Hot Under The Collar With A Screw...

...not loose. Thankfully!

This is a picture of what my neck looks like as a result of the surgery I had for Atlantoaxial Instability. Bone was taken from my hip and screws were put into my neck to fuse C - 1 and C - 2 (Cervical vertebra). This condition was diagnosed after the first of those four surgeries in what I call The Year of the Surgeries.

End of 2005 & 2006 - the wait for my surgeries was over. It was like calling Bingo, but with 4 being the winning number. I had a total of 20 weeks (5 months) of down-time. Casts, collars, splints & restricted movement until bones fused together and tissue healed.

For those who are curious, I've included a picture of what my forefoot looked like post-surgery. Warning - graphic image at the end of this article! If you are squeamish, read no further!

It was after Surgery # 2 - reconstructive fore-foot surgery (image below) that my surgeon told me that he refused to do the other foot until my neck had been fused. He was concerned that the intubation would cause serious harm.

Without having this looked after, my risk of stroke, blindness or death was very high. Incidentally, these were the same risks that could be precipitated by undergoing this surgery.

With the neck fusion surgery, I needed to have a conscious intubation. This meant that they would be putting the breathing tube down my throat while I was fully conscious. I was cautioned by the anaesthetist to continue swallowing as this was put in. I was told, "Do not fight, struggle or pull it out!"

I knew I wanted to make this as quick and easy as possible, so I used my stress techniques to help me balance my nervous system. This kept me from panicking, which is a normal response in this situation and one the surgical team would prefer to avoid. I was thanked afterwards for making their job much easier.

I've had people say to me, "I couldn't do it." The point is, when you have to, the choices are minimal. You can choose to be miserable the whole time or make the best of the situation. It's about accepting what can't be changed. (Interesting how some situations are easier accepted than others.)

There were times when the heat of the walking cast or the surgical collar were unbearable, especially during the heat wave that we had at the time. However, I knew that my recovery was progressing and that each successive week was bringing about an incremental improvement in my healing.

Below, (not for the squeamish, remember!) is a picture of my foot, post Forefoot Reconstructive Surgery. The pins are put in place to fuse the toes. I am thankful I've had these foot surgeries as I am able to walk further and without the feeling of stepping on marbles.

I believe that my recovery time and surgical outcome were improved by balancing my nervous system. In response to the stress of surgery blood pressure rises, heart rate increases and a cascade of 1400 neuro-chemicals flood the body preparing it for flight or fight. Except in this case, there is no where to go - except the Operating Room.

By practising these techniques, I was much better at pain management, as I learned to shift my focus. Less pain, meant less tightening of muscles, which creates more pain. I was also able to get by with less pain medication, which was important to me.

Wouldn't it make more sense to learn to control the body functions that you can control so that you have the best advantage possible? I certainly do.

If you are scheduled for surgery and would like to learn some techniques to help you transform your stress, I'd be happy to work with you. Please contact me at www.auntiestress.ca.

Related article: Surgical Success - Activating Your Control
Related post: Forecasting...Knives...

Just Did It!

"Just do it!" In coining that phrase, Nike captured a philosophy - a way of living that moves you towards achievement or accomplishment and out of "I don't want to..." or "I don't feel like it."

We often make things more difficult than they need be. A lot of energy goes into thinking about why we don't want to do something, or how awful we feel about doing something, instead of just getting on with the task, whatever it may be.

I find that when I have something to do, jumping right in and doing it is often a lot easier than sitting around and creating a "script" about doing it. Usually that script is one that is more in the line of a horror movie, fraught with awful endings, which in no way matches the reality of "the doing."

For example, a few mornings, I did not want to take Murphy, our dog, for a walk. However, the longer I fulminated, the worse it became. The fact is that Murphy needed to go. My rotten attitude didn't change that, nor did it make me feel any better. So, I put on my shoes, grabbed the leash and away we went. Once we had established our pace, I realised how fortunate we were to be able to get out and get some exercise in such a beautiful park.

Life is filled with many tasks, some of them mundane, boring or time-consuming. Others move us closer to fulfilling our dreams and goals. When we are engaging in negative thoughts and emotions our heart rhythms respond in a very different way, causing our body to activate the stress response - flight or fight. This happens so quickly that we are often unaware of these changes and what they're doing to our health and sense of well-being.

