Weather Changes and RSD

T am having more trouble with pain and tingling I was wondering if the cold weather we are having here in the great state of Michigan had anything to do with it-so I went on the internet and came across  this article I though tI would share with everyone. Weather does play a big part in the way RSD acts  up.

I really want to move to Florida or Tennessee where the weather is warmer so I don't hurt so much, but right now that isn't a possibility so I do what I can to minimize it as much as possible.

 CRPS - Weather changes, do they affect CRPS? RSD?

DOES THE WEATHER AFFECT CRPS? 

Now that the winter season is upon us, for most of the country anyway, many patients are seeing changes in their pain although quite a few may not have ever made the connection. In talking to patients I often run into some who do not know that the changes in the seasons cause changes in their pain. They might have noticed that they get colder in the winter, that storms bother them, etc. but did not understand that there is the direct connection.

Barometric changes, especially drops in the BP, can cause increased pain for many patients. These can come from violent storms such as hurricanes and thunderstorms but they can also come with snowstorms and changes in the highs and lows you hear the weatherman describing all the time. 

When you watch the weather next time, pay particular attention to when the next Low Pressure system is moving in and monitor your pain. See if you notice any changes/increases in your pain. Chances are that you will.

The other issue that CRPS patients face in the winter months, especially those who live in the colder, wintry states, is dealing with the extra pain that comes with the extreme cold. 

One of the ways that CRPS patients suffer pain, (and I realize this is oversimplifying things) is from constricted blood vessels. These constricted blood vessels not only cause pain but also restrict blood flow thereby lowering the temperature of the extremities.  When the temperature drops these blood vessels constrict further, increasing the pain and lowering the temperature even further. 

The patient ends up in more pain and an inability to get their feet/hands warm. 

So what do you do, to decrease the pain and effects of the winter?

Well, you could do what I did, move south! It is nearly Christmas and it is 70+ degrees here. But that isn't practical for most people so you need other solutions.

- Layered clothing helps, and definitely you need to keep your hands and feet and head covered as much as possible. 

- If you have access to a warm water pool (85 degrees of more) that is EXTREMELY helpful, not only for raising the temperature in your extremities but also for keeping the chronic pain patient's body in shape and lowering their overall pain level. 

- Soaking in warm water with Epsom Salts is very beneficial. You don't need fancy bath salts/oils but by using epsom salts your body absorbs the magnesium, which helps in restoring normal blood flow. 

- Using microwave moist-heating pads (the kind with beads inside) helps as well. 

What ideas have you tried that have helped? Share them here in the comments!

 

Hope this helped.

Have a great day everyone!

 

 

RSD Symptoms

These are some of the symptoms of RSD this terrible chronic pain disorder that people can not see- It is invisible no one knows what we with RSD go through everyday. We look like normal people with no problems, but we have some kind of pain all day every day. I do not have all these symptoms but I do have a lot of them, it is hard for me to do everyday tasks even sometimes it is hard to put socks on. My feet and legs get very cold, my ankles swell, I have muscle spasms in my legs and feet, muscle ticks, and chronic pain all day everyday in my feet, legs, lower back and now my fingers are being affected. I have chronic fatigue, and arthritis, I walk with a cane and use a wheelchair if I want to do anything that requires walking more than a few feet.  It is sometimes hard for me to hold onto things as simple as a full coffee cup. I deal with this everyday I have no choice it is what it is, Thank Goodness my daughter lives with me who does most of the driving, and things around the house I can not do I really cherish her.
Don't berate people for being on disability, parking in a handicapped parking spot, or not working you do not know what they are going through or what their capabilities are. 
Thank you to the people who open doors for me at a store I really appreciate it.

SYMPTOMS: Not all patients have exactly the same symptoms but the most common are: severe sensitivity to touch and temperatures, swelling, muscle spasms, myoclonic jerks, sweating, muscle ticks, inflammation, anxiety, depression, trouble concentrating, irritability, bone loss, skin lesions (rare), immune system problems, with the most prominent symptom being chronic pain. The pain has been described as burning, shooting, stabbing and aching. Some report bizarre feelings of cold water being splashed on the affected area, goose bump, and distonia (difficulty initiating movement). Over time symptoms can change, become worse or better and sometimes spread to other areas apart from the original injury. Pain has the tendency to become less severe the longer the RSD/CRPS is present.

