In my sufferers, I cause.....

In my sufferers, I cause allergy problems, back pain, stiffness, tension, pressure, soreness, spasms, immobility in the back or back muscles, blanching, blushing, body jolts, body zaps, body zaps, electric jolt feeling in body, intense body tremor or "body shake", body temperature increase or decrease, change in body temperature, burning skin, itchy, "crawly," prickly or other skin sensations, skin sensitivity, numbness on the skin, burning skin sensation on the face, neck,ears, scalp, or shoulders, chest pain, chest tightness, choking, chronic fatigue, exhaustion, super tired, worn out,clumsiness, feeling clumsy, co-ordination problems with the limbs or body, cold chills, feeling cold, craving sugar, difficulty speaking, moving mouth, talking, co-ordination problems with the mouth or tongue, dizziness, feeling lightheaded, electric shock feeling, body zaps, excess of energy, you feel you can't relax, falling sensation, feel like you are falling or dropping even though you aren't, feel like you are going to pass out or faint, feel wrong, different, foreign, odd, or strange, Flu-like symptoms, general malaise, feel ill, like you are coming down with a flu, head zaps, heart palpitations, racing heart, Hyperactivity, excess energy, nervous energy, Increased or decreased sex drive, infection-increased infections, persistent infection, Mouth or throat clicking or grating sound/noise when you move your mouth or jaw, such as when talking, muscles that vibrate, jitter, tremor, or shake when used, muscle twitching, nausea, vomiting,Neck, back, shoulder pain, tightness/stiffness, Night sweats, waking up in a sweat, profusely sweating at night,No energy, feeling lethargic, tired, numbness, numbness tingling, numbness and tingling, persistent muscle tension, stiffness, pounding heart, heart feels like it is beating too hard, pulsing or throbbing muscles, rib or rib cage tightness, pressure, or feeling like a tight band around the rib cage, shooting pains, stabbing pains, and odd pressures in the neck, head or face, shooting pains in the face, shooting pains in the scalp or head, skipped heart beats, sore or tight scalp or back of the neck, startle easily, sweating, uncontrollable profuse sweating, The floor feels like it is moving either down or up for no reason, tightness in the ribs or rib cage area, may also feel like a tight band around the ribs or rib cage area, Tingling sensations, anywhere on the body, including the hands, feet, legs, arms, head, mouth, chest, groin area, Throat or mouth clicking or grating sound/noise when you move your mouth or jaw, such as when talking, trembling or shaking, twitching, unsteadiness or dizziness, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, urgency to urinate, frequent urination, sudden urge to go the the washroom, warm spells, weak-feel weak, weakness, low energy, light, soft, like you may faint, weak legs, arms, or muscles, weight loss, weight gain, Chest tremors, trembling in the chest, chest feels like it is vibrating, chest pain or discomfort,Concern about the heart, Feel like you have to force yourself to breath, find it hard to breath, feeling smothered, shortness of breath, Frequent yawning to try and catch your breath, heart palpitations, irregular heart rhythms, flutters or 'skipped' beats, tickle in the chest that makes you cough, pounding heart, heart feels like it is beating too hard, A heightened fear of what people think of you, afraid of being trapped in a place with no exits, Constant feeling of being overwhelmed, Fear of being in public, fear of dying, fear of losing control, fear of impending doom, Fear of making mistakes or making a fool of yourself to others,Fear of passing out, fear that you are losing your mind, Fears about irrational things, objects, circumstances, or situations, fears of going crazy, of dying, of impending doom, or normal things, unusual feelings and emotions, unusually frightening thoughts or feelings, Heightened self awareness, or self-consciousness,Need to find nearest washrooms before you can feel comfortable, Need to seat near exits, Burning, itchy, tight scalp, dizziness, Frequent headaches, migraine headaches, Feeling like there is a tight band around your head, pressure, tightness, Head, neck or shoulder pain, tightness/stiffness, Head zaps, head tremors, Giddiness, numbness, shooting pains, stabbing pains, and odd pressures in the neck, hear or face, When you close your eyes you feel like are beginning to, or will, float upwards, Sore