3 little words that can move you. Learn to catch yourself when you are struggling with doing something (awareness) and then "just do it!"

• Do you notice that the more you grumble, the worse the task seems to get?
• Choose a chore that you normally grumble about (ironing, grocery shopping, filing receipts) and do it without the grumbling. Did it appear to go faster? How do you feel when you say, "Just Did It!"?
  

Heaven on Earth

Oh, Good Heavens! You've really done it, Gaelikka.

I don't, at all, feel qualified to write about heaven, nor hell, for that matter. So, I will leave that up to those who are better equipped to do so.

Instead, I shall write about a few of the things, in no particular order, that constitute heaven on earth for me:

• sunsets and sunrises - endings and beginnings
• clean, crisp sheets
• a walk through an ankle-deep carpet of autumn leaves
• friends and family gathered around a candle-lit table, laughing and enjoying a meal I prepared
• dog-walks in the park when a quiet, steady rain is falling, the leaves are glistening in that "rain light" and the whistle of a train is heard from afar
• fresh ground coffee, especially good when shared with a friend
  
• a tidy and freshly-cleaned house. Ahhh!
  
• a tropical beach, a cool breeze off the ocean, surf gently breaking and looking up into a blue sky strewn with fluffy cumulus clouds
  
• working with clients when they "get it"
  
• snorkelling in warm, sun-kissed water and enjoying the multi-hued ocean's treasures
  
• a walk along quiet, mist-shrouded streets, especially in the autumn, when the smell of decaying leaves and wood-smoke tingle the imagination to carry one away to places in another time
  
• listening to Blue Rodeo, one of my favourite bands, at an outdoor concert under an indigo sky, complemented by stars that appear to be twinkling in time to the music

These are some of the things that make my heart sing. How about you?

What are some of your - please click ?

Please visit the blogs of Ashok, Conrad, David, Grannymar, Helen, Judy, Maria, Maria and Ramana to see what magic they've worked with today's topic, suggested by Maria/Gaelikka - Heaven.

Clocking Mess

No time. Later. Gotta run.

Is time on your side? Many people feel overwhelmed with their daily duties. As a result, their precious time is eaten up by inefficiencies. Performance, whether at work, home or at play, is impacted by stress.

The more stress you're under the less you seem to get done. You spin your wheels and take far longer to accomplish tasks that you would ordinarily breeze through. There's a proportionate increase in mistakes, which then take time to correct.

Your health also suffers. Stress affects your immunity and is implicated in a number of medical conditions. Anyone who lives with a chronic illness knows how much time is lost waiting in doctor's offices, labs and hospitals and recovering from the latest "roller-coaster ride" of your illness.

Take control over your stress and have more time to do what really matters to you. Yes, you can, by learning to activate the power of your heart.

The hands of time appear to speed up if you answer yes to these questions:

1. Do you frequently get colds or the flu? Infections?
2. Do you spend a lot of time looking for misplaced objects?
3. Do you often forget things at home and then have to retrace your steps?
   

The clock is ticking, and so is your heart
Undress your stress, isn't it time to get stress-smart?

Photo: Flynt

Forecasting...Knives...

"Knife Arthritis". It felt like someone was taking a knife and sliding it back and forth, up and down, right through the middle of my bones.

This would occur, usually, whenever there was a change in barometric pressure. Along with that weather change, would be an emotional change.

• Fear - Oh, no...is this flare-up going to be prolonged?
• Worry - How much damage is being doing to my joints with this one?
• Sadness - It's preventing me from doing what I want to do right now.

Rheumatoid Arthritis - I have lived with it for 33 years.

What does it feel like? I've thought of a few things that may help you understand what someone goes through when they have this disease and they are experiencing a flare-up.

• Tightly wind some elastics around your fingers. Then, put some heavy winter mitts on your hands. Now, open a carton of milk, a jar or unlock the door.
  
• Put some marbles in your shoes. Put your shoes on. Go for a walk.
• Bend your knees. Apply duct tape vertically along the front and back of your knees. Now straighten them.

How was that?

A flare-up means the disease is active and causing inflammation. It also affects the muscles, tendons and ligaments. Oh yeah, and energy. It sucks the life out of you. Everyday living tasks not only hurt, but are also next to impossible to do. (Don't ask me to open a bottle of water, much less a Tupperware container.)

