Kratom Testimonial

Posted by twinklev

Please support product safety regulations and the Kratom Consumer Protection Act instead of banning and criminalizing Kratom.

2016 was my rise and fall. I was at the height of my volunteer advocacy career. I had also fallen to rock bottom when my prescribed medications were denied or delayed on a regular basis by my workers compensation carrier. I had been with my Pain Management Doctor for 12 years when I was abruptly dismissed by his Physicians Assistant while he was on vacation. My fire letter states Physician/Patient breakdown. No other reason was given for the dismissal.

I had been a model patient and in full compliance until that day when I told her I had attempted to end my life.

I’m a former California Ambassador, Executive Board Member, Advocacy Director, Healthcare Advisor, and Legislative Speaker for the International Pain Foundation.

I recieved 2 prestigious awards that year for my advocacy. The Medtronic Bakken Award and the iPain Hero of Hope Award.

I left advocacy abruptly due to repeated major depressive events as a result of the unmanaged physical pain of CRPS and comorbidities.

My Complex Regional Pain Syndrome also known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome is a painful, often progressive debilitating neuro inflammatory auto immune related illness, nicknamed a “suicide diseade” This condition was acquired as the result of a work related injury 22 years ago. Initially diagnosed as a sprain it was later determined that the tendons were torn from the bones of my right foot. A midmetatarsal separation. I had a Lisfranc fracture. I underwent 2 surgeries, and intense long term physical therapy. I had to learn to walk again.

I had a permanent spinal cord stimulator implanted on my spine in 2006 to help disguise pain signals and reduce the symptoms of nerve damage. I was taking a low dose opioid with an antidepressant, anti seizure medication, muscle relaxer and a benzodiazepine for several years. The Benzo and Opioid were not always prescribed together.

I had tried Kratom about 15 years prior, yet hadn’t taken it often at all.

To this day, medical care for my work related permanent injury to my right foot has not been re established.

I began taking Kratom after my dismissal from medical care but it was on a moderate basis, not every day.

I’ve now taken Kratom for the last 4+ years as my main medicinal support for chronic pain and other illnesses. During the years that I was a patient, my blood pressure was consistently high. I was taking 2 blood pressure medications prescribed by a primary physician unrelated to my workers comp pain management physician. Kratom has significantly reduced my blood pressure, and I haven’t taken the Lisinopril or Hydralazine since approximately 2017. I was being treated for Sleep Disorders. Kratom also assists my Narcolepsy. I haven’t returned for a refill of my Nuvigil medication since 2018.

Kratom offers me a life preserver each day, and it’s imperative it remains an option. Without it, I surely wouldn’t be functional on any day.

Some days making dinner is my only achievement and on others I can get in 10-15 minutes of exercise because of it. This is huge considering there had been too many bed ridden days.

I haven’t been suicidal since drinking tea. I skip a few days here and there and I’ve had no adverse reaction other than a rise in pain and chronic illness symptoms.

I should add that I abused alcohol as a pain reliever before ever taking Kratom regularly for pain.

My heart says Kratom has helped with continued abstinence. When I stopped consuming alcohol I hadn’t began having the daily tea yet.

I’m 4 years and 5 months sober now.

If Kratom wasn’t available to relieve my pain and symptoms I don’t know where I’d be today or if I’d have attempted suicide again. That sounds horrid. Being in so much pain one could even consider it is even more horrible. We shouldn’t live in suffering. Kratom is why I’m able to hang on.

I’m under no physician care and my Spinal Cord Stimulator hasn’t worked since 2018. I have 2 leads/wires and 16 electrodes on my spine. Its hasn’t been managed by a physician at all since I was let go as a patient.

In lieu of medical treatment, Kratom has been my crutch.

Life’s hard, pain’s hard, and without this life giving plant it would be unbearable for me.

Sincerely,

Twinkle VanFleet, 54, Sacramento, CA. Twinklev.strongerthanpain@gmail.com

—

My brief summary statement for Legislators in less than 250 characters.

