Pine & Sunshine

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Pine & Sunshine

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05/16/2022

Years ago, I (Laura) had to get stitches, and, due to stretchy skin from EDS, my scar healed like a circle instead of the tiny line my doctor originally stitched together. The skin was also super thin where the scar formed. Years later, during a massage, my provider noticed the scar and suggested we try cupping the area. I believe we only did one or two sessions of cupping (maybe three) and the appearance improved greatly. Not 100%, but the look and feel of the skin is so much better. I was super excited. My massage therapist said she has had great success with cupping for scars.

So, how does cupping work on scars? I'll try to explain with my limited understanding :-)

Cupping lifts the tissue and works to restore proper circulation. If I understand the science, this improvement in blood flow and lymph fluid circulation works to remove excess waste from the tissue and brings water and nutrients to the area necessary for healing. Don't quote me on that, however, as I'm not a doctor or massage therapist :-). Do your own research or ask an expert to be sure I explained it correctly. Also, remember, no procedure is guaranteed to work for everyone and there are always risks with any procedure. If you decide to pursue cupping for yourself, always go to a licensed expert and ask your doctor if it is a safe option for you.*

*We are not a medical facility and do not offer medical advice, treatment recommendations, or diagnosis. We are simply sharing personal experiences.

04/15/2022

Sometimes people leave us because they don't care, but sometimes it's because we are unknowingly chasing them away. How? We may have become a "chronic vampire" without knowing it.

It is possible to ask for help without overwhelming those around us. This week's blog post on the Chronic Hopeline discusses how to do this. Just go to https://chronichopeline.com/?p=174.

Have you struggled with this? We'd love to hear your tips for overcoming the chronic vampire temptations.

04/14/2022

What is a chronic vampire? A "chronic vampire" is our term for someone who unknowingly sucks the life out of those around them. Chronic vampires have legitimate chronic needs but forget that other people have needs also.

When trapped in chronic stress or illness, it's easy to think that everyone else's life is peachy keen. We start expecting them to always help us when we have a need. Instead, remember that every person is struggling in some way. Be empathic with people instead of expecting them to meet your needs first and foremost, and perhaps, you'll both be able to help each other.

On our chonichopeline.com blog post tomorrow we will discuss "How to Avoid Being a Chronic Vampire." I mean, let's face it, none of us wants to be the person making other people stressed. Stay tuned for tomorrow's post!

04/08/2022

Just for fun question time!
What are your favorite things to do for down time when you're having a rough day?
Do you like to do them with another person or do you prefer having some alone time?

One of Lisa's favorite down time activities is doing adult coloring pages. If you'd like try it yourself, we send out a free coloring page weekly to our email family. Just print and let your creative juices flow. They really are fun to do!
P.S. Email members also get special offers for our Pine and Sunshine Shop. Woohoo!

If you'd like to sign up, just go to pineandsunshine.com and select the "Click Here for Cheer" button at the bottom of the screen. We love sending our email family weekly cheer to their inbox. :-)

04/07/2022

Far too often we think we have to carry our burdens alone, completely unaware that there are sources of support out there. Don't suffer alone. Learn to thrive by reaching out.

It is hard at times to know where to turn for help. Who do you reach out to? We wanted to help make the search easier so we wrote a blog post on how to find support. It includes a short video on how to search online. To visit the blog post just click on the following link - https://chronichopeline.com/?p=150

As always, let us know if we can help in any way.

04/06/2022

Does looking for support make you feel vulnerable because you think it shows weakness? Don't let that lie ruminate in your head. Being vulnerable and seeking support through our chronic life struggles doesn't make us weak; it makes us brave!

04/01/2022

Does the process of making a game plan for your diagnosis cause you to mentally freeze? It's best to work through it one small step at a time. Start by making a list of the things to pursue or work on, and do what you can when you can.

Don't worry about having a perfect game plan especially since you plan will morph and change all the time with your needs. If you need help figuring out how to start making a game plan, we have a new post over at the Chronic Hopeline that talks you through it. Just click on the following link to read for yourself :-)
https://chronichopeline.com/?p=126

03/29/2022

What is the hardest part of learning to advocate for your needs? We discuss that and more on our latest blog post on our new chronic support website, chronichopeline.com.

To read the latest post ("Learning to Advocate, Part 2 of "You've Just Been Diagnosed - Now What?"), simply click the following link:
https://chronichopeline.com/?p=122

Let us know what you think! We love to hear from you!

03/25/2022

For some, knowing how to encourage someone going through a hard time is intimidating. Sharing what kinds of things have encouraged you, helps others know how to respond so they can be the kind of friend they want to be.

What type of things were or would have been encouraging to you when you were first diagnosed with your illness?

For me (Laura), I needed someone to celebrate with me that I finally had a diagnosis as it took me a long 10+ years of searching and advocating before receiving answers. I also needed someone to mourn with me by listening and/or just sitting with me as my diagnosis of EDS and Dysautonomia meant that my life would never go back to "normal." What did you need? How could others help?

03/23/2022

Feeling despair over your new diagnosis? Pine and Sunshine has started a new protect (chronichopeline.com) to encourage those going through chronically hard things. Our latest blog post discusses the importance of finding encouragement from others after receiving a diagnosis. Friends are one group that can help us, but there are others as well. To read more on people who can help you through your chronically hard days, check out the blog at https://chronichopeline.com/?p=90.

Feel free to reach out any time if there is any way we can encourage you!

03/21/2022

Receiving a new diagnosis can be hard. How do you get through it? Find out tips for dealing with a new diagnosis at Pine and Sunshine's latest project - chronichopeline.com - where you can find hope and help for the chronically hard days.

To view the blog post, just click on the link below:
https://chronichopeline.com/?page_id=17

How did you work through receiving your diagnosis? We'd love to hear from you!

03/14/2022

Finishing business taxes this year definitely contributed to some extra fatigue, but I can ecstatically say that they are done! I'm just a little bit happy, haha!

What's been happening in your life lately that has been hard to handle with the chronic stress/illness you are already experiencing? Do you have any prayer requests or praises you would like to share? Feel free to comment or send us a message!

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http://pineandsunshine.com/

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