Beckie Butcher's Blog: beckiesworld.com, page 7

Tips for Minimizing CFS Flare Ups.

Hello, friends far and near!

This week, I would like to share some tips on how to minimize the severity of CFS flare ups, which, at least, have been helpful to me. Let’s dive in now.

1) Get extra rest. This goes without saying. If you find yourself feeling weaker than usual, dizzy, tired, confused, and with more intense symptoms than usual and feeling cranky, your body is telling you to rest as much as you need to rest. Don’t rush it; if you get back on your feet too fast and push too hard too soon, you will end up defeating the purpose of getting extra rest. Take as much time as you need to revive yourself and get back to, “normal.”

2) Give yourself pep talks. Encourage yourself; be your own cheerleader. Remind yourself to take things one step at a time. Remind yourself you can get it done if you take things nice and slow. Taking baby steps is better than taking one step forward and two steps back; remind yourself of that.

3) Stay connected. The worst thing you can do is isolate yourself. Loneliness creates the perfect mindset for depression and anxiety. You need interaction with people to remain positive and mentally healthy. So, of course, the idea is to surround yourself with positive people, not people who will bring you down and cause drama in your life. You can do that all by yourself. Facebook is a godsend for me. I have a couple of friends with disabilities who say the same thing. It may sound pathetic, but sometimes it’s the only way since it can be difficult to get out of the house for very long. Sometimes, it’s all you have.

4) Delegate to family members. Make your family understand since your life is different, theirs is different also. Make them understand since you’re not the same person anymore, family life is not the same anymore, either. Make your needs known and set boundaries; don’t let them cross them, either. If they get mad, well, they’ll just have to get glad again.

5) Write a positive letter you can read to yourself during a flare. I feel this is important. Make a list of all of your good qualities. Then, organize your thoughts and put them into a well thought out letter. Reminding yourself of your inner beauty, your inner strength, and your self worth in spite of your illness and having a visual to refer to, at least for me, has more of an impact than simply thinking it.

6) Prepare for the worst. My way of preparing for the worst is, on my, “good,” days, I make meals and freeze them. This way, all I have to do is take them out of the freezer and defrost them in the microwave. Another good thing about this is it takes about fifteen or twenty minutes for it to defrost and this time can be used to rest. Use a crock pot if you have one. They are a godsend. I also order enough groceries so I have enough in the house to survive for awhile so I won’t worry about not having enough food in the house. Do laundry on these days so you have enough to wear. Whatever needs to be done, do it.

What to consider when flares go on and on.
1) Look for triggers which may be responsible for this and address and eliminate them. These are different for everybody, so be on the alert.
2) Allergies may also be a trigger. I know I am worse during allergy season, particularly during ragweed season. Fall is another bad time for me. I’m always worse when the leaves are falling and the wind is blowing, as it stirs up dirt and dust. Hormonal changes are known to play a role in CFS as well. Menopause has been shown to affect sleep and is a mitigating factor in joint pain and neuroendocrine imbalances.

3) As I mentioned earlier, train yourself to spot warning signs such as increased weakness, dizziness, tiredness, confusion, and more intense symptoms.

I just wanted to share these with you since they have helped me in my journey with CFS. I hope they help you as well.

That’s all I have for you this week. I am working on another short series for the month of October. Stay tuned! Have a wonderful week, everybody! Big Hugs!

Beckie

battlecfs.wordpress.com
http://beckiebutcherwrites.com

youtube.com/watch?v=Y0aEcnleBOE

#cfs #cfsisreal #cfsawareness #cfswarrior #beckiebutcher
#beckiesbattle #beckieoffershope #chronicfatiguesyndrome #wordprompts

Rumors

What’s your all-time favorite album?

Rumors by Fleetwood Mac. Loved the blend of their voices!

Medicine and Cooking.

Which topics would you like to be more informed about?

I worked in Laboratory Medicine for twenty years, and I found it fascinating. I love to learn about science, but I also enjoy being creative and cooking gives me that outlet.

Hello From Chicago!

Well, here we are again, another week gone. Hopefully, you have been enjoying life as much as you can. That is what it’s all about.