Please support product safety regulations instead of banning and criminalizing Kratom.
Kratom offers me a life preserver each day, and it’s imperative it remains an option to manage multiple health conditions that include incurable neuro-inflammatory and autoimmune disorders with chronic intractable pain.

CRPS – A Balancing Act

Posted by twinklev

It’s NERVEmber! November is Nerve pain awareness and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Awareness month.

I attended the iPain Summit yesterday which was streaming live from their Facebook page-

https://www.facebook.com/iPainFoundation

https://internationalpain.org/

I enjoyed.

Yesterday was the 5 year anniversary to my husband’s 3rd heart attack, the 4th was 11 months later. Reflecting, I was in constant fight, flight and freeze. This illness directly impacts the fight flight stress response alteady. Trauma after trauma. I was also attempting to recover myself from my last suicide attempt which was earlier that same year in 2017.

That year, even though I was still mentally unstable from various happenings of 2016, was the beginning of healing.

I’ve made the journey without Healthcare and for the last few years without the use of my Spinal Cord Stimulator, and also without self medicating with alcohol. It may sound as if I’m complaining,… it’s been hard, and it hasn’t eased up. I can’t even talk about some of it, which means I’m forced to carry those things, and constantly divert my mindset to something good. Instantaneously.

One of the topics presented at the iPain Summit was Caregiving. I’m both a caregiver and a…

I’m not even sure how to refer to myself because I’m not a patient anymore. Even when the pain communities refer to us as CPP’s, ugh, but wait chronic pain person works for me instead of chronic pain patient. Woot!

Nah. Still doesn’t work. The ussumption would remain. Not all of us are patients!

Every last aspect of my existence must be balanced to be able to lay my head down at night and feel blessed to have ended another day ok.

I was listening to Ken Taylor speak on caregiving while preparing our dinner for the evening. I cook all our food. It’s all homemade. Heart healthy as best as I can for my husband.

It seems and feels like it takes me all day and if I deviate from my daily routine in any way it worsens my overall experience.

My Facebook memories reminded me yesterday that my Narcolepsy diagnosis via sleep study was 10 years ago. That’s been a mission of it’s own.

When Barby was presenting I had propped my phone under my lil table top Xmas tree that I have on a shelf and got a 10 minute stationary walk in. It was a walk n watch. Ha.

On Saturday I tried to attend a crps support group meeting. I just don’t understand Zoom. I attended another time, audio only, and could at least partially participate. I was trying video this time, but couldn’t get the audio to work. I couldn’t figure out settings to enable it. Then I crashed the phone twice and didn’t try a 3rd time. Learning disabilities.

My husband installed the Zoom app on his phone just so he could help me learn to navigate for future use.

We’re each others Caregivers.

I’m home alone much of each day. He leaves for work at 5:15 a.m. and if on time, he works until 2:30 p.m. Dinner is usually served by 3:45 p.m.

Sounds nuts to some, I’m sure. And that’s perfectly fine. It’s part of my balancing act to have dinner ready early. It’s routine.

It’s all a balancing act and I’m exhausted. I’m not always able to differentiate mental or emotional fatigue from Narcolepsy and other sleep disorders, yet the body fatigue is extreme because of pain and comorbidities.

I put a piece of roast in the crockpot about 90 minutes ago. It’s nearly 11:30 a.m. now. I started writing this 2 houes ago.

I start my days early, I have to in order to get dinner, dogs, and dishes done, no matter. I’m down for the day by 5 and often asleep by 8:30 p.m.

I suppose some of this comes with age and I’m most definitely not a spring chicken anymore.

Green Vietnam with a dash of Super Green MD this morning. My Spinal Cord Stimulator use to be my life preserver, now Kratom is.

Forward in Faith

Posted by twinklev

These months have anniversary affects attached for me and so managing depression can be a little harder than other times of the year.

Everything from unborn children loss to my husband’s several heart attacks to leaving advocacy, abandoned by my pain management specialist, denied care, suicide holds, death, so much more. I just pray that nothing else happens as I move through the seasons.

I’m not healed yet I remain IN healing.

