Chantal Cain
  • Home
  • About
  • BLOG
    • Disclaimer
  • Goals

My favorite products

1/21/2021

2 Comments

 
I wanted to share my favorite products I use on a daily bases for my self-care and products that ease my pain during recovery from a flare or daily pains.

Daily routineS

Last summer while I was working with my own fibromyalgia coach, she recommended that I add a night time routine to help ease myself into a better sleeping habit. Part of my night routine was to wash my face and put on my favorite face cream Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask from Youth to the People. In December, I added a morning routine to help prepare me for my college class(es). I would wash my face and put on Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream. For Christmas, I got the eye creams to add to my routines. For daytime, I have Tatcha The Silk Peony Melting Eye Cream and Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line Reducing & Dark Circle-Diminishing Vitamin C Eye Serum. For nighttime, I have Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye.
Picture

Flare
Survival Kit

When I was enrolled in IFIC's Fibromyalgia Advisor program last summer, we had to prepare a "Flare Survival Kit", to be honest, I struggled with this assignment because I didn't have "pain relief" medicines or really knew which topical creams were available. It surprises most people when I tell them I do not take a prescription for pain; I was never offered pain relief from my GP and she retired her practice in the fall of 2019. I was temporarily seen by another GP, he didn't "believe in fibromyalgia" and wasn't helpful to my wellness, he also closed his practice in the spring of 2020. I have been without a physician in my medical team for a year.
Last week was my intake appointment with the naturopathic clinic. I look forward to working with a doctor who cares and knows how to care for a fibromyalgia patient.
​
Picture
Every night before I fall asleep, I use Yves Rocher Anti-Fatigue/Anti-Tiredness Foot Soothing Iced Gel & Yves Rocher Light Legs Fresh Gel. I just discovered these Yves Rocher products this month and I love them very much, I don't hurt as much in the morning.
My favorite pain relief topical cream is by Mind Body Matrix. I was gifted a sample size bottle last summer when I joined the International Fibromyalgia Coaching Institute. I was so pleased that I felt immediate relief in my back, neck, and shoulders (or wherever else, I had applied it for pain relief). It is a pricey item, but I believe it is worth the cost, for it's an alternative to prescription medication that I don't have access to.
I use an essential oil called Worry Not, I apply it at bedtime on my wrists, breathe in the aroma and peacefully fall asleep.
If I have a headache, I use a frozen eye pillow created by KrumaCreations, either on the back of my neck or over my eyes.
2 Comments

Finals & Fatigue

12/11/2020

0 Comments

 
As I am writing this post, I am days away from completing my first semester in the IWAP program. Thus far, my grades are looking good and I believe I had a successful school term this fall. I have one paper left to complete and one quiz on Tuesday.

I have struggled a lot this month, my fatigue and pain is overpowering me. I am looking forward to having a break from school and really excited for next month to begin. I have appointments booked in January with a naturopathic doctor, I will start my intake paperwork next week and plan out what tests need to get covered to help me get my energy and strength back, and I restart physiotherapy for my knee. I need to make a plan for my eating habits in the new year as I feel completely drained and unable to prepare healthy meals for myself. 
0 Comments

New Beginnings

9/28/2018

0 Comments

 

New Beginnings is a sole journal entry from September 2018

I am taking a course this fall to help me cope with my chronic pain. The course started ten days ago. I like the format of the "group therapy" of the class. The course instructors are lovely people, who have taken the course for themselves and believe they could share and teach this technique for chronic pain management. I was not sure what to expect and I am open to try new things to help cope.

For nearly ten years, I have had lower back pain, since 2012 I have had neck and shoulder pain, and just over a year with pain and difficulties with my legs. Plus, I have daily headaches and issues with my digestive system. I see my GP often, but "I'm fine" : no test results are negative.

In 2015, I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression; which I believe triggers the pains in my sides and effects my sleep.

Just 9 days ago at the sleep clinic follow-up appointment, I had received confirmation about my poor sleeping habits: it take me a long time to fall asleep, once I am asleep I get 4 to 5 hours of sleep.

