The Body Chronic: Run, Do Not Walk

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Run, Do Not Walk

A few weeks ago I posted an article about how the AMA (American Medical Association) has been stifling true medical care in this country for decades.

Tonight I had another great experience of learning about just that topic.

I've had The Business of Being Born on my Netflix queue for months now. At first it wasn't available, then it was backordered, then I got it and kind of let it sit there. I was looking at it in a wholly "see-what-the-fuss-is-about" type way. I am happy to say that it lived up to that fuss and more.

I can honestly say that going into this experience of the past hour and twenty minutes I was a firm believer in medical, hospital birth. Sterlize this, drug me with that, knock the kid out and call it a day. But now, after watching this, and after learning the misconceptions (and they really are misconceptions) about natural births, I think I may have reached a new level of conciousness.

Those of us with chronic illnesses or chronic pain often have this epiphany (well, maybe not often enough) that modern medicine just ain't cutting it for us--that there's something missing from the equation and worse yet, we're being blamed for the equation even existing. This film explores that and explores the ways in which modern medicine has stripped women of their power and the real emotion, connection, and physical metamorphosis of becoming a mother. It's mind-boggling really. And sadly, I should have known better. But I've always taken this cavelier attitude that this type of thing was just for granola-hippie types. God, am I glad I saw this long before I even got pregnant.

The moral of the story for those of us with chronic illness is that we have to learn to invest in ourselves, trust our instincts, and go with those things that are time tested. Just because they may have had a renaissance because of hippies doesn't mean that they're baseless. In fact, maybe those hippies were on to something.

In any event, I highly suggest you take a look at this film. I have to admit, I thought I was going to be grossed out and non-chalant about the whole thing, but to be honest, I was crying at one point and the only reason why was to watch this woman give birth naturally (standing up/squatting) without drugs, without pressure, without machines beeping incessantly and watching her reach down and hold her child for the first time. I am without words to describe the moment.

Run...do not walk...to get this movie.

Chronic Glossary

Note: The information on this site is intended to create a support network amongst those living with chronic illness and/or pain and their loved ones and friends. It is not meant to be nor should it be used as an alternative to medical advice.

celiac disease--Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate a protein called gluten, found in wheat, rye, and barley.

chronic fatigue syndrome----CFIDS is characterized by incapacitating fatigue (experienced as profound exhaustion and extremely poor stamina) and problems with concentration and short-term memory. It is also accompanied by flu-like symptoms such as pain in the joints and muscles, unrefreshing sleep, tender lymph nodes, sore throat and headache. A distinctive characteristic of the illness is post-exertional malaise, a worsening of symptoms following physical or mental exertion occurring within 12-48 hours of the exertion and requiring an extended recovery period.

chronic headaches/migraines--By definition, chronic daily headaches must occur at least 15 days a month, for more than three months. The signs and symptoms vary depending on the specific subtype: chronic migraines, chronic tension-type headache, new daily persistent headache and hemicrania continuua.

fibromialgia-- Signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary, depending on the weather, stress, physical activity or even the time of day. Common signs and symptoms include:widespread pain, fatigue and sleep disturbances, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), headaches and facial pain, heightened sensitivity. It's common for people with fibromyalgia to report being sensitive to odors, noises, bright lights and touch.

insulin resistance--Insulin resistance and pre-diabetes usually have no symptoms. You may have one or both conditions for several years without noticing anything. If you have a severe form of insulin resistance, you may get dark patches of skin, usually on the back of your neck. Sometimes people get a dark ring around their neck. Other possible sites for these dark patches include elbows, knees, knuckles, and armpits. This condition is called acanthosis nigricans.

interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome--Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a condition that results in recurring discomfort or pain in the bladder and the surrounding pelvic region. Symptoms may include an urgent need to urinate (urgency), a frequent need to urinate (frequency), or a combination of these symptoms. Pain may change in intensity as the bladder fills with urine or as it empties. Women's symptoms often get worse during menstruation. They may sometimes experience pain with vaginal intercourse.

irritable bowel syndrome --Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder characterized most commonly by cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. IBS causes a great deal of discomfort and distress, but it does not permanently harm the intestines and does not lead to a serious disease, such as cancer. Most people can control their symptoms with diet, stress management, and prescribed medications. For some people, however, IBS can be disabling. They may be unable to work, attend social events, or even travel short distances.

pelvic floor dysfunction--Pelvic floor dysfunction, or obstructed defecation, results when the external anal sphincter and/or puborectalis muscles do not relax appropriately when defecation is initiated. People with pelvic floor dysfunction strain excessively in a feeble attempt to eliminate stool from the rectum.

polycystic ovarian syndrome-- If you have polycystic ovary disease, you are likely to have some of the following symptoms: Abnormal, irregular, or very light or infrequent menstrual periods; Absent periods, usually (but not always) after having one or more normal menstrual periods during puberty (secondary amenorrhea); Acne that gets worse; Decreased breast size; Development of male sex characteristics (virilization), such as increased body hair, facial hair, a deepening of the voice, male-pattern baldness, and enlargement of the clitorus. Diabete; Increased hair growth; body hair may be in a male pattern; Infertility; Poor response to the hormone, insulin (insulin resistance), leading to a build-up of insulin in the blood; Weight gain.

vulvodynia--The International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease (ISSVD) defines Vulvodynia as chronic vulvar discomfort or pain, characterized by burning, stinging, irritation or rawness of the female genitalia in cases in which there is no infection or skin disease of the vulva or vagina causing these symptoms. Burning sensations are the most common, but the type and severity of symptoms are highly individualized. Pain may be constant or intermittent, localized or diffuse.

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Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Run, Do Not Walk

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