Experiencing Setbacks

I have a confession to make.  Recently, I've been feeling good.  So good, that sometimes I almost even forget that I have IC (almost). I've been feeling really amazing, with minimal symptoms and pain.  When this is the case, it is so easy to forget what we've been going through and the goals we have set. Over the past weekend, I got distracted with the joys of living a pain-free life.

So, what exactly did I do in my moments of weakness? I cheated on my strict diet.  Not terribly, but enough.  I went out, had couple of drinks with friends, and indulged more than usual.  After doing so, I experienced no residual pain whatsoever.  I was ecstatic! Could I truly be getting better? Feeling stoked, I decided to take it a step farther - I went for a run.  Now, running is a HUGE flare inducer for me, but I was feeling so great and just had the strongest urge to run down the cliffs by my house.

Big mistake- about a mile and a half in, there it was - cramping, stabbing pain in my pelvis.  I had to stop, and almost fell over to the ground because it was so excruciating.  Somehow, I managed to slowly walk back to my apartment without passing out.  The spasming subsided, and I truly feel completely fine now. A little frightened, but fine.  However, was there a major lesson learned? Absolutely.

I'm not angry at myself for my behavior over the weekend, because I am human and it can get really hard sticking to such a strict and boring diet.  However, the experience serves as a reminder that I still have a long way to go to being better.

So, what will I do?

• I will get right back on the path to health, putting myself and healing first.
• I will be kind to my body and nurture it as it deserves to be.
• I will eat soothing, calming foods, particularly for the next few weeks.

What won't I do?

• I won't get discouraged about my healing progress.
• I won't get stressed or angry at myself for my mistake. 
• I won't attempt more than one "cheat" activity when I'm feeling good. We should always remember to ease our way back into normal activities. For example, try only little bites of trigger foods, have small sips of trigger drinks, and don't dive full force into any rigorous activities. 
• I won't indulge in anything that I know is causing more harm in the long run until I am back in a good place.

We all have our days and our weak moments, but it is important to remember that healing is a long journey.  We can't expect results overnight.  Even when experiencing minor setbacks, know that and we can always bounce back to where we were.  It can always get better.

Happy healing!