Relaxation and a little bit of exercise

Well I had my appointment with the ME consultant who was very understanding and confirmed that yes my symptoms have been caused by ME for the last ten years. He's doing some checks for auto-immune diseases and I have a follow up appointment in October when I may be referred to the ME clinic, which consists of emotional support (CBT) and help with encouraging my body to do a bit more (graded activity). These two approaches are pretty controversial but I'm willing to give it a bash considering that my health has been a bit better and I would really like to start incorporating some exercise into my week.

We had another camping trip at the weekend. This time over to the west coast, just north of Stranraer. Not a part of the country I'm familiar with but it was very pretty and good fun. Campfires, marshmallow toasting, gentle walking and lots of reading; very relaxing! I'm not sure why but I do tend to relapse with the dreaded sugary and unhealthy snacks when I'm away so back on the wagon again today!

Keeping calm in a busy city

I've been pretty good with mindfulness and meditation over the last week. I downloaded an app which you can get some more info on from:  http://www.getsomeheadspace.com/  Basically its 10 minutes for 10 days. It's been very helpful. Also from today there is the new Deepak Chopra and Oprah 21 day meditation, this time focusing on relationships. I enjoyed the last one so am going to give this a bash. http://www.oprah.com/own/First-Look-Deepak-Chopras-21-Day-Meditation-Challenge-Video

Tomorrow I have an abdominal scan in relation to the haemachromatosis to check there is no organ damage. I'm sure it will be fine given that my iron levels are still low. The main worry is that I have no one to look after my little boy so I'm hoping he can occupy himself in the room for 30 minutes while the scan is done...

I have been doing pretty well on the healthy eating front. Last week, I made a few salads including smoked mackerel, apple and fennel with a yoghurt and lemon dressing which was very tasty. Yesterday I treated myself to a 'skinny' eggs benedict; muffin, a few asparagus spears, a poached egg with a drizzle of olive oil and some shavings of pecorino - yum!

At the moment the Edinburgh Festival is on so the city is extremely hectic for the next three weeks. Although at times it can be exhausting pushing through the crowds (especially when you are trying to get to work!) at the same time, it's great to get involved. This morning me and the boy are off to see Tiddler and other terrific tales. Apparently its sold out so I have high hopes for it!

Weekend away

So it turns out that although I have haemachromatosis, my iron count is fine at the moment so I can carry on eating red meat and basically enjoying life. It wont be until my later years that I may start to have problems but it will be closely monitored. Back to the drawing board.... My GP has now referred me to the 'ME specialist' so it will be interesting to hear what he has to say.

We have been away camping over the weekend to a lovely place in Fife called the Pillars of Hercules http://www.pillars.co.uk/ (an organic farm with a tasty cafe and a chilled out vibe).

We spent the day at St Andrews where my little boy ran wild on the beach and was even allowed to go out for a little while on a canoe - cue very excited 3 1/2 year old!

We also checked out the local ice cream shop which had a whole array of ice creams - spoilt for choice! We ended up choosing sky blue (marshamallow flavour) and butter pecan mmmmmm....

It's lovely to get away for a weekend, especially in the nice weather. It did feel like a proper rest.

 Just what the Doctor ordered! 

Taking control

For a few days my mood started to dip again. I think it was due to feeling so run down with fatigue and headaches caused by sinusitis and hayfever and these recurrent mouth ulcers I've been having for the last six months. What was annoying was that I've been very disciplined the last week; going to bed early, eating well, no alcohol and pacing better so it was rather frustrating. Then I decided yesterday that only me could get myself out of that negative head space and so I've been incorporating mindfulness into my day when I can. Leading on from the ten ways to make yourself happy in my last post, I've also been more considerate towards others; letting other people in front of me when I'm getting on the bus, letting cars out at junctions (which I tended to do anyway but sometimes was so distracted by my own feelings that I forgot). I have to say that it feels good and has helped to shift my thoughts into a more positive frame of mind. I realised the last few days, I was being quite self-pitying. I came across a post on another blog which really helped put things into perspective:

http://currankentucky.wordpress.com/2013/06/14/reluctant-acceptance/

The author talks about coming to terms with living with me/cfs and how although the condition has no cure (yet!)  the control lies with the individual i.e. if you're not looking after yourself then you are only going to feel worse. I believe it's really important to nurture both your physical and mental health as they are interconnected.

Funnily enough today has been a much better day....

Happy city living

So I'm now a city girl and so far I'm enjoying it. Maybe because I know it's time limited. It's great to be able to step outside and have lots of nice shops, delis and boutiques on my doorstep oh and it's a 20 minute commute by bus to work, which after my last hour and a bit commute is blissful! On the downside,  it's expensive living here and I miss the garden, plus the shorter commute means I don't get as much reading time to myself. However the flat is smaller so less cleaning and tidying to do and I have a size-able kitchen which I is amazing after the boxy kitchen in the last house. There's also a lot of green areas around. The photo below was taken after a fifteen minute walk from our flat. You can see over the whole of Edinburgh.

Health wise, I knew I would be struggling a bit after the move and so I've been resting more which thankfully seems to have paid off. I have my initial haematology appointment next week so feel a little apprehensive but am keeping positive. I continue to do meditation although for shorter times and usually before bed, which isn't always the most restful time to do it but I still feel it's beneficial. I've also been more aware of my thoughts and actions and practising mindfulness, something I would like to explore further.

I came across an interesting website http://www.actionforhappiness.org/10-keys-to-happier-living  which lists the ten ways that have been proven to make your life happier and more fulfilling and how you can incorporate these into your daily life. I'll let you know how it goes...  

The Bare Necessities.

So the house move is underway. Two days to go and still quite a few boxes to pack. Understandably it's pretty stressful and so I've decided to lighten my mood by identifying 'the bare necessities' in my life. Not basic needs, more luxuries and in no particular order (apart from my boy of course)....

1. My boy 
2. Chocolate
3. Meditation
4. My iphone (blush)
5. A relaxing bath
6. Clothes
7. Music
8. Freshly laundered sheets
9. Fluffy towels 
10. A night out every two months
11. Magazines
12. Books 
13. Sunshine 
14. Warm house
15. Films 

Everything will be alright

So I have a hospital appointment soon regarding my iron levels which is encouraging and in terms of fatigue, I'm pleased to say that my energy levels haven't been too bad.
I've been away in Mallorca on a family holiday which was lots of fun but busy, so I've definitely not been pacing as much as I should have been and although my diet of fish, salad and grilled veg was healthy, I'll admit to the odd glass of wine and quite a few desserts....
Although the meditation hasn't been as regular as I would have liked, I have been relaxing every day and am still tuned in to how my body is and responding by moving my activity levels up or down a gear.
The house selling situation is still quite stressful as the sale has not been concluded and we only have two and a half weeks to go - crikey! We have found a rental however and are in the process of organising removals etc. so everything is on track and the main issue for me is to try and keep it as stress free as I possibly can.
I have a journal by my bed side that's titled 'everything will be alright' and I'm confident it will be.