{"id":1435,"date":"2014-11-13T01:33:15","date_gmt":"2014-11-13T01:33:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/?p=1435"},"modified":"2014-11-08T23:42:35","modified_gmt":"2014-11-08T23:42:35","slug":"chronic-illness-and-pain-staying-the-course","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/2014\/11\/chronic-illness-and-pain-staying-the-course.html","title":{"rendered":"Chronic Illness and Pain: Staying the Course"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Image<\/a>
Image courtesy of dexchao\/FreeDigitalPhotos.net<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is a busy time of year for doctor’s appointments, tests, and other aspects of my healthcare management. But I can’t let the “other” aspects slide or lessen because other things fill my time. So, it’s nearly double-duty, with the appointments and exercise time, tests and rest.<\/p>\n

It can be very hard, now, to “stay the course” with my regular schedule when I have to add all of these other things in! And begin to enjoy this wonderful time of year.<\/p>\n

I’m sure you’ve experienced this, too. And it doesn’t get any easier the more health conditions you have and the more you have to manage. \u00a0here are a few of the things I try to do to keep everything current:<\/p>\n

o \u00a0Schedule exercise, therapy, and other essentials in just as you would doctors’ appointments and tests. That way, you’re making room for them in the same place as the “extra” things and are less likely to forget.<\/p>\n

o Understand what your regular routine does for you. Exercise, for example, can help with mobility (and your ability to get to and from a doc appointment with less pain), and it can help with energy. Maintaining your regular diet (and eating at retular times) is important, too, so that you have the nutrition you need and the energy, too.<\/p>\n

o \u00a0Try not to overdo one day only to be flat-out the next. We’ve all done it, thought that we could streamline our lives by scheduling more than one doc appointment in on the same day. After all, their offices are near one another, right? But too much can be, well, too much! Try to keep a steady pace, even now.<\/p>\n

o \u00a0Ask for help. It’s hard for all of us, but sometimes we need a little bit of help. Reach out to friends and others who have offered in the past. Laundry, a casserole, walking the dog, or helping navigate the maze of insurance issues are a few things that others might be able to help you with – and in so doing, lessen your stress.<\/p>\n

Above all, keep up with prayer and your other stress-busting tools. This is a joy-filled time of the year, and as much as possible, you want to be able to enjoy it!<\/p>\n

Peace,<\/p>\n

Maureen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is a busy time of year for doctor’s appointments, tests, and other aspects of my healthcare management. But I can’t let the “other” aspects slide or lessen because other things fill my time. So, it’s nearly double-duty, with the appointments and exercise time, tests and rest. 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She expected to be writing scripts. God had other plans. A few years after her graduation, Maureen was diagnosed with a life-threatening case of organ-involved lupus. Her life turned upside down as she grappled with the effects of the illness and other health conditions that ensued. She was no stranger to serious health challenges; even as a child, Maureen had survived numerous bouts of pneumonia, flu, and other infections. But lupus made her take a fresh look at her life goals - and took herlifelong, strong Catholic Christian faith and writing in a direction she'd never imagined. Today, Maureen writes and speaks about walking with the Lord while living with chronic pain and illness. Her most recent book is \"Don't Panic!: How to Keep Going When the Going Gets Tough (Franciscan Media). She is also the author of, \"Peace in the Storm: Meditations on Chronic Pain & Illness\" (Image Books\/Randomhouse), \"Beyond Pain: Job, Jesus, and Joy\" (Twenty-Third Publications), \"The First Year: Hypothyroidism, Second Edition\" (Perseus) and \"Taking Charge of Lupus: How to Manage the Disease and Make the Most of Your LIfe.\" She writes the syndicated column, \"Living Well,\" for Catholic News Service, and has also written for Saint Anthony Messenger Magazine, Journey for Women Magazine, The Upper Room Magazine, LupusNow, and Arthritis Today. Maureen's health continues to be a challenge, however she feels honored to be able to bring her perspective, from experience and knowledge, to others. \"Good Days...Bad Days with Maureen Pratt\" is a new way for Maureen to reach people who carry the burden of illness and pain in their lives, or who care for someone who does. Through the blog, she hopes to bring issues of health, wellness, and spirit into focus and, especially, inspire others that, no matter what health challenges, illness, or hardships they endure, each person can find a good way to realize the wonderful potential God has placed within each heart and soul.","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.maureenpratt.com"],"url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/author\/mpratt"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1435","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/548"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1435"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1435\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1437,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1435\/revisions\/1437"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1435"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}