Right Direction

Poem of the day...

Pain can be so strange.

I wrote this poem to process a setback I had a few months ago (left ankle discomfort) and the emotional distress that I believed was the contributor. (husband’s cancer diagnosis)

LIVESTRONG=Hughes Strong

It’s important to know that emotional distress can show up in our physical bodies. Our nervous system is our harm alarm and is always looking out for us. The good news…there is one thing we can control 100%— our thoughts about our pain experience or our circumstances.

Pain is always real no matter what is causing it.

I use to think “I hate this, what did I do wrong!” now I think “I don’t like this discomfort but what can I learn from this?”

What is something you use to think?

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Poem of the Day:

         RIGHT DIRECTION 

Pain can come 
Out of nowhere
No fall
No injury 
I’m not even sick 
Yet my left ankle is throbbing
And the output is to limp 

What was the input
What turned up the alarm 
I didn’t turn funny  
I didn’t trip 
My nutrition is great 
Is it my mind playing tricks? 

Quick- 
get me an ice pack 
And some wine (not really I don’t drink wine) 
I’ll lie down 
Retrace my day 
Why does my ankle have so much to say? 

Is it really about this afternoon?
What the doctor said…
This is concerning, a biopsy will be sent   
My entire body felt cold
I froze—could cancer be taking hold? 

I grabbed my husband's hand
As he sat in the bed, 
pale and weak
I kissed his cheek  

My mind raced with all
sorts of terrible thoughts
Could that be the reason
my left ankle feels like
it’s in knots? 

I’ll take some deep breaths
This doesn’t mean death 
My brain has it wrong
My ankle is fine and strong 

I will not freak out
I know what this pain is about  
I will move my ankle as 
I read to my son 
I will get a good night’s sleep 
An optimistic attitude I will keep 

Though my nerves are on high alert
I have some ways to turn it down
What I say and believe about my 
ankle is more important now—
    
This discomfort is temporary 
I’m physically fine
My nervous system is 
looking out for me 
during this time. 
 
Pain is so weird 
So strange at times 
I woke up the next day
Sore but fine—
a run will do me some good 
to clear my mind. 

Movement I love to
decrease the protection  
and give my body evidence 
that we are moving in the right 
direction.

    —Thank you brain but I've got this