Seriously Behind on my Posts!

This last semester has been really long, really busy, and really difficult physically, so I've neglected my blog; it is not really helpful to my experiment to not keep track consistently.

So, the last 4 months have been seemingly random as far as symptoms are concerned. I have been progressively more fatigued, as I have not had the time to rest that I needed. So, I started out having one day a week where I crashed and by the end it was 4 days on and 3 crash days each week. The major issue was that I had to study and pass my M.A. exams, finish an incomplete, do all my classwork, including writing, researching, filming, and editing a documentary, and teach my class! And graduate. So, I didn't do much but catch up on sleep the first couple of weeks I was off. During that time I was on the low part of my guai cycle, meaning, I was very sore, indicating that there was fluid in the muscles getting ready to flush my system. This week I feel much better than last. I did miss the guai for about 3 days at one point- I ran out and forgot to get more- and I really suffered. The good news is that it made me realize that it was helping. Most of the time, there is no real sign that it's doing anything, so I begin to doubt. But, I am cycling. I just have to be patient.

I went to the chiropractor about 5 times and was so stiff, it was hard for her to get my bones back in place, plus I kept wanting to grab her hands and yell, "Don't touch me!" So, I found a place that does myofascial release. The facia is the thin membrane under the skin that runs through our whole body and carries electric impulses- think of the filmy membrane under chicken skin- same thing. Fibromyalgics often have this twisted and knotted which obviously can inhibit muscle movement and proper blood flow and electrical messages. I was amazed at the process. It is like a massage, but the therapist pushes the skin to move the fascia back where it belongs. They also push on trigger points (knots)- that part hurts! In fact, all along the line of my shoulder blades still feel bruised- I could barely grit my teeth through her working on that part. But, the other part felt wonderful. And I could feel my blood flowing through my body better- no joke- and am so much less stiff. I had a chiro appt. that same afternoon, and lo and behold, my skeleton could finally move. I will make a point of getting myofascial release maybe once or twice a year from now on.

I added fish oil to my enormous pill collection. I watched Dr. Oz and they had done an experiment with stressed taxi drivers. After adding a lot of fish to their diet, their stress levels went down significantly. I'm not much of a fish eater, so I got pills for both Brooklyn and I. I can't remember the right number for the name... Omega ? I want to say Omega 13, but that's from Galaxy Quest- lol!

So, I'll try to be more consistent this summer.