You may have read my blog post on invisible illnesses, that talked about my neurological condition, CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) or RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) as it was previously known. If not, you can click here.
November is awareness month for the condition and so I wanted to make a post to commemorate that.
CRPS/RSD is a chronic pain condition that generally affects a limb, but can be present anywhere in the body. The brain receives false pain signals and the body reacts as if it's under attack. It is rated higher on the the McGill Pain Index than childbirth.
The most common symptoms are:
Pain
Swelling
Changes in skin color or temperature
Sensitivity to touch/sensations
The pain can spread to another part of the body and is flared by stress.
There is no cure, but there are many forms of treatments.
I'm very into holistic healing and here are some things that help me...
If you can calm the mind, and relax your body...you may be able to ease some of your pain. I like to meditate in the morning and before bed. Biofeedback is also quite helpful.
Regularly doing stretches, to ensure movement. Restricting blood flow only makes it worse.
Alternative medicine techniques such as Cranio Sacral, Reiki, and EFT.
EFT is one of my favorite things to teach people how to do, since it is something you can learn to do for yourself.
EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Technique and is commonly referred to as Tapping. By tapping on meridian points, it has been said to help with pain, anxiety, negative thoughts, etc. I like to describe it as a mix of acupressure, self hypnosis, and energy medicine all wrapped into one.
I'm a big advocate for essential oils. Some great ones for inflammation and pain are; lavender, eucalyptus, frankincense, and peppermint.
If you can handle the sensation, a TENS unit can really help with the pain.
Diet plays a major part in our health and well-being. There are certain foods that inflame my body. I recommend staying away from...sugar, caffeine, processed foods, aspartame, and dairy products. Moderation is key! And everyone's body is different...so it may be trial and error for you.
I take a lot of natural supplements and I currently am working with a doctor who is the brain child behind Preleve. Preleve is an anti inflammatory supplement that combines six ingredients to help combat inflammation and pain. It contains Turmeric, Chinese Skullcap, Boswellia, Indian Frankincense, Ginger, and Undenatured Collagen Type 2.
If you're interested in trying this supplement, send me an email (TheZenFashionista@Gmail.Com) and I'll tell you more.
This blog post, I have a random question...What is your favorite candle scent?
As always, if you have any questions, leave a comment below or feel free to email me at TheZenFashionista@Gmail.Com
To subscribe to my blog, you can click the subscribe tab at the top of this page, comment, or give it to me personally. I really appreciate it!
This past week I got to meet one of my role models, Paula Abdul. I've been a fan of Paula's for thirteen years. One of the reasons I'm so inspired by her is because we share the same neurological condition, RSD. There were moments where I was literally crawling on the floor in tears because I could not stand on my left foot. Moments like those are when I would look to Paula for strength and inspiration. She's such a positive person who always shows gratitude and makes her dreams a reality.
On Wednesday, May 4, 2016, Paula spoke at The Lois Linden Nelson Woman's World event. Paula was the featured guest and they honored holocaust survivor, Henrietta Weisberg.
One of the main topics of Paula's talk was on adversity. She told us how she got her start as a Laker girl, overcame an eating disorder, about the plane crash she was in, and stories about her family...such as her sister being diagnosed with cancer and her dad having Alzheimer's. It was a very emotional hour! I was moved by all that she had to say.
Some key points from Paula's talk:
She was born premature. Almost twelve weeks early. She weighed under three pounds and had breathing problems. Every time she would cry, she would faint. Her older sister would find ways to make her laugh instead.
As a cheerleader at age 17, Paula suffered an injury. From then on she suffered from chronic pain. Years later, at the height of her music career, she was in a plane crash. She was told she crushed her entire cervical spine and went on to have 15 surgeries and her entire cervical spine fused. Much later she was diagnosed with RSD; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. Through one of her surgeries, her vocal chords were damaged. She didn't have a speaking voice and had to go through various speech pathology treatments for two years. She was scared that people would look at her as "damaged goods" and so she kept it all a secret. According to Paula what that did, was isolate her. Paula says there came a point where she realized this was not just going to go away, but she prayed that their was a better outcome. Growing up her parents instilled an attitude of gratitude in her and she found that her mindset was very important in her chronic pain journey.
When Paula was very young, at age seven, her parents divorced. When she was eight, she began taking dance lessons. Her dance teacher made a comment about her legs being stubby (she also said Paula was better than the rest of the kids, but all Paula heard was that her body was terrible) and it started her on a path of negative thoughts about her body/ self image. When she was in high school, she developed a full blown eating disorder. There were times where she had a reprise, but then it would creep up on her again. In 1994, Paula took it upon herself to get the help she needed. Three tools she took away from her stay at the clinic were to accept the size and shape she was born with, not to skip meals and to exercise for a maximum of an hour a day.
