Day 1 My "official" Day 1

Hi everyone,

First I'd like to say how grateful I am to have found the wiki and this program (and all of you on the forum!) I'm currently typing this with both hands - something I haven't done in several months. I've become quite the left-handed typist because of pain in my right shoulder and arm. I'm a few months shy of my 41st birthday. I've had pain in my right side since I was a teenager, heavily involved in ballet training. It started in my right hamstring during a really stressful time. When I started college (another very stressful time due to family issues) I started having pain in my right lower back and hip.

I won't go into all the details, but the last few years have brought me progressively worse pain in my right shoulder, wrist, arm, neck, and all down the right side of my back. I thought it was RSI, and I know I have myofascial trigger points (muscle knots) because I can feel them, and it really helps to press them out in various ways. That was my first big "breakthrough" almost two years ago. In recent months I've discovered Feldenkrais "Awareness Through Movement" lessons, as well as Hanna Somatics (which is based on Feldenkrais and aims at reprogramming the brain-muscle connection). Becoming more aware of how my mind and my muscles work together has helped me notice when I'm starting to tighten up. I've known for awhile that the trigger points and pain had to be something I was causing. It's obviously worse when I'm stressed.

I've been frustrated for awhile at my inability to use a computer mouse with my right hand, or type for any length of time. I'm also a costume designer, so cutting out fabric causes a lot of pain at times. The worst thing, though, has been the pain when I try to play the violin, which I started learning a couple of years ago. I know my perfectionism has a lot to do with my stress (and subsequent pain), but I just recently decided to try cello instead. It requires a much more natural position of the arms and head. I'll have my rental cello in a few days, and I'm excited to give it a go. I was looking for cello books on Amazon and I saw a mention of "The Mindbody Prescription" in one of the reviews. I read the reviews on it, and then Googled "Dr. Sarno myofascial". I was immediately sure that this would work for me. I ordered the book and have had it for a few days now. I read a good bit of it before bed that first night, and woke up feeling a little bit better. I did a lot of work and research online that next day, and noticed how my lower back didn't hurt even after a long period of sitting at the computer. This was definitely a wonderful sign. I started letting some past memories trickle in, and fell asleep that night thinking about several things that bothered me from my past. I had definitely ignored a lot of past pain and anger. I tightened up a little bit near the end of the night, but it went away pretty quickly.

The second morning (yesterday) I woke up feeling great. I continued to let memories flow in however my mind chose to bring them up. I did EFT on some of the more troubling ones and I talked with my husband about some of them, as well. I woke up again this morning feeling even better. I have continued to do my basic daily Hanna Somatics routine, but I'm now considering it just "whole body maintenance" instead of a way to "fix" myself. (It really does feel amazing!) I'm 100% sure that Dr. Sarno's work is exactly what I need to get myself on track once and for all. I wasn't sure how to go about thoroughly dealing with past issues, so I'm very happy that I found this group last night and I'm looking forward to healing and growing along with everyone here ;-)

 

NolaGal)- I have continued to do my basic daily Hanna Somatics routine, but I'm now considering it just "whole body maintenance" instead of a way to "fix" myself. (It really does feel amazing!) I'm 100% sure that Dr. Sarno's work is exactly what I need to get myself on track once and for all. I wasn't sure how to go about thoroughly dealing with past issues, so I'm very happy that I found this group last night and I'm looking forward to healing and growing along with everyone here ;-)

Eric)- NolaGal sounds like your moving in a good direction,
if you'd like you could try to get in touch with some repression to see if that helps release some of the pain
you can find it here http://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/TMS_Recovery_Program
also the SEP program we have here is awesome if you like the structured approach
http://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/Structured_Educational_Program-
ive done both program and they both are awesome along with Sarnos books
and don't forget if you have any questions to just post in the SEP forum or thye general forum
or Alan Gordon's forum- We have plenty of folks that have been there NolaGal so let us know how your coming along
if you'd like to chat with me, im here and ill give you all the advice I can
I hope you get a good week of recovery in and be on the look out for some powerful wisdom from our group of
knowledgeable volunteers
God Bless

 

Thank you! Things are going very well and I'm working steadily on the SEP. I'll be making my "Day 2" entry later today. This all just makes so much sense, and it goes right along with what I've come to believe about health in general. Truly, it feels like magic. Like I knew deep down that it was there all along, but "real life" doesn't really have a place for it. Our minds really are so much more powerful than we realize. It's amazing the destruction we can cause with them, but the on the flipside lies true healing and wonderful opportunities for being better than ever.

 

Nolagal,
Congratulations on the huge realizations you are going through. It's easy to see in your story some of the perfectionist/goodist tendencies- violin, costume design, ballet, cello. There is clearly so much you want to accomplish and perhaps that has gotten in your way.

 

Welcome, NolaGal! It sounds like you are already making remarkable progress. I'd be interested in hearing more about Hanna Somatics.

Best wishes to you on your healing journey!

 

Thanks gailnyc ;-)

Here's my favorite book on the subject: http://www.amazon.com/Move-Without-Pain-Martha-Peterson/dp/1402774591

Also, these 3 videos show a version of the daily "cat stretch" I was talking about in the other thread:
(Parts 2 and 3 should show up on the right side of the screen, or go to her channel and they'll be there.) Once I memorized the movements it only takes me about 15 minutes every morning to do the whole thing. The tiniest movements will work. It's not supposed to be "exercise", really.

Also, Google "Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement". Hanna Somatics is based heavily on Feldenkrais. Again, none of this needs to be approached as a way to "fix" problem areas. It can go right along with our TMS work if we think of it as "whole body maintenance" and a reminder of our mind/ muscle connection. It has worked beautifully for me in that way.

 

Thanks, NolaGal, I will check these out!