Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers of two, three and four legged creatures! Yes, three! I have a three-legged dog!
Today was a more painful ankle day and I am not sure why. Maybe because the stress of the dog situation yesterday but I don't know. Update: the doggies eye must have gotten rubbed overnight and it bled a little bit. I put a cone on her head to keep her from doing it tonight. If it isn't better I will get her to the vet tomorrow.
While taking a bath I read an article in Arthritis Today, titled Positive Results. It was about how your mood can affect your symptoms and treatment. The report sited how a patients mood can sometimes determine the course of treatment by how the patient reports symptoms to their doctor. A person who feels depressed may recall more aches and physical symptoms; while a person who is anxious may report more present symptoms.
To give your doctor an accurate report start by doing three things:
1. Keep a daily diary. Record symptom severity, time and activities.
2. Take a deep breath. Before a doctors appointment take a breath.
3. Distract yourself. If you feel you are stuck thinking about your symptoms, call a friend or relative to focus on something else.
There are also tools to track your mood:
* Arthritis Today's Track + React
* Freeprintablemedicalforms.com
* Mymoodmonitor.com
* Moodtracker.com
I really feel that moods play a large part in my treatment. When I was nervous and anxious about my surgery date in April, I knew it was not right for me. I knew the May 9th date was the right time to have this surgery done. I am in a much better mental place now. I know I will heal better and have an overall better outcome.
Until tomorrow...
When I first got ra I was so overwhelmed with things I just had to keep doing, my mood never got to even be on the radar. I am sure i was crabby though as I was in horrific pain. Now....13 years later...I so agree that mood plays a vital role in everything and not just chronic illness either. I think that mood impacts all functions of our body and often I will put on uplifting music or whatever I have to so that my frown becomes a smile. Is it easy all the time...no! But because I realize that a better mood will help me psychologically which will allow me to handle my pain better. I don't think that mood will eliminate pain or reduce its intensity but I do believe it will help me to divert my thoughts onto something else and distract my focus on my pain.
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