Information and opinions on health from Kat Updike at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/36580/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/36580/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/36580/index http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/51173/view-heaven Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:38:25 -0500 Kat Updike VIEW OF HEAVEN KAT UPDIKE 11-01-08    I WOKE UP EARLY TODAY AND LOOKED OUTSIDE, I AM A STRANGE DUCK, I LOVE RAIN AND CLOUDS. SOMEHOW THEY BLANKET ME IN COMFORT AND EASE THE SHARPNESS OF LIFE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A REALLY BAD DAY, A MIGRAINE AND FIBRO FOG KIND OF PUSHING ME INTO BECOMING A HERMIT. I FINALLY GAVE INTO TAKING A NAP AND MIGRAINE MEDICINE. WHEN MY NAP ENDED I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND WATCHED AS THE CLOUDS SETTLED ON... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/51173/view-heaven http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/51172/wandering Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:37:22 -0500 Kat Updike LOST KAT UPDIKE 10-17-08    I WALKED ALONG THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN, WANDERING, THINKING TO MYSELF HOW LOST I AM. GOING UP AND DOWN STREETS I RECOGNIZE BUT NOT BEING ABLE TO FOCUS ON THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO GO. MY BODY AND MIND SEEMS TO FLICKER ON AND OFF LIKE A FAULTY LIGHT SWITCH. I THINK TO MYSELF IF NOTHING ELSE THIS IS GOOD EXERCISE, I KNOW EVENTUALLY I WILL FIND A BUS OR BART THAT WILL TAKE ME HOME. BUT THERE IS ALWAYS THAT... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/51172/wandering http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/51171/holidays Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:27:10 -0500 Kat Updike HOLIDAYS KAT UPDIKE 11-25-08    I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS, THEY SEEM TO BRING THE BEST OUT OF PEOPLE. EVERY YEAR I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MY KIDS AND OF COURSE MY GRANDCHILDREN. THERE LITTLE FACES ARE BRIGHT WITH EXCITEMENT AND ANTICIPATION. MY THOUGHTS GO BACK TO A MORE GENTLE TIME WHEN I LOOKED AT THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS WITH JOY. IT SEEMS MY MIND STILL FINDS THIS PLACE HIDDEN SOME WHERE AMONG THE FIBRO CLOUDS. I TRY TO PREPARE... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/51171/holidays http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/50299/recuperation Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:19:45 -0500 Kat Updike RECUPERATION KAT UPDIKE 10-22-08 I LOVE MY LIFE AND THE ABILITY TO TRAVEL, TO EXPERIENCE THE BEST OF WHAT THE WORLD HAS TO GIVE HAS BEEN SUCH A BLESSING. TO SEE NEW PLACES AND VISIT THE PEOPLE I LOVE MEAN SO MUCH TO ME. IT GIVES MEANING TO MY EXISTENCE AND RESTORES MY SOUL. TO SEE MY GRANDKIDS IS SORT OF LIKE A VITAMIN B... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/50299/recuperation http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/39886/masquerade Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:25:37 -0400 Kat Updike MASQUERADE    I AWAKE EARLY, MY MIND RACING AND NOT ABLE TO SLOW IT DOWN. I FEEL SICK, MY STOMACH HURTS, MY HEAD ACHES, WITH A STIFFNESS WHICH RUNS FROM THE BACK OF MY RIGHT EAR TO MY SHOULDER. LAYING IN BED, I LISTEN TO MY HUSBAND FAST ASLEEP. I QUIETLY SLIP OUT OF BED SO I DO NOT WAKE HIM. IT IS BAD ENOUGH I CAN NOT SLEEP. I FEEL OLD TODAY, I CAN NOT PRETEND TO ACT LIKE NOTHING IS WRONG. MY PRETEND FACE, MY MASK DOES NOT FIT... