Handling Stress

[sleepyby8]

I am on lesson 2 and finding it very helpful...I have much better days now and many days without alot of anxious feelings. However, we've had a run of bad "luck" or incidences...my daughter has been out of school for a week with pneumonia and was sent home today because she is now getting worse, I'm on my fourth antibiotic in a month due to chronic throat infections and influenza, and my husband just got done wearing a Holter monitor for his heart and gets the results tomorrow (he's been having atrial fib type symptoms and some chest pain). So my question is how do I get through the day to day stress without it depressing me! Today at work when the nurse came to talk to me about my daughter (I work at her high school) I just started to cry. It feels like some days things just keep piling up and I'm having a harder and harder time being strong for everyone. I'm trying to be as positive as possible with my daughter because I know how scared she gets not feeling like she can breathe well and also supportive with my husband as I know he's worried about his heart...all the while trying to take care of myself. It's a tall order! Any suggestions are welcomed! I've been doing a lot of praying and know that is the only reason I've made it through this past month of illness and stress but still feel at my wit's end! I also know I should have faith in the medical system...but the hospital and clinic cause me much anxiety since the death of our daughter 12 years ago and I have a hard time letting go of that. Wow...thanks for listening! Carrie

[sparechange]

Sometimes being strong for everyone is too tall an order. You can do your best, but remember it's ok to find strength in others at times like these. You may be "your own safe person" when it comes to anxiety/panic, but when it comes to dealing with life issues like what you're talking about, a support network helps immensely. Remember, you're not alone, and you have people close to you who care about you even if you aren't feeling particularly strong at the moment.

[sleepyby8]

Today my daughter has her appointment at 3:20 and my husband should be hearing from his doctor sometime this a.m. Yikes...I'm feeling anxious with some weird pains in my arms (kind of like rubbery legs but in my arms) and a little chest pain but am reminding myself constantly that it is just anxiety. Who wouldn't be anxious having all this going on in our lives! So I am cleaning and doing laundry and keeping myself busy but at the same time allowing myself to feel stressed as this is real stress. And all the while praying that God helps all of us through this Also listened to tape #2...though I think hearing about all those panic attacks wasn't the right thing for me to do...Think I'll pop in tape #3...positive self talk as I'm due to start that lesson.

[sparechange]

So... How did it go today??

[sleepyby8]

Still waiting on my husband's test results...probably won't get them til Monday. Found out my daughter is having a bronchial reaction from pneumonia and is being treated with an inhaler. She should feel better by Monday. I've come to the conclusion (after a morning of anxiety) that I cannot keep worrying about tomorrow..and I need to just live in the present. That seemed to help and my afternoon and evening were quite pleasant Hope work went ok for you!