I was just thinking earlier today about what I said last week; I was thinking how I was going to be looking at the changing weather more positively. It has been mostly colder and rainy here, and, once again, CFS has been worse. However, I have made more of an effort to look at the changing trees and enjoy them. It’s so easy to get caught up in the pain of it all and curl up in a little ball. I decided, no. I was not going to do that. God reminded me of the beauty of His creation when He provided me with the opportunity to head up north with my friend, and that is the memory I am holding on to during the dreary weather we have been having. I have beautiful pictures I can look at whenever I start feeling isolated, and knowing I have somewhere to go on occasion is a beacon of hope. I will go there again.

As for winter, well, it will be cold, bone chilling pain for me, but I am going to try and bear in mind it is only for three months. I have made it though Chicago winters before, and I will again. I have been a homeowner since 1991 and I know exactly what to do. I have a huge church family and good neighbors who are always willing to lend a hand, so why worry? I also have God; so do you. Lean on Him as well as the people He has put in our lives; He put them there for a reason.

So, I hope you all once again have a wonderful week and are able to see the beauty of Gods’ creation in the coming weather. He gave it to us to enjoy so enjoy it! Let’s all make good memories and not remember the pain!

I will, “talk” to you next week!
Love & Hugs,
Beckie

battlecfs.wordpress.com
http://beckiebutcherwrites.com

youtube.com/watch?v=Y0aEcnleBOE

#cfs #cfsisreal #cfsawareness #cfswarrior #beckiebutcher
#beckiesbattle #beckieoffershope #chronicfatiguesyndrome #wordprompts

Hello!

Hello, everybody!
Well, here we are, another week has passed. Fall is in the air, the leaves are turning, and winter, yes, winter will soon be upon us. This means more pain and worse flare ups. On the other hand, things will feel more joyful because the Holidays are coming, and time with families and friends will be celebrated.

Due to Chicagos’ weather yesterday, I was down for the count again. Funny though, instead of being stressed out about it, I felt calmer and more positive. Sure, it’s a hard time of the year with the changing weather and coming cold, but I have decided to enjoy the beauty of it all rather than focus on the pain of it all. I think my trip up north with my friend helped my mindset. It was very soothing, and quality time spent with a close friend gave me peace. We all need relaxation and a change of scenery on occasion to put things into perspective. Knowing I have a place to go to recharge occasionally has greatly improved my outlook. As I said last week, God knew what I needed when I was at the end of my rope, and He provided a healing opportunity for me; He’ll provide one for you, too. It had been such a long time since I saw natures’ beauty I forgot how beautiful the Earth truly is.

This is what we all need; we need little reminders of how beautiful the world we live in truly is, even when our lives become overwhelmed with stress and sadness. We need reminders there is more out there for us. God created all of it, and He created it for us! We need to find happy places, even if it’s just for the day. I remember as a kid how Mom and Dad would take my brother and me for a ride several Sundays a year on a Wisconsin road called Snake Road. There were no houses on it, only trees and wildlife. Fall was lovely with the different colors. It put us all in a good mood, and they turned into happy childhood memories.

So, in summing things up, try to create happy memories in spite of the pain. Sure, the weather is hard on us, but, if you can, try to focus on the positive aspects of the weather changes. Ten years from now, wouldn’t you rather have happy memories rather than memories of pain and sadness?

Those are my thoughts for today.
Have a wonderful week!
Until then,
Love & Hugs,
Beckie

battlecfs.wordpress.com
http://beckiebutcherwrites.com

youtube.com/watch?v=Y0aEcnleBOE

#cfs #cfsisreal #cfsawareness #cfswarrior #beckiebutcher
#beckiesbattle #beckieoffershope #chronicfatiguesyndrome #wordprompts

Personality Trait.

What personality trait in people raises a red flag with you?

Overly aggressive. In my experience, these people have tried to control me. Bad idea, lol.

