Choosing to appreciate the now instead of stressing over the future

In my journey with progressive Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), I battle a wide array of symptoms. While increasingly poor balance seems to be my most disruptive and frustrating symptom, it’s not the one that keeps me up at night. That would be peripheral neuropathy and the resulting nerve pain and muscle spasms. My legs cramp relentlessly, and the nerves around my knee and ankle joints contract in the most painful of ways, making sleep impossible.

Earlier this year, as an example, I was dealing with a stiff neck. I’d had a fairly significant fall that didn’t result in an immediate injury, aside from carpet burn on my knees and a few fresh bruises. As the day went on, however, my neck became increasingly stiff. When I woke up the next morning, I couldn’t move my head to either side or up and down. It was as though my entire neck had seized, causing incredible pain.

I went to a chiropractor to help me get over the initial injury, which he said was caused by whiplash. My fall was so spastic that I threw out my neck.

After a few appointments, my mobility returned, and my pain significantly decreased. I told him about my peripheral neuropathy and the resulting nerve and muscle pain. He explained that my spine contains nerves that spread through my entire body, and those nerves can get kinked, especially when heading to my extremities.

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He compared it with a garden hose that’s been lying around unspooled. Someone must frequently reposition or adjust it to avoid kinks and keep the water flowing through it efficiently. Likewise, the nerves that carry communications from my central nervous system to my legs can get kinks and result in painful miscommunications.

I now get biweekly chiropractic adjustments, and it’s completely changed my life. I no longer get debilitating nerve pain waking me and keeping me from sleep throughout the night.

Avoiding the stress of what could happen

I’m sure that like most things with FA, my symptoms will progress, and I’ll need to adjust my treatment plan. But for now, I’m thankful to have a solution to a recurring problem.

When I went for my last adjustment, I saw a quote, attributed to the 19th century American philosopher-psychologist William James, written on the whiteboard that the chiropractic office uses for motivational sayings in its waiting room. It read, “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”

The way I see it, I have two options: 1. Appreciate that I’ve found a solution to a very real problem and enjoy that gift for now. 2. Feel stress because that solution will most likely be temporary because of the progressive nature of FA.

Since I don’t have a long-term and permanent solution to peripheral neuropathy, I plan to continue benefiting from the temporary maintenance of my nerves. I’ll combat stress about my future by focusing on what I can do right now to make my present better. I choose hope over fear.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 (NIV)

Note: Friedreich’s Ataxia News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Friedreich’s Ataxia News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Friedreich’s ataxia.