# Had been feeling incredible the past couple months..



## 14480 (Sep 3, 2006)

For probably the past two months or so I've been having significantly lower pain issues. I think a lot of it can be attributed to the Trager I've been doing.. it's gentle stretching, rocking, energy work. I've been feeling so much more relaxed.. less achey, and most importantly.. less sharp pains... Well, last week, after my session.. I still felt some pain and tension in my right shoulder. Our time was up, so I didn't mention it, but that pain really got worse and worse.. which I was REALLY not expecting.. I've been doing so good at working through my pain, because part of the Trager also involves reteaching the body how to relax.. I tried on working on relaxing the shoulder a lot... but I guess it was causing an imbalance in my body, because ever since last week it's just been getting worse day to day. Just sharp pain in my shoulder.. pretty constant.. then the sharp pains in my feet started up again.. and yesterday I took a long walk.. I thought it would be good for me.. But I think it also must have triggered my body, because today I feel almost miserable. Just horrible pain all in my back and body...even in my jaw. I remember one other occasion where after a day of walking I ended up feeling horrible the next day... It's not like I was power walking! I just don't understand!I'm just very frustrated because I had been doing so well, and I don't want to have had all that work happen for nothing. I'm hoping that with my session on Wed. we can maybe fix things, but I'm just so upset about it right now.


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

(((((((((((((((((( Laura ))))))))))))))))))))Sending very gentle hugs your way.Oh I can understand JUST what you are saying! I think that is one of the most frustrating parts of these kinds of illnesses – how the symptoms wax and wane. You’re doing pretty ok for a while, and then out of the blue it hits you again, and you’re flaring! I am so proud of you for looking and looking for something that helps you, and for finding Trager, and getting a little bit of relief for yourself! Trager has made a big difference for you, it is good for your body, and it will make a big difference for you again. It will help you feel better again, because it has before.Sometimes when we’re feeling a bit better for a while, we start to think maybe we’re “better”. Like maybe now we’re finally normal again, and healthy. (Well, ok, I do, anyway – LOL) We kind of forget that we still have VERY fragile bodies, and that we still have the same limitations as before. I think that can be the hard part of learning to cope well with your illness. You learn to cope so well, and live within your limitations so well, that you feel pretty ok for a long while. But sometimes we forget that we’re just feeling pretty ok, we’re still as sick as we’ve always been. I don’t know if that makes sense, but that’s been my personal experience.And then, another flare comes, and it reminds us just how sick we are. It’s like our body’s version of a reality check, and it can be really hard to deal with. Sometimes, for me, when it’s been a while since my last flare, then when a flare comes, it’s almost like having to deal with it for the first time again. If that makes sense. It’s like I will have felt pretty ok for so long (living within my limitations), and then *boom* I’m sick again. And it will almost feel like starting from scratch!Then I talk myself down from that proverbial “ledge”, and tell myself: I’m not starting from scratch. I have years of experience dealing with this illness, and my limitations. Every time I have gone into a flare, I have learned how to cope, and how to come out of it, even if it takes a year – and I’ve come out of each flare eventually. My body can handle this, my mind can handle this. And from each flare, I’ve learned a valuable life lesson, and I’ll learn a life lesson from this flare too, and I’ll be a better person afterwards for having gone through it.I give myself that pep talk over and over until I start to believe it. LOL At the same time, I think it’s also ok to be disappointed. We’re allowed to be disappointed and upset and angry when we go back into a flare – because it isn’t fair! It’s just good to try to balance those feelings out quickly with the more positive feelings – just because those thoughts take more energy than the good thoughts.I’m really sorry your body has decided to back track. It’s such a helpless, sinking feeling. One thing I want you to remember is that it’s nothing you did, you didn’t send yourself into this flare up, it’s just the nature of the illness you have. But one thing you DID do is you got yourself into a routine of feeling better. You know just how to do that, and you’ll do it again, because you know how from experience.In the meantime, you’re not alone, and I’m bummed right along with you. Be gentle with yourself, and take good care of yourself right now!!! (((((((((((((((((((( hugs )))))))))))))))))))))))


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## 14480 (Sep 3, 2006)

Thank you so much M&M.. you are a doll !!!!!!!When you said, "Sometimes when we’re feeling a bit better for a while, we start to think maybe we’re “better”. Like maybe now we’re finally normal again, and healthy" it really rang true to me... I don't want to think of my life as destined to be sick... but the way I ground myself is by saying, "I will likely be sick with my illness(es) for the rest of my life.. but that doesn't mean that I can't develop a life where I can walk around feeling stable and healthy for the most part with hardly any symptoms."I think you're right, M&M... it's just about being patient, realistic and gentle with ourselves. Thanks, as always, for your support.


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

Bravo to you Laura! You are exactly right.Did your session of Trager yesterday help at all? I hope you can get a little extra rest right now, while your symptoms are flaring! It can be frustrating, sometimes you're in the middle of a project, and you just have to drop it for a while, until your symptoms calm back down again. I hate it when that happens, but you're right, the more we rest during these flares, the quicker we feel better. Sure hope you've been able to rest!


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