Walking and gardening have been great for me, but oh how dispairing it is to have an old symptom reappear after an absence of several months and I thought I was done with it.
I know what you mean, Michael. There were many months when I thought I was done with neuropathy, only to have it re-emerge (gradually at first, and then it ramped up).
Me just nodding my head yes to it all even though my medium covid has gotten much better since even a few weeks ago. There are so many lessons here that I think the Saul in all of us can benefit from - how many people die from stress adjacent disease?? I wear loop earplugs just to prevent or subside overstimulation all the time.
I’m so glad to hear you are feeling better! And the Saul lesson is for life. I’m reading a book now called No Bad Parts about all these “parts” like Saul that develop in childhood as ways to cope and protect us, but become less than useful in adulthood. It’s endlessly fascinating.
Last year, we had a mama and no exaggeration, NINE of her baby turkeys come through our yard. And miraculously, they all made it to adulthood, despite the pack of coyotes who also live nearby and who yip like little puppies in unison every evening. Seriously, they do not sound intimidating in the least. It sounds like you’re driving by an animal shelter 🐶
Still at the beginning reading this but I just wanted to say, I can def identify with the 3 steps forward, one step back, non-linear, non-perfect, not always patient (insert positive, feeling high vibe and totally with it). Though for me this spring/summer it’s been 3 steps forward 2 steps back. The one thing I look for overall though is improvement year on year. I always get caught up somewhere in and amidst that year whether it’s an adjustment period, blip or whatever. What’s always amazed me is the baby steps and snails pace, when I look back from this way of being, this way of living, I can never believe how far I’ve come. And I often say, the wins are only there when you look for them! They def don’t align with societies perception of success and achievement - I got so comfortable with this a few years ago. Like you say, it can be witnessing someone else’s recovery. Edging forward to that being a possibility. It can be a shift in perception. A new practice. Learning to articulate something. It’s not always and most often not usually, any kind of massive reduction in symptoms or massively improved energy - though this does happen overtime. And usually after an adjustment period!
So helpful and I agree wholeheartedly with hacking the para versus sympathetic nervous system yin yang. Will be writing a post about this soon. Helped me with some pervasive anxiety and a fasciculation syndrome. It takes months, if not years, but some immediate benefits with stuff like deep breathing. Best of luck for a continued recovery!
Aaaah, I've been doing this also for a few weeks now but it's so good to have a word to name it :)
For me, it's been "exercise" & Wim Hof breathing, but also going out of the house (I live on a busy street, so it's plenty of input) and the return of hot temperatures (also known as Kryptonite for POTSies). I didn't need the last one, but I'm guessing it make my body strong too :D
I can relate with so much of what you write! Thanks again for the reflections and good info!
Since I started challenging my body, I didn't have many flare-ups, but I find it a bit harder to wind down during the day. I used to be able to lie down and immediately zone out into deep relaxing mode. Now I need to stack different relaxation techniques for it to work - acupressure mat, binaural beats, body scanning... but I sleep way better. So I'm not sure yet if I need to change something or if I'm on the right track.
Ugh, the heat is POTSy hell! I tried walking leisurely outside yesterday in 85 degree temps and my FitBit kept showing a high HR, so I had to go inside.
That is interesting what you say about it taking more effort to wind down the more you challenge yourself. I sometimes feel this way too. The good news is it sounds like you’re very much in touch with it, which can only help ☺️
Walking and gardening have been great for me, but oh how dispairing it is to have an old symptom reappear after an absence of several months and I thought I was done with it.
I know what you mean, Michael. There were many months when I thought I was done with neuropathy, only to have it re-emerge (gradually at first, and then it ramped up).
Me just nodding my head yes to it all even though my medium covid has gotten much better since even a few weeks ago. There are so many lessons here that I think the Saul in all of us can benefit from - how many people die from stress adjacent disease?? I wear loop earplugs just to prevent or subside overstimulation all the time.
Also did not know there were still wild turkeys 😂
I’m so glad to hear you are feeling better! And the Saul lesson is for life. I’m reading a book now called No Bad Parts about all these “parts” like Saul that develop in childhood as ways to cope and protect us, but become less than useful in adulthood. It’s endlessly fascinating.
Last year, we had a mama and no exaggeration, NINE of her baby turkeys come through our yard. And miraculously, they all made it to adulthood, despite the pack of coyotes who also live nearby and who yip like little puppies in unison every evening. Seriously, they do not sound intimidating in the least. It sounds like you’re driving by an animal shelter 🐶
Nine 🥹
Still at the beginning reading this but I just wanted to say, I can def identify with the 3 steps forward, one step back, non-linear, non-perfect, not always patient (insert positive, feeling high vibe and totally with it). Though for me this spring/summer it’s been 3 steps forward 2 steps back. The one thing I look for overall though is improvement year on year. I always get caught up somewhere in and amidst that year whether it’s an adjustment period, blip or whatever. What’s always amazed me is the baby steps and snails pace, when I look back from this way of being, this way of living, I can never believe how far I’ve come. And I often say, the wins are only there when you look for them! They def don’t align with societies perception of success and achievement - I got so comfortable with this a few years ago. Like you say, it can be witnessing someone else’s recovery. Edging forward to that being a possibility. It can be a shift in perception. A new practice. Learning to articulate something. It’s not always and most often not usually, any kind of massive reduction in symptoms or massively improved energy - though this does happen overtime. And usually after an adjustment period!
We relate to each other so much, Amber. I feel seen 🥹
So helpful and I agree wholeheartedly with hacking the para versus sympathetic nervous system yin yang. Will be writing a post about this soon. Helped me with some pervasive anxiety and a fasciculation syndrome. It takes months, if not years, but some immediate benefits with stuff like deep breathing. Best of luck for a continued recovery!
Thanks doc! I look forward to checking out that post of yours.
Aaaah, I've been doing this also for a few weeks now but it's so good to have a word to name it :)
For me, it's been "exercise" & Wim Hof breathing, but also going out of the house (I live on a busy street, so it's plenty of input) and the return of hot temperatures (also known as Kryptonite for POTSies). I didn't need the last one, but I'm guessing it make my body strong too :D
I can relate with so much of what you write! Thanks again for the reflections and good info!
Since I started challenging my body, I didn't have many flare-ups, but I find it a bit harder to wind down during the day. I used to be able to lie down and immediately zone out into deep relaxing mode. Now I need to stack different relaxation techniques for it to work - acupressure mat, binaural beats, body scanning... but I sleep way better. So I'm not sure yet if I need to change something or if I'm on the right track.
Ugh, the heat is POTSy hell! I tried walking leisurely outside yesterday in 85 degree temps and my FitBit kept showing a high HR, so I had to go inside.
That is interesting what you say about it taking more effort to wind down the more you challenge yourself. I sometimes feel this way too. The good news is it sounds like you’re very much in touch with it, which can only help ☺️