Every day I have a plethora of pills to swallow (Do you like that word? I got a good laugh out of its use in the movie ¡Three Amigos!). There are days I sit, look at the pile, and think to myself, 'I can't swallow these anymore. I will choke to death on them.'
I have to say the amount of pills I take now are much less than they used to be. I eat better; I use a mixture of Eastern and Western medicine in my health care, such as chiropractics, acupuncture, micro-current, essential oils, regular check-ups with both my PCP and my neurologist; I do yoga; and have hobbies to keep me active--gardening, photo restoration, genealogy, scrapbooking, and of course, blogging.
But physical pills aren't the only things in life we are sometimes asked to swallow. Some of those 'pills' are because of our own making, such as poor choices. Some are because of what life has thrust upon us, either because of someone else or just because of circumstance.
Let me share two examples from my life. One is from back in my younger days. I was taking a year off from college and loving the single life. I had a good job, a good boyfriend, cheap rent (living with my parents-haha), a car, and lots of friends. I had no intention of going back to school--ever.
Well, things started to go down hill. My friends started to trickle off to school or to get married. My parents were encouraging me to go back to school. I'd really disliked my first year so why would I want to go back. I was really hoping my boyfriend would pop the question. His mom was too.
Then, the catalyst hit that forced me to swallow the dreaded pill. On a very romantic date, when I thought the question was going to be coming, I was informed I was 'too intelligent' for him and things would never work out. We'd had a nice time and I really should go back to college. Was that ever a slap in the face with reality?
Now I'm not one who sits around and mopes for long. In fact, I didn't mope at all on this one. I was so angry by the words 'too intelligent,' I was in hyper-drive all the way back to college. I got a job, an apartment, was enrolled in all my classes within three weeks and never looked back. I got my AAAS that Spring.
The hardest pill I've had to swallow was given to me on the day before my 6th Wedding Anniversary, May 16th, 1996. That's when I was given the diagnosis of MS. Even though the news was devastating and I thought my life was over, I have come to realize I've also received countless blessings throughout these many years.
Both of the pills I mentioned were hard. I struggled with each one. I still struggle with MS everyday. But, each pill brought and still brings blessings. If I had married that boyfriend, I would have never married Rick or had my two beautiful children. I'd never have finished up college. And who knows where or what I'd be now. And if I'd never had MS (I maybe would have skipped this pill), who knows what personal growth I would have missed. What growth would my family and I have missed?
So as you look at your plethora of pills--literal or symbolical--think of how they are helping heal you, blessing you, and helping those around you. And maybe the next time you have to swallow, it won't be so hard to go down.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
You Are What You Eat
As a kid, I was fascinated by Cookie Monster. I thought he was quite disgusting in the way he ate cookies and making a huge mess. But, I did like the way he talked and loved those cookies. I just loved cookies. In fact, I still do. They are a big down fall of mine, which is why I don't make them very often. My husband and son wish I would make them more. And when I do, the cookies vanish in a flash, which is fine by me.
I made the decision to stop making goodies several years ago, when I noticed I was the one who ate most of them. I would, of course, have to sample the dough or batter to make sure it was going to turn out okay. Then, when the product was done baking, I would have to sample it again to make sure it was fine to add the frosting or to continue to the next level of preparation. And so, the process would continue. And before I knew it, I had sampled 5 cookies or 3 cupcakes. And if the decadent dessert happen to last a few days, I was slicing off slivers of cake or nibbling bits of cookies all week, much to the detriment of my waistline.
About three or four years ago, I made the decision to start eating healthier. Not great rid of just my beloved cookies, but all things not good for me. I didn't quit cold-turkey since we all know that's not a wise thing. The brain seems to play tricks on us. We tell ourselves we are going to start a diet tomorrow. And when tomorrow comes, we're just famished. So we stuff our faces and begin our diet the next day or maybe the next day after that. And yet, there are days we've actually been so busy we've gone all day without eating anything until dinner and never noticed once we're hungry. Go figure?
Anyway, I've decided the best diet is moderation in all things--whether it be dessert, soda, fruits, veggies, meat, grains, what have you. I didn't limit myself to anything. That way my brain wasn't going to play tricks on me. If I wanted that giant slab of key-lime cheesecake, I was going to have it--only I was going to use moderation. Which meant, I wasn't going to have that GIANT slab, I was going to have a small sliver and put the rest away for some future date. So I'd freeze the rest to avoid temptation.
And I have to say, this has worked for me. I have lost about 25 pounds and kept them off. There has been no yo-yo'ing. I've got to eat the little things I crave and the benefit is those cravings have pretty much gone away. I eat more veggies and fresh fruit now. If I were to be given a choice between a big mixed salad with meat and beans in it or a wedge of pizza with gooey cheese and pepperoni, I must say I'd take the salad.
But I've started to take the saying "You Are What You Eat" literally. Things you eat affect your mood, your health, your weight, your mind, everything about you.
Just today, a friend posted this video on Facebook and I found it very helpful to me, personally.
I've been doing most of this already and so adding the rest will not be a big step for me. Had I not been doing stuff already, I'd have a hard time.
So my challenge to you (should you choose to accept it), is what are you eating (or drinking) in your life, that is having an affect on you? What is it turning you into? Are you a Cookie Monster--like I am?
