more into it which would have helped the blance.

As usual the amount of people attending this live concert was disappointing and something that seems to plague a lot of live classical concerts nowadays, which is such a shame as they really are missing out.

The concert finished with them playing one of my favourite composers; Brahms, his Trio in A minor Op 114

It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and we all popped into the local pub after the concert (I had an orange juice) and spent some time chatting.

I came home all inspired and enthusiastic about things and even thought I would try giving the playing a go again.

Unfortunately payback time hit during the night with the worst headache ever and I have had to spend all day in bed, tried getting up twice, but it was just too bad.  Headache eased slightly now, but pain in the right side has hit with a vengeance. So nothing got done today, still there is always tomorrow.

1st October 2012

 1st of October!  My how time flies.  This year seems to be going by so quickly, it is quite frightening at times.  

This month I will no longer have a 15 years old son, but rather one who is soon to be 16!  How is that possible?

I will continue to plug away at decluttering, sorting, tidying, selling and giving away items.  Today I took 11 items to the post office that sold on Evilbay in the weekend, so that is another 11 items less to take up room. 10 of those were dolls, and the other a piece of china.  I have a trolley bag full of 'goodies' to drop off at the charity shop, which I'm hoping to do sometime this week.  Anything of lesser value, that doesn't sell on Evilbay the first time is going straight to charity so there is no mucking around.  If I was a braver person I would do a carboot (Indoor carboot) sale, but I'm not, so I won't.

I've got a few unexpected deadlines to meet now, so the pressure is on!  The lounge and kitchen need to be completely sorted by 10th October ready for the meeting with the DLA inquisitors on the 11th October.  At the moment due to all the sorting of dolls and their clothing and various other china crockery items, my lounge is much much worse than it was!  I've got a day to myself tomorrow so hoping to make a bit of headway with that. 

There are various other rooms in the house that need to be gone through as well, but I'm not going to put any more pressure on myself than I already have, as I know I will just feel bad if I don't achieve those other goals, so I will just work towards the first one for now.

My head/neck and arm pain has been giving me quite a few problems and some days I'm really not able to do anything, which holds up the process somewhat/  Yesterday was one of those days disappointingly where the burning/prickling sensations was driving to the point of complete distraction and I ended up having to go to bed with some pain killers.  On a whole better today, although my head has felt very heavy and painful.

I'm hoping to post some more crafting and interesting things this month to liven the blog up a bit as it seems to be a bit doom and gloom at the moment.  I am still enjoying my quilting group when I can go and have several items at various stages 'on the go', which ideally I'd like to finish.

Our only successful vegetable this year is still producing beans which is nice as the rest of the vegetable garden was a complete disaster due to the lack of summer!

More battles on behalf of our son.

So how is it going?  Slowly...

There seems to be a lot on in October, what with Statement Reviews, Transition Plans, DLA Interrogations, all to do with our younger son who has ASD turning 16.  Apparently when you turn 16 you should be able to fill in your own DLA application renewal form....Um...what is it about Autism that you bureaucrats don't understand?   Why is it that everyone makes things so difficult?  Goodness, most adults struggle with filling in these forms let along teenagers, especially those with an ASD.   Perhaps a few of you should try living with and helping a child with Autism?  Whilst there is much joy, it is also very, very hard work, and something that we don't necessarily see an end in sight as much as we would like to think he will eventually be able to live independently, there is no way he is going to be able to cope without significant help.  Of course by the sheer nature of his Autism and one of the ways in manifests itself, he doesn't see himself as 'disabled'  and why should he to a certain extent, and yet there does come a point where some acknowledgement and awareness of the difficulties ahead has to become a reality.  Can he travel independently in unfamiliar areas?  NO.  Could he cook 'properly prepared' meals? NO  Does he needed to be reminded frequently of various needs that need to be met?  Yes.  Well the list could go on.  So yet more pressure is being heaped upon our shoulders as we try and justify why we feel our son's Disability Living Allowance should continue, after all, just because he is turning 16, doesn't mean the Autism is magically going to disappear!  I'm sure we would all  wish that!  Whilst he is going to have to try to come to terms with things we have written about his needs, which he is going to take offence to and disagree with as he doesn't see things from anyone else's point of view.  Why is everything a battle to get his needs met?  

So now I also have to get the place sorted, tided and spotless for this INTERROGATION by the beginning of the second week in October.  Nothing like a bit of pressure eh?

So not only that but I also have my hospital visit to see the Neurologist to see if he can do further tests to see if the Chiari Malformation has progressed/changed in any way and also to see if he has any more suggestions of ways to get rid of the chronic pain.