Other symptoms of RSD/CRPS, not always mentioned, caused by the malfunction of the sympathetic nervous system: allergies/asthma, absence or abnormal menstrual cycle, chest pain, cardiac complica

absence or abnormal menstrual cycle, chest pain, cardiac complications, chronic fatigue, autoimmune disorders such as arthritis and Crohn's disease, IBS ( digestive problems-acid reflux, constipation ), fibromyalgia/myofacial syndrome, hypertension, Raynauds disease, increased sensitivity to external stimuli ( sight, sound, smell ), insomnia, memory loss, migraine headaches, mood swings/anxiety, tremors, visual disturbances.

Thank you for reading and God Bless!

 

Cottage in the Oaks Giveaway!

We will keep this giveaway open until Friday, November 16 at 11:00 pm EST. This giveaway is open to the lower 48 US residents only and here’s how you can enter:

Mandatory:  1. Follow Cottage in the Oaks and comment that you do.

More options for more entries {these are optional}:

2.  Follow Cottage in the Oaks on twitter here. Leave a comment that you do.

3. Like Cottage in the Oaks Facebook page here. Leave a comment that you did.

4. Blog about the giveaway and comment with the link.

5. Tweet about the giveaway and comment with the link.

WOW!  5 ways to enter!!!! This is a gorgeous set……I know you guys will love it!

Best Wishes…..can’t wait to send this out to someone!

Blessings~

This is a awesome  giveaway I wanted to let all my reader to know about it to go and enter it, wouldn't this look fantastic in your shower?

Domestic Violence Month

Just a reminder that October is Domestic Violence Awareness month I have been reading posts and updates on the subject and it is really very sad. Women as young as 15 are victims of this terrible thing, I can not figure out how we fall prey to domestic violence. How are we attracted to these type of men? I read they are so nice and polite at first after you move in with them or after marriage it starts almost right away. They want to control your every move. It just isn't right.
Every 9 seconds in the US a woman is assaulted or beaten.
Everyday in the US three women are murdered by their boyfriend or husband.
Remember if you are in a abusive relationship weather it is a physical, emotional, mental or verbal relationship keep all the recordings, emails, text messages whatever you can from the abuser so that when it comes to court you have evidence of the abuse. It is a sad fact that although relatively easy to get a restraining order, in court judges want proof of abuse it is a he said she said thing and in order for thing sot get better you need that.
Children can be very big victims. If they are not being directly abused they see and hear abuse their mother is going through. It can be a very devastating thing.  Boys exposed to physical abuse, sexual abuse, and adult domestic violence are 4 times more like to perpetuate domestic violence as adults.
My children witnessed  the verbal abuse I went through and it just isn't right. They are so innocent, and can grow up to be a abuser also. Thank God both of my children, now adults know that it isn't right. My son will not be a abuser and my daughter will not be a victim thanks to their good sense.
I know a lot of woman think there is no way out. They say to themselves I have no job, I have no place to go, But are shelters you can go and people willing to help you. There are people willing to give you a job. It is better to get you and the children out of the violent situation than to think of those things and stay. Most times the violence only gets worse.
 Many victims of domestic violence face homelessness when trying to escape the abuse they are experiencing. According to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, 28% of families were homeless because of domestic violence in 2008, and 39% of cities in 2007 cited domestic violence as the primary cause of family homelessness.
Please women get out, before it gets worse. 
Please speak up against domestic violence once you save yourself and your children you may be able to save someone else.
God Bless All!

Most Males are Jerks

I have come to believe that there isn't a nice guy out there. My daughter was really excited recently, I haven't seen her happy in a long time, her old friend she hasn't seen in 5 years came to Michigan to see her. He took us all out to eat and the zoo one day and has been by the house to visit twice. He told us how great the state he lives in was and was really hoping we would move out there to be close to him, he would help us get a place and move. We were all really excited, we hate living in Michigan where it gets cold. With my hips warmer weather would be great.
This person was hoping to be more than friends with my daughter which I originally thought was awesome. He has a nice place to live, owns his own business, does pretty good for himself and he actually liked my daughter.
we told him that the soonest we could move was December 27th as I had a previous obligation I could not break. He was good with that would give us time to pack and for him to find us a place.
He is leaving Michigan tomorrow (friday 10/12/12) back to his home state he came by the house last night told my daughter that he was going to travel around a few states until Christmas and he wanted her to come with him. She said I don't see how I can I have Makayla(her Daughter) she is in school. He said well leave her with your mom and they can both come out in December as planned. She said that will be hard because my mom has a obligation and take take her, and I don't know if I can be away from her for 2 months. He said well I am leaving friday so let me know before then she said ok.
tonight (thursday) she texted him on the phone and said as much as I want to travel with you and can't wait to move near you I really can't move until December 27th as planned. He said well no biggie I got back with my ex girlfriend and we are getting married here soon.
She is devastated to say the least! in ONE day this guy went ot caring about my daughter to saying never mind I am marrying someone else she wants to travel with me and I don't want to wait any longer I am tired of being alone.
What I am wondering about is....why did he say all of this in this in the first place just last night he was talking about her going with him, and today he marrying another girl??????? Just doesn't make sense to either of us. She was so upset he said so and so is a jerk I'm going to bed and did!
I feel so bad for her. Her ex she broke up with around 2 months ago was a real nice guy I really liked him He loved her daughter and she loved him, they were together over 2 years, Then he just stopped coming around, stopped calling, stopped texting. Then we seen on his facebook page a girl displayed a picture of the flowers he had sent her. Needless to say my daughter was very upset. Then my ex the things he did and out me and family through.
 I just don't understand why men are so cruel. Why they think it is ok to treat women so badly and hurt them. I guess I will never know. It is a shame my daughter has to keep going being hurt she is such a sweet girl. She would help you do anything she could, she would give you unconditional love and not as for a lot in return.
Oh well just shows you the way the world is today. terrible!

