that is the cutest name; that being said I betcha you bake a bunch & standing on your feet a very whole heck of a lot? If thats the case my dear, I will note a few things I have learned over the years from the professionals in pain management & physical therapy:

1. THE FLOOR IS YOUR BEST FRIEND: yes, being floored, prone and doing your Feldenkrais stretches & exercises, diaphramatic breathing is on the floor on a swiss ball is essential. Peter Edgelow has a great CD & program to keep our system healthy, circulation moving & relaxation. The snippet Jo sent is also great. Did you hear the music in the back ground?

2. RELAXATION: I also betcha you are a mover and do-er kinda person. Thats ok, people who dont do, dont get fullfilled with life & RSD. Listening to the relaxation, zen music is the best thing you will find for relaxation oand to take you away. No matter what you are doing baking, bathing, need to calm the nervous system to calm the pain BREATHE, RELAX while listening to the zen music. Bed Bath & Beyond carries some tapes which can be ordered on line & sometime free shipping if you join their site. Our site is in the process of interview hundreds of CDS & will offer cd's & relaxation for pain.

3. BREATHE: again learning diaphramatic breathing relaxes the heart, organs, spine, head, neck, autonomic & sympathetic systems, the mind & soul. Deep diaphramatic breathing is essential. Notice the next time you bake. Are you focused & breathing? I bet not. Anything our minds are focused on the breathing stops.

4. WEATHER: if cold or heat creates havoc make changes in your environment. Dry heat from the heater can suck up all your hydration. Cold can tense the muscles, rain can make our sympathetic system go crazy like a weathering stick. Contrast showers, cold packs, moist or dry pads. ALways switching to make your self comfortable depending on environmental changes. Heat creates so much pain with me I have to sit in an ice skating rink. Thats what my internal themometer is acustom to.

5. HYDRATE: I'l bump up the post from this last week. Valuable leason learned. Remember forced home heat sucks you up. HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE

6. MOVE: yes move your sweet ****. I thought the professionals were crazy. How can I move when I cant move? It so makes sense now. I am on a daily plan of the stationary bike 3 times a day. If you can only go 5 minutes at the beginning its a start. Stay away from resistance training on the stationary bike until your muscles can tolerate. Somedays I can do 30 minutes at one sitting, some days I can only do 10 minutes very slowly. Stationary biking takes the weight off your head neck and shoulders. Cheap recumbant bikes like mine can be purchased at Walmart, target and on line. Doesnt need to be expenseive. *And when your system shuts down from pain, get up on the bike. I swear, it works, it works AND YOU CAN DO IT

I'll post more, gotta get off this comPOOPer.

xxoo