Since Fibromyalgia is a physically debilitating condition it is top priority to stimulate energy for the support of time in the barn with the horses.  I have found the preparation time reduces, if not eliminates the pain triggers that can follow with the simplest tasks of petting a horse, brushing or just standing hugging a horse.

Pampering in my group and private sessions at the Equine Support Center for Fibromyalgia are an absolute necessity in the preparation of horse time.  Some of the pampering consists of delicate sugar scrubs for hands that leave a feeling of being cared for and loved.  I also added a sugar lip scrub that feels so good on our lips leaving them soft, plumped and sweet to the taste.  Pampering is energizing and an absolute must for a successful session with horses.  The preparation and energizing is far reaching into the horse time and beyond which is unique to the ESCF’s support and approach.

Visit my website or join a session at http://site.missywryn.com/Equine_Support_Ctr_Fibro.html.  I look forward to hearing feedback and how I can be of support to you my dear Fibro friends.  You can email me Missy@MissyWryn.com any time.

The horses are waiting for you to lean on them, come visit soon.

Missy

I watched Horse Boy yesterday & had a ah ha connection with Rowan’s parents who have experienced the judgement of others who in their observation of challenging behavior would say “just discipline the child”.  I get the same judgments about Benny “he is spoiled, you just need to discipline him” or “hit him show him who is boss” which if those who are judging could witness what happens to Benny when disciplined they would be in for a shock. The same as the boy Rowan in Horse Boy is the same behavior Benny displays when any attempt at discipline or constraint – ESCALATION of behavior, screaming, dangerous tantrums and try that with a 1000 lb animal!

Benny is unlike a “normal” horse, he has Autistic behaviors identified on the Autistic Spectrum by an Autistic Specialist from a local school district who recognized similar behaviors in Benny in her many pupils.  Also a Behavioral Specialist with a PhD observed Benny identifying Autistic behaviors similarly identified in people.  Each of these specialists came up with these observations to my surprise as I had only identified “Orphan Syndrome” behaviors.

Benny does not respond to training or discipline no matter what kind, type or style.  Like an Autistic child, discipline results in an escalation of behaviors creating a frantic sweating horse who is paniced, trying to run me over, rearing and striking while attempting to bite.  Benny was gelded at 6 months old so No he is not a stallion.

Once I simply let go of “horse training” and “horse behavior” and began to play allowing him to have fun, he allowed me to be a part of his world.  I respect Benny’s world and he now respects mine.  Play, dance and allowing him to socialize on his terms has created a dream relationship with an otherwise unreachable horse.  Benny is low man in the herd and follows Paco close on his tail which at times drives Paco nuts, but at least Paco is no longer trying to kill Benny which at one time he did attempt which was ugly and frightening needless to say.

So for the naysayers I say thank you for sharing your judgments and opinions, we all learn from one another which is how I develop myself everyday as a work in progress.  To those of you who support Benny I humbly accept your gracious love, understanding and encouragement.

ALL are welcome in Benny’s life – much love, peace and happiness to each and every one of you

Missy

Visit http://www.site.missywryn.com/Benny_the_Autistic_Horse.html to read Benny’s story.

I spent three years preparing for the wholesale of Nature’s Balance Care products.  Strategic advertising, press releases, testimonies, retail sales to drive demand, acceptance into the American Pet Products Association so I could participate in Global Pet Expo 2008, Organic certification Listing with OMRI.  The thousands of dollars in trade show booths, collateral, travel and the endless hours day after day following up on leads, thousands of phone calls, faxes, only to watch the sales completely drop off May 2008.  On the sales graph it looked like a cliff as the sales plummeted at a near vertical.  Every retailer and distributor stopped buying as retail stores were stuck with inventory on their shelves because consumer spending dried up, do you remember that?  Every phone call I made was fruitless, every sample sent appreciated, but “not buying right now”.  It didn’t matter that my products had won awards, been written up in countless magazines and were heralded as the safest and healthiest insect control for people, pets and the planet.    Who’s responsible?  Is it my bad luck?  Did I not prepare well enough?  Should I have known the banks were shirking their fiduciary responsibility which would crash the economy?  Was I naive to have believed the bank leaders would not participate in Professional Misconduct?  Was I stupid to have believed the governments of the world would not have allowed Unfair Trade Practices to go unchecked by the banks?  I did everything right, played by the rules, had a SCORE mentor from the Small Business Administration work with me for those preceding 3 years, wrote a fabulous business plan and was on the path to bring forth a wonderful addition of products to the consumer and Kaboom!!!  Who’s responsible for my fabulous company with amazing products to not have not “made it”, to have been “crashed”?

