It has been one week since my last pain flare up, for today! I am most grateful for a pain free week!
I have been making a conscious effort to go to sleep a bit earlier than I used to. Partly because my daughter noted that my last two pain flare ups had occurred after nights of staying up till past 3:00 a.m. So, this past several days, I have been saying my nightly devotions around 11:00 p.m. (takes me a good 45 minutes or so to say them) and trying for a lights out around midnight. I don't always fall asleep right away, but, I am usually asleep by around 1:00 a.m. As a result, I have been waking up earlier in the mornings! Some days, I am able to go back to sleep for another hour or so. But, today, I woke up at 6:30 a.m. and couldn't fall back asleep!
So, I got out of bed at 7:00 a.m. and brushed my teeth, etc., and kept some water to boil for a cup of tea! While waiting for the water to boil, I turned off the porch lights, gave Dancer his morning tuna, and fed the outside cats. I took the cup of tea back to bed to drink it and said my morning devotions. Afterwards, I took the empty tea cup to the kitchen and washed it! Then, back to bed to respond to blog comments and catch up on blogs.
By 10:00 a.m., I was hungry for breakfast! I spent a little time considering what I wanted for breakfast - something I could prepare quickly and easily without having to stand for too long. Toast with butter and marmalade? Cereal with milk? I decided I didn't want anything too sweet; I wanted something savory. I settled on a frozen burrito. While the burrito warmed up in the microwave, I emptied the dishwasher that daughter had run, last night. Breakfast was eaten in bed, but, I took the empty plate to the kitchen; I left it in the sink to soak and washed it, along with daughter's coffee cup, later. I had already done more this morning than I had done all day, yesterday!
I spent the afternoon knitting, watching videos, and reading blogs. I called neighbor T to check on her (she said she's feeling better, today; spoke with her later in the evening, too) and later, chatted a bit with friend R. Daughter brewed me a cup of coffee, but, I added the creamer and sugar to it and gave Dancer and the garden cats their dinner. I had hoped to go out into the garden for a bit, but, I didn't want to push it as I had already walked more inside the house than on any previous day. The visit to the garden can wait until tomorrow.
Today, I am grateful for:
- Another pain free day making it a week since the last flare up
- Being able to do a few (very few) household tasks
- Neighbor T is feeling better
- Phone calls and emails to keep in touch with friends
- Online videos
My joyful activities today included being able to get my own morning tea and breakfast, doing one or two very small household tasks, and knitting.
Once again, no firm plans for tomorrow. But, depending on how I feel, I might try to venture out into the garden for a bit.
How was your Monday? What are your plans for Tuesday?
How satisfying to be able to do somethings for yourself around the house. And pain free! Maybe the silver lining to all of this will be that you will get your sleep habits more on the schedule you've wanted. Hope you get out in the garden today. I know you have missed it.
ReplyDeleteThank you, June; yes, it is very satisfying to be able to do a few things by myself and be pain free! I, too, hope this will help with my sleep schedule, although, I slept in, this morning. I am itching to go for a walk in the garden to see what is happening! :)
DeleteSo glad you had another pain free day! It sounds like you were up and moving around quite a bit too. I hope you are able to take your garden walk today :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Martha. I did get up and moved around a bit, yesterday, without any ill effects; hoping to do more today, too. :)
DeleteI am so glad you are feeling some abatement of all the pain you have been experiencing. Praying for long term healing for you! xo Diana
ReplyDeleteThank you, Diana. Appreciate the prayers. :)
DeleteOne week since your last pain flare up. What a milestone! And one to be celebrated after what you've been through.
ReplyDeleteI am a morning person and my husband likes to stay up late. I was working in the yard this morning and my husband came outside early - it must've been around 9:30. I was shocked.
I said, "Who are you and what have you done with my husband?" lol
He is never all dressed and outside at that hour. He helped me with a few tasks I needed his help on which was really nice to get them all done.
You got a lot done during your early morning hours.
I'm so glad you're feeling better.
Thank you, Debra. I slept in a bit, today, but, that was OK, too. I figured my body needed it.
DeleteHow nice for you that your husband was able to join you in the garden early enough to help you with a few things that needed to be done! Too funny about you asking him who he was and what had he done with your husband! :D
That's an interesting observation by your daughter. If the earlier bedtime also sorts out your sleep pattern it's a win/win situation. Did the last flare up happen when you'd been out of bed all day and if so, could it in any way be related to the chair you use? A week of being pain free must be bliss for you. Let's hope the next week is the same.
ReplyDeleteToday (Tuesday) I went to a National Trust property to take photos for the SPSH and tomorrow (Wednesday) will be a walk either along the canal or around the park in town. I'm trying to get outdoors every day this week!
It is an interesting observation by my daughter, isn't it? I am trying to recall if I sat in any particular chair the day when the last flare up happened, but, I don't think so - I've been sitting up in bed for the most part. Even now, when I am feeling better, I am propped up on pillows in bed, so I can keep my leg cushioned on a pillow. I'm looking forward to being able to sit on the sofa, with my leg propped up on cushions!
DeleteI'm glad you were able to visit a NT property to take the photos. I hope you'll be able to achieve your plans to go outdoors every day this week! Hope the weather cooperates!
Sounds like a positively hectic day! ;o) I do hope there won't be any more setbacks now, after this "good" week.
ReplyDeleteYes, it does, doesn't it? :D Oh, I, too, am hoping that there won't be another setback! Especially after another "hectic" morning, today (not only was tea made and cats fed, coffee was brewed too, and even a sandwich made!) :D
DeleteGood for you getting into a better bedtime routine. I hope it continues to work for you. Your daughter is quite the wise carer!
ReplyDeleteWe were in bed reading around 10 last night and lights out at 10.45 pm but for the life of me I could not get to sleep. It doesn't happen often but it was one of those times when every sound disturbed me, my legs twitched and when I tried to sleep on the kitchen couch the clock alternately ticked very loud and then went silent for 30 seconds! I was ready to throw it out the window. I went back up to bed in the end and did sleep for a couple of hours, no doubt helped by an acetaminophen and some camomile tea and a session with some cryptograms. Today I have done some grocery shopping, changed the bed and had a nap. We are still in the mid 90s!
Well, I slept in a bit, this morning, but, I figured my body needed the rest. But, I shall try to keep to the new bedtime schedule and see how that works.
DeleteI'm sorry you couldn't fall asleep, last night, and wonder if the heat was bothering you? Glad you were able to take a nap and catch up on your sleep. Sounds like you got quite a bit done, even on such a warm day! Take it easy if the heat gets to be too much.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you've had a pain free week! I find myself so tired I've been going to bed earlier and then, of course, I wake up earlier. Seems to be a horrible cycle. It doesn't help that it's so light in the morning.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sharon. Yes, the earlier you go to sleep, the earlier you wake up! Can you put up some light blocking drapes? I still find it hard to fall asleep, but, I am working on it!
DeleteLike you, I don't go to bed until 3 AM. It is a habit I'm trying to break but it's hard because I've always been a bit of a night owl. I would like to go to bed earlier, so I could wake up earlier. I am going to try to be in bed by 1 AM. That is my goal for the summer. We'll see how that pans out. So glad you have gone a full week without a flare up of your pain, and you were able to make yourself some breakfast. I hope the numbness in your foot goes away as well. So glad your neighbor is feeling better. Denise
ReplyDeleteIt is really hard to break the cycle of staying up till the wee hours of the morning and then, sleeping in, but, an earlier bedtime is supposed to be better for us, so, I hope you will be able to adjust to a 1:00 a.m. bed time! :) I've had another good day, today, too!
Delete