Amazing Results

Everyday brings an OMG moment. That is one wonderful thing about recovering from any illness. Going downhill is full of "oh, no, I can't believe I can't..." but recovery brings smiles to the face and an amazing achievement at least once every day.
My achievement today was doing a yoga standing pose -the warrior- without almost falling over, or regretting it later. Yesterday I opened a new bottle of water, without help from a rubber bottle opener or a stronger male hand!
Last week I walked from the car to a coffee shop. On a Sunday, late in the afternoon, so no people traffic or vehicle traffic, it was also flat ground and the weather was clement. I did it and had no desperate results. That is all that is needed every day to help me smile and remember a good thing. I can focus on that when I need inspiration. I also try to remember to write them down. I made a fish pie a couple of weeks ago. Using all the tools I mentioned in Finding Food, I did it by myself in the middle of the week (my husband just made the mashed potato before he went to work). So many menus can be created in stages and discovering that I can be the creator is very definitely amazing.
I remember from a few weeks ago, when the sun was warming up the garden, I sat on the gravel and picked up all the bits that had been dug up from our bark area, by the blackbirds. Why do I remember it? Because it was an achievement. To sit uncomfortably, in gravel and sort out pieces of gravel and bark for 10 minutes was an achievement. Gardening is one of my loves, it has been for many years and to see a glimpse of what will be in my future is inspiring and encouraging. By remembering this kind of glimpse I am giving myself encouragement every day and becoming my own life coach. Before I used to see what I couldn't do, or just beat myself up when I'd tried and yet again overdone it and there are days like these still, when my symptoms become overwhelming. Every ME patient is the same. With so many symptoms, confusion, pain and exhaustion, battling from all sides, it is difficult to see anything else. Frustration and acceptance become the two options. Frustration can be combatted by understanding the illness. Acceptance comes when the stability is found, glimpses are seen, belief in recovery is suggested and when symptoms start to lessen. From there recovery is possible.