jaw that feels like a tooth ache, TMJ (Temporo-Mandibular Joint) - clenching of the jaw or grinding of the teeth,Feel like there is something stuck in your ear, that your ear canal it plugged or blocked, that there is a pebble in your ear that you can't get out, Low rumbling sounds, reduced hearing, frequent or intermittent reduced hearing or deafness in one or both ears, ringing in the ears, noises in the ears, noises in the head, pulsing in the ears, throbbing sound in the ear(s), Tickle or itch in your ear that you can't seem to get at,Afraid of everything, Altered state of reality, consciousness, or universe feeling, Deja Vu, a feeling like you've done or experienced something before, depersonalization, Derealization,Desensitization, difficulty concentrating, short term memory loss, Difficulty thinking, speaking, forming thoughts, following conversations,Disorientation, feelings of unreality, Frequent feeling of being overwhelmed, or that there is just too much to handle or do,Having difficulty concentrating,Nightmares, bad dreams, Obsession about sensations or getting better, Repetitive thinking or incessant ‘mind chatter’, short-term learning impairment, have a hard time learning new information, can't remember what I did a few days, hours, or moments ago, Spaced out feelings, feeling spaced out, "Stuck" thoughts; thoughts, mental images, concepts, songs, or melodies, that "stick" in your mind and replay over and over again, Trapped in your mind feeling, Underlying anxiety, apprehension, or fear, You often feel you are carrying the world on your shoulders, Always feeling angry and lack of patience, depersonalization, depression, dramatic mood swings, emotionally blunted, flat, or numb, Emotional "flipping" (dramatic mood swings) Emotions feel wrong, Everything is scary, frightening, Feeling down in the dumps,Feeling like things are unreal or dreamlike, Frequently being on edge or 'grouchy',Feel like crying for no apparent reason, Have no feelings about things you used to, Not feeling like yourself, detached from loved ones, emotionally numb, Underlying anxiety, apprehension, or fear, you feel like you are under pressure all the time, A tinny, metallic, or ammonia, or unusual smell or taste, Aerophagia (swallowing too much air, stomach distention, belching)Burning mouth, feeling like the inside of your mouth is burning, or tingling, or like pins and needles, or all of these together or at different times,burning tongue, feeling like your tongue is burning, or tingling, or like pins and needles or all of these, or all of these together or at different times, choking, Constant craving for sugar or sweets, constipation, diarrhea, difficulty swallowing, Difficulty talking, pronouncing certain letters or sounds, mouth feels like it isn't moving right, slurred speech, dry mouth, feeling like you can't swallow properly or that something will get caught in your throat, feeling like your tongue is swollen, IBS, lack of appetite or taste, lump in the throat, tight throat, something stuck in your throat, mouth muscles twitching, jumping, Mouth or throat clicking or grating sound/noise when you move your mouth or jaw, such as when talking, stomach upset, gas, belching, bloating, teeth grinding, the thought of eating makes you nauseous, Tight throat, lump in throat,Throat or mouth clicking or grating sound/noise when you move your mouth or jaw, such as when talking, tongue symptoms-Tingly, "stretched," numb, frozen, itchy, "crawly," burning, twitching, "jumpy," aching, sore or swollen tongue,Urgency to urinate, frequent urination, sudden urge to go to the washroom, vomiting,Burning skin sensations, skin sensitivity, burning, skin sensations, skin sensitivity, numbness,numbness tingling, numbness and tingling, Skin problems, infections, rashes, Difficulty falling or staying asleep,Frequent bad, bizarre, or crazy dreams, Hearing sounds in your head that jolt you awake, Insomnia, or waking up ill in the middle of the night, Jolting awake, Waking up in a panic attack, You feel worse in the mornings,distorted, foggy, or blurred vision, Dry, watery or itchy eyes, eye tricks, seeing things out of the corner of your eye that isn't there, starts, flashes, Eyes sensitive to light, Spots in the vision, Flashing lights when eyes are closed, Your depth perception feels wrong,Burning skin sensations, skin sensitivity, feeling cold or chilled, numbness, numbness tingling, numbness and tingling, Pain, Tingling, pins and needles feelings. Other symptoms are described as:

being like a hypochondriac, muscle twinges, worry all the time, tingles, gagging, tightness in the chest, tongue twitches, shaky, breath lump, heart beat problems, head tingles, itchy tingling in arms and legs, and so many more. In addition to these anxiety symptoms, you may also find yourself worrying compulsively about:Having a heart attack, having a serious undetected illness, Dying prematurely,Going insane or losing your mind, Suddenly snapping, Losing it,Uncontrollably harming yourself or someone you love,Losing control of your thoughts and actions, Being embarrassed or making a fool out of yourself, Losing control, Fainting in public, Not breathing properly, Losing control of reality,choking or suffocating,Being alone. These are some of the more common anxiety symptoms.

I am anxiety.

This list isn't exhaustive.

On a personal note, 4 of my loved ones(myself included) experience anxiety in some form or another.

If you think you might have anxiety, contact your doctor.

Welcome Autumn

As I sit outside reading my book, I feel peaceful.
It is 1 day till October.
It's Autumn.
But you wouldn't know it by the summer like temperature.
September is mysterious. It marks the end of summer and the beginning of Autumn.
For now, all that I am experiencing is nature.
I can hear the geese above my heard I can feel the warm breeze against my skin, I see the butterflies flying about. I see the trees nearby, becoming rich with color. I see a few leaves fall to the ground. I see the giant pine trees in my yard and across the street. I think of last winter when those same trees that now stand still, danced in the violent wind. I think of the snow fall.
I shiver slightly in remembrance as to what is to come.
But for now, it's very blissful.
Peaceful.

Book review for Heading Toward The Final Finish Line by Rrrick Karampatsos

I recently read the book entitled Heading Toward The Final Finish Line By Rrrick Karampatsos.

It is an extremely heartfelt story of strength, encouragement, love, faith and the will to carry on despite numerous physical obstacles.

Rick has encountered numerous of broken bones, accidents, operations and was paralyzed from the waist down. He was even told by doctors that he would not walk again. With his faith in Jesus, he pulled through and not only did he walk again, he has ran not just one marathon, but a marathon in every state!

The book tells about his powerful journey. He talks frequently about the different marathons that he has completed, he tells about all the wonderful people he has met along the way and he tells through stories of his love and commitment for Jesus and his ministry.

A scripture that has comforted Rick for years:

"..all things work for the good of those who love him, who has been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

I would highly recommend this wonderful book to anyone. I encourage you to read it. You'll enjoy it and be moved. I really enjoyed reading the book and about his marathon experiences. What I took from the book was that I have this gift that God has given me...the gift of running. God gave it to me and I intend to use it to the best of my ability.

I have the privileged of having Rick as a Facebook friend. He has such a strong love for Jesus and it shows through his kindness.

Taken from his book:

"Rrrick Karampatso is a Christian and a marathoner. He is a native of Massachusetts who now makes his home in Florida. He combines his love of Jesus with his love of running to uniquely encourage others. You will share his running adventures-almost feel his pain, see the beauty of America through his eyes, benefit from the lessons he learned, know that humor helps, and witness the faith that keeps feet moving when moving is the last thing you want to do."

“If you think you can or you think you can’t, you're right!”

We all have goals, dreams, and desires. It could be your training for a race or you want to lose a few pounds, enter your delicious cake that everyone loves in a competition. Perhaps you would like to get a job promotion, take that trip you’ve wanted to go on for many years, grow your hair longer or win a hot dog eating competing.

Whatever your goals are, you want to be successful. But what is it that keeps you from completing your goals, your desires?

It could be the negative voices that you hear. It could be coming from yourself or others. You know the voices? “I might fail, what if I’m not good enough? I’ll never make it, I don’t have the time, I’m too old, not pretty enough, strong enough, good enough.”