I’ve reached out to a couple of people this year. Making amends of sorts, Trying to, I suppose. Break any ice that might be there.

Closure.

This time 4 years ago I was at my wits end once more. Denied care after trying to re establish after all that before and it was denied further.. I didnt try to kill myself, I promised I wouldn’t do that again. My husband had just had his 4th heart attack. He had it when we returned from my nephews funeral. I had been abstaining decently from the use of drink. His 3rd was barely a year before. My physical pain was awful (it was going on 2 years since losing my PMD) and I have no doubt the worry and stress added to the intensity of it all. His 4th year permanent work anniversary is the same day as 4th heart attack, too. I say permanent because he was with them as a temp during the 6 months prior.

Sad, looking back. Sad, no medical care, understanding, even compassion is there to help a person. I literally ended up an alcoholic because of CRPS. I’m sure that was lingering since the very first time I used booze to relieve. That was 21 years ago. January will be 22 years since the injuries that led to CRPS. I’ve had 8 years sober before. Each day, I get closer to beating that.

It was there that the beginning of alcoholism sprouted.

Whiskey would warm and ease these ice cold painef bones. Booze can be used as medicine. It can and has been for centuries,, but the problem arises when it becomes a regular basis. It then becomes a necessity you rely on. Become dependent on.

I was dependent on those medications I was abruptly discontinued from, too. The years it took to adjust. Cymbalta withdrawal was brutal. All anyone wanted to talk about is the opuoids. That’s not the only thing that helps or hurts people.

Anyway,

I may be an alcoholic now, but I’m a recovering one and I plan to die one day still free of it.

I attend Church (online) each Sunday. March will be 3 years.

I’m on a 866 day Spanish Learning streak.

I’m still doing my music movement therapy. I’ve had a few periods of time I’ve been unable to.

I’m at 3 days a week, about 12 minutes each session on average. It hurts to do and it hurts not to.

I’ve been off and on the low carbs the last few months. I’ve gained some weight back of the 40 that I’d lost. I wish I had taken more pics when I had gotten lower. I didn’t though. Some days my swelling and inflammation is so bad, you can’t tell at all that I had lost any. Other days it was / is noticeable. Let’s just say, I’ve kept 30 off.

I’ve heard people gain weight when they quit smoking. I have no idea if this contributed for me.. Next week will be 8 months and November 18th, I’ll also be 3 years and 10 months alcohol free.

I did promote to 3 lb dumbbells finally. It took a long time. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to increase from here. I can move them at my side for stationary walking, I can’t lift them up (like a birds wings spread outward, or like a butterfly) without intense pain at my elbows. Probably Tendonitis, Idk. I have that diagnosis in other areas of my body, so it seems likely. It feels like meat being torn away from the bones.

I turned 54, 2 weeks ago. Collage photo dump. I haven’t shared any of these.

Photos, October 26, 2022.

My goals for this year is to re establish a sense of community. My social anxiety is pretty bad at times.

I currently engage lightly, (emojis, love, and care) I stay friendly, but do not take part in the bickering between groups, or individuals. I don’t really participate in actual conversation and if so, seldom. I’ll stay the same as the last several years and remove myself from anything no good for me.

I attended a CRPS support group meeting last month and plan to continue doing so. I enjoyed that.

All we can do is live forward.

If I ever hurt you, while I was hurting, I’m sorry.

Forward in faith…

Simply Stable

Posted by twinklev

It remains difficult to manage life with so many illnesses. It does! I often refer to myself as “stable”. It’s the best term I have to describe “not suicidal.”

Stable is a good thing! Even when the struggle is heavy. Yes, indeed, its a good thing.

Few people can relate to physical pain so intense that you lose your mind. Most can only relate to their own level of severe and thats perfectly okay. Imagine your severe, and have that severity, rarely ever stop, and see if that wouldn’t put a major dent in your entire existence.

The amount of work I’ve put in the last 18 months surely helped, yet didn’t bring any of it to a halt.

