Asking for prayers/vibes/positive wishes.

Eamsee, sweetie, you have no control over these flare-ups except to try to reduce stress. We are here for you. You will definitely be in my thoughts and prayers. And with all of us praying you'll be just fine on your wedding day!! Wait and see. God is good all the time. Big hug and a kiss. ❤

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Way ahead of you on that! Every night I play meditations on YouTube. In addition to my physical issues, I also have PTSD and insomnia is a symptom of both. Especially when the pain is so bad. It's a good thing that I am a nerd because if I do not end up falling for asleep with meditation, I binge watch nerdy documentaries. For example, right now I am listening to a documentary on the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. When we renovated our upstairs bathroom I splurged and put in a Victorian style cast iron claw foot tub and I take frequent lavender and salt baths. I have a reading rack that goes across it with a space for a wine glass too, so that's been great. I always try more natural methods first, but have learned that hard way that medication is necessary at a certain point with my conditions. I am always up for advice and suggestions and I thank you for them and your well wishes!

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Thank you so much!

View Quoted Comment Thank you so much!

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Thank you! I appreciate it!

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Thank you so much. Yes, as stubborn as I am, I am biting the bullet and not straying from their orders one millimeter. I truly appreciate the support and well wishes!

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I struggle deeply when it comes to asking for support, whether that be physically or emotionally. I know we all have our own trials and tribulations and so I always feel selfish when I bring up my problems. Even when I seriously need it, like a few months back when I fell down my stairs and got a concussion, I felt guilty that I had to call my FMIL for help. I think part of it is also my wounded pride at my loss of independence. I don't think that I will ever fully accept it.

I am sorry to hear that you also are dealing with a chronic condition. Not only do we have to deal with crappy symptoms and the toll taken on our bodies, but the stress alone of always having the "what if" in the back of our heads is enough to drive us crazy as well. I appreciate your well wishes and support greatly and I hope that you too will find yourself in optimal health on your wedding day!

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Thank you so much!

View Quoted Comment I am a member of the disabled community too, although mine is intellectual. I've got Asperger's and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (an anxiety disorder). Where your anxiety causes debilitating pain, mine brings on panic attacks. I was in a situation where the stress caused aphthous ulcers to flare up all over my mouth. I got treatment for them and they went away, but that was the tipping point where I realized that the stress wasn't worth my health. If you can convince yourself that your wedding day will be just fine, then maybe your thought process will ease up on your stress levels and the pain will subside. Of course that all depends on whether your pain is psychological with physical symptoms or just physical.

I think that you will have a great day.

Sending well wishes your way

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Thank you so very much for your kind words! I most sincerely appreciate your support and well wishes. It helps so much to verbalize (get out) my fears and anxiety and receive nothing but positivity in return.

Sending much love and best wishes! Congrats btw!

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Even though our conditions aren't the same, there are definitely similarities. I have PTSD, with anxiety and panic attacks being two of the biggest symptoms stemming from it. I know how hard panic attacks are to deal with, how helpless you can feel when they cross that line into a full blown attack that just needs to "run its course", the embarrassment and shame that comes along with it, especially if you're in public when it happens, the whole lot of it. People can be so cruel and judgmental, which makes it 100% worse. I never know when or where I will be triggered into one and so even just leaving the house makes my anxiety rise, worrying about "what if it happens today"? I have been working with a therapist and psychiatrist and have learned a lot of coping mechanisms, but I also know that it isn't likely that it will ever go away. It's more of a matter or learning how to cope on a minute by minute, day by day scale.

It isn't so much that the anxiety causes pain, it's when my physical conditions start to flare and that makes my anxiety go from a 5 to an 8. I sustained spinal cord trauma that developed into Syringomyelia, RSD in my lower back, left leg, and left foot, extensive nerve damage in my lower extremities (most severe in my left leg), and I suffer from severe muscle spasms. I had a spinal cord stimulator implanted in 2017 and it helps significantly, but can only do so much. I walk with a slight limp on a good day and on a bad day I usually stay in bed, or if I need to go somewhere, I use a wheel chair. I know 99% of people mean well, but literally there isn't a single day that I leave the house where someone doesn't come up to me and say "What happened to you, did you hurt your foot?" or something very similar. Since all of this was due to a vicious attack that by all logic and reason I should never have bee able to walk away from with my life, it immediately triggers my anxiety to a level where a panic attack it just a breath or two away and also triggers flash backs. So, the mental and physical are connected to one another and when one flares, the other always follows.

Those ulcers sound horrible and I am glad to hear that you were able to get successful treatment for them. My PTSD actually caused a Shingles outbreak. I had it for about 9 months and with very strong medications, it went way. Unfortunately I have had a relapse, complete with open blisters, but I am taking the medication strictly as directed and I am hoping that at least they will close and stop bleeding for our wedding next week. I am lucky though, that they are only on my lower left back, so none will show in my wedding gown.

You are 100% right that positive thinking is very important. No matter what condition/disease/disability some one may have, nothing good comes from thinking negatively. I am really glad that I ended up going against my initial reservation about writing the post that I did, because all of the support has been wonderful and it really does help to have people remind me that no matter what, I am still extremely blessed and have so much to be thankful for. Thank you again for sharing your story with me and reminding me to focus on the good, no matter how bad I feel in the moment.

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Thank you!

View Quoted Comment Thank you so much and congratulations to you as well on your engagement!

Let me start by saying I am sooooooooo sorry! And hopefully you caught this in time!

Sweetheart, I have CPS, PTSD & a few others, so I feel ya! I am scared to death that my neck will “go out”( the nausea and dizzy/faint and severe pain go w/it), as I had previously broken it, and then had trauma to it several times after, for any event( trips, wedding, etc).... But these things help:
1) Meds
2) Massage therapist- mine is weekly at my home
3) My Kittens- Yes purrrrrs DO work wonders!
4) Resting when I need to
5) Deep breaths
6) Watching/listening to a TV show
7) Ginger ale w/ice
8) Peppermint oil roll on for pain
9) Heating pad & ice packs, sometimes one on each side of my head/neck...
10) My Person hugging me and rubbing my neck/head/back

So, even tho it may not be the same as the Kittens being there, here are a couple pics of them. Gideon, 6yo, Grey Siberian/MaineCoon mix & Loki, 4yo, Snowshoe Siamese/Burmese mix.... Sorry if you’re a doggo person.... lol

View Quoted Comment Behold! The power of positive thinking! 😂 Just remember that everyone attending your wedding already knows you and loves you. If you have an attack there, they will understand why, because they know you. You are a strong person and a survivor. They may feel bad for you, or whatever, but they are only human. They will be there to celebrate you and your husband as well as your strength and accomplishments. Don't worry about people judging you on your wedding day, because they won't be. The only thing you need to focus on is having a great time.

I hope that you are well enough to fully enjoy your big day! I am thinking of you!

Sending ask the positivity to you on your special day. I pray you will be mobile and won't flare up at all anymore. Good is with you and HE will see you make it through that day without any medical complications

Sending you healing wishes. I truly hope and pray you will be healthy on your wedding day.