Sometimes these negative voices turn into images of what can go wrong and this only builds to the fire because now you are seeing yourself fail.

How can you get push these negative voices away and move past them to success? What if you learned to replace these negative voices with positive ones? What if you learned to say yes? How do you do this?

This is what I want to talk about, through advice, quotes and stories.

“If you think you can or you think you can’t, your right!”

I think one of the most important things that you can do in learning to get rid of those negative voices is to practice saying yes to opportunities that arise and make the early decision to stick with it no matter what.

At the age of 12, Jason Lester was hit by a car, broke 20 bones and paralyzed his right arm. He didn’t let this stop him. He competed in an Ironman competition in 2004 and since has competed in a numerous of other extreme events. In 2008 he became the first disabled athlete to compete in Ultraman. (320 miles of biking, swimming and running) In 2009, he won the ESPY Award for “Best Disabled Male Athlete. He did not listen to negative voices.

“Doctors and scientists said that breaking the four-minute mile was impossible, that one would die in the attempt. Thus, when I got up from the track after collapsing at the finish line, I figured I was dead.”- Roger Bannister (After becoming the first person to break the four-minute mile in 1952)

I think it is important to practice positive self talk. Don’t let the negative voices sink in. Practice immediately replacing them with positive self talk. Put sticky notes all over your house, notes of victory. “You can do this, you look great, you will achieve”

Never stop. Keep going, keep trying, keep training, and never give into defeat. Even if you’re telling yourself you won’t be good enough, at least you tried! Isn’t that better than quitting? And, you may just surprise yourself with how successful you really are.

When I trained for my first marathon in 2005, I almost quit about 2 months before the race. I even took a walk of shame home. I just thought that there was no way I could achieve it. "I thought this is too hard!", "I'm always icing something!" I took about 2 weeks off. My desire to run in the marathon eventually took over. I started having second thoughts and got back into it. I ran my heart out on marathon day. It became one of my greatest physical achievements and it changed my life forever. I’m glad that I didn’t give in to my negativity and pitty party.

“I've always made a total effort, even when the odds seemed entirely against me. I never quit trying; I never felt that I didn't have a chance to win.” - Arnold Palmer

Visualize victory. With 4 marathons, 6 50K’s (31 miles) under my belt, I’ve become very good at visualizing success. I picture myself succeeding, I see myself driving home with my finisher medal. Even when negative self talk tries to sneak in, I just laugh at it and say “whatever, I will be successful!” I am training for my first 50 mile run. I am nervous about being fast enough. On race day, I will run my heart out and will do my best. I could easily have not entered the race thinking “the race doesn’t give me enough time, I don’t know if I can finish running 50 miles in 11 hours!” Well I am still going to give it a try. Even if I don’t make the cut off, I will run in those 11 hours more miles than I have ever ran in my life and that is definitely something to be proud of. And who knows, I may just walk away with that finisher's belt buckle, which I am visualizing.

”If you set a goal for yourself and are able to achieve it, you have won your race. Your goal can be to come in first, to improve your performance, or just finish the race it's up to you.” - Dave Scott

Follow your heart. What are you passionate about? What are your dreams and desires? What constantly keeps you awake at night? What makes you excited? Write down your goals, dreams and desires down on paper and think of ways you can achieve these goals. Even if you can only think of one reason, that’s better than nothing. Place these goals where you can see them and visualize yourself achieving your goal. Draw pictures of your success and write down how you are going to feel when you said yes to your goal, when you go for it, and try. Running has been my passion since 2005. I have had the goal to run 50 miles for many years. I signed up for my first 50 when my passion for it became so great, when I saw myself entering the event and visualizing myself successful. Signing up for it felt very good. It’s scheduled for Oct. 30^th 2010 and I’m excited about it and I will be successful. I have another goal, I want to run in The Western States 100 mile endurance run. I may not be quite ready physically now, but I am mentally preparing myself.