I’ve put in this “work” many times before. It’s all work, everyday, and then there’s extra work. Just trying is work. And then you have to “be able to” in the first place.

Pain hurts! It’s not as simple as many believe it should be. It’s not! All these things people think if we did, we’d be fine, is a form of false hope. It can be detrimental to force onto others “if they only did this” it could be all better. But since they won’t do it, or complain about it they must NOT want to get better. That’s not true! Perhaps there’s a few people out there that might apply to, but seriously not accurate for most of us.

Its a nice way to nudge someone into depression or raise their anxiety by guilt shaming them. After all, if they only tried.

How TF you know if they tried or not, or how much they’ve put in? You really don’t.

No wonder so many people feel badly about themselves. Worthless. Not measuring up. That’s not going to help them heal in any kind of way.

I prefer to love and care for people where they are. At all times. I know too deeply what it feels like to be judged, discarded, and thought lowly of.

It took 6 months again for my shoulder and cervical spine to finally ease down. During that time there were several instances that I thought it was near the end of its course. It wasn’t. The music movement therapy I’d been consistently doing at least 3 days a week, and sometimes 5 became less and less. The last time I completed a 3 day week was in early May with 1 day in last week.

My lumbar spine hasn’t slipped in nearly a year. Thank you, Jesus.

My neck and shoulder hadn’t been this bad since Manual Ligament Therapy nearly 6 years ago.

While that pain is wonderfully decreased currently, and has been for 2 months now, my neck is often swollen. Noticeable and embarrassing at times.

CRPS – I get days where my feet look great! I’ve had extreme edema, and discoloration more times than I could count. 1000s. It’s nearing 22 years since the injuries that caused it. There’s also a half dozen other significant problems in that foot alone. The other foot is better, yet has issues, too. Orthotics help when I can tolerate wearing them. Aligning my spine and posture is a major plus. Unfortunately the times when my feet swell, I can’t put them on, there’s no room to even try to force them and push through it.

There’s been times when swelling moderately existed, but not severely and I did wear them anyway. My feet already feel as if they’re being crushed, so all that does is really crush them. I have to learn to back off.

I have my own psychological hangup caused by others. “I must not be trying hard enough, and I must not want to get better”.

I wake each day full body swollen. My face, beyond puffy. It takes an hour or two every morning to be able to move about without that pain. I start moving myself immediately upon waking. The first walk to the kitchen is the toughest, feels horrible, and seems to take forever. Swelling may decrease throughout the day, even my appearance is better, and then the inflammation happens in my sleep it seems, and I wake to it all again, each and every day.

I’m still using Cat’s Claw.

I just had my soberversary 2 days ago. 3 years and 6 months alcohol free and 5 days ago, 4 months tobacco free.

Neither has made much of a difference in any overall pain related quality of life.

Still happy I stopped them tho.

I’m not doing well, nor am I doing badly. I’m managing.

I’m simply stable.

Made it to Georgia for Mama

Posted by twinklev

My dad had just died a couple of weeks before. He passed away at home on Memorial Day. My mama was critical in ICU again, and not expected to make it. I hadn’t been able to reach Dad in time, nor attend his funeral. My Auntie, who was also my God Mother, was both holding on and passing away at the same time.

My brother in law sent me a ticket that would leave Sacramento June 28th, 2022. I had just a few day to ready myself. I would travel light, a small carry on backpack, the clothes I was wearing, 1 leggings, overall shorts, and a couple t-shirts, and camis to rotate.

Something incredible happened. 2 days before I’d board the plane, mama woke up.

And she was home by the time I got there. Instead of a visit that would’ve been spent by her side in the hospital, filled with uncertainty and grief, was overflowing with gratitude and grace.

Mother and Daughter – Stronger Than Pain

My sister and her husband did all they could to get me there. No one had this type of money. The ticket was over $600. I hadn’t seen my sister in person in 20 years.

I really didn’t know how I’d physically make this trip, only that God always knows in advance everything, and all the extra physical therapy I’d been doing the many months prior would benefit me. The weight I’d lost would help me weight bare better, and I could do it, I had to.

