I’m a Mémé!

My grandbaby has arrived! So we’re short on sleep, but long on love and joy!

Moving up here, the new baby and associated sleep loss, change in general – they all lead to increased pain. I don’t take any narcotic pain medications anymore because the opiates just didn’t provide enough relief to be worth the hassle of the side effects. I’m still taking Lyrica and Cymbalta and they certainly help. But for the most part, I have to rely on reducing aggravating factors in hopes of avoiding flares. That isn’t easy, and it was impossible with the move and now the new baby. But I do have coping strategies that make everything better! What does that look like?

I love my job, but it’s fairly stressful, which leads to increased pain and other problems. I had to take some time off work. I know that I’m privileged to be able to do that, even if it is a sacrifice.

My bedroom is set up as my sanctuary. I have a really great mattress, which is important, with lots of good pillows. I’m away from any noise, and I have blackout curtains over the windows. I have a fan set up to give me just the right amount of airflow, but I can switch it off from my bed if I need to do so. I also have a good, quiet air cleaner in the room.

I’ve been careful to keep up my vitamins and medications. I find that setting them up once a week in a good medicine box helps a great deal with keeping everything straight.

Staying hydrated is also important. My Apple water bottle is always with me! If you don’t like the taste of water, consider trying some of the drops that give a little bit of flavor without adding any calories.

I’m not at the computer as much as I am when I’m working, but I use a few utilities to make the experience healthier when I am. The first is f.lux, which changes the light from your computer monitor to match the sun (or to be warm at night, instead of bright like the sun). It makes your computer monitor look better and makes it healthier for you to use it. It’ll also remind you of when you should get off the computer and go to bed, if you set that part up. The second is Breaktime, which blacks out my Mac’s screen at predetermined intervals, forcing me to take a break. It’s available for iOS (iPhones, iPods and iPads) too! Time Out is another alternative for Macs. If you’re a PC user, try WorkRave (Windows/Linux).

Yoga helps keep me moving. I’m a fan of Curvy Yoga, and have three of Anna Guest-Jelley’s DVDs that I enjoy using. Anyone can do her exercises!

Finally, meditation has become an important part of my overall health plan. I like guided meditations, and have found some good apps for iOS that give me a variety to choose from. I’m sure that there are similar apps available in the Play Store for Android users. If you’re new to meditation, I’ve heard many good things about Headspace, which is available for both platforms. (I really love their Get Some/Give Some policy, too.)

How are you coping with your fibrant life lately?

 

Cyn is Rick's wife, Katie's Mom, and Esther & Oliver's Mémé. She's also a professional geek, avid reader, fledgling coder, enthusiastic gamer (TTRPGs), occasional singer, and devoted stitcher.
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