God Bless!

Domestic Violence

Friends October is Domestic Violence awareness month I have shared a few blog posts about my experiences with domestic violence, mostly verbal abuse thank Goodness  I was never hit, slapped, or beaten up, I was never in a hospital, I never had to hide bruises or make up stories about them when they were discovered by someone like I have heard and read women have. The most physical my ex husband got was he pushed me twice once up against a wall once up against a kitchen counter,But did have my life threatened a couple times, I was never allowed to have a opinion, I was ridiculed, he always wanted things to go his way or he would get mad at me. I had to file a protective order against him once because mainly of his threats. The thing about it is he was such a nice and good man when he was not drinking, When he got drunk is when it started. We are no longer together, which even with all I have been through I still wish we were, I wish he could be the person he is when not drunk all the time, But we don't always get what we wish for.
God has a reason for the things that happens. He wanted us apart maybe he knew it was going to get worse in the abuse and he foresaw it, I don't know I don't like being alone but it isn't the worst thing in the world.
I just want women to understand that if they are abused physically, emotionally, mentally or verbally to leave. I know you think it is impossible, you don't have a job, or money but it possible. call the abuse hotline they will give you the nearest women's shelter to go. Please don't wait it because waiting may make it too late.

God Bless!!!

giveaway and desk redo

I want to share with you a score I got on Craigslist it is a vintage desk I got the person down to 10.00 I wanted it for my grand daughter's room which is black and pink and black with white furniture.
she had a old ugly wood desk that didn't match anything in her room I though about painting it but then thought better of it.

This is the desk after I painted it before the contact paper was put on the top, the top shows the ugly color of the whole desk, I am sorry I thought I took a picture of the desk before I painted it but I guess I didn't

I painted the trim around the top white, the drawers pink with white trim, the knobs black with a dot of pink in the middle I already had the colors of paint I used I didn't have to buy any  just bought this really cute contact paper I found at the Dollar store needed 2 rolls to make it fit, it is white with black flowers I glued it on the top.
This is the finished desk with the chair I reupholstered. 
the desk turned out really nice she loves it and matches her room perfectly!

Here is a fabulous giveaway from a blog that read today go over to her blog and enter. Confessions of a Plate Addict.
 Woo hoo! Are you ready for a fabulous giveaway?  My friend Barb at The Everyday Home has generously offered my readers a $50 spending spree at her amazing online shop...Details! What a wonderfully generous offer! What can you expect to find in her shop? I’ll let Barb tell you…

"Details!"  - a shop featuring a line of Home Decor which was lovingly selected during my travels abroad in Europe, as well as, unique items which have been purchased and are being offered online.  It's all about the "...details!"

So how do you get in on this amazing giveaway? Easy! You can win in five ways:

• Head over to Barb’s shop Details! here and check out all of her wonderful products, then come back and leave a comment telling me what you love best!
• Help spread the word by posting the giveaway button on your sidebar, then come back and leave a comment telling me that you did.
• Blog about the giveaway and leave a comment saying that you did.
• Post the giveaway on Twitter and leave a comment saying that you did.
• Post the giveaway on Facebook and leave a comment saying that you did.

Do just one or all five if you like! The more you do the better your chances to win! Please be sure to leave an email address where I can contact you if you do not have a blog. The giveaway will close September 30th at 5:00 pm Eastern daylight time and the winner will be chosen at random.

Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to get in on Barb’s generous offer!

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