Stressed

[unknownclown]

Ok the last couple of months have been horribly stressful with money situations and a bunch of other things to the point where its really affected my health.

I started off late february with blisters that appeared on my hand. After they started to take over my right palm I started to worry and went to the doc. Come to find out I had shingles (BLECH!) talk about disgusting! Ok so I rush the kid in for her chicken pox shot and start taking the meds to ditch the shingles. Then I break out in hives I suspected I had gotten it from eating crab but after about a week and goin to the doc I found out it was the meds. I had taken them 3 times a day for 2 weeks and was covered in hives. It was horrible! If you even touched me youd think I was sunburned the heat was unbearable! I took a bath and my 4 year old daughter came in speachless until i asked her what was wrong and she asked me in a scared voice,"Mommy, are you turning into a monster?" Poor thing she was scared for me and of me. Finally the shingles went away leaving hardly any skin left on my hand, but I was still stuck with the hives dang they itched!!! Then I caught the flu (Double Blech!!) When that went away I noticed more blisters on my hand and didnt know what to do so I took some of the meds I know Im allergic to cause if you dont catch it in the first 24 hours I found out you get nailed hard with them. they went away pretty fast but I now think i have nerve dammage in my hand. 2 days ago I found some more shingles I could cry!!! I also found out that I had a staph infection and Ive also had heartburn for about a week. Ive Oh and to top it all off I have a cold and my left ear either has fluid in it of its infected. Ill find out on tuesday.

My doc insists that I do something to reduce the stress in my life but refuses to give me something for it. Im already on prozak and I think my immune system could be shot for having a bad liver I havent had it checked in awhile.

Ive decided that each day Im gonna make a point to do something for ME and relax. which is why you all may be blessed a bit more with my presence then before. Im going to try and get more into this hobby also. Last year I lost alot of plants due to not making enough time for them.

Im curious what does everyone else do for relaxation? I mean I cant continually preen and prune my plants I need other outlets. Im a single mom so I dont have alot of money to take a vacation or anything fancy. Any suggestions (which are legal) would be helpful except 1, no suggestions about finding a man with all these skin problems that is NOT an option! unless of course he wants to scratch all the hard to reach places, mid back & between the shoulder blades would be nice.

 

[RamPuppy]

ahh... and thus one of the reasons my passions have flowed more and more towards my reef tank. Watching a fish swim among coral is far more entertaining that watching your plants. Sure, the plants look cool, but are not nearly as active as a pair of of clowns cuddling up to their anemone.

my two cents... it is a rather expensive hobby however.

 

[JBL]

I'm very sorry about your stress level. I'm the same way at times. I go fishing. I've taken yoga classes and Tai Chi (both are fairly inexpensive). If you don't have time to take a class, buy or rent a CD or tape. Please be careful with those skin reactions from meds. They can be very, very serious.

 

[Trapper7]

Oh dear,I'm really sorry to hear what you're going through.My friends son has shingles right now also.I'm also on anti-depressants(not prozac).How's the weather over there?Maybe you could go for a picnic?Or do you have a dog you can go for a nice stroll with?I also heard that Yoga was really good.Take a nice hot bath with bubbles,and maybe some candles(if you're into that sort of thing)I love baths

Um...Where do you live?Maybe there's some sort of attractions you can go see(zoo,a nice garden...)Buy yourself a new plant.Oh! Origami is fun!Do you like to sew or knit?Baking?Take pictures of nature.Do you like animals?You could volunteer at the SPCA or your local shelter.I always feel better when I help an animal out

You could take a painting or pottery class at your local Rec Centre.I'm taking pottery right now,and I just LOVE it!Go buy yourself a new pair of shoes,or a shirt or a bag or jewellry or something.Um...I'm really trying to help you here cause I know what it's like to be stressed!Do you like to work out?Lots of people feel better after a nice work out.Doesn't have to be long,like half an hour maybe,and then you can go soak in the hot tub.Why don't you take your daughter and have a nice portrait taken of you two.WalMart has good prices for that sort of thing,if you have a WalMart that is.Go for a nice bike ride or rollerbladding.Rent a movie you've always wanted to see,and sit down with a bag of popcorn

Ok I'm running out of ideas here,lol.And you probably want me to shut up anyways

Ok well I hope I helped a little.*Niki*

 

[jimscott]

Niki had a ton of really good "little things" suggestions - very feminine. I would add taking walks, getting exercise, being distracted a bit by what is happening outside your home. Cultivate a friendship with a forum member who shares this hobby. I don't know the geography of Washington State, but Bonnie recently moved down there. Pinkerton is from Everett. So maybe you can visit with them?

