Texas Bound!

I admit, I've been MIA for quite some time. I sort of gave up on myself for a while. I lost all that weight and was pain free so I thought all my problems were weight related. Then the pain came back. And with a vengeance! I've even ended up in urgent care a couple of times because the pain was so intense.

Well, many doctor appointments later, come to find out I have this disease called Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS for short). Basically it's arthritis in the spine and hips that can also effect any other joint in the body as well because it is an autoimmune disease. This disease causes inflammation on the bone (which is the main source of the pain) that eventually leads to the vertebrae in the spine and hips to fuse together. Sounds fun, right? 

For those of you interested, it is pronounced ain-kee-low-sing spawn-di-lie-tis. If you're interested in learning more about this incurable, debilitating, and very painful disease, go to the SAA website HERE.

So fast forward some months, TONS of researching, and reading up on this thing that is trying to lay claim on my body and my life. Turns out exercise and a balanced diet will help slow down the progression of this disease and help manage my symptoms. So I sit here typing this up contemplating how to manage everything on my plate. Single mom. Full time job (as of right now, and hopefully again shortly after my upcoming move). Full time parent. Health & Fitness Coach. Downsizing and packing up my entire house. Rehoming/caring for our fur-babies. Plus picking up some hours doing some data entry work for my mom for her business. Now add to that this... THING, all the doctors appointments that go along with getting it diagnosed, and the appointments to get an effective treatment plan in place. Ain't nobody got time for that!

*sigh*

Let's just say this has not been the greatest year. There are a wealth of other problems that come along with having AS, and apparently life has chosen NOW to hit me with several of them. Thanks life! Much appreciated.

~~~ BUT ~~~

On to bigger and better things. Haha! See what I did there? I'm moving to Texas... where "everything is bigger"! Okay, lame joke. Anyway, in an attempt to prepare myself for my upcoming (roughly) 2,500 mile road trip that is FAST approaching, I've been compiling lists of things/activities to make this trip less painful. Not just physically, but also emotionally and mentally (ever taken a road trip with highly active children?). The most recent list I've been working on is for ways to combat/prevent the painful recourse my body is going to take on me for sitting for HOURS on end, and sleeping however many nights in a bed that is not my own (it has taken several mattress trials to finally find one that is comfortable AND doesn't make me wake up drenched head to toe with sweat).

Among all the suggestions I've found via Google and my AS support group, Epsom Salt baths were recommended. This is not the first time I've been told to take them either. A dear friend told me a few months back that she takes them regularly (she also suffers from chronic EVERYWHERE pain) and swears relief by them. Not completely, but they do help. My dilemma: I loathe taking baths. I feel like a danged beached whale trying to climb in/out of the bath tub. 

Bonus, my neck/head start to hurt if I'm in there for very long. 

So I've been trying to research HOW to use the salts on my neck, shoulders, and lower back without taking a bath. I've only come up with two: 

1. Combine the salts with coconut oil (also VERY good for the skin) and use as a scrub, rinse, then follow up with my preferred lotion. 

2. Put equal parts Epsom Salts and water into a pan, boil to "melt" the salts, then cool and put into a spray bottle to spray and massage into the skin (also an option to rinse and use lotion).

So I turn to you for suggestions now. What is the best (and most travel friendly) way you've found to use Epsom Salts for low back pain/joint pain/inflammation that doesn't involve me reenacting Free Willy? Let me know in the comments!