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/39886/masquerade http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/39885/early-morning Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:23:00 -0400 Kat Updike MORNING   I WAKE EARLY THIS MORNING AND TRY TO GO BACK TO SLEEP. BUT I ACHE SO MUCH I CAN NO LONGER LAY IN THE BED. IT IS A RELIEF WHEN THE DOG BEGS TO GO OUTSIDE, ANY REASON TO GET UP IS WELCOME. I AM AT A LOSS, MY HANDS TINGLE BUT IT IS MY BACK AND HIP THAT IS KILLING ME. IT SEEMS EVERYDAY I WAKE UP TO THIS PAIN. I CAN NOT TELL IF THE PAIN IS FROM ARTHRITIS OF ONE OF MY MANY FALLS, OF MAYBE JUST ANOTHER FUN EFFECT OF MY... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/39885/early-morning http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/39884/pain-life Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:18:48 -0400 Kat Updike THE PAIN OF LIFE      TODAY IS A DAY TO WHINE AND I GIVE MYSELF THE PERMISSION TO COMPLAIN. I AM FINDING IT HARD TO WRITE FOR EVERY WORD, EVERY SENTENCE, IS BLURRED. LONG AGO I USED TO HIDE ALL THE PAIN WITHIN MY SOUL AND THE CONSEQUENCES WERE TRAGIC . I DID NOT WAKE UNTIL 10:00AM, I DID NOT SLEEP BECAUSE I WAS TIRED, BUT BECAUSE THE PAIN IN MY BODY WAS TOO MUCH TO BEAR. I HAVE ACCEPTED THAT PAIN WILL BE A WAY OF LIFE. IT IS... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/39884/pain-life http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/39883/pain-life Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:13:43 -0400 Kat Updike THE PAIN OF LIFE   TODAY IS A DAY TO WHINE AND I GIVE MYSELF THE PERMISSION TO COMPLAIN. I AM FINDING IT HARD TO WRITE FOR EVERY WORD, EVERY SENTENCE, IS BLURRED. LONG AGO I USED TO HIDE ALL THE PAIN WITHIN MY SOUL AND THE CONSEQUENCES WERE TRAGIC . I DID NOT WAKE UNTIL 10:00AM, I DID NOT SLEEP BECAUSE I WAS TIRED, BUT BECAUSE THE PAIN IN MY BODY WAS TOO MUCH TO BEAR. I HAVE ACCEPTED THAT PAIN WILL BE A WAY OF LIFE. IT IS DURING THE... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/39883/pain-life http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/39880/masquerade Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:00:09 -0400 Kat Updike MASQUERADE     I AWAKE EARLY, MY MIND RACING AND NOT ABLE TO SLOW IT DOWN. I FEEL SICK, MY STOMACH HURTS, MY HEAD ACHES, WITH A STIFFNESS WHICH RUNS FROM THE BACK OF MY RIGHT EAR TO MY SHOULDER. LAYING IN BED, I LISTEN TO MY HUSBAND FAST ASLEEP. I QUIETLY SLIP OUT OF BED SO I DO NOT WAKE HIM. IT IS BAD ENOUGH I CAN NOT SLEEP. I FEEL OLD TODAY, I CAN NOT PRETEND TO ACT LIKE NOTHING IS WRONG. MY PRETEND FACE, MY MASK DOES... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/39880/masquerade http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/39878/early-morning Sat, 06 Sep 2008 21:56:49 -0400 Kat Updike EARLY MORNING KAT UPDIKE 12-23-05    I WAKE EARLY THIS MORNING AND TRY TO GO BACK TO SLEEP. BUT I ACHE SO MUCH I CAN NO LONGER LAY IN THE BED. IT IS A RELIEF WHEN THE DOG BEGS TO GO OUTSIDE, ANY REASON TO GET UP IS WELCOME. I AM AT A LOSS, MY HANDS TINGLE BUT IT IS MY BACK AND HIP THAT IS KILLING ME. IT SEEMS EVERYDAY I WAKE UP TO THIS PAIN. I CAN NOT TELL IF THE PAIN IS FROM ARTHRITIS OF ONE OF MY MANY FALLS, OF MAYBE JUST... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/36580/39878/early-morning