The part that upset me at my appointment was that I had two "black out" moments while I was with the nurse then a second time with the nurse and doctor. I am not sure how to explain this situation, it's like passing out but not losing consciousness or falling over. I faded away and the doctor noticed it, he asked where I went/what happened. I was embarrassed and cried as I left their office after I explained myself and promised I would get a ride home to be safe.
Picture
0 Comments

Camplife: pieces from my camp journal

8/28/2018

0 Comments

 
 As I was finishing up my volunteer week at Camp Woolsey, I signed up for a month long contract to be a camp counsellor for Adelaide. I had about 33 "off" with travel to and from camp (twice) and time to clean my gear, repack, and head out to Adelaide for the rest of August. AND celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary! (we will be celebrating our 20th anniversary of being a couple in September)
Picture
Before I left for Girl Guide camp, I quit drinking pop. Cold turkey. I had my last Coke Zero on August 4 and knew I would be away for three weeks, which would be the perfect time to stop drinking pop to see if my sides stop hurting so much. I believe the pop is affecting my kidneys, and I can feel the intense pain in my lowers back & sides. I still haven't drank any pop but I do not feel better, my pains in my kidney area is still there, almost daily.

​I returned home from working at Girl Guide camp and I needed several days to recover; I was not sleeping properly and was in constant pain. It hurt to wear shoes when I was working, it was too painful to wear my high-tops, I would wear my sandals or rainboots. When I got home, I cried and slept so much. I couldn't even walk downstairs to my office two floors lower from my bedroom (I barely even went one floor down to the kitchen/living room). I had a medical appointment with my family physician, and she sent me for x-rays; I felt like my feet were broken or fractured. That session at the x-ray department was so hard, I cried in every position the technician placed me into, poor thing was so apologetic during the whole process.
Picture
2018/08/16
​When I was alone at home, in bed trying to recover from camplife; I went into thinking spirals and I fell into a depression again. I felt that I wasn't able to be strong enough for my final year of my Administrative Community Leader term for Community 34. That I was letting people down.  I wasn't able to make time to volunteer my ACL role while I was working from 6:45 a.m. to 11 p.m., my downtime I made sure that I did selfcare and rested for that hour and a bit I had off each day. I felt that I was unappreciated by my camp director at Adelaide. She purposely avoided me the last two days when my condition was worsening. I was falling into a very sad state of mind, I had given up precious weeks that I could have been spending with my eldest daughter who was leaving for Italy for a 10 month student exchange. I was at my saddest when I missed her Italian consulate visit in Toronto and her 16th birthday. I was grateful for the support of the Red Shirts (Staff) who had hugs and kind words to help me through and help me find strength.
Picture
​My mind wasn't clear or sharp during my last few days of work: One morning when I had first session off and my sleep-in morning, I got up and I was making myself breakfast and tea, and I ended up pouring freshly boiled water over my right hand while I was holding the mug for my tea. I didn't react quickly and poured a fair amount that cause a burn more serious than I have ever done before. I went straight to first aid/wellness center for help, but I was brushed aside and told to run cold water on it. I did but it wasn't enough. By lunch time, I was becoming zombie-like because of the intense pain and lack of treatment (besides running cold water on it twice). The camp had some special guests visiting and grading the camp for their Ontario camp status, and the camp director suddenly was sincere and concerned about me, it felt like she didn't want me around the guests because I was unwell and injured; I was rushed into another section of the building, away from the dining hall with the campers and guests, and into a quiet area and was given treatment for my burn, which she said she was concerned about the severity but didn't bring me to the hospital or even wrote a incident report. I had a hard time understanding why I would work so hard, as a volunteer and then as a contract employee for them to mistreat me and not appreciate my dedication to the organization and the camp.
Picture
2018/08/21
Wednesday afternoon, I gave my notice to the second in command in the director's office, camp director was M.I.A. whenever I needed her that day. I had 24 hours to reflect at Camp Adelaide about my wellness, my life, my roles as volunteer, etc. until the time I was scheduled to be picked up for my weekend off. I was just going home for good. I took the time to encourage the women who were tired and starting to feel the drain. I went to different places I wasn't able to explore before. I said goodbye to my camp, my home. I made peace with the idea that this was my last sunset at Adelaide. 
Picture
2018/08/22
Today, I was falling apart and it broke my heart while I wrote my letter and I gave my notice to the GGC - Ontario Council Deputy Provincial Commissioner, my ACL Advisor, and my Community Planner. I could not continue my role as ACL for C34.
In two days, I go for my CT Scan and I have my follow up with the doctor and specialist. Next month, I start a mindfulness program with a psychiatrist: The Mindfulness Solution to Pain.
0 Comments

