A Good Day

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Today is a good day.  The barometric pressure is on the rise.  Always a good thing!  Low pressure is oppressive.  I put all my oils on this morning then headed for the grocery store, the library…one of my most favorite places…and stopped in Target.  Now, I am actually updating my blog.  I am ready to do a little organizing of family photos, work on my niece Rachel’s graduation announcements, and then watch another one of my niece’s dance online.  Yay MAISEY!!

And, my two youngest kids made it to that great state of Mississippi safely after driving all night.

Yep.  It’s a good day.

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I just Googled Central Pain Syndrome and got 2,640,000 results.  Wow.  Maybe it is becoming more well- known.  Not that I wish more people had it.  I just wish more was known about how to treat it.

Today is a landmark day for me.  I am cutting my Gabapentin dose by 400mg!  Going down from 3200mg to 2800mg.  We’ll see.  It’s time for my bedtime dose.  And all of my bedtime oils, which I really look forward to.  I think I will add some RutaVaLa for sure tonight to my usual Lavender and Peace and Calming oils.  I may even keep something like Clove and Basil close by.

I did promise a post about my trip to the ND.  Very insightful.  I have lots of “issues” to work on.  Mostly stemming from digestive.  This is one reason I want so much to get off Gabapentin!  I was reading the side effects again today:  Constipation, blurry vision, weight gain, back pain, clumsiness, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, nausea, stomach upset…geesh!  These are just the common ones.  The other list is three times that long and includes memory loss and trouble concentrating, as well as suicidal thoughts and mood changes.

I can tell I have some noticeable changes in pain..that “stiff” feeling, bordering on crushing, because of lowering dosage.  I just put some Clove and Palo Santo oils on.  I need to get my night oils on pretty quick before I chicken out.  I asked my neurologist if she would call me in a script for 100mg of Gabapentin.  She won’t until she sees me first!  Really?  I want to decrease…very slowly…my dose, not increase.  So, I have to try lowering by cutting 800mg tabs in half.  If I could cut in half again I would.  Sure would be much easier on my pain if I could take it more slowly.  If I can’t tolerate it, I will make an appointment with her.

If you want to know more about the therapeutic grade Young Living Essential Oils, just look under that tab above.  Amazing the relief I’ve gotten so far.  Especially getting off of all but this pesky one!  I am taking every opportunity offered me to learn more, so that I can find what may work for those of us whose pain really is “all in their head.”

Okay…I have to go to bed now.  Oils are calling.

New Beginnings

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Addison and Cory graduated from Lubbock Christian University in December.  January 1st, they found out they will be expecting their first child in August!!  I am ecstatic!  I cannot wait to be a grandma (or mimi)!  I just pray for a blessed pregnancy for Addison (she has all-day-morning sickness) and a happy, healthy baby.

Hopeful…

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I am hopeful…

In just a few short hours I will have an appointment with Dr. Debra Raybern.  I am to be scanned by her Indigo.  I will elaborate more when I know exactly what it entails.  After much success in getting relief from using Young Living products this past year, I am ready to try decreasing the last drug I am on…Gabapentin 3200mg per day.  I have tried decreasing, but the pain is too intense.

The weather here in Houston has been gorgeous.  The barometric pressure very high.  It is breezy (ouch) and cool.  Seems like this would be good for my pain.  Except for the breeze, of course, so WHY so much pain??  I feel as if I have been slapped over and over, especially on my face and head (affected side), but also arm and leg and rear.  My stomach has felt as if it was seizing. Thought maybe something intestinal, but realized it just left-sided…therefore, stupid thalamic pain.  What do I do?  Right now I put on lots of Joy Essential Oil and inhale.  And drink more Ningxia Red.

Therefore…I am really looking forward to this appointment, anticipating help.  Lifestyle change will probably needed.  Diet changed. Exercise (another extreme ouch!).  More products.  BUT, I have not had any other drugs….except for the one day I took one Aleve…for over a year!  I know how much more alert and not depressed I am.  Such a blessing…

So, I plan to report back soon…

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Just got home from grocery store about an hour ago.  Decided I would blog while fresh on my mind.  Left for store at 7:45am…fave time to grocery shop.  On way to store intense “coldness” set in on left side.  I used the oils I keep in my purse for daily use:  Valor first, Balsam Fir, Peppermint, and Joy…lots of Joy.*  I even inhaled Highest Potential just because it was in my purse.  I began to relax and feel emotionally uplifted.  I have found that if my mood is lifted, I can handle pain SO much better.  I was able to get my shopping done and even go to the library.  The coldness turned into burning by the time I was in car on way home.  May have something to do with the vibration of the car to intensify any pain I have.  I thought I would wait until I got home to try some new oils.

