When you have Lupus, are you ever really able to enjoy a vacation without suffering enormous consequences upon returning home? I did my best to plan our trip to the California coast, taking into consideration all my needs for food, rest, medications, and maintaining my habits and rituals for living with Lupus. Unfortunately, it seems that no matter how well I plan, the Lupus can take me off course. Like it did with trip…. **
Body
One word to describe my Lupus body today: Exhausted
Which habits and rituals did I practice to soothe my Lupus body?
- Slept well
- Ate a Clean Diet
- Breathed Fresh Air
- Stayed Hydrated
More details about my physical symptoms:
We returned last night from our trip to the California coast for Hubby’s high school reunion, and the stop at Lake Tahoe on the way home. This trip has taken a great toll on me physically. What started out as a relaxing beach vacation, quickly turned into an exhausting, symptom-generating voyage. The symptoms—more hives, nerve pain in my back and legs, headaches, anxiety, loopiness, and total exhaustion.
Mind
One word to describe my Lupus mind today: Restoration
Which habits and rituals did I practice to strengthen my Lupus mind?
- Asked for and Accepted Help
- Focused on the Positive
More details and thoughts about how I’m feeling emotionally today:
Now that we’re home from the trip, I’m looking forward to a few days of restoration. This trip, like many others recently, took me too far out of my routine, which is simply disruptive. Not just physically, but emotionally, too. Although he didn’t express any issues with me, I felt like I was letting my husband down by limiting our activities so much. The beach was too hot and bright on my skin; I was too tired to spend time with the friends he wanted to see; the restaurants we chose had to serve healthy foods. On and on…. Knowing I had no choice because of my health didn’t help my thought process much. All I felt was the anxiety and brain fog that quickly took over my mind. So, today, I asked my husband to help me plan our vacations better, and I’m working on putting these feelings away. I choose to focus on how beautiful the California coast is and how lucky I am to live within driving distance of it.
Spirit
One word to describe my spirit today: Weak
Which habits and rituals did I practice to nurture my Lupus spirit?
- Loved myself
Thoughts about my spiritual connection and spiritual lessons learned today:
Wow, it’s kind of strange for me to still feel so spiritually weak and depleted after returning from our trip. But I do. I can usually find one of my many ways to connect spiritually, even when I’m not at home. Not this trip. There was so much to do and so many people to deal with that I was just too tired to able to quiet myself long enough to make my spiritual connection. I came close while at the beach, where the sounds of the waves were soothing. But oh, the sun was so incredibly and intensely hot that I just couldn’t stay out there for long. So, today, I pampered myself with an extra long time in my sacred space. I love my room. It has an energy about it that comforts me.
Meals
Today my meals were:
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs and fruit cup
- Lunch: Tuna salad lettuce wrap
- Dinner: Homemade chicken soup (Thawed and heated after returning home)
- Snacks: Apple
Thanks
At least one thing that I’m grateful for today:
- Thoughtful, understanding Hubby
- A quiet, comfortable home
**(This post is based on the format of the Lupus Diary that I developed for keeping track of how Lupus affects my body, mind, and spirit, I check-in here once a week to let you know about the more interesting days of my Lupus journey. To learn more about the Lupus Diary, how I developed it, and why I use it, click here.)
