[Ellie]

Stress and Tension can mess up your body.

After my last 'big' seizure, I had to welcome these frequent headaches/migraines. In addition to those making me 'scrunch' up - I found that I was always tense because I had grown paranoid that I could drop at any given time.

I did not know my seizures were seizures for a long time, so once I knew they were - suddenly they were scary. I walk guarded, I sit guarded and I flinch when anyone comes near my back, neck or head. It's gotten to the point everything is not-quite lined up properly causing a lot of pain.

Today I went to Physical Therapy, and boy do I feel much better!

It stinks to say I have to go every other day for 4 weeks, but it's very nice. Plus, it's like getting your insurance to pay for a massage! However, you don't want to end up there.

I have about 20 muscle kinks hiding in places that I cannot reach. My range of motion has decreased, my headaches are more frequent and my right shoulder is dropped about 2 inches lower than my left.

These are the tips I got, so I wanted to share.

Check atleast once per hour to make sure you are not tense; rolll your neck - look up - look down - turn right - turn left and then try and 'shake off' the tension you may have.

I honestly had no clue that being so nervous lead to having a guarded stance which lined me up for even more issues that I don't want to have. My spine, neck and skull need to be lined up better and I have pretty much forced them into a crappy position (for lack of better words/terms).

While the massage was awesome, having my body stretched and my neck muscles stretched hurt like hell.

So, to sum it up - Shake off your stress several times a day and do "Am I Tense??" checks!

--
Also, if you do suffer from neck stiffness, muscle knots, more frequent headaches, etc. Ask your Neurologist about going to Physical Therapy. So far, I'm diggin' it.

[Riva]

Will you start exercising to keep your stress level down?
For example yoga,swimming, walking, a gym?????

What will you do when this treatment is over?

Riva

[Ellie]

I got a balance ball. Right now, we are still in the phase I like to call "Bonding" after we had an 'oopsie' with the Ball and Resistance Kit (ball to face accident).

My Therapist is going to show me a better way to use it since I have balance problems (severe midline shift to the right, unstable gait - I think I spelled that wrong, too!).

Amazing as it is, I live less than a mile from the ocean and never get to go. I always have to ask people to go with me, or ask for a ride (I can't walk that far without putting myself at risk).

I like to play with my dogs in the yard, chasing them is like having a gym membership!

This, however, has opened my eyes up a lot and I know I need to take better care of myself (mentally). I was so afraid to 'drop' in public that I was taking several grocery trips just to make sure I didn't over-do it. Each trip I was so tense you could bounce coins off of me.

*rolls neck*

This computer isn't much help, but I got a size up on a therapy ball and sit here on that wearing a back brace. It encourages good posture and helps with my balance, it also is so annoying I can't sit here too long!

Believe it or not, my mom is an Occupational Therapist and she'd kill me if she knew what I did to my neck!

[Ellie]

OH, I also forgot to mention. I also fear losing weight. It took me a lot of hard work to gain weight (I know, odd coming from a female living in Orange County). I have always been underweight since birth, and have problems gaining. I over-eat to try to maintain, but I hurt my stomach in the process, it is simply too small to handle the food I eat.

I have been using Boost Plus and Ensure (I rotate them, I don't want to OD on Vitamins) and then I eat 3 big meals a day, and 3 small meals between them. I got sick in May and lost the 10 pounds I busted my butt for (or my gut, pun intended).

I'm 29 and weigh 96 pounds now. So I worry about losing any weight I have now because my immune system is kind of weak. I understand the entire concept of muscle tone and how it would help me gain, but I also need the other things (even fat!).

Eventually I'll find a good dietitian (or whatever they are called) and maybe a trainer. Sadly, most around here think because of where I live that I have a money tree in my backyard - that and they sound shocked I want to gain weight.