Please share your comforts...
 

Momma (COK) gave me some good advice:

"Depression is demon that raises its ugly head and is hard to get past...but you can,
by focusing on those things that give you comfort."

And in a post about pain, and how to cope, I heard her say:

"the things you enjoy...those things make life bearable...those tiny things we enjoy even when we are at our lowest"

When our pain level is very high, or when we are exhausted by dealing with the pain, it can seem hard to think of things that comfort us. But if you really try, you could all probably think of things that comfort us and try to find a way to work them into our lives more frequently.

~I am going to try to focus on how good my new pillow feels (after I have tried many special pillows that were not that great)

~Make myself special flavored teas more often, and if am too sick to fix it, ask someone to fix me a cup of tea. (I usually feel like that is not an important enough to ask for help with)

~and keep an open mind and try to identify one more thing this week.

Of course, two small things that always give me comfort are my furkids.:) http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/c...photos3/cp.gif

when i am really down frank will just hold me and caress my head ...

another thing i find helps when i am depressed is rocking ...

oh when in pain, or just the numbness, or overwhelmed, or worn out, or all of the above...

the comfort when my 3 year old now, she is speech delayed, and now is talking up a storm..not always clear yet... the other day..I was so feeling awful, but think worked up too much about my work that I couldnt fall asleep for a nap... my 3 year old came in, I was teary eyed, she didnt notice..(teary eyed due to just tired of it all kind of day) she walked up...and said

I love you mommy!!

ahhh those moments I treasure and hold dear to keep me going...

Coffee, feels warm and comforting at times for me...

massage, although I dont get one often due to expensive but way overdo now that I think of it..been months since last one.

trying as you said to take time to enjoy the little things makes a difference..thanks for the reminder and thread..hugssss

hugsss to all, in case you find them as a comfort HUGSSSSSSSSSSSSS,sarah

I use my heated fitted mattress pad, and my heated throw for my back and knees, and my 3 for babies, with the 10 lber curled up next to my back and if I cry they are sad!

come on all,
there must be other comforts or ideas for comforting or making you smile??!! hugss all, sarah

Breathe in from nose and slowly out through your mouth concentrating on the breathing first then when you get the hang of it think of some thing or some place that brings you joy.

Hang in there!

Lots of hugs and Doxie kisses, Doxie

Thank you GmaSue...I look at the 'un-noticed' things in life.

The day a small bird was beside the road, I worried it was hurt. I walked to where I saw it and it was gone. I figured I had walked that far so why not around the block. I met a little cutie, Bailey, I believe was his name. He ran from his owner to greet me, a little ball of black, grey,and white fur.

I also do special things for myself...making a cup of hot tea and using a cup from the many I've collected. Taking the time to just sit in the swing and enjoy nothing but that hot cup of soothing tea and looking at nature.

A lot of times I talk to God, just as if He was beside me and I can see him.

Thank you guys for sharing.

I found Pono's post that first got me thinking about this.

Perhaps someone may come on and share their big 'success' story... but in meantime i'm sure others here will continue to share -- whether its a med or some smaller 'success' like finding pillow that's comfortable and other little tips.
These 'little' things can improve quality of life...
which does seem elusive when dealing w/ pain, problems.

That could really be the mission statement of this forum, don't you think?

My specific pillow, BTW, that I am getting so much help from is a Mid-Core Pillow.

http://www.vitasprings.com/mid-core-...-products.html

I got mine from my chiropractor. I've tried lots of special pillows-this one is much better for pain relief.

Helping others.

It takes my mind off my chronic pain. Whom used to have a name. :p

Music is my comfort when things get bad...

making a child smile at my work is wonderful for me too...
I manage a McDonald's and love to get kids smiling, and going into lobby and chatting with families and babies...

hugss,sarah

Good thread.

~ A good old fashioned soak in the bathtub with a candle and classical music.

~ Finding a wonderful nature show on TV. Recently saw an amazing one on the migration of monarch butterflies. It was fascinating if you like that sort of thing.

~ A real wood, crackling fire in the fireplace. Smells great. I have this perhaps crazy theory that as the wood burns, it gives out energy and we absorb it as we sit in front of it.(I know, sounds like I am ready to be institutionalized!) I feel the same thing sitting at the beach as each wave breaks and releases it's energy. My theory as to why these two activities are so universally loved by everyone.

~ Calling a friend or relative I love but have not spoken with in a long time.

Cheers, Diandra

comforts
 

I use music, mostly classical, to manage pain that meds dont reach.

Music has alwyas been my drug of choice..:highfive:

*Look at my kids baby pictures.
*Read my Bible.
*Do something kind for someone else.
*...and now, I'm going to take a bubble bath!

Thanks for all the sharing!:hug:

I love taking a whole head of lettuce out to feed my geese, sitting down on the porch, and watching them have at it.

Moe stands guard while Larry (Larissa) eats... and I sit and ponder, seeing that he takes none for himself, as if he knows she needs to eat lots to create eggs.

Larry has laid an even dozen now, one every other day... they're HUGE.

and I think about tending new goslings (I'm going to hatch the eggs in the incubator, and hand-raise them, so they're tame)

watching and caring for all my birds brings me comfort, joy, and I learn a lot about their social habits, which keeps my brain busy, and distracts me from pain.

playing games on the computer comforts me, as does curling up with a good sci-fi novel... surrounded by my drapey beautiful hanging mosquito nets.

oh, and cranking up the Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, Police, Rachmaninoff, or Beethoven... that works for me.

hot tea, in my special large plastic thermal mug, with the big handle, that has inner finger grips... I haven't yet spilled from this cup, or dropped it... and even if I did, it can't break, which really helps me relax, and makes me happy to not have to worry about spilled hot tea, or cleaning up another broken dish.

and I can't BELIEVE nobody mentioned FOOD... which is a great comfort and a joy, especially as my husband is an exquisite cook.

tonight's dinner was duck in a curry sauce, made with peanut butter and coconut cream... on a bed of rice, and a huge salad of curly green lettuce... ahhhhhhhhh!!

last on my comfort list is CHOCOLATE !!

chocolate is a rare treat in the jungle, and I try to eat it very s...l...o...w...l...y, savoring every tiny bit, letting it melt in my mouth before I swallow.

:o;):o

I'm glad to see this thread is still going.

How about jelly bellies?

Yeah, eating chocolate is good, too.

How about putting a bunch of mini-marshmallows on parchment paper and toasting them in the oven-and then popping them in hot chocolate?

Mohito, anyone?

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

For me it's sitting on the sofa with a nice hot cup of tea and my cat Mokita curled up on my lap. Nothing better in the world. :D

If that doesn't work, my comfort food......ice cream. But a Mohito sounds so much better :D

Curling up in bed with my 5 yr old and reading a stack of books...hmm
wish I could still do that with my older children.:)