I was more worried about my cognitive dysfunction. I made notes of everything I’d do, including “possibilities”, such as getting lost, or my legs giving out.

My daughter Rikki was driving from Michigan to pick me up at Atlanta and drive us to Manchester where Mama lives. She stayed with and took me back to the airport for my flight home.

My son Ozra had food and supplies delivered the day before I boarded. He bought my regulation backpack, jump battery for my phone, cash for airport coffee, and food if I needed.

Rikki would pay for anything I needed in GA. She bought me CBD honey sticks for pain. Grateful for my kids and everyone who helped me manage this.

I was there for my dad’s month anniversary and visited his resting place. It’ll also be where mama will be someday.

Breaks my heart that my God Mama went to heaven on June 28th while I was in the air. She still hasn’t been laid to rest yet.

I flew back home July 3rd.

I haven’t really begun to grieve. I know these things have happened, but it was all too close together. Couldn’t really process them as they were occurring. There wasn’t even any room for that.

My Mama is a miracle, and having reached her in time is another.

That’s my focus!

Thank you, Jesus!

Father’s Day – 2 Daddy’s in Heaven

Posted by twinklev

My Dad passed away at home on Memorial Day. It seemed fitting, as many said, for a Vietnam Hero and wounded warrior.

When I wrote last he had just been diagnosed with cancer during a 9 day hospital stay. 2 days before Mother’s Day he was taken back for a mild heart attack. On Mother’s Day, my mom who was at the hospital with him had a severe heart attack and was rushed to the cath lab immediately. She underwent stent repair, replacement and additional stents were added. She has 7 now. She spent several days in ICU while dad was on the cardiac unit.

My mom has had a pacemaker for several years now. The doctors said her heart cannot be fixed anymore. Ever. She’s had at least a half dozen heart attacks now, and 3 or 4 in just the last 2 years.

During that time we learned Dads cancer was stage 4, and had already spread. He made it home for a day, and was taken to his chemo appt, where an ambulance was called and was admitted again. He finally made it back home to pass away. He was gone just a few days later.

When mom was discharged after 6 days they wouldn’t let her return to the hospital to be with him. Due to her own health, they said. She was so scared, and unwell. But for him.

There’s a couple blessings in this heartache. One is that mom was in the hospital when she collapsed with her heart attack, it saved her life. The other is that Dad did make it back home to pass on with her with her by his side.

The thought and possibly of them being separated in his death was devastating.

I wasn’t able to be there for them. I’m in California and they’re in Georgia. I wasn’t able to attend his services or burial, and that’ll forever tug my heart.

Between the cost of a plane ticket, averaging a $1000 at the time, and my physical ability, or rather inability the obstacles became larger. I kept thinking if funds were available I could do the trip but it would have to be from here. Prices were coming down some, but that was flying out of San Francisco (always cheaper that way) instead of Sacramento where I reside. Frisco is 90 minutes to 2 hours away. Traffic can add hours to that, and Bay area traffic can be rough. It would have taken me 12 hours or about (flight and travel) just to get to Atlanta GA, and then another 90 minute car ride to get to my parents home in Manchester. Not counting any layover or plane transfers.

If I could have gotten on a plane in Sacramento on a non stop flight that would have assisted my physical obstacles to manage getting there but those were the expensive tickets. If a caregiver accompanied me that of course would be double the cost. It was all out of reach.

I’m praying with all my heart tickets come down enough that I might still be able to make it there in the next months to see my mom. I already know that if I can somehow, that it’ll be the last time in this life I’ll ever see her. I’ve been trying to come to terms with that.

But more so that I’ll never see her again anyway since her heart is in that bad of condition, and the loss of dad has her in deep depression as well. I have to prepare myself in advance.

This Father’s Day, both of my Dad’s are in heaven. Lauren Wood 1991, and Don Tresca 2022.

One is my birth dad, and the second is my dad not by blood, but by love. Technically Don was my step dad, but has been just dad too for nearly 25 years.

Breaks my heart that my mama has been widowed twice now.

