This December my body surprised me in positive ways. In November my body was reminding me over and over again of my limits and their consequences. So this was an unexpected change. I tried my best to enjoy feeling better without any expectation of it staying.

It seems the moment I think I understand the equation to having a good day and I put hope or expectation on feeling good. I’m shattered when I don’t get upright time and am left to scroll mindlessly on my phone. 

But the tender mercy of those precious moments of feeling good has given me a glimmer of hope. 

Maybe in 2026 I will start to feel the payoff of 2025. 

This month I ordered acupuncture needles and PT Dad did dry needling for me. He isn’t really a PT but he seems to have an understanding of the body and is our family masseuse. We’ve done this two times now and I am over the moon that we’ve been able to make this at home and more accessible as it provides such a relief to my body.

I also tried a new type of protein drink. Science things, but I believe that apparently my body can’t process protein correctly in this type of protein it can. 

I’m thinking that the more time passes post jugular vein surgeries, the stronger my body becomes and paired with the dry needling blood flow and lymphatic movement has increased. I think the stellate ganglion blocks have helped some. And the combination of all that with prayers and sprinkled with protein powder gave me some nice moments in December.

And some of these moments were literally just a few minutes. Like sitting and just enjoying that I was sitting and that I felt a little better than usual.

But the most exciting part of December was finally participating in our Christmas Eve gift exchange! I’ve missed this for the past two years and it was so nice to be in the same room as my family and to talk for a little bit. The next day, I also went downstairs for Christmas and it was so nice to celebrate with the family. And the best part of all this is, I did not crash for a week because I joined in these activities!!!! Last Christmas, I participated far less and suffered for a whole week. I credit my decompression surgeries that have given me additional strength so my crashes happen less.