Now, for the story of how Paula got her big break. Paula went to audition to be a dancer for the Los Angeles Laker's basketball team. You had to be 18, so Paula lied about her age. She remembered the mantra that she was taught growing up, "No is just the beginning of a negotiation." She was cut after just thirty seconds, but decided to re-register under a different name. Again....she was cut. The second time getting the chance to dance. Third time's a charm, because she re entered after changing her clothes and rearranging her hair and made the team. Paula said that if anyone tells you no, it should be the beginning of your pursuit, not the end.
Within three months of being on the team, she was selected as head choreographer. She ended up leaving college to pursue her dance career. That decision would soon pay off because during one of the basketball games, her choreographing skills caught the attention of the Jackson 5. She was then hired as the assistant dance director for their tour. Afterwards, she started choreographing for many stars and worked on the Tracey Ullman show. She even was awarded an Emmy for the dance work that she did. She used her savings to create a demo which in turn earned her a recording contract. In 1988, her first album titled, Forever Your Girl was released. Four out of the ten tracks became number one hits. The success continued and she went on to win a Grammy award for her Opposites Attract music video.
Paula also talked about her Jewish identity and her first visit to Israel. She described a moment at the Western Wall in Jerusalem where two doves flew overhead as she put her note into the wall. While she was in Israel, she had a Bat Mitzvah. The trip in her own words was, "magical and emotional."
Paula works with We Day, a youth empowerment event organized by Free the Children and is a supporter of many animal rescue organizations, NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association) and charities pertaining to Alzheimer's and cancer.
Paula teamed up with Avon and created a video to raise awareness for cancer prevention. Her older sister Wendy is a breast cancer survivor. Currently, her dad is suffering from Alzheimer's. She recently attended "Part the Cloud Gala"which was hosted by the Alzheimer's Association.
Avon Foundation "Check Yourself" Video
After Paula's talk, I had the opportunity to meet her. Let me just say, this was not easy. It took lots of phone calls, emails, prayers, etc. But in the end, it happened! A lot of people expected me to be nervous when meeting her, but I felt like I was talking with a dear friend. Paula has this calming energy and makes you feel that she truly values the time she spends with you. She hugged me and kissed my cheek numerous times and you could just feel the warmth and love radiating from her. She was a genuinely sweet woman and I am so fortunate that I got to spend a little time with her.
Paula hugs are seriously so lovely!
She told me that she was proud of me for my work with mentoring people afflicted with RSD and for raising awareness.
Paula recognized that I was wearing a necklace from her HSN jewelry line. :)
Who are some of the people that inspire you? Let me know in the comments :)
As always, if you have any questions, leave a comment below or feel free to email me at TheZenFashionista@Gmail.Com :)
If you would like to subscribe to my blog, I would really appreciate it! You can comment your email below or give it to me personally. If for some reason, you are already subscribed and are not receiving an email in your inbox, check your spam folder.
Today's blog is a personal one....It's been eight years since I was an inpatient in Children's Hospital of Michigan. Nine years ago, in 2007, I stumbled in gym class. I didn't think much of it, except for the fact it hurt! I figured I could wait until the end of my school day, and so I went on with my day, hobbling along. Little did I know, this so called "stumble" would change my life.
Fast forward a bit...I ended up being diagnosed with RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, also known as CRPS...Complex Regional Pain Syndrome). RSD is a chronic pain condition. False pain signals are sent to the brain. Think of it as a fight or flight response...The body reacts as if it's under attack.
Symptoms include:
Pain (burning sensation), sensitivity to touch, swelling, changes in color, etc.
There are also cognitive symptoms such as fatigue, depression, short term memory loss, etc.
You can contract the condition from a fracture, a surgery to a limb, or from something as minor as a mosquito bite or a paper cut. Many people familiar with this condition think it only affects a limb; it can affect a person internally as well. The condition is known to spread. If you contract it in one limb, over time it may affect the other.
I believe things happen for a reason. I believe in turning pain into purpose. I've been in support groups and mentor and lend assistance to people afflicted with this condition. I've raised awareness, been featured in a local publication and I support foundations raising money for research so that we can "put out the flame" and find a cure.
In 2011, four years after my initial injury, I was involved in a car accident. My condition ended up being exacerbated and as a result, I also have Fibromyalgia.