Some children never had a dad at all. How incredibly blessed I am to have had 2 of them.

Rest in peace and love. Best Dads ever!!!

Heartache and Happiness

Posted by twinklev

In just the last few weeks both my auntie, who’s also my God Mother, and my Dad, my second dad, has been diagnosed with cancer.

My aunts came quickly. Confirmation that is. Metastasized full body. Seemingly quickly, I should say, it’s been there spreading to get to stage 4 like this. Doctors dismissed her complaints as whining. She’s on hospice at this time, and is declining rapidly.

We just learned of Dad a few days ago after a 9 day hospital stay. Small cell carcinoma lung cancer. We don’t know what stage yet.

My birth dad died of lung cancer in the 25th year of marriage with my mom.

My mom’s husband now was also her high school sweetheart before she met my birth dad. I’m so happy that after we lost my dad, she found the man who’s been my dad the last 25 years. My birth dad died when I was 22. This Dad has been an amazing husband to my mom, and wonderful dad to my sister and I, even though for me its at a distance.

A year ago docs said his lungs were fine.

I have anger because I don’t believe they fail to see spots, shadows, cancer in scans. They just don’t tell us earlier on. Call me paranoid but I don’t even care. Healthcare is a shitshow. Thats all it is. And people die because of it. Heartbreaking for aunties children and grands.

I’m trying to stay focused on all the good around me. Tone down emotions of worry and grief so I can be okay, too. So that stress doesn’t instigate my conditions. But of course, its occurring. I can’t reach my parents, they’re in Georgia, I’m in California.

I stay praying Dad still has time.

There’s both heartache and happiness. Happiness for all the love.

My daughter Rikki will be here Tuesday from Michigan. It’ll most likely be the last time she sees auntie.

Heavy.

Former smoker

Posted by twinklev

There’s hardly anything left to change about myself anymore. Evolve is all thats left.

About 6 weeks ago, I decided it was time to stop smoking. I know, I know, bad habit.

I had ceased smoking for over a year about a decade ago, and again for more than half a year in the same few years. I used Chantix, yet that wasn’t an option this time.

If I could get through the last 6 years without doctors, treatments, medications, and give up drinking for over 3 years now, I could surely do this.

I have! Today’s my 6th day done.

No going back.

I weaned myself lower and lower, and I had tried a generic patch. I don’t recommend that. It hardly made any difference. I used Nic lozenges and those were helpful enough to cut down, not quit.

I’d have to rely on self control and hope that all the work I’ve done for myself over the years to keep intractable pain, major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders stable would benefit me for this, as well.

I didn’t want to become frustrated and give up. At one point I thought I chose the wrong time to try. Too much going on simultaneously. I ended up in a flare, and that made trying harder some days.

What do smokers do in pain and under stress? Smoke! Ugh!

On March 14th, I began NicoDerm patches. March 15th was my last Cig. On the second day, I wasn’t sure yet if I’d achieve this. It already felt harder than quitting drinking had been. Then again I wasn’t a drinker like I was a smoker. Not even close. On the 3rd day, I had more confidence again.

My daughter had left me the remainder of her vape. I have it on hand. I’ve minimally used it. Its like a security blanket. Just being there makes any mental aspect easier.

I won’t be replacing cigarettes with the vape. This is only for now. It makes no sense for me to replace nicotine with nicotine in the long run. Not my goal at all. I know that people have done this, and I would never take that from them. I’m proud of them for making there own change. For me though I want to be entirely done with any type of smoking. I don’t even smoke cannabis.

I’ve used it, I’m not a user of it. I’m a mini hitter quitter. Ha! I can’t tolerate it like most can. A pinch of edible occasionally. That’s it!

The most I’ve gotten out of it is muscle relief at times, or sleep. It doesn’t help me otherwise.

People are always trying to push the weed my way. No thank you. When I lost pain care, I got my California certification to use it medicinally. I tried several types, edibles, flower, pens, cbd, cbd thc combo, etc. I let my certification expire because the benefit wasn’t better than being high. We’ve become legal for recreational usage since so I still have access if need be.

