Struggling

IBS and anxiety are my main TMS symptoms and they are both acting up at the moment, triggered by painful surgery in June on the sole of my foot. The wound became infected and I was put on a course of antibiotics, which my gut doesn't like at the best of times and this time it has let me know in no uncertain terms.

The wound is proving very slow to heal (which is often the case with feet and lower limb wounds) so aside from twice weekly taxi trips to the GP surgery to get the dressing changed I am confined to the house and unable to avail myself of my usual anti-TMS therapy of exercise, and more specifically walking in the country. I'm also unable to get into town and do normal everyday things. I live alone so I am feeling particularly isolated.

I know this is temporary, the wound is healing - I've been told it should take another 6 weeks to 2 months - but the IBS symptoms (bloating, gas, the runs, cramps) and my general physical state is sending my anxiety levels soaring. I suppose I'm posting this in order to feel a little less isolated and to find out if anyone else has experienced anything similar and how they coped.

I think I'll read some Claire Weekes today!

 

So sorry that you are not doing well. You know, of course, that this is temporary, but it sucks anyway. Could you try to find some things you love to do at home? When I had to stay at home because of a surgery I listened a lot to audio books. And I knitted. Others might watch Netflix or read. And when I felt better I started to bake muffins which I put in the freezer. You see, I still need to do something useful, but also just things I enjoy for their own sake. I don’t know if this is possible in your town, but I would use the visit to the GP to have a visit at a cafe, reading newspapers, talking to locals ...
You know it, your signature says it: it’s going to be OK! Speedy recovery!

 

You poor thing! I recently endured a derailment of my beloved pool-time due to the ignominy of athlete's foot. What a tedious and pointless affliction it is. In true TMS fashion it coincided with a huge brouhaha on my hubby's side which must have sent my usually solid immunity out to lunch. For 7 weeks I was drowned in bilge water yet utterly landlocked.

During this time I discovered a passion for Restorative Yoga which helped soothe the emotions and spirit, I watched and thoroughly enjoyed all the games played in The World Cup (much to everyone's surprise, mine included), I sat on the balcony listening to music, or inspirational videos on YouTube, or I read. I indulged in day-time naps. I ate like a piglet (and now have some extra weight to swim off), and I fantasised about the day when this horrid thing would be gone and I would paint my toe nails and wear pretty sandals. That day came last weekend. I painted my nails a lush shade of dusky rose and made it back to the pool. I spent the whole time talking to people but at least I was back.

So chin up because these vexing times do pass and if nothing else they give us a bit of time to evolve our healing practices. Besides which it is nice to give serendipity a chance to show up in our lives and that usually comes from these unexpected detours.

Sending you love sweetheart,

Plum x

 

Thanks for the support. Yes, keeping occupied enjoyably is my biggest challenge. I've been doing some knitting and also tackling the small jobs around the house that don't require me to stand for any length of time. I've recently bought a Kindle and I'm really enjoying using it, but I can't focus for too long. I'm spending more time online and on the phone as well, in fact anything to switch off the ruminating TMS brain for a while.

 

Thank you so much Plum. So you too have been becalmed by fate I see and I'm very glad that you're now out the other side. It's been a revelation how much my general well being is affected by not being able to exercise and it's given me a great deal of empathy for people who are in this situation more or less permanently, particularly those who like us are TMS prone.

I'm not generally a competitive sports' fan, just too stressful for me because I get too involved in spite of myself, so I haven't been following the football or the tennis for that reason. However I am enjoying the Tour de France which has been going a week and has another two weeks to go, mainly because of the gorgeous French countryside that the cyclists traverse. I lived in France for 10 years in the 1980s so this annual event summons up wistful but happy nostalgia for me.