Stretching for relief
Neck and shoulder pain can be relieved with stretches. Part of this is from poor posture but the main cause of my problem is osteoarthritis. One of my orthopedic doctors probably mentioned posture, cold and hot packs, along with stretches. After my own skepticism wore off, I realized he was right.
Psst: Frequent interruptions are screwing up my senses making me look incompetent. Oh well! Excuse me. A special toddler is far more important than competence.
My left shoulder aches. Whenever I turn my head to the side and notice it hurts, stretching my neck (gently) while slowly sitting up straight makes it stop. Trying to fall asleep is still a challenge.
Here is an interesting bit of psychology that may help in looking on the bright side rather than the situation: Wikipedia “rumination”
“Rumination is the focused attention on the symptoms of one’s distress, and on its possible causes and consequences, as opposed to its solutions. Both rumination and worry are associated with anxiety and other negative emotional states; however, its measures have not been unified” (Rumination, 2017, Wikipedia).
[1] Nolen-Hoeksema, S.; Wisco, B. E.; Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). “Rethinking Rumination” (PDF). Perspectives on Psychological Science. 3 (5): 400–424. doi:10.1111/j.1745-6924.2008.00088.x.
[2] Smith, J.M.; Alloy, L.B. (2008). “A roadmap to rumination: A review of the conceptualization of this multifaceted construct.”. Clinical Psychology Review. 29 (2): 116–128. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2008.10.003.
Finally realize that I do not qualify for social security or any kind of affordable insurance. Therefore, I’ll be my own doctor, psychiatrist, coach, boss, and whatever is necessary to improve. Government has kicked my butt to the curb. Things might even get comical. One can only hope.