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Thought I would try a Saturday Koffee Klatch...

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Chronic Pain
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Posted 2/13/2010 3:35 PM (GMT 0)
Since Chutzie is on vacation, and I am kind of new to the forum, I thought that I would try a Koffee Klatch so that I could get to know some of you a little better.

I was just wondering what you all do to relax and ward off some of the pain.  (Oops, the "P" word, I know I am not suppose to do that)

Since I have fibromyalgia, a lot of my pain is in my shoulders.  I tend to hold all my stress there, so they get tight.  So for me relaxation is usually done with meditation.  I try to relax all my muscles along with deep breathing.  And this works for me.  Also playing some relaxing music.  I like a lot of Celtic music, it puts me in a relaxed state. 

What do you all do to relax?  And what kind of music do you like?

Hugs, Karen

Posted 2/13/2010 7:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Karen,

I love to read and can get quite caught up in a good book, so I'll try that to escape when I'm feeling more discomfort than usual. I too love music, and in particular, African, Celtic and gospel. I've also downloaded massage and relaxation music and will play that while relaxing on the couch with a heat pack to unwind.

I am also a crafter and so I will try to create something to take my mind off pain. I'm not always successful, but I usually find that a change of pace does me good.

Hope you have a great weekend!

hugs,
Pam
Posted 2/13/2010 9:01 PM (GMT 0)
I like to do crafts too. I paint with acrylics, draw and make jewelry. I also have a bed buddy that I use when my neck is really tight or sore. You probably already know what one is, but for people who don't, it is a tube with rice (I think) in it that I heat up in the microwave. Heat is my friend. I found that out. Before I got fibromyalgia, I use to cross country ski, so I loved winter. I hate it now.

Thanks for the reply. I think it is cool that you do crafts too and listen to the music that you listen to.

We have a lot in common.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 2/13/2010 11:28 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for doing the koffee klatch, Karen. It is a great topic.

For me, I relax the best in my recliner or in my tub. In my recliner, I put my feet up and wrap myself in a warm blanket and watch a good movie on the television or dvd. As for music I love to listen to various artists, right now I'm loving Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood. Those two are my favorties at the moment, mainly because my granddaughters love their music! lol. Every time I hear them sing, I think of my granddaughters' faces and can hear them singing and I feel so happy and relaxed.

Lindaloo
Posted 2/14/2010 12:47 AM (GMT 0)
I love crafts, but I am on my back right now. I can't seem to get enough pain relief to get up for any length of time. I also love to read and I adore Celtic (I'm Irish!), R & B, Contemporary Christian and anything at all that Andrea Bocelli sings! Oh my goodness, what a God given voice! I have he and Celine Dion on my iPhone singing, The Prayer. You can go to youtube and hear it. It is wonderful. I don't do too much crafting as it is nearly impossible to do laying down. I can't release my pain long enough to get up and around so there goes my crafting. My love of reading is huge and I can't do much of that because I just can't get my mind to settle down with the amount of pain I'm in. Oh well, there are the things I like to do! Thanks for picking up the ball and having this today.
Cat
Posted 2/14/2010 12:57 AM (GMT 0)
What do you all do to relax?  And what kind of music do you like?

  Dear Karen,

 

       Spending time with my family, I don't care what we are doing because it relaxes me to have these moments we spend together. It makes me feel whole and complete.

 

       I listen to anything that strings a chord in my soul. LIterally means anything from classical to heavy metal (even thou there are only 6 songs that come to mind.) :-)

 

*huggs* 

   dani

 

Thank you so much for posting Koffee Klatch :-)

Posted 2/14/2010 1:10 AM (GMT 0)
I flip through TV channels to try to get something that will hold my interest. Right now it's the Olympics, even though I've never been into sports. I enjoy relaxing music and meditation, also, but have a wide range of taste in music. The other night I put an old cassette tape of Carly Simon's on that I hadn't listened to in awhile. Also recently bought the soundtrack from the movie Nine. The only downside is that I used to love to dance, and I want to dance around but know it throws my SI joint out if I do that.

And I love lying on my tempurpedic mattress. Spend way too much time there, but it is the most soothing spot in the house!

Thanks for doing this, getting by!

PaLady
Posted 2/14/2010 2:00 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Karen,

Thanks for taking over the Koffee Klatch! Chutz would be proud!

Night is my "me time," although it is also the worst time of day for me pain-wise. After I give up on my school work (usually around 10 pm), I "crash." That usually involves camping out on my bed & watching TV or dvds (bad sleep hygiene, I know). Lately I've been watching M*A*S*H. I got the dvd's for Christmas & I just love them! They are hilarious & help to take my mind off of the pain some.