I’m trying to face life not have another escape from it.

We’re all on our own journey. It’s the best thing there is for some, and not for others.

I started NicoDerm with Step 2 instead of the first step. My intake was less than half pack a day. Some people still smoke while using the patches during wean down. I didn’t this time. I dislike the term “suck it up” yet that’s exactly what I had to do. I just needed to get through those first couple of days. Anyones last cig day is probably the same.

Hand/mouth part of the habit can be rough. Years of repetitive actions. Same thing over and over again. My husband got me some dum dum suckers to help with that. I’ve had a few, but I’m not needing to sit or move around with a sucker between my lips all day. I think I just wanted it because it was a sucker more than for that habit itself.

When I had quit smoking previously I referred to myself as a former smoker instead of a non smoker. I felt non smoker took away from the true non smokers. Those who’ve never smoked at all.

Former is good for me.

Feliz lunes a todas!

Binaural Beats for Pain, Stress, Anxiety, and Depression

Posted by twinklev

It can be difficult to manage stress and anxiety with chronic and intractable illnesses.

I’ve been practicing stress reduction for decades now, yet I’ve not mastered it, entirely.

Meditation, deep breathing, shifting focus, distraction, so much more.

I’ve done well to keep myself from any type of mental breakdowns since the major ones that had occurred. It’s a constant challenge to stay on top of my well-being.

My body does react negatively still. Pain syndromes cause pain of course and stress will causes even more. When depression slips in it becomes a total mind and body assault that’s difficult to cope with.

One thing I’ve changed for the better is breathing. That’s been for several years now. It did take some time for that. I always had a tendency to hyperventilate during extreme pain. The first time I experienced that, I was 19 and giving birth to my first baby girl. I was in distress, and my unborn baby was experiencing my stress to the point the doctor attached a fetal monitor to her tiny head while she was still inside me.

Labor hurts! I had her naturally and it was painful. My second daughter who was born 12 months later? Epidural! Part of me wants to laugh at that, and part of me is saddened by it. I was afraid of that pain again. My rainbow baby boy who was born 9 years later, I chose natural again. I could do it! I would do it! He sustained a birth injury, a Pars defect, fairly common I’ve read,, and the cord was wrapped around his neck and body. I’m so glad they didn’t tell me that, I most likely would’ve panicked and caused him further injury.

I’ve shared Binaural Beats here before, many years ago. They can be a helpful tool in managing ourselves. If nothing else there’s calm and peace in listening.

Similar to Lavender or Camomile Epsoms salt soaks. It doesn’t always take pain away but it’s relaxing, soothing, and the aroma therapy from it is calming, too. Therefore worth the soak.

If you’re not familiar with Binaural Beats, I’m including a few links to try them.

Binaural beats

Stress and anxiety
Depression relief

Sutter Health

—

Stress and anxiety relief

—

Deep healing
Repairs and heals DNA level
Frequency healing

Binaural beats are essential in body healing: an illness will indirectly be healed using binaural beats. However, from scientific studies, there is a thin line between physical and mental health. The physical body will be naturally stronger and healthier after mental health has been promoted.

Natural Healing Society

Binaural Beats

My own pain is currently heightened. It’s also raining which causes arthritis to flare up with CRPS. My legs and feet have the deep bone and muscle aches, and burning intensified, yet since taking Cat’s Claw, I’ve only blown up with swelling and discoloration twice in the top of my feet to the point my shoes didn’t fit for a bit each time. That part is amazing. My heels are inflamed. That hurts all by itself. Heel spurs. It’s like walking on broken glass. I haven’t much learned how to relieve that. My orthotics do help some for the Plantar Fasciitis, Tarsal Tunnel, and Achilles Tendonitis. It takes a couple hours upon waking to ease down. By 5:00 p.m. my feet have had enough again. I’m glad I got enough weight off my body to wear them.

I’m hopeful that as I continue to take Cat’s Claw the benefits will increase.

Binaural beats are in my ears right now.

Wishing you all pain eased days and nights.