A Painful Learning Experience…

I believe I mentioned last week about how angry I was about my life. I believe I mentioned how, right on Facebook, I FINALLY spilled my guts and exposed how the real me was feeling about things in my life, the biggest thing, of course, being the daily pain of CFS. I exposed my rawness and the open sores and wounds of my soul. Through doing this, I discovered something rather disturbing; I discovered how everybody loves you when you are happy and willing to plaster a smile on your face for them, however, once you unleash the real you and expose the real, raw, and human side of your situation, people either want nothing to do with you or they hide from you. It’s almost as though they fear you; they fear the reality of what their,”friends,” are experiencing, so, in, order to stay in control, they leave your side. They fear reality? Really? Cowards! I lost one friend altogether. Yes, I felt a pang of pain, but I am back on the right track and feeling stronger, thanks to a lovely Minister who set time aside to talk with me, listen to me, and pray with me. The one who left my side was never really my friend to begin with; or, as they say, was only a fair weather friend. When I unleashed the real and raw truth about what I live with every single day, it was the beginning of my healing; it’s what I FINALLY did for me. It was time to take care of ME for a change, and stopped putting on a happy face for everybody else. Then, my friend Judi and I went to Wisconsin to heal our spirits. I came back clear headed and I knew what I needed to do; I made an appointment with that lovely Minister to come to my house and I poured my heart out about my life. The words she used were quite interesting; she said how certain people don’t have to tools to face the reality of what people in their life are going through; they don’t have the tools to reflect on their own behavior and how it affects others. She compared them to a Lego set that’s missing several pieces. You know how sometimes it takes the right person to say the right words at the right time? Well, that’s exactly what this Minister did. The timing was right, and God told me so. God lined it all up for me. He will for you, too.

One thing I have learned and have told those who just don’t want to understand my illness and/or think they have all the answers and have no shortage of advice and/or no filter is this; this is MY illness. This is how I process my illness, and don’t you dare judge me for it. I tell them they have no right to do that, and they need to stop blaming me for what happened to me. Many have. I have told several people when something bad happens to you, you can process it however you like, but leave me alone and let me process this my way. Peoples’ boundaries need to be respected. You don’t have to agree with how people handle their illnesses, but you do have to respect them and leave them alone. Anything else is not only annoying, but it is hurtful and cruel. It’s not their place to agree with you, anyway.

Ok, to sum up, don’t feel like you have to plaster a smile on your face for everybody everyday. It’s not about everybody, it’s about you, and all you can do is the best you can. It’s ok to get sad and angry; just don’t stay there. Take it from me, you will start to go to a very bad place. I know first hand; it happened to me recently. If you start crying every single day and start feeling helpless, get help, FAST! Call a Clergy, or if you’re not religious, look for Mental Health Professionals in your area.If you are in a spot where you are unable to afford a counselor, make phone calls to Social Services in your community. If they’re not sure, they can refer you to other places and give you phone numbers. You will begin to network. Another thing about this is, you will begin to feel hopeful and better about yourself. Being proactive does that. You will begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Get resources. You do NOT deserve that kind of a life; nobody does.

It’s ok to be raw, real, and human. If people have a problem with you being like everybody else and begrudge you the same feelings they would allow themselves, well, then, they’re the biggest phonies and the biggest hypocrites on the planet. Don’t rent them space in your mind. There’s no law saying you have to apologize for feeling as you do.

Well, that’s it for this week. Take care, and I will, “see,” you next week!

P.S. Just a heads up, on October 8th, I will be at an Author Fair at my local Library, The Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin, Il. There will be light refreshments, and it is free to attend. Come out and see us and find great reads from Poetry to mysteries, and from self-help to memoirs. I have included the link below with the others if you are in my area and would like to attend. Have a great week!

Love & Hugs,
Beckie.

http://beckiebutcherwrites.com

youtube.com/watch?v=Y0aEcnleBOE

#cfs #cfsisreal #cfsawareness #cfswarrior #beckiebutcher
#beckiesbattle #beckieoffershope #chronicfatiguesyndrome #wordprompts

*https://gailborden.info/authors.

Spread Awareness.

Why do you blog?

To spread awareness and build tolerance for a serious and seriously misunderstood autoimmune illness.

I’m Back!

Hello, again! Well, I got my new computer monitor today and it is installed, and I am ready to write again! Quite honestly, I have missed it. I’m glad to be back.

