Friday, March 30, 2012

There's Humor In Everything

I was reading my Arthritis Today Magazine this past month and there was a small article called, What's so funny about Arthritis. I had to chuckle when I saw the title and at first I thought to myself, what is so funny about arthritis? Really, not much, but then I read the article and I began to chuckle. Here are the blurbs they had listed.
YOU MIGHT HAVE RA IF...
*You've ever spent more than 20 minutes figuring out how to get out of the tub without using your arms or legs.-S Parmer 82
*You say you can't tie your shoes, then hear, "Want me to teach you, Grandma?"-Great Grandma
*You've looked through the Kama Sutra -not for variety, but for comfort.-Julie Geek
*You think the little foil tops on the yogurt containers were put on earth by satan.-Pet Peeve
*Your friends don't seem to worried when your Facebook status says you're "shooting up" every Saturday night.- Chrissie
*Your joints give a more accurate weather forecast than the weatherman.-Amanda from the North.

Come on now you have to admit you had a few chuckles there. I decided I have a few of my own as I am sure you have many of your own too.
*Every time you have to walk up a hill or a flight of steps your husband pushes your butt with both of his hands and you don't even have to ask him to do it, he just knows.
*Your grandson is planning on making a robot to catch you when you fall UP the steps.
*When you see a child in the shopping cart at the grocery store you get extremely jealous.
*You take a 5 minute walk but according to your mind, and body, it was like running a marathon, and you are proud of yourself afterwards.
*Last night you told your husband you were going to make him a nice dinner tomorrow, by noon the nice dinner is turning into just a burger, by 3 it is leftovers.
*When you are hanging out with your friends all you can see is your hot steaming bath and all you can hear is your nice comfy spot on the couch calling your name.
*When the phone rings you act like you don't hear it and continue on with whatever you are doing at the moment. I mean really, who has the energy to talk and solve others problems, you can hardly solve your own.
*Your dressiest outfit is stretchy pants and a t-shirt with a frumpy old fleece jacket to keep you warm.
*During sex you make more noises than a French whore.
*You rub against anything and you get a bruise and think of them as body art.
*The best one and my favorite: You are able to find humor in the simplest of things because you realize life is short and we only have this moment.
*You can't remember anything and your favorite line is, "You never told me that. I hear that one all the time. I blame the meds!

If you can tell from the above, being ill isn't all that bad. It bring everything in to perspective. The little things to most people are the big things to all of  us. Yes, it is a PITA-(pain the the a**) but it certainly isn't all that bad if you are able to find humor in the worst of situations and can laugh at yourself.

Advice for today? Keep laughing! Some days that is all you have so why not take advantage of it? I know I do! Live, Laugh, Love! We cannot allow being chronically ill take our joy away from us! Well, except on the really bad days, then we have a good reason. On all other days apply humor and move on the best you can!

God Bless!

Dianne

Thursday, March 29, 2012

I Wish I/We Had A Place To Go

I wish I and other chronically ill people had a place to go. If you are not chronically ill you will never understand what this post is about but I know most of the people who read this are either ill, live with someone who is or have lived with someone who is, so it will make sense to all of you.

When you are chronically ill there are days that you feel you have no where to go. If you are having a good day an outing to you may be a much needed trip to the store or out to pick up your meds and other medical supplies at the drug store. If you are really fortunate you may be able to meet someone for a quick lunch, wondering the whole time how long you will last before you must get home because of your body signals. Then there are those days that, whether you feel good or bad, you have appointments to go to. These appointments many times are with doctors that are very hard to get appointments with so regardless of how you feel you go. I have to laugh at this because when I go to the doctor alone I usually tell them, I am good because I don't have my babysitter/driver with me today. On the bad days Rich takes me and sits in the room. It is funny because even when I am well most of what the doctor says to me goes in one ear and out the other. I think it is mostly because I get so worked up when I have to go all I do while I am there is wait for the moment it to be over so I can get out of the office and catch my breath. When Rich goes with me he always reminds me of what the doctor said and I usually look at him and say, "He/She didn't say that." I am the one who is usually wrong so I like it when he goes with me because I learn so much more. It is funny how your brain can just shut it all out and you only hear what you want to hear.

My post today has nothing to do with doctors. I has to do with a place. You know how there are many adult daycare centers out there for people who are unable to stay alone during the day while their caregivers work? A dream for me would be to have a place like that for chronically ill people. You wouldn't have to go everyday if you didn't want, but just have a place you could go and be understood. There could be quiet rooms for people who are forced to rest. Art rooms for people to create and use that form of expression to understand their illness. Game rooms for people who like to do games. Of course, a buffet room with all healthy, yummy foods! Classes to teach us how to cook healthy foods. these classes would also include ideas on how to take care of ourselves better than we do. Emotional support as well as the physical with trained professionals to help us deal with all we have to deal with on a daily basis. Exercise classes that work best for people with chronic illness, even a pool with warm water to help people who stiffen up in the cold water. A place filled with positive energy! Ahhh to dream!