Cat’s Claw | uña de gato

Posted by twinklev

I previously mentioned Cat’s Claw. This is a starting point which may be of interest to you. In regards to my CRPS and other chronic illnesses, I’ve found that Cat’s Claw offers a wide array of benefits.

Some of the information claims cures, I’ll not claim a cure because it’s offensive to some who’ve been deemed and diagnosed incurable by western medicine. To me, incurable implies the medical system either doesn’t know how to cure an illness, or doesn’t have enough information themselves to do so. In some cases, perhaps they just don’t want to. Medicine has become a business more than anything else anymore.

Many of my own conditions are incurable. I’d like to believe the cures are out there and I just haven’t found it yet.

Something I’ve often wondered is that, for example, if my CRPS became curable, I’d still be left with the several secondary illnesses either acquired from it, or those seemingly unrelated, yet affected by it.

Believe me when I say its become my mission to relieve them all.

Uncaria tomentosa is a woody vine found in the tropical jungles of South and Central America. It is known as cat’s claw or uña de gato in Spanish because of its claw-shaped thorns. The plant root bark is used in herbalism for a variety of ailments, and is sold as a dietary supplement. Wikipedia

Some references state it can begin working in as little as a few days, others about a month. Like most herbs, roots, and supplements, a month is reasonable.

I’ve taken it approximately 10 days. Day time burning related to CRPS has lightened. As of yet, night time hasn’t relieved. I was able to get my shoes with orthotics inserted back on yesterday, after swelling had increased again the last couple of weeks. Edema and discoloration has been a major part of CRPS this entire 21 years of having it. It can be random or caused by weight bearing. There are times its much better than other times. My shoes are on and went on with ease. At this point it may be a coincidence.

My take away from all the research and watching videos on Cat’s Claw is that its potential is incredible.

A compilation from my notes include:

Inflammation, Improves RA, Osteoarthritis, dialates blood vessels, repairs cellular damage, repairs dna, repairs chemo therapy induced DNA damage, repairs RNA, protects neurons, tumors, diuretic, intestinal complaints, heals wounds, may fight cancer, immune system support. It may fight and inhibit growth in leukemia, promotes healthy white blood cells, lowers high blood pressure, improves various neurological symptoms, inhibits blood clot formation, increases circulation, calcium channel blocker, relaxes blood vessels, immune modulator, Decreases inflammation in the brain. May assist HIV and AIDS, combats herpes, improves digestive problems such as crohns disease, diverticulitis, gastritis, colitis, hemorrhoids, leaky gut, stomach ulcers, parasites, muscle and joint relief, colds and flu relief, antioxidant, antiviral, anti mutagenic, fights viral infections.

I’m highly interested in its ability to repair cellular, and DNA damage.

Its antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral effects have proven particularly effective in combating persistent infections such as Lyme disease, Candida, Eppstein-Barr (glandular fever), herpes, bladder infections, hepatitis, prostatitis, gastritis and Crohn’s disease.Apr 23, 2018

The Cat’s Claw, a miracle cure from the jungle

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncaria_tomentosa

https://www.rxlist.com/cats_claw/supplements.htm

https://www.drugs.com/npp/cat-s-claw.html

6 Benefits of Cat’s Claw + Side Effects

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/cats-claw

Side effects
Generally well tolerated and considered non toxic. Possible dizziness, diarrhea, nausea.

I haven’t experienced any side effects. Please keep in mind that I’m not taking any pharmaceuticals. I have no idea how it would interact with any. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before using this.

Caution
May interact with other medications
and immune modulating drugs.

Do not use if pregnant, or nursing. Do not give to children without doctor supervision. Discontinue 2 weeks prior to surgery.

If you have Lupus, MS, Parkinsons, bleeding disorders, talk to your doctor before using.

The brand that I purchased is by NOW and cost effective at about $15.

YouTube References

Looking forward to sharing more about this in the coming months and any noted relief or benefits with other illnesses including, but not limited to, Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Crohn’s, Gastritis, Narcolepsy, and Brain Health.