I made the decision to stop making goodies several years ago, when I noticed I was the one who ate most of them. I would, of course, have to sample the dough or batter to make sure it was going to turn out okay. Then, when the product was done baking, I would have to sample it again to make sure it was fine to add the frosting or to continue to the next level of preparation. And so, the process would continue. And before I knew it, I had sampled 5 cookies or 3 cupcakes. And if the decadent dessert happen to last a few days, I was slicing off slivers of cake or nibbling bits of cookies all week, much to the detriment of my waistline.
About three or four years ago, I made the decision to start eating healthier. Not great rid of just my beloved cookies, but all things not good for me. I didn't quit cold-turkey since we all know that's not a wise thing. The brain seems to play tricks on us. We tell ourselves we are going to start a diet tomorrow. And when tomorrow comes, we're just famished. So we stuff our faces and begin our diet the next day or maybe the next day after that. And yet, there are days we've actually been so busy we've gone all day without eating anything until dinner and never noticed once we're hungry. Go figure?
Anyway, I've decided the best diet is moderation in all things--whether it be dessert, soda, fruits, veggies, meat, grains, what have you. I didn't limit myself to anything. That way my brain wasn't going to play tricks on me. If I wanted that giant slab of key-lime cheesecake, I was going to have it--only I was going to use moderation. Which meant, I wasn't going to have that GIANT slab, I was going to have a small sliver and put the rest away for some future date. So I'd freeze the rest to avoid temptation.
And I have to say, this has worked for me. I have lost about 25 pounds and kept them off. There has been no yo-yo'ing. I've got to eat the little things I crave and the benefit is those cravings have pretty much gone away. I eat more veggies and fresh fruit now. If I were to be given a choice between a big mixed salad with meat and beans in it or a wedge of pizza with gooey cheese and pepperoni, I must say I'd take the salad.
But I've started to take the saying "You Are What You Eat" literally. Things you eat affect your mood, your health, your weight, your mind, everything about you.
Just today, a friend posted this video on Facebook and I found it very helpful to me, personally.
I've been doing most of this already and so adding the rest will not be a big step for me. Had I not been doing stuff already, I'd have a hard time.
So my challenge to you (should you choose to accept it), is what are you eating (or drinking) in your life, that is having an affect on you? What is it turning you into? Are you a Cookie Monster--like I am?
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Whirlwind
There are times in your live when you may feel you have been sucked up in a whirlwind and are being thrown around from side-to-side with no way out. You can't seem to control your days and there seems to be no end to the chaos. Every night you crawl into bed, exhausted, dreading the dawn. Your stress level is climbing and know, that if it doesn't stop soon, you are going to blow.
I've often thought of the character Tipo from the Disney movie "The Emperor's New Groove." She wakes up from a nightmare and says, 'I had a dream that Dad was tied to a log and careening out of control down a raging river of death.'
I often feel I am careening out of control on a raging river of life--or in a whirlwind that sucks me up and spits me out tattered and torn somewhere down the river of life where I really didn't want to be. As I've gotten older, and hopefully wiser, I've noticed some of the chaos in this whirlwind is my own doing. And even though I don't mean to do it, it happens. Let me explain.
I am caught up in a whirlwind at this moment and it's starting to pick up momentum. I've noticed it gaining speed for sometime now and have been trying to stop it before it flings me far and does some serious damage. In my case, an MS relapse that could set me back several weeks or months.
It started back in November when I took a spill and gave myself a concussion. Instead of taking it easy and recovery fully (heck, it was the holidays. Who had time to recover?), I jumped back into life after about ten days and started with my agenda.
I went Christmas shopping. I kept up with my photo restoration, which is fine since I was sitting down for this and wasn't over-exerting myself. I started to stay up later to be with my husband and son. Then, my daughter came home from college so I started to do more with her and stay up even later. I love to play 'Words with Friends' since it helps keep the cognitive part of my brain going. I had more friends adding me to their list so I was playing more. December turns into January, and the stress is building.
February came. I broke a tooth, and we have no dental insurance. Rick's new job with the new insurance really pays for nothing. So the chaos is mounting. I found out when I took my spill in November, I tore some ligaments in my knee. Add more doctors appointments to the day. The ride down the river is starting to move rapidly. This ride is filled with photo restoration, housework, blogging, genealogy, staying up late (I never did get to bed early after the holiday season), and 'Words with Friends.' We take a trip to see my daughter at college and celebrate her 20th birthday. I'm really feeling the whirlwind building speed now.
March comes in with spring-like weather. I'm now getting involved with my garden stuff. I'm offered to do Water Conservation at the county extension. I've been wanting to do this for years! Along with this, I do my normal helping with garden volunteering, pruning, & classes; added to all the above stuff from February.
In the days before I had MS, the whirlwind would have been a small dirt devil at this point and I could have squashed it with taking a nap or two. But with MS, I can't do this. I know that something must give. BUT, do I do give something up? Noooooo.....
I have added Pinterest to this. I like to see what others are interested in and want to add my interests. Both my children's graduations are coming up in May--one from high school, one from college. I'm also trying to get my yard cleaned up for spring (with help of course) and work on a plan for what to plant and grow for this year. I have to keep in mind that whatever grows, I have to reap and can in the fall. I need to beware there, too. I always get carried away with that and create a great massive whirlwind with harvest season.
So, how did I bring this on myself? How did I go 'careening over this raging river of death?'
Simple! I did not say NO. I did not chose the important stuff. The most crucial