Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group a month up north

Hello all!
We are on our way home from our month in northern Michigan. It was a lovely month, quite relaxing for me, though my poor husband had to work. Except for a little bit of laundry and cooking, there wasn't anything I really needed to do. I spent lots of time reading, napping, doing Qigong and going for long walks.

Maybe it's a symptom of my vitamin D deficiency, but I just couldn't get enough of being outside. In the evening, when my husband and kids were watching TV, I'd slip outside and just wander around and feel the sunshine on my skin, look at the blue sky and the trees and bliss out.

Like during the past two summers, I developed new joint issues this summer. Is it a coincidence that I always fall apart in summer? This summer it was the base of my big toes and my pubic symphysis.

The good news is the bases of the big toes are almost better. I added some padding to my shoes and increased the arch supports. It took some tinkering to get it just right. First I added Dr. Scholl's pads to my shoes, which padded the sore spots and increased the arch support a bit, but it wasn't enough. Next, I cut a piece out of a cereal box and slipped it under the arches of my sneakers. Within two days, the nagging knee pain which has dogged me for the last two months was completely gone. Before the big toe started, I had also been developing some IT band syndrome which is pain on the outside of the leg just above the knee. That improved too when I increased the arch supports, but not all the way, so I kept tinkering. Next I added another support piece to just my right foot, cut from a piece of paper. That did it. The knee pain was gone, the IT band pain was gone and the base of the big toes started improving dramatically. They're not quite 100% yet, but are a little better every day, and that despite the fact that I've been walking several miles a day.

I think that walking all of the steep hills in Michigan knocked my SI out of alignment and triggered my pubic symphysis pain. I used some isometric techniques to realign the pelvis and cut out the steep hills. That helped, but the area is still really touchy.

Despite the joint stuff, it's been a great summer and I don't really want to go home and get back to real life. We are stopping in Sault Ste. Marie and Tobermory on our way home and those should be beautiful. I'm looking forward to some picnics on the Huron shore and some good hikes. I probably won't have access to a computer until I get home next week.

Karen

Karen,

I really hope you had a great time enjoying this beautiful state. Please come back some time again and stop by for a visit!

Glenn

So glad to hear you had a great time!!

so glad you enjoyed your "month up north"....
i agree with you about being outside....
to me, that's all the "meditation" i need....
whether its sitting and looking at my garden, walking (anywhere that i can hear birds or waves crashing or the wind through the trees....and not cars), or watching the sun set.....i really think we humans were meant to be connected with nature....but that's just my opinion.

sue

Karen, I hope landing at home and the resultant decompression isn't too hard on your system. Honestly, I think full time vacations should be a law!!!

Are you going to the Canadian Soo or the American? If you're stopping in Tobermory, I have to think the Canadian. That being the case, are you driving down onto Manitoulin Island (through Espanola and then Little Current) and taking the ferry across to Tobermory? It really is worth the drive. Such a beautiful area.

And the Huron coast is lovely. Enjoy your ramble home.

Warm hugs,

Yup, Kat! You guessed it! That's the way we went home-Manatoulin, Bruce Peninsula and through Hamilton to the US. I thought of you and waved in the direction of Toronto when we passed.

We are home now and I have tons to do-laundry, a huge pile of mail, groceries, and getting the house back in order after my three young adult children were home without us for a month.

Mantatoulin and the Bruce were lovely, though we had far too little time there as we needed to get home. David and I agreed we'd like to go back some time and do the area justice. We did a beautiful hike on Manatoulin and hiked back to the Grotto near Tobermory. We took the more difficult route to the Grotto yesterday and my body is complaining about it today-too many rocks jerking me feet and ankles around!

The ferry ride was really nice, too. We sat on the top deck until the rain drove us inside.

It's time to get back to reality here. I see the PT today. Hopefully, she can get my neck fully realigned and see if my big toes need some mobilization. I'm wondering whether my feet joints are tightening up also as I've had some inflammation in my feet this last month. My big toes were a little sore again last night, so I tinkered with my arch supports again this morning. I want her to watch me walk and let me know whether I am over pronating or supinating.

And then it's back to work with me in a week or two. Theoretically, I start August 1st, but often it ends up being a bit later than that.

There are still six more weeks of summer left, though, and I intend to soak up all the sunshine I can!

Karen

Glad you had a great time. I get a whole 3 days off next week. My last day at current job is Tuesday and I start new position the following Monday 4th

Cheers

Brian