So my question is should small businesses who can prove their demise was directly related to the crashing of the economy join the lawsuits against the banks?  I’m curious to know how many of us are out there who were crashed?  Should we ban together in a class action lawsuit?

I am somewhat lucky as I now have a full time job as of fall 2010 making $30k less than I did 10 years ago as a Controller, thank you banks, at least I have a job.  My husband manages our barn now renting it out to boarders which helps close the financial gap, somewhat.  Nature’s Balance Care did have a buyer at one time, but that deal fell through so I was going to close it at the end of 2011.  However enough outcry and support by customers inspired me to keep it going.  It has gone backwards into being a hobby business where I started since now I don’t have time to make calls and grow it.  And wouldn’t you know the economy is maybe recovering so I’m missing out on the opportunity, ugh.  Who’s responsible?  Should the banks be held responsible for Nature’s Balance Care having its future crashed?  What do you think?  I want to hear from you.  Email Missy@MissyWryn.com.

I went to bed last night early and still had to force myself out of bed at 5:10 instead of 5:00.  Yesterday it was worse as I stayed in bed until 5:20, but I made it out of the house at 6:30 to make it to the office by 7:15.  As humans we are not designed to go to work in the dark and come home in the dark for one thing and when you add Fibromyalgia to the mix sheer will power and sense of responsibility has to take over to get up and keep going.

The change in weather no matter to the sun or to rain it all hurts.  If I could be in one place that is the same everyday I wonder if that would make a difference.  I’ve dreamed of the freedom to afford to visit places at different times in their seasons and to find the one place where I don’t hurt living there.  Is it really that simple just moving?  Probably not.  If I could find relief, a cure what joy that would be.

Well it’s 7:41 and I best get to work.  I’ve got invoices to review for correct g/l #’s and a year-end to complete for the CPA, 1098′s that need typing and 1096′s that need completing.  Such a beautiful sunny day, I miss being with my horses everyday – lucky I had 4 years at home in my barn – time I cherish deeply now.  Lucky hubby gets to stay home and play in the sunshine.  I hurt too much to ride anyways today.  Oh well I get to sleep in tomorrow………….

Equine Support Center for Fibromyalgia with Missy Wryn

Group & Private Sessions are NOW AVAILABLE at the Equine Support Center for Fibromyalgia.  Visit the webpage at http://site.missywryn.com/Equine_Support_Ctr_Fibro.html for details.

A quick video blog about what has happened since I admitted to my fans and followers that I have had Fibromyalgia for over 26 years.  The fears of judgement, lost business and discrimination are discussed in this video.  Thanks for watching.  Please share with me your experiences and how I can be of support to you in any way.

The Equine Support Center for Fibromyalgia will be opening February 18th, but the announcement is not yet official.

Have a fabulous day – Missy

Equine Support Center for Fibromyalgia with Missy Wryn

Equine Support Center for Fibromyalgia

“I finally agreed to the diagnosis that my chronic pain and fatigue issues are Fibromyalgia” horse trainer Missy Wryn admits.  “Years and years seeking medical care from neurologists, arthritis specialists, gastroenterologists, orthopedic surgeons, and spine specialists, to the support of psychiatrists, psychologists, naturopathic care, acupuncture, chiropractic, physical therapy, shamanic and spiritual healers, all have been helpful on this journey.  I kept the word Fibromyalgia out of my vocabulary for the first 20 years when dealing with medical professionals since there is a stigma that Fibro is not a medical condition.  I heard this multiple times from doctor and nurse friends without revealing to them that I am a Fibro sufferer.  In fact just yesterday (1-30-2012) on my Facebook page a nurse responded to my announcement of the Equine Support Center for Fibromyalgia that 90% of the medical professionals do not believe that Fibromyalgia is a medical condition.” Missy recounts.

“The benefits from my Fibromyalgia have been surprising however.  I have my Fibromyalgia to thank for inspiring my Training the Whole Horse^® program and videos.  As a Fibro sufferer harshness and force were not sustainable, therefore gentleness led the way revealing horses train faster and safer when taking breaks and applying gentleness.  Body awareness is another benefit of Fibromyalgia which again has a direct connection communicating with horses.  Mindfulness requires the awareness of feelings that directly impact Fibromyalgia symptoms so honing this skill directly relates to working with horses too.  Bottom line Fibromyalgia made me a better horsewoman!

