TENS and Cooking

My sciatica started acting up so bad I had to go to an pain specialist. They suggested an machine called TENS. It has electrodes that stick to your body and send electric waves into your body. It disrupts your pain sensors and releases the tension in your muscles. Well that is how they explained it to me. 

I have stated many times before that I love to cook. And, I will try just about anything to keep me still cooking in my own kitchen, for as long as I can. 

The interesting thing is that it works for me. I can cook with it sending signals down my back and without pain. I use it on the lowest settings that helps me with the pain. I want to keep using it as long as I can. So I start on low and work my way up to the stronger voltage. 

New Cookbook

As I get feedback from my listeners and followers, I adapt. I have gotten comments on my 1st cookbook called Body, Joints, and Soul. The comments were at bit harsh but I did ask for honesty. Things like the picture was grainy, the spacing was off and the book look unprofessional. All of those things can be corrected and refined. This was, as I said, my first time ever writing a cookbook. All my other writing has been more dramatic. 

However, some of the more positive comments are the ones that moved me to change. Yes. I will address the issues pointed out to me. However, one of my followers was disappointed of the lack of vegetarian dishes. So I am incorporating more vegetarian dishes or options in my 2nd cookbook that will be out in March, just in time for Easter.

Raise your Left hand

   When dealing with the changing world of arthritis you have learn to read the situation. I had to go to my hand specialist, today. I had a Gout attack in my left hand around Christmas. It made for a painful Christmas. I spent most of my time between the hospital and my room with my hand in a bucket of freezing water. It was not fun but I tried to stay positive. 

    After the holidays my left hand pain started to get better. It wasn't in constant pain but movement of the fingers got more difficult. So, I scheduled an appointment with my hand doctor. I never thought I would need a hand doctor in my entire life. However, back to the story. By, the time I went to my hand doctor my hand was only in pain when I tried to make a fist or grab something with my left hand. 

     I explained to him that I was concerned for two reasons. One, I was afraid I had loss the use of my left hand and two, that every time I get an Gout attack in my hands it will cause damage. My doctor assured me that my hand would be fine and gave me a cortisone shot for my hand. And, when I asked if every time I get a Gout attack in my hand will I have to get another shot. He just answered me with a statement "You and I,  Charmaine are going to have a long relationship with each other." Which to me, if I am reading the situation correctly, means I will be getting cortisone shots for my hands throughout the year. Another reality of chronic Gout arthritis, that I hate. 

Working through the Pain

    I hate being stuck in bed in pain. So what I just wrote is so much more than just the pain. I have been depressed before because of long periods of being stuck in the bed with sciatica. So being back in bed again with another flareup is like having a flashback to that mindset. So I want to limit the amount of time I have to spend in bed.

    So I was thrilled when this flareup only put me in bed three days. However, when it was over the stiffness was still in my body. So when it was time to cook, I had to move slowly and plan out my steps. I had to use my backup, frozen, and prepackaged food. I hate using it because it has too much salt and sugar. However, those TV dinners are worse. This is why I like to cook extra food and keep it in the freezer. However, since my son is not a cook and my microwave died last year....it is either prepackaged frozen food or fast food. 

   Anyway, at least the pain was manageable, today. And, the most important part is I got to cook (warm up) food in my own kitchen. 

No cook day

Today is a bad day for cooking. My sciatica is acting up today. I couldn't even walk 2 feet today. I had cooked some Orange Chicken and rice yesterday for dinner.I had left some over for lunch and dinner today. However, with me stuck in my room I couldn't eat it.

I had to order fast food and deal with the pain. Heating pads and pain meds help. This is why I suggest making extra food when you feel good. Now, if it was any other part of my body, I would have been able to eat my leftovers. 

My advice is to always plan backup meals ahead of time. 

Posting Issues

I had a huge Gout attack and couldn't post. I do apologize. Arthritis is a beast and can have you screaming in pain. And, trying to cook is crazy. I had made extra food on Sunday for me and my son to have leftovers. I planned on giving the leftovers to my son but then had to take it back. I hated doing that but my son is a grown man and can cook whenever he wants. 

So the tricks I told you on my Podcast: The Arthritic Cook, worked perfectly. 

Anti Fatigue Mat

    My son brought me an anti fatigue mat from Amazon for Xmas. I love it, to pieces. As you all know that I love to cook but it was getting impossible to cook a real meal. Because, if I had to stand in the kitchen for more than 10 minutes my foot would hurt. I would even wear my Diabetic cushion shoes and it would still have my foot swollen the next day. I hated it and knew something had to change. It was either an anti fatigue mat or an stool to sit on while cooking. 

   Honestly, I was not really trying to do the stool, unless I had to. In my mind, it was like being in a wheelchair in the kitchen. I know that is silly but all I could see in my mind's eye was me sitting in a chair trying to cook and not being allowed to stand up. Well, at least not in the kitchen. Both of my legs work, I can walk and stand. So telling me not to stand in the kitchen...well it felt like, yet another thing was being taken away from me. And, I couldn't do anything to stop it. So I am so glad this mat worked. I will talk about, again on my podcast.... "The Arthritic Cook".