I love to read, but I have a very hard time with my eyes & by the end of the day they are especially bad, although sometimes I listen to books on tape, or "read" using one of my reader devices.

At night I always have my aromatherapy going. I think that is the most relaxing for me. I almost always burn Lavender. I just find it very soothing. Sometimes I put some of the oil on me as well.

Playing with my dogs is also relaxing, but I only get to see them 2 nights a week while I'm in school. But there is nothing like having my boy curled up in his crate next to my bed, or on my bed itself (I hear him snoring as I type this).

hugs,
Skeye
Posted 2/14/2010 2:19 AM (GMT 0)
You have a snoring dog too Skeye? I thought that I was the only one who had one, and she sure saws logs. She is going to be 14 next month. She has outlived three of my other dogs.

I burn insense too, I love lavender but have been into Dragon's Blood. It reminds me of Kool Aid for some reason. It is sweet.

I was into Sarah Macglauclin (sp) for a long time and Chery Crow and Lorainna Mckennit (sp). I do have a wide range of music too. I use to love CCR and Crosby Stills and Nash in the 70's. A long time ago now.

Thanks for all the replies. I am glad that everybody enjoyed this.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 2/14/2010 6:23 AM (GMT 0)
You know I also like listening to music, I tend to like New Age for relaxing, Narada, 2002 River of Stars, and Land of Forever,then of course Celestial Mozart, Isle of Avolon, and Deep Peace, to just mention a few. I aslo like some christian music, mostly the old old stuff, Chuck Wagon Gang is a favorite, but I do Like John Michael Talbot allot. I also find that listening to music, is good to go to sleep by, as I am also a "hose head" as I have sleep apnea and have to sleep with a mask attached to a machine, and the music drowns out the noise of the air from the machine. It is loud to me because of the air blowing into the mask that is over my face. It just helps me to relax and get to sleep!

OH YES! When I am really hurting, the music in a recliner is the best, or my bed as I have an adjustable bed, and I sleep in a reclining position. I think the bad thing about getting into the recliner or bed when I am hurting is falling asleep, unless I have my mask and machine and Oxygen on, if I fall a sleep without it, I wake up often in a sweat, and choking. and feel like I am in a fog for hours afterwards. So it is kind of a hassle for me to take a BT Pain Pill,and put on the mask and turn on the VPAP and O2, and then recline back and listen to music! But knowing if I don't do that and if I do dose off to sleep without using my VPAP and O2, I will pay dearly for it! So often if I am not in extreme pain, I will just set in the recliner for a few minutes and then get back up!

White Beard

P.S. PALady I have Carley Simon's LP album, "Hot Cakes", and Carol King's "Tapestry" among my many LP albums from that era!
Posted 2/14/2010 7:57 AM (GMT 0)
White Beard,
I have all of Carly's old albums, and even the ones she did into the 90's. Those are either LP's or cassettes, though; on CD I just have some Greatest Hits. And somewhere in my LP collection, which I still have, is Tapestry! I just read somewhere that some musicians are producing their music on vinyl LP's again, saying that they are superior to CD's! And people are hunting around for turntables! I still have mine, but it's stacked under my CD player and I've been way too lazy for years to reconfigure the entire stereo system!

PaLady
Posted 2/14/2010 3:46 PM (GMT 0)
I found a turntable at a garage sale. I was so happy to find it. I have many albums ffom the 70's and 80's and didn't have a way to listen to them. I will not buy the CD's. Too expensive. Though I did buy the Eagles Greatest hits and listen to it often.

Oh the good old days. Now I find myself listening to the oldies but goodies. lol...
Posted 2/14/2010 8:56 PM (GMT 0)
I still have my Kenwood Turntable and myAkai cassette deck. Most of my albums date back to the 60's and 70's. I have allot of John Denver, and Neil Diamond, but mostly it is just a variety of diferent albums. I keep saying I am going to convert them to CD's but I keep putting it off, one of these days I guess!

Karen I might be admittedly partial, but I think the best R&R music came from the 50's thru the 70's era. I like some of the other stuff to, but..........

White Beard
Posted 2/14/2010 9:11 PM (GMT 0)
You must be a little older than me, though not too many people are. I watched the Temptations movie (back and forth to the olympics though) yesterday and heard a lot of good older music. I really enjoyed listening to all of the songs.

Have a great day,

Hugs, Karen
Posted 2/14/2010 10:47 PM (GMT 0)
ROFL! Funny how not only what music but what it's made of (tape, album, CD, now downloads!) is a window into our age!

White Beard - I wouldn't convert those CD's just yet! Maybe albums will make a comeback!

PaLady
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