The Equine Support Center for Fibromyalgia was inspired by frustrating experiences I had attending support programs from Yoga to physical therapy.  None of the professionals I met leading these program were Fibromyalgia patients themselves so they pushed beyond capacity, made me hold patterns that I paid for the rest of the day with pain and sometimes it took several days to unwind the pain triggers.   In addition many of my Fibro horse friends have given up their horses no longer able to ride or even perform the basic duties of feeding and mucking.  In light of these issues, support by non-fibro professionals and horse lovers giving up their passion, came the inspiration of bridging this gap with the Equine Support Center for Fibromyalgia (ESCF).  The ESCF provides support to Fibromyalgia sufferers who love horses, who want to be around horses, all the while recognizing the limitations of movement, time on our feet and our emotional wellbeing.  The ESCF has group and private sessions that include soft stretching, guided relaxation techniques, journaling using Kim McElroy’s & Linda Kohanov’s Way of the Horsejournal for positive invocation AND most importantly the loving embrace of sweet caring horses who are experienced with the special needs of Fibromyalgia since they have been taking care of me for many many years” Missy smiles.

To learn more about Missy’s Equine Support Center for Fibromyalgia visit Missy’s website at MissyWryn.com or call 888-406-7689.

Equine Support Center for Fibromyalgia

I spent fifteen (15) years with a neurologist for chronic headaches and radiating pain only to be “let go” to my primary care physician for pain management.  There was nothing more he could do after trying every type of chronic pain control drug available.  Some drugs had dangerous side-effects, especially the Triptyline family with vivid hallucinations of snakes, spiders and rats that I’ll blog another time.

Chronic heaviness in my legs as if they were concrete; chronic neck pain that ran down my back and between my shoulder blades up the top of my head, and half my face – I was told “that’s how you carry your stress”.  Arms so heavy I could hardly move some days.    Ceaseless exhaustion running on shear adrenaline and days that I thought I was actually dying.   I vividly recall sitting at my kitchen table one night talking with a friend and saying “I think I’m dying”.  Why else would I feel so drained?  Like I had no blood, no air, just wasting away and this was BEFORE I had my first child, before I was ever pregnant!!

Life went on and at the age of 26 my first child was born and at age 30 my second.  Two little boys, and a full time job singly and wholly supporting my family which included my son’s father and his first child.  I was an idiot to carry the entire load, but that was self-punishment which is another day of blogging.

I tried every conventional and non-conventional doctor.  Tens of thousands upon tens of thousands of dollars spent over the last 24 years.  I’ve changed my diet, journaled weather patterns, eating patterns, eliminated dairy, wheat, refined sugar, taken supplements, cortisone, steriods, injections, surgeries.  I was even tortured two years ago by an emergency room physician who withheld pain medication because I was a Fibromyalgia patient stigmatized to be a druggy.  Even after he diagnosed Apendicitis with a CT scan 5 hours after arriving in the ER, I continued to receive a reduced amount of pain medication that of an ordinary patient with appendicitis should.  I was admitted to the hospital by 12:30 a.m. while I waited another 10.5 hours until 11:00 the next morning because the surgeon wanted to get his sleep and figured I could wait.  Needless to say my appendix was within a couple hours of perforating by the time I had the surgery.  I was writing in pain twisting my sheets and sucked down the anesthetic desperate to be put out of my misery.

Bottom line, I denied I had this condition for nearly 20 years because of the stigma.  I knew the medical profession didn’t believe it and guess what, even today, TODAY I received a message from a nurse that pointed out 90% of medical professionals still do not believe that Fibromyalgia is a REAL legitimate condition.  Well what the hell is it then?  Can anyone tell me?? NO not yet, but I bet you there will be a diagnosis linked to a bacteria or virus one day – you wait and see.  It could be linked to all the chemicals that are in our food, vaccines we were subjected to as little kids, the GMO that has been done to all our seeds, the hormones and anti-biotics that have been injected into our livestock.  One day it will be discovered.  There are too many people now suffering from this debilitating condition!!!