I put Vetiver on my shoulder.  I will say I love the way this thick oil smells.  I wanted to see if I could tell that it is supposedly a locally warming oil.  I could not tell, however, I will try it again when the “coldness” sets in again.  I only put it on my shoulder since pain is so intense there.  It may have helped a little, but I have since added Sacred Frankincense.  I have it going in my diffuser. I will try both oils on on bottom of feet, too.

I did try Valerian last night.  I already know it helps me sleep since it is in the RutaVaLa.  I just inhaled Valerian and was sleepy much quicker than usual!  It is hard for me to be comfortable enough to sleep…so this is something I will use for sure.  I actually got Vetiver and Valerian because it is part of a pain formula that can be put in capsules and taken.  It should only be used before bed, however, so I am still on the quest for that combination I can use during the day.  I know it’s out there.  Probably one of the simplest oils.

My husband just asked me if I wanted to go to town with him.  He could tell by my “you’ve got to be joking” look what my pain level is.  Oh well, think I will go read or do something that requires no movement.  Dwelling on this pain is not helping…

I will say again how absolutely thankful I am for these oils!  I would have already have had to take at least 3 Vicodin by now.  I would have been lethargic to say the least.  Can’t believe how many years I lived like that.

*Only therapeutic grade here

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I realize this blogging thing does not come naturally for me.  I want to let fellow strokees or CPS friends know of my progress in case they see something that might help them, but I don’t want to be seen as a “complainer” or “sufferer.”  But, ’tis a fact of my life right now.  So here goes…

A couple of Sundays ago, we were almost to church when we had to turn around because of the crushing feeling I had because of CPS.  Sometimes I can deal with it without the tell-tale signs on my face, but not that day.  The crushing was so heavy on my chest that it became unbearable.  I could only come home, lay on the couch, and get distracted.  I began inhaling and using all of the oils I could think of.  I took my dose of Gabapentin early, but knew any relief it would provide would be a long time coming.  I used my uplifting oils…Joy and Idaho Balsam Fir, which always helps, then a lot of Peace and Calming and RutaVaLa.  I know now I should have put much more of the RutaVaLa on my hands and inhaling deeply several times.  I do this at night and get deep sleep pretty quickly.  But when I am in pain, I seem too distracted to think clearly.  I now have a notebook of what methods/oils work for me.

I just got in my new order from Young Living.  I got Valerian (antianxiety, antispasmodic, CNS depressant, hypnotic, sedative) and Vetiver (antispasmodic, calming, sedative).  Vetiver is supposedly rubefacient (locally warming).  I wonder if it would help when I get the icy-feeling?  I use a heating pad on that side sometimes, and get some relief.  Even if it’s 100 degrees outside.  I have not used these oils yet because…Oh, I don’t know why.  I will try tonight since the crushing is getting more nagging.  One, because the sun has just set, and Two, the barometric pressure is falling.  Somewhat stormy weather brewing.  Already cancelled my plans for tomorrow morning due to weather forecast.  Someday the weather will not dictate my plans…

 

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Today is my 31st wedding anniversary.  Unbelievable.

I have seen many posts from fellow strokees or chronic pain sufferers that have not been so lucky.  They experience divorce or separation.  We had just celebrated our 20th anniversary when I had my stroke.  I never doubted that Steve would go through this with me.  That is because he is an honorable kind of guy.  He loves me.  And he loves the God we serve even more.  Without God…where would our hope be?  We are far from perfect people, and we have had our share of questioning and doubts, but we believe there is more to this life than being physically whole.  The rain falls on the just and the unjust.  But God can use anything for His glory.  I believe that with all of my heart.  He has done some really neat things for me to let me know personally I belong to Him, and that He listens to me and cares for me.  More than anything in this life, I want this for my children and my children’s children.  I want them to know He is their Comforter and Healer.  He can forgive them of everything and anything.  Nothing can separate them from Him.  All I want is for them to end up with Him in the End.  Period.  I want this for all those whom I love.  All of my family and extended family.  That is my prayer…

Ok….I will definitely have a CPS update tomorrow.