The First-aid Kit

It looks like the sun is going to shine here again today. We've had temperatures in the teens and lower with blowing and drifting of snow. But when the sun shines the land sparkles like diamonds.

Day nine in my transition from psych meds to vit. and min. supplements.

I feel okay. A little nauseated but not too bad. That is one of the side effects or maybe just getting a little sick. I'm not feeling great today, but it is tons better than a few weeks and months ago. It could be a regular upswing, but I have had too many good consecutive days with the new supplement regimen to find it coincidental. Could it be a placebo effect? I sincerely hope not.

I don't want to dwell in any way on the negative today. I think I will work on my self-soothing first-aid kit. My doctor asked if I had one and I had not heard of it before. I've learned of having positive and negative containment boxes, but not a first-aid kit.

The first-aid kit is personal and is to be used when feeling down or depressed. It can have such things in it as tea packets, soft socks, a good book, affirmations, poetry, beautiful pictures or illustrations. All things that give you a warm feeling to uplift during times of distress. I mentioned a couple days ago that during this time of feeling well is the time for writing down all of the positive things so I can look back at them and know that I will feel good again even if I fall into a pit psychologically for a time.

Some of the blessings and great things in this life for me are my family and good friends, My Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ, my Redeemer. Days of sunshine, my daughter whose nickname is Sunshine, (or Boo, but that might embarass her :)), my husband who so truly loves me. Our cat Missy who likes to crawl in bed with me in the morning to get her tummy rubbed. She has never really learned how to purr, but she's getting closer, a little louder every once in a while. That makes me smile.

I should be sitting here with a cup of tea, or warm milk with Italian Sweet Cream added, or hot cocoa. Instead, I'm relatively warm since my husband wrapped me in his insulated shirt and a fluffy blanket to keep me warm in our old farm house. These are the kinds of things that are in the scale of a full day, miniscule in the time it takes, but so sweet, how can I not feel his love for me.

My plans for the day, besides creating my first-aid kit, are to go to the Y, to get some healthy endorphins going. This new treatment cautions agains using strenuous large muscle group exercises like running or doing the cross ramp eliptical that I normally use. Rather it is recommended that participants either walk or swim. The reason to avoid over use of large muscles such as the thighs too intensly is that it releases toxins into the body from years of medication that may result in post withdrawal symptoms. The toxins will eventually leave the tissues, but it may take years. I want this to be as smooth and pain free as possible, therefore I plan to heed this advice and swim. There is something so soothing about being immersed, sound muffled and feeling your body work through the water. That sounds like a plan.

I have packing to do today and some home repairs. Just thinking of the good things gives me a little boost to get off my. . . chair and get something done!

Have a great day.