A ray of support finally!!  I have found some understanding in 1 clinic here in Portland, the Frida Center.  I met my FM caregiver first at Oregon Health Science University where one (1) day a week is dedicated to FM patients.  The clinic was full of men and women when I arrived.  There I received empathy and understanding.  No cures, no relief, but at least someone believed and was searching for answers!!  Every one of us had a similar story.  Working working working not relenting to how we actually felt.  Embarassed to reveal to anyone that we were suffering.  Thinking if we speak it that will make it true.  Silent suffering as we went from one doctor to the next.  Lots of tears that day by each of us.  At least someone in the medical profession believed me and didn’t say I’m crazy.  The Frida Center is founded by Dr Liptan who wrote the book Figuring Out Fibromyalgia: Current Science and the Most Effective Treatments.  It is a great place to start if you are in the Portland area.

One of my frustrations however is I’ve attended support programs from Yoga to physical therapy and none of the professionals I’ve met leading these classes are Fibromyalgia patients themselves.  They push beyond capacity, make us hold patterns that we pay for the rest of the day and sometimes takes several days to unwind the pain trigger.  They don’t seem to understand fully our limitations, but as humans we want to live up to expectations, receive praise and not fail so we push ourselves and regret it later and then stop going to programs.

One of the reliefs of my FM is time with my horses.  I cannot ride without “feeling” it for days and never am “in shape” since every ride costs me pain no matter how many times a day I ride or number of days in a week I ride.  It’s like working out, but never getting in shape and feeling the pain of being out of shape every day.  When I brought my horses home over ten years ago I was puzzled that I was always in pain for days after riding.  I’d think ‘when am I ever going to be in shape?’ not realizing or admitting that my pain was FM.  My doctors were always amazed at how great I looked and how in-shape I was that I was met with disbelief that I was suffering.  Even to this day my primary physician, who I absolutely adore and goes to great lengths to support me, says “you’ll be hard pressed to ever get disability as you look too good, too healthy”.  That’s a wonderful compliment, but any FM sufferer will tell you about the brick wall – I’ve hit it many many times, but like I said I have the best primary physician that gets me up and over the wall after tearful visits.

Back to the horses – I’m putting together the Equine Support Center for Fibromyalgia which is support in groups and individual, clinics and private time from just “being” with one of my horses simply hugging and crying or to grooming and petting. Understanding the limitations of FM, for instance, recognizing time on our feet is limited, our motion is limited or we’ll pay late so there is soft stretching, gentle touch, a little journeying in our Way of the Horse Journals, group sharing, private crying and lots and lots of support.  Being an FM sufferer with horses who are now in their later years, it is time to change from training to sharing.

Let me know if you are in the Portland, Oregon area and would like to participate in an event or schedule private time.  I will have a schedule of events on my website with a webpage dedicated to the Equine Support Center for Fibro.  This is not a replacement for medical care, simply support that includes the loving embrace of sweet caring horses who are waiting for you to share your heart with them.

Email Missy@MissyWryn.com and visit MissyWryn.com and click on the Equine Support Center for Fibromyalgia.  Thanks for reading and sharing.

Missy

The Pegasus backorders are here and being filled today.  Hopefully I’ve purchased enough Pegasus Crystals to get us through the week.  Don’t hesitate to order yours today as I will be ordering more next week too.  Shipping is FREE within the continental US and for those of you outside the US email me Missy@MissyWryn.com and I’ll get you the price to ship to you.

Thanks for making the Pegasus Necklaces so popular – I’m so very glad you are enjoying them.  I wear mine everyday now!!

The question has been raised “what do the Pegasus Crystals look like against horse hair”?  While my horses are muddy and wet during this winter season notice how the Crystal continues to beam the refracted multi-colors of light against the contrast of horse hair.

The Pegasus Swarovski Crystals are shaped in Pegasus Wing inspiring the freedom experienced while being with and riding a horse.  Every horse rider knows the feeling of weightlessness and flight that hooks us into being lifetime horse lovers.  There is no “growing out of it” as our parents had hoped.

The Pegasus Crystal represents our winged freedom.  Pegasus is also know as the Messenger who bestows wisdom in our hearts which I experience often while being with my equine friends.  Wearing a Pegasus Crystal everyday around my neck gives me the feeling of connectedness to my beloved horse friends while I’m at work and away from the barn.  I receive wisdom throughout my day that otherwise I did not sense.

During my horse rides my horses wear their Pegasus Crystal Necklace too specially made for their stature and size with the larger 50mm crystal.  Paco wears his Jet and I wear the Moonlight.

Visit MissyWryn.com to view the varying colors and new additions of Golden Shadow with Silver Shade & Crystal Copper to be arriving soon.