The Fibromyalgia has caused me neck and back pain as well as chronic fatigue, brain fog, etc. Each day is different. I may not have an illness that is readily apparent and can be seen, but that doesn't mean I'm not struggling. As a chronic pain sufferer, one of the most difficult things I experience is that people don't understand and pass judgment. Chronic pain sufferers live with this 24/7 and some days we can leave the house and enjoy ourselves, and some days we can hardly get out of bed. I've certainly been judged and told "Oh, but you look great or you look healthy." You might see me out on a Friday night, but what you don't know, it's probably taking everything I've got to make it through the night. A long time ago, I decided I would not let this condition take control of me. So sometimes, I would rather be "miserable" and outside doing something enjoyable, than miserable, in bed. My illness may be invisible, but it doesn't mean that I'm well because you can't physically see anything wrong with me.
People with chronic pain may be fine to go out one moment, but have to cancel last minute. We can be having an ok day and then all of a sudden, it hits us all at once. As family and friends, you might not understand what we are going through, but we need you to do your best to support us. We can't control what we are feeling and experiencing.
While some may look upon my journey as unfortunate, it's also been a blessing in disguise. Sure, I'm twenty years old and have been in pain since I was eleven, but despite it all, I've dealt with the challenges and I am grateful. It's made me the person I am today. I'm very empathetic and have gained knowledge on a variety of topics in the medical and holistic field. It's because of my condition that I've experienced holistic treatments and want to go into alternative medicine myself. I've made lifelong friendships, learned who my real friends are and who I could truly count on. I had to be homeschooled for the majority of my high school career and on one hand that can be seen as a negative, but I choose to look at it as a positive. I was able to travel and do things I could never have done if I had been in school full time.
I often get asked what helps me because I do not take the traditional route in treatment. I personally like to be as natural as possible.
I'm a big believer in meditation and biofeedback. Calming the body can really make a big difference.
Energy healing modalities such as Cranio Sacral, Reiki, EFT...
EFT is one of the techniques that you can learn to do on yourself.
I have done EFT (Tapping) on myself and others with positive results. If you have any questions about it, please don't hesitate to send me a message.
EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Technique and is also commonly referred to as Tapping. You tap on meridian points and it's said to help pain, negative feelings, anxiety, etc. I like to describe it as a mix of acupressure, self hypnosis and energy medicine all wrapped into one.
I've also found that essential oils can be very helpful for inflammation and pain.
Electric stimulators such as a TENS Unit if you can handle the sensation.
Diet plays a major part in our health and well-being. I noticed a few years ago that certain foods inflamed my body. Foods I recommend staying away from...sugar, caffeine, processed foods, aspartame and dairy products. Of course, everyone is different and moderation may be key for you.
Movement - Do what you can! Today, you might not be able to fathom getting out of bed; but tomorrow, you may be able to make that attempt to walk outside, to get the mail. And praise yourself even for the smallest victories that you accomplish.
Remember, you know your body better than anyone else!
I've come a very long way. I'm immensely proud of myself. There was a time, if I were to walk into a CVS with my father, you would find me sitting on the floor, crying in pain. A time when my foot was literally rotated outward to a 90 degree angle and there was nothing I could do to move it back inward. A time when I could hardly walk down a hall without it wearing me out. Of course, I still have my bad days! I've made significant strides and progress and know that it could always be much worse. I'm so blessed to wake up each day and knowing I'm not in the same place I was eight years ago, when I first arrived for my inpatient boot camp therapy stay.
I'm considering making a blog post about my two week inpatient experience. The program originated at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. It is used as a prototype throughout the country, for children and teens affected by RSD/CRPS. I've come across many children diagnosed with this awful condition and think my post might provide some insight.
This blog is dedicated to all those afflicted with anINVISIBLE DISEASE. You're not alone!I'M ALWAYS HEREand so are many others out there.️
This blog is dedicated to the friends I've made...Janis, Jamie, Karen, Terri, Jennifer, Susan, Wendy, Ali, my friends at RSD Hope, and my mentees. And to everyone who has stuck by me throughout the years and supported me along the way.
This blog is also dedicated to one of my role models, Yolanda Hadid. She suffers from Lyme Disease and has gone through more than you could imagine, but she keeps a positive mindset and raises awareness. I send so much love and well wishes to you, Yo!
Thank you for reading this blog. It means lot to me.
If you have any questions, send me a message, email me at TheZenFashionista@Gmail.com, or comment below and I will do my best to answer to them.
If you would like to subscribe to my blog, I would really appreciate it! You can comment your email below or give it to me personally. If for some reason, you are already subscribed and are not receiving an email in your inbox, check your spam folder.