 

[unknownclown]

thank you those are all really great ideas
Im actually trying to make a list of things that I can post somewhere in the house so Im sure to remember to take time for myself even if it means staying up later that the norm to do it. Sometimes the only time I get to myself is after the kid is in bed.
Also my place has become a reck since I havent been feelin the cleaning bug. I just wanna curl up in bed and stay there till I feel better.


Yay!!! I just heard a squeek my rabbit is starting to have babies in her cage behind me  

Now all I have to do is wait for the cat to have her kittens

better go, thanks !

 

[Wesley]

hmmm, babies what a joy! LOL I might also recommend taking a REALLY long hot shower (but not too hot, just comfortable and little steamy). Make sure the majority of the pressure hits the upper back area just above the shoulder blades. That ALWAYS does the trick for me it seems.
Most everything else I came up with was listed though.

 

[Starman]

I know a nice relazation method, just slop in front of the TV on a comfy sofa and turn into a couch potato. It always works for me lol
When I was very stressed and depressed last year I sometimes listened to classical music to make me relax and de-stress, it actually worked

Also, there are quite a few CPers in your state(Washington State), such as Homer.Also, Bonnie has recently moved to Port Townsend, in Washington State. Maybe you could arrange to meet up and cuotivate a relationship with them.

Or perhaps you could spend some time with your daughter, like going to the cinema. The good thing is you will relax and she will have fun at the same time. Or you could always rent a video or DVD.Alternatively, you could go on a mother and daughter shopping trip together.

Dino

 

[kahnli]

I had a run in with work related stress... The doc thought I had colitis so I had to go through all the absurd tests. I'm a chef so it turns out the 70hrs a week I've been working for the past two months was not healthy (not to mention the all you can drink free topshelf booze at the end of the night)... Go figure.
Anyway, I've taken a brief hiatus from work and letting the Sous Chef do his job instead of insisting I can do everything. My greenhouse is about a 1 1/2 miles from my apartment so I walk there now instead of driving. I'm doing lots of reading also.
You cannot forgot about the "me" time!!

 

[PlantAKiss]

Wow Shelly.  I'm sorry to hear about all that.  It sounds VERY stressful.  And I know what you mean.  I'm stressed out all the time.  lol

I think the "long walk" idea is really good.  Its easy, its cheap...and good exercise.  Is there a place that you could go to to swim?  A friend of mine used to tell me that whenever you are depressed or stressed to treat yourself to something.  It doesn't have to involve anything expensive.  Could be a walk, a bubble bath, a favorite candy bar, watching a favorite TV show, roughhousing with a pet....anything that makes you feel good.  Keep doing these things so you get little breaks from the stress.  Its not like going to Hawaii for a week but its better than being stressed out ALLLL the time.

Is there anything you've ever been interested in but have never taken the time to get into...like anther hobby?  In addition to my love for plants, I also am into antiques and rocks/mineral collecting.  Cruising an antique shop is always fun and relaxing for me.  Its sort of like going to a museum of the past.  You see all kinds of interesting things.  Sometimes I find things I used to have when I was a kid (like clubs and spears for hunting mastadons...hehe).  You don't really have to "know" antiques to enjoy seeing a little slice of the past.  

Visiting museums is fun too and usually free.  Art museums, history museums, science museums?

I think you should learn to knit...and then you could knit me a sweater.  

And BTW...I get hives myself and they are NOT fun.

 

[Clint]

i'd go to a different doctor and get a script for Xanax.

if your this stressed and it's causing illness then you need it.