    AUTHOR

    Picture
    Chantal \shahn~ TAHL\
    A devastating beauty with a fiery personality. Part lover, part fighter.
    Chantals know how to make it rain. ​​Your life is incomplete if you lack a Chantal. A completely magical girl.
    - Urban Dictionary
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2019
    December 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018

    Categories

    All
    1996
    1999
    Accident
    Adernal Function Test
    Adrenal Function
    Alternative
    Anniversary
    Anxiety
    Appointment
    Art
    August 5 2008
    Back To School
    Baseball
    Bellabeat
    Best Friend
    Be Strong Playlist
    Bio
    Birthday
    Black Out
    Blog
    Book
    Brave
    Burn
    Camera
    Camp
    Canadian Health Care
    Cat
    Chronic Pain
    Coaching
    Cognitive
    College
    Confidence
    Cope
    Cried
    Culture Camp
    Daddy Issues
    Daylio
    Depression
    Diagnosis
    Dog
    Dream
    Dutchtest
    Education
    Embarrassed
    Empty
    Etsy
    European Trip In Ontario
    Fall Apart
    Family
    Fatigue
    Feet
    Fibro Flares
    Fibro Fog
    Fibromyalgia
    Fibromyalgia Advisor
    Fibromyalgia Coach
    Flares
    Flare Survival Kit
    Friendship
    From Sh!tshow To Afterglow
    Funny
    GeoPain
    Girly
    Glam
    Goals
    Goodbye
    Graduation
    Gratitude
    Guilt
    Hair
    Happy
    Happy Mail Day
    Happy Soul
    Healing
    Heartbroken
    HerStory
    Her Truth
    IFCI
    Indigenous
    Indigenous Canada
    Insomnia
    Inspiration
    Instagram
    IPSY
    Italy
    Journal
    Journey
    Kirk + CeCe
    Kiss
    Kissaversary
    Life
    Loss
    Love
    Lovebook
    Maple
    Medical Team
    #metoo
    Miley
    Mono
    Mood Tracking
    Morgane Carlier
    Motivation
    My Family
    My Future
    Nature
    Naturopathic
    Naturopathic Doctor
    Offbeat Bride
    Office Administration
    Online Education
    Orange Shirt Day
    Pain
    PC Health
    PC Optimum
    Peace
    Physician
    Physiotherapy
    Pinterest
    Podcast
    Pop
    Portrait
    Pregnancy
    Prep Notes
    Red Shirts
    Reflection
    Relationship
    Reunited
    Rheumatologist
    Ribbon Skirt
    Roadtrip
    Rome
    Rosco
    Rotary Exchange Student
    Routines
    Self Care
    Self-care
    Services
    Sleep
    Sleepless
    SMART Goal
    Social Media
    Someday
    Soulmate
    Soul Sister
    Spirituality
    Spotify
    Story Of Hope & Healing
    Struggles
    Style
    Summer
    Sunflowers
    Support
    Support Artists
    Tomboy
    Treatments
    Twiggs
    University Of Alberta
    Unwell
    Volunteer
    Wedding
    Wellness And Addiction Prevention
    Women
    Work

    RSS Feed

Picture
Picture
Picture
© COPYRIGHT 2021. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • About
  • BLOG
    • Disclaimer
  • Goals