The winter solstice marks the longest night of the year, the moment in time when the light is at its lowest ebb. Which means that it also marks the moment when, imperceptibly, the earth tilts toward spring, and the light begins to grow.
Where do you find signs of growing light in your life?
I started physical therapy a few weeks ago for hands/wrist/arm pain. This is the third time I’ve been in physical therapy for this issue and I’ve had surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome as well. Because I’ve had such a long history with this, the hope I have of ever getting better is hesitant. That said, the muscles in my forearms and in my neck/shoulder/upper back region feel somewhat mailable today. They’re still hard and they still hurt, but they’re not AS hard as they have been. Maybe the exercises are helping.
Of course, there’s still the challenge of sticking to said exercises. I fell off the wagon both previous times because the pain eventually diminished. Actually, there’s exercises I’m supposed to do for my hip that I haven’t done for months. I find it all overwhelming. Even if I stick to only the ones I’m presently prescribed for my hand/wrist/arm pain (vs. all the other ones I was given in the past), they still take well over forty minutes a day – probably closer to an hour. So that’s part of the “darkness.”
The good news is that right now I’m doing a decent job with sticking with the routine. Maybe this time will be different. Maybe I can figure out how to incorporate this into my life and start living in a way that causes less pain.
Hi Martin,
I wanted to give you a few words of encouragement. My daughter was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at an early age. She has dealt with chronic pain for most of her life. PT has helped her as much as any drugs we’ve tried, maybe even more so over the long haul. At one point in her teens, she was in a wheelchair. The outlook was bleak. Today she’s walking, driving and attending college. She still has some bad days but she is mobile and active most of the time. She has a good life. She sticks to her PT regime and it has paid off. I trust that your results will be as rewarding as hers. Hang in there and keep the faith. It can get better over the course of time if you stick to the plan. I’ll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
Al
PS: Like you, her dog has been a great source of comfort during the dark times. She is my daughter’s best friend and constant companion. That little dog is family to us. I’m sure you can relate to that. 🙂
Thank you so much for the support. It’s good to hear that your daughter has a rich life even with that diagnosis. And yes, I can relate to the importance of her dog.
After 20 years my husband and I are beginning to rise and fall on the same tide.