Two Fridays ago, a dear friend of mine invited me to spend one night at a friend of hers’ cabin in Fontana, Wisconsin. She saw how broken my spirit had been the two weeks prior, and she confided to me hers was also. We were both in need of some R & R, so I jumped at the chance. Oh, I can’t begin to tell you how even just one night of a change of scenery changed my entire outlook on life. We arrived around 10:30 in the morning, and we spent the entire day and evening sitting out on the back patio by Lake Geneva in the fresh air and just talked. Somehow, the conversation was different though. It wasn’t just run of the mill conversation like people have over the phone or even out to breakfast or lunch. We really shared with each other; we shared things we never shared before. It was more relaxed; the conversation flowed easier. Perhaps it was the atmosphere, so easy, free, and open.

When I returned home the next day, I was a changed person; I was much more easy going, I was no longer tied up in knots, and I was not so snappy. I was extremely overwhelmed with lifes’ problems before I left, and I came back knowing once again I was bigger than lifes’ problems. I’ll be honest here; I was a mess. I was in a very bad spot, and I was ready to snap mentally. That trip didn’t come a moment to soon. I almost paid the price for not taking care of myself and not acknowledging I was on the edge of a mental disaster. But, as usual, God was watching over me and taking care of me, which, I must admit, I was beginning to wonder if that was really true. One thing He knows about His creation known as Beckie is she puts everything else before herself and tries to talk herself into thinking she is, “ok,” when she is not. So, He dropped this opportunity in my lap. He knew what I needed and when, and He does for you, too. Did I pay for it physically? Of course I did. My friend saw first hand and admitted she had no idea how hard things really were for me. She made the comment how there is always a price for enjoying myself. We walked down to the lake, which was not far at all. But, as those of us who struggle with CFS know, it doesn’t take much for us to pay that price. Between that and the drive home the following day, I was down for two days. But something was different about it; it was almost a healthy flare up. I think it was because it was from enjoyment and rest. The whole experience was very soothing; it was calming and healing. It was peaceful. I slept like a baby that night and the next night, and it was actually more restful. I believe in the healing powers of breathing in fresh air. Not that I will ever be healed, but at least it temporarily made things a little better. My body relaxed as opposed to tensing up. I felt cleansed.

This was a good lesson. I wasn’t listening to what my body and my mind were telling me, and we all need to do that. I almost paid for it with my mental and my emotional health, which is much too high of a price to pay. It may even cost you your life; it has before with people.

I took a good long look at my spiritual life as well. My head was clear and my heart had been cleansed from all darkness and anger and I realized what I needed to do. I made an appointment with a Minister to sort things out which have been bothering me for quite some time. I have a lot of hurt pent up inside of me from past hurts. It is so hard for me to let go, and, for my own good, I need to find ways to heal. This has never been easy for me. I need tools to help myself, and, sometimes, it takes the right words from the right person; perhaps this lady is the person. She’s very kind, has a perky disposition, and loves people. This could be a very good experience. I’m happiest when I’m around that kind of personality.

Another thing I did for myself is let the world know I am real, raw, and human. I let it all out in a Facebook rant. I try to be happy and keep things light, but I needed to let others know I am only human. I am not a saint, and sometimes I needed to be just that. Human. It lost me a friend or two, but I figure, “oh well.” I don’t need those kind of people in my life. They’re not true friends if they can’t(or won’t) understand your needs. People do show their true colors in situations like this. Ok. I felt a pang, but life goes on, right?

Well, that’s all for today. I will,”talk” to you again next week! Have a good one!
Love & Hugs,
Beckie

http://beckiebutcherwrites.com

youtube.com/watch?v=Y0aEcnleBOE

#cfs #cfsisreal #cfsawareness #cfswarrior #beckiebutcher
#beckiesbattle #beckieoffershope #chronicfatiguesyndrome #wordprompts

Still Waiting….

Good Day, everybody!

I said last week I was having computer issues. Well, I’m waiting on a new monitor. Yep, mine cracked on the inside(must have been the cat. I didn’t do it). Actually, I’m not sure what I did, but, something caused it to break. I will have a new one in a couple of hours. I hope to be writing again later today.

See you all soon!

Beckie.