The pain of Rheumatoid Arthritis varies and can include, but is not limited to, some of the following descriptions: throbbing, aching, sharp pain and dull pain. That is the querulous nature of the disease.

One thing I'm thankful for is that my "inner weather station" seems to be malfunctioning. Since I've learned about stress and work daily on transforming it, my flare-ups are further and fewer between, I am better at pain-management and I have more energy. I don't seem to react to the barometric pressure as I once did, either.

It stands to reason, because the constant activation of the stress response wears out the nervous system and high levels of cortisol, "the stress hormone", is connected to a number of medical conditions, including immune disorders, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and fertility and menstrual problems.

If only I had known about this 33 years ago. I may not have had the pain, damage and surgeries. Like they say, better late than never.

That's why I started this business, to take people through this coaching program so that they can have some control over their "internal pharmacy", giving them more "fair weather" days.

Today's forecast: Note the stress on "today" - I am getting better at living in the moment. So much of my life was about fear and worry - past events and experiences which were dosed with a helping of creativity, magnified and then, projected into the future.

The way you think and feel is important for your "inner climate", which in turn, affects your "outer climate". What is the forecast in your world?

Related posts:

• Chronic Illness and Stress
• Appointments - Serenity Now!

Image courtesy of Emre Nacigil

Please visit the blogs of Ashok, Conrad, David, Grannymar, Helen, Judy, Maria, Maria and Ramana to see what magic they've worked with today's topic, suggested by Conrad - Weather and Emotions.

Two Words Full of Heart

Thank you.

Some people have a great deal of difficulty in uttering these words, others say it with reckless abandon - without feeling or meaning. Then, there's those who are able to imbue those 2 words with care and appreciation.

Throughout our day and over the course of our lifetime, we fluctuate between all of those degrees of thank you. Until...

...you know that those two little words have a heart-full of meaning and a meaning full of heart. Feelings of gratitude and appreciation are good for you. You can actually see a change in your Heart Rate Variability - the way in which your heart speeds up and slows down.

When the rhythm is jagged, it means your system is out of synch. Like a car that needs a tune-up - you don't run as well.

One of the easiest ways to tune yourself up is to apply feelings of gratitude and appreciation. When you use them with in-the-moment techniques, your heart rhythms respond - they smoothen out and pull your other systems into synch.

What does that mean for you? Improved emotional, mental and physical health and well-being.

Isn't that something to be thankful for? I know I am!

Contact me to learn how you can transform your stress, improve your heart rhythms and feel and do better.

Image courtesy of http://www.sxc.hu

Heroes Take Flight

SupermanBatmanSpidermanFireballXL500RinTinTinLassie. (Repeat quickly, 5 times.)

It seems that, that's about the length of time today's super heroes last, regardless of whether they fly, swim, disarm, or morph.

A quick scan through the tv guide and it's evident that children are sorely missing out on the "When I grow up, I want to be just like _______." (See first sentence.) With the swinging door that is popular culture, today's hero rarely lasts a season. Incidentally, I think those heroes and their powers allowed the imaginations of children to take flight.

Who are the heroes of today - the ones that children look up to and want to emulate? Are they the "bad boys and girls", the crotch-grabbing dancers (When did this become acceptable?), the "Bling Bling" gang leaders or the Reality Show Wannabees?

Or, as my informal survey revealed, are they people such as, "Wayne Gretzky", "Obama", "My dad".

How wonderful if the heroes were those who have direct contact with the kids? An aunt, a teacher, mom or as my niece replied, "Dad." They're the ones who spend the time and model the behaviour that help to shape the next generation.

More often than not, they do not get the big headlines, appear on reality tv or command gigantic salaries - they are the ones who are there, behind the scenes, quietly cheering and gently (sometimes, not so gently) helping the young people take flight and reach new heights.

You don't need to fly, wear a cape or have super-human strength to make a difference and become an ordinary, everyday hero. In fact, you have everything you need to be that hero - ears to listen, eyes to see (and let them know they are visible) and arms to hug. Simple, isn't it?

Please visit the blogs of Ashok, Conrad, David, Grannymar, Maria, Maria and Ramana to see what magic they've worked with today's topic, as suggested by David - Heroes. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to our newest members - Helen and Judy.

Image courtesy of Ivan Petrov