Day 2 - 174 -- Focused on Breathing

The sun came out by the end of the afternoon and the day went fairly smoothly -- lots completed and lots more left to work with tomorrow <grin>. Discovered a couple of "new" things my arm was doing today and as a colleague noted, I need to try to look at the glass half full more often <smile>.

I find myself holding my breath more often than I should. Sometimes this may be part of feeling stressed, but it is also due to pain -- or more correctly fear of pain, pain that doesn't always materialize. So the pain level is changing as is the type and location of pains. Learning to breathe through the discomfort while stretching or working the arm has been a challenge. It takes so much concentration to breathe, keep the body posture correct, and work the muscles involved -- all while trying to hold the position through the pain. The other trick is to breathe normally rather than hyperventilate. Concentrating on things we generally do without thinking can be demanding -- who'd have thought? If nothing else, this break and recovery has been a humbling experience and one that is teaching me what it feels like to be wrapped up inside oneself. That empathy alone will serve this health professional well.

The selection for today came fairly easily. Breathing isn't something we find in lyrics often. The singer's voice is angelic and the rhythms provide a focus for relaxed breathing. Enjoy!

Exhale -- Whitney Houston