We all have people who may doubt and laugh at our goals and dreams. They may or may not realize what they are doing, that they are ultimately causing harm. I call these people “dream stealers” Being around them doesn’t make you feel good. They may be family members or acquaintances. I think it is important to set up boundaries with them. Do not allow them to talk negatively around you. I realize family members can’t always be avoided, but you can try and spend more time with people who share a similar goal, who support you and want you to achieve.

I think Facebook is great. I have at least 5 pages of “athlete friends”. Besides my husband and children, they are my greatest supporters. They understand what I am going through with my training, they know what it is like to participate in an extreme sport, and they know the pain and victory that comes with running 26.2, 31, 50 or even 100 miles. They are fantastic cheerleaders. For me, Facebook is a lot of fun. It’s filled with non stop conversations of running and support.

Never give up, keep pushing, and focus on the victory not the road blocks. You can do this!!!

“Let go of your fears, let go of your negative thoughts, let go of the things that are stopping you from achieving and manifesting abundance. If you do so, then you will notice a huge difference in your life.”

(The photo above is a professional photo taken of me at my first marathon in 2005. I bought it because it is a reminder of not only how painful that marathon was for me, it also reminds me that I almost chose to quit. I am extremely grateful because I did not quit. I have come so far with my running achievements. I am glad that I chose yes!)

Things I've learned from my dog

Boogies first 1/2 marathon.

Being chased at the dog park

1.Always greet people when they pass by you

Our backyard goes out to a high school practice field and my dog always runs along our fence when someone walks by in the field. He even jumps up and down at the corner. I’ve even seen people take pictures of him, laughing. This used to annoy me when he did this, but now I know, he is just being friendly.

2. Be nice to others that are smaller than you

Boogie is very friendly with my smaller cat Honey. He even sits with her on the back porch and often touches noses with her.

The other day, a small white dog squeezed through the fence and was in our backyard. Boogie never barked at it or gave it much attention.

3. Get bent out of shape if others try to harm your loved ones

My husband cannot hug me in front of the back glass door without my dog going crazy. He paces back and forth and barks. We sometimes do it just to bug him. I know he’d protect me.

4. Never trust anyone until you’ve checked them out

Whenever I take my dog to the dog park, he and other dogs constantly smell each others butt before play time. Enough said.

5. Be loyal to those that love you

Dogs love their owners and are very loyal. I can take my dog for a walk without a collar and a leash and he never runs off. We have accidentally left the gate open and he doesn’t leave.

6. Always be very grateful when your belly and back are scratched

What dog doesn’t love a good scratch? He even rolls over for that great belly scratch.

7. Never pass up the opportunity for some exercise

He is always ready to go for a walk, run or playtime at the dog park. He never has anything better to do.

8. Be patient

Good things come to those who wait. He tries so hard when I tell him, sit and wait. He may be squirming inside and his very small tail may be going a mile a minute, but he is patient.

9. Live in the moment, chase the squirrel

Squirrels, run by, for goodness sake, just go get it. Why pass up an opportunity, when now is the time to take action?

10. Take naps and stretch when you wake up

When you’re tired, take a nap, but don’t forget to stretch when you wake up.

11. Protect your home

Make noise when there is an intruder and scare the living daylights out of them.

12. Surrender when you know you’re in trouble

If you’re in trouble, don’t run away. Deal with what you did wrong or you’ll make it worse.

13. Life is short, learn to dance

Boogie can do ballet leaps from one side of the yard to the other. Learn to dance.

14. Life is too short to not stop and smell the roses

When I take him running with me, he often stops and sniffs the plants in Forest Park before peeing on the them. Once I even counted how often he stopped in 10 minutes, it was 6 times.

15. Run fast if your being chased

Boogie runs great when he runs with me. If he is on a leash, he runs right next to me or slightly behind and if he is off leash, he keeps a good pace, normally right behind me. But if he is at the dog park and another dog starts chasing him, he darts.

16. Always be proud of your accomplishments

Whether you just ran your first 1/2 marathon, destroyed that pesky ball, or sharpened your teeth on the newly made wooden garage step, always be proud of yourself.