First and most important if you are going to join this free club is you must be positive, not that you wouldn't be allowed to let it all out but you must at least try to see the good in all that you are dealing with. This is not only a help to yourself but to the others who are suffering. If you are negative to another person it is grounds for a kick in the pants straight out the door. I was just telling a friend how I went to a support group for a wide range of physical diseases. It wasn't until a few sessions later that I decided I would never went back. A a question came up and I answered, the woman next to me said straight to my face, "How would you know how it is is living in pain, you can take drugs to make you better, I can't." I was so shocked I couldn't speak back to her. Which, if you know me that doesn't happen real often as I am an opinionated ass most of the time. I left that meeting very upset. If there is one thing chronically ill people do not need it is rude comments. I have been very sad about that ever since. Right there is what I think the world thinks of people with chronic illness- You have arthritis? Oh we all have aches and pains, that one lady categorized the whole world for me. Sad, I know, but how I feel none the less. For me and others who suffer it is much, much more than a few aches and pains. How nice it would be to go to a place that was not only supportive and loving but also accepting and non judgemental. Just a place to fit in. A place you can go and be yourself. Cry if you need to, talk about your aches and pains and not have people look at you like you have four eyes when you do. A place of total love. Ahhh to dream!

Now all I need to do is find the funding. I know this dream will never become a reality but without dreams how do we live? I dream everyday that tomorrow will be my day. I will wake up and be cured. If I didn't I would never get through each and everyday. It is my hope and prayer everyone of you, no matter how hard the day is, are able to dream. If not, sit back, close your eyes, and dream you are in my/our dream center of love and support for chronic illness and know: YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

God Bless!

Dianne

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Take It All With A Grain Of Salt

Remember that saying? Take it all with or as a grain of salt. I use to think old people were crazy when they would say that, but now that I am older I can identify with that phrase in so many ways. I honestly have no idea what I am going to write here but I was pulled here for some reason. I think mostly because since I have started our new bible study I find myself even more confused then I was before I started it. I don't understand much, as I never really have, but since I have some definitive subjects to study I can't help myself but ask more whys and say that so much of this stuff doesn't make sense. I truly believe in God, it has nothing to do with my faith at all, it is just that when I read the bible, and answer the questions to the study it seems like so many things I read contradict one another. I read you shouldn't do this or you shouldn't do that and then I read the old testament and I become confused as the people back then were doing all of these things and sometimes God told them to do the very things we are not to do. Unless I am reading it totally out of the context. Now I am doing research on the old and the new covenant and I am nervous about even starting to read it. It makes me cry even more and not understand even more when I dig into the bible. I thought it was suppose to be the other way around. I liked it better when all I had was my faith and would encourage myself with quotes and some positive bibel verses. Or I would read the Footprints. Those are the things that inspire me to live and rely on my faith the most.

I had to run to the store today and when I was coming home from the trip I was thinking of how the world has it all messed up with the way we think and live. I heard something the other day and when the person said it my mouth opened in disbelief. The person was saying how someone she knows has a ton of shoes, Ill say shoes even though it was a different item, she said the number it was 70. My brain couldn't even process it. Are you kidding me? I cannot even understand what is wrong with our world to think we would need 70 of some meaningless item that mostly sits in our closet. Even before I became ill I never had a love for things or shopping or stuff for that matter. I never understood how people could shop and store up all this stuff they more than likely never use and it just sits there and collects dust. How come people aren't using the extra money they have to help others who need it. A friend in need? Instead of spend, spend, spend. Are people really actually trying to buy a happiness that is never found and that is why they keep buying and spending?

After this thought it lead me to the thought of how people abandon one another. It amazes me how when the sun is shining and things are good everyone is around you, but as soon as the lights dim and things aren't so good people run. What is that all about?  Many times the people who run are the ones who are preaching the goodness of God to others but when it comes to actually being Jesus to someone they can't do it. Words are words. Love in action is much more of a sacrifice to another person. If we are Jesus in skin why are we not walking instead of talking. I can write this because I have lived it. I have a very few select friends, besides my immediate family, who are still Jesus in skin to me. The ones who really care. I know who they are. I cherish them. They encourage me to want to be that to others who struggle, because when you are in a storm that goes on and on and on it can be a very lonely, scary, and at times a very sad place. Just knowing someone cares can make a day better. Of course you can't understand this until you go through something and need the love and care from others.

I guess this post is my way of wanting to shake the world and shout, "WAKE UP!" Life is short. Love people not things. Take a minute or two to care about someone else. Don't take it with a grain of salt. The next time you want to buy yet another pair of shoes that you don't need, maybe send the money to someone who can use it. Or send someone a message and tell them you care about them. Or just be kind to a stranger when you are out in the world. Stop and smile at a child in the store. Help an older person who looks like they are struggling, or a younger one who may be slumped over their shopping cart. Your one kindness, that you think is no big deal, may encourage the next person to do the same for another person. Don't take this life with a grain of salt. It will all end so while you are here leave a piece of yourself with someone so that when you are gone you will linger in their heart forever and they in yours!

God Bless!

Dianne

Monday, March 26, 2012

God Prays For Us When We Can't



Thankful today that sometimes when I don't think I can get through another day God is always there. Last night we studied about the whys of life at our bible study. I am not sure the answer if the why got totally answered directly but if I took one thing away it was this, When you are to tired to pray for yourself don't worry, God is praying for you. I love that, especially since I am unable to pray for myself at all anymore except for when I cry out to God and ask why. I am thankful to be feeling well the past few days which helped me last night. I know if I was having a bad day I would have either been more of a wreck at the study or I never would have been able to go. You see when you are in a group of people studies like that are not easy. You are the one crying out the why's all the time, and feel so alone. Sharing your deepest inner thoughts with the "normal" world is hard to do. I am thankful I went and now when I am crying out to God I can know he is praying for me while I wait to meet him and be free of this earthy body, which is a comfort to me in itself!

God Bless!

Dianne