 

[superimposedhope]

WOW, I'm sorry to hear about that. When I really need to calm down I chill with my moss garden. Like vaccuuming but with a pair of tweezers and clean it and whatnot. I know moss isn'tall that exciting but it works for me. Ram's got a good idea too, really any fish in a tank is relaxing to watch. It helps when you have a natural setting for the fish but just the smooth elegant motion of fish in water is pretty relaxing too.

Joe

 

[rattler]

stress sucks, i do everyhing i can to keep my self to as lil stress as possible as my body doesnt handle it well either though my reactions are different from yours. for serious stress i take a couple of my rifles and fill about a dozen gallon water jugs filled with tap water and proceed to destroy them, doesnt work for everyone but it does wonders for me. i also do alot of hiking when my knees are up to it, badlands, creek bottoms, anywhere that there is lots of stuff to catch my attention so i dont focus on whatever is stressing me out. for my birthday back in November Darla got me a canoe so cruising the lake and river will probably be added on to my stress free time. hope yah get better.

 

[unknownclown]

I actually asked for Xanax, Im guessing she said no because of my liver and I have to watch what I take.

haha Pak Id be scared to go swimming Id probably clear the pool area once they saw me in this condition. Oh and I hate to think what the chlorine would do to me Yeouch!

You all have great ideas thank you so much! Ill add them all to the list some may have to be put off untill I get better but nothing will be shruged off... although Im not so sure about the moss garden. I do have some moss at home maybe Ill clean it up and try to become one with it and see how it feels.
Id also love to learn to knit or croshay (I know I spelled it wrong) although Im not sure how to go about learning.

 

[Clint]

Try Chamomile (sp) tea.

 

[Trapper7]

Oh wow,it sounds like you're gonna have a lot of furry babies around

Are you keeping them all?What kind of rabbit do you have?I have a Mini Lop

And yeah Camomile tea is great!*Niki*

 

[FlytrapGurl]

The best way for me to relieve stress is to do anything to focus less on my life and more on other people's lives. Talk on the phone, read, watch TV, go on the computer, etc. I would ride horses to relieve stress, but unfortunately I only get to go maybe once or twice a month and it takes 25-30 bucks out of my wallet. Working out about 15 minutes a day helps me feel better about myself.

 

[unknownclown]

Quote[/b] (Trapper7 @ April 02 2005,1:49)]Oh wow,it sounds like you're gonna have a lot of furry babies around

Are you keeping them all?What kind of rabbit do you have?I have a Mini Lop

And yeah Camomile tea is great!*Niki*

I breed Mini Rex bunnies I think I counted 6 before I left to work today I dont know if she was still having them and I wont know for sure how many until maybe tonight or tomorrow depending on how the mom reacts. Sometimes when you come near the cage she will go hop right ontop of them to hide them and I dont like that. I like to leave her alone for the first couple of days before I start messing with them, bunnies can be funny about that kinda stuff.

 

[Gawd_oOo]

Sorry no real advise that wasn't said already, but working out seemed to help me out the most.

However all this talk of bunnies bring back a funny (atleast to me) story from when i was a kid. A Bunny decided to make her home right under my swing set. Before anyone had noticed it was there I had went out to do some swinging. The bunny must have thaught me swinging back and forth above her hole was a threat, and proceeded to chase me back and forth. Apperantly it was a particularly ferocious looking bunny, since it had me in tears and screaming in terror. Now I was young enough that I don't remember such an encounter, but my family loves to tell these goofy stories about me...

 

[superimposedhope]

I use to have a rabbit named Pantera that i would let out every couple days to run around the house. If he was under a table or dresser or like when it was time to go back to his cage, when reached under for him he would growl(kinda) and charge and even nip occasionally.

Another thing I like to do to take my mind off something is clean my plants. I have some moisturizing/foliar fert. cleaner that shines 'em up and gives a little boost as well as allows better "breathing" for the plant. Of course this can be very tedious and time consuming like when I bathe a rabbits foot fern. A TON of fronds and pinnae to individually wipe. My wife thinks it's pretty dorky to say the least but it works for me. I also love cleaning glass and mirrors but thats just me it seems. I just enjoy a clean, bright surface.

Joe