I just have noticed lately that this month I've been in just so much more pain and I've also been pretty depressed. But during December I was in a fantastic mood and felt amazing.

Absolutely, yes. It does.

I'm just kind of wondering if the stress/depression/absolutely ridiculous cabin fever is affecting everything else.

I believe it does for sure.

I'm just so tired, so sad, and so frustrated all the time and it's wearing me down.

i think it's obvious

If you have something to look forward to it helps a lot to focus on that.

we know with medical certainty that stress effects a person's health in a lot of very definite ways. So while a positive attitude might not cure what ails you, it certaintly can't hurt

I think that's one of the biggest things for me, I don't really have a real goal to look forward to anymore

Yup

I mean, I have vacations and stuff that I'm definitely looking forward to. But not real solid life changing goals.

Goals don't have to be life changing, they can be things you're looking forward to this week

What about your upcoming trip? That is exciting and something to really look forward to.

little goals in some ways are the best goals... they're the ones you're more likely to enjoy successfully reaching. Just because they're not life changing doesn't make them worth while

Try and set some time for yourself, to do something you want to do this week, and put it at the end of the week so you have something to look forward to, maybe?

I am definitely looking forward to the trips coming up. But I think I'm just having a hard time still adjusting from not being able to move, I wanted it so badly.

And I think with the impending CT scan, it's even harder to look towards anything past this week

HA www.plurk.com/Petrie000 so right, right now I am looking forward to the next season of House of Cards. I know its silly, not at all life changing but I can hardly contain myself

I know CT scans are no walk in the park but like Cyclic said....shoot for small goals each week. Like this week my goal is to get a pedicure & manicure.

I think once I get past this CT scan, it'll be a bit easier to be content with the smaller goals

you will be great Amy

absolutely

Ya waiting for stuff like CT scans and the unknown factor is always hard but you got this sweetie.

You're amazing...you can get through this.

A lot of decisions will be based off of this CT scan so I'm just really on edge about everything lately I think

I find it impossible to know where my mind begins and my body ends, you know? It is all interconnected. I hope you feel better soon.

It definitely does.

Maybe also the season? Winter + snow can make anyone melancholic. Spring is coming!

www.plurk.com/ZeeZuleicc... oh ya for sure

Winter has a huuuge impact on me, I'm dying to be able to go outside and just walk

Scanxiety.There is a name for it. It is the anxiety we feel leading up to a scan and while we wait for results. It is SO real honey. So real. Hang in there

yes, it's been proven over and over that it does

I'm starting to feel like all the people who have suggested meditation to me over the past few months might be on to something

Welp I find meditation helps, and tea, and if worse comes to worse maybe dunking my head in a chocolate fountain.

meditation does help you and if you commit yourself to it you can decrease your stress/anxiety a bit. Another anti-stress item I was recommended was Tai-Chi because of its slow simple movements.

all of those things help. Meditation, tea, exercise, talking to loved ones, whatever helps you is great. But don

I do think food can help too. I always feel better after a bowl of blueberries. Super foods get rid of some anti-oxidents that can cause depression.

don't be afraid to ask your Dr for medicine. When I was in the middle of diagnosis, coming to terms with it all Xanax was a real help. Ask for it if you need it.

personally, when I am stressing I pray a lot

also, sometimes watching a sad movie and crying over something else sometimes helps

Oh yeah! Your thought influence your behavior and vice versa.

It's schrodinger's appointment, until tomorrow, you've simultaneously got good and bad news. Once it's over, you may feel a lot freer

Think about getting something like Xanax to help with the stress. Hubs takes them heavily around scans and the follow up appts to them so he

Can actually fiction cause it eats at him so badly. He had a rare type of cancer that they cut out in Aug so it still freaks us both out a

Function rather -.-

But yes mental health is a HUGE factor in physical health.

can and does. Definitely. You can do tons of physical damage via emotional behavior.
However
In the other direction "mind over matter" can only go so far. Not everything can be overcome.

I skimmed and saw that people recommended meditation. I'd like to take it a step further and recommend you read a book or two on mindfulness. I can give you links if you're interested.

they were recommended to me to deal with chronic pain but there are general mindfulness books that might help in your situation.

That would be great!

There's actually a mindfulness app (they taught it at the pain clinic) Hang on, I'll find it

It's called Head Space. It's free and it's supposed to be very useful. I still use the techniques

The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal T...

Wherever You Go, There You Are or Full Catastrophe Living (Revised Edition): Using the...

The Mindfulness Solution: Everyday Practices for Eve...and the version for people with chronic pain: The Mindfulness Solution to Pain: Step-by-Step Techn...

Mindfulness Meditation and Neuroplasticity: Mind and... Mindfulness in Plain English: 20th Anniversary Editi...

plenty of choices there. Maybe your local library will have a few. Worth a shot, right?

Amy need to go to the book shop. She's bad ass

Definitely yes.