03
Jun
I’m slowly rapidly becoming a part of of the Chicago Skyline. xx
29
May
I’m having surgery again today, hear why in this Vlog!
Also… y’all deserve a proper explanation as to where I’ve been over the past (yikes…!) 8 weeks.
Lots of love. Be well.
Danielle xxxx
27
May
Bella goes Swimming.
For all of you naughty, naughty people supposed to be swimming for physical therapy and completely avoiding it (cough, cough… definitely not me… cough…), let this be your inspiration!
If Miss Bella (a 4 pound Yorkshire Terrier) can swim an entire pool - with no life-jacket, I might add! - we most certainly can do what we need to do.
Right… right?!…
”I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I’ve ended up where I needed to be. / Douglas Adams
25
May
As is my luck, I recently heard that this could go terribly, awfully, horribly wrong. I just thought I’d double check ;) xx
Friday, Teacup-Pigs, and Strawberries - OH MY!
This is the best thing I’ve ever seen.
The above would be why I don’t eat meat, especially that of the micro, teacup, and/or pygmy variety.
I do however eat strawberries! Which is a fantastic thing for someone with Chronic Pain…
According to ‘Healthy Living’:
These red treats are chock-full of vitamin C, an antioxidant with powerful pain-reducing properties, according to research. Some studies suggest vitamin C may help people experience less pain after breaking a bone or having orthopedic surgery. Similar research indicates vitamin C may hinder arthritis-inducing cartilage loss and the formation of bone lesions in the joints.
Suhweeeeeeeet!
(Image via People.com)
22
May
A Mile in Her Shoes…
I walked a mile yesterday!
Oh yes, you read that properly… one whole mile.
I may have been slightly slower than I was before the accident, but amongst all the other ‘athletes’ - Oh, I know, I know it was only 1 mile, but I’m re-qualifying myself - I looked absolutely, 100%, totally normal.
Shoes were involved! Unfortunately, none as exciting as any of the above, but still shoes! And socks I might add! You must understand that up until months ago, all shoes, save for orthopedic-flip-flops and Uggs, seemed to be on a murderous campaign to kill my feet via death by strangulation.
I also (yes, you read that correctly - also!) wore tight yoga-ish pants without the desperate desire to rip them off at halftime. You see, the thing is with our clothes and shoes - and anything else that may touch us, for that matter - folks, is that if they’re even remotely too tight, they’re far too painful on the sensitive skin of someone suffering from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (CRPS/RSD). Not in a “beauty is pain way,” either. Instead in a, “It’s a symptom, I need morphine now!” sort of way (perhaps the last example is slightly extreme… but, you get it, right?!)
Anyway, I walked a mile. It may not be much for some (or most!), but it made me incredibly proud of my little old self. I know there are many, many more of you out there extremely deserving of some sort of likewise recognition for similar or greater achievements.
You all are fantastic. You deserve trophies, and medals, and ribbons, oh my!
But for now, here’s all that I can do:
You guys! We walked a mile!!!
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21
May
Finally! Celeb Awareness for CRPS/RSD with Paula Abdul:
Be sure to watch Paula Abdul on Dr. Oz tomorrow, May 22, 2012. She’ll discuss her struggle with CRPS/RSD & chronic pain. Click the title if you’d like to visit Dr. Oz’s page and see for yourself :) xx
19
May
Because it’s Saturday Morning Somewhere…
Just a spoon full of sugar, right? xx
(image via lessonsinromance)
17
May
“Whatever Happens, Happens…”
Lauren (you met her yesterday) and I just before entering the hospital yesterday to find out my not such great news. So close we almost look like the same person, huh?
I was in an extreme amount of pain the moment that the above photo was taken, but you know what - here’s how I choose to look at it (Hint: it really helps!): My Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (CRPS/RSD) may be hurtful, but my friendships bring me joy, hope, love, faith, and strength. A wicked combination that nothing - no disease, chronic illness, sickness, pain, etc. - nothing, is stronger than.
Living in and out of hospitals, being cut into every other month (with no cure to be found) - there is at times so little that brings us laughter, so little that brings us hope, and, even in the best of us, there may be at times a fading or flickering faith that things might not get any better. Chronic illnesses, ugh. I had no idea before I got one, but boy do they take it out of you.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned though it would be this - chronic illnesses put stuff back in to you as well. And it’s damn good stuff too!
And as for love & joy… well I think there’s always enough of those to go around - chronically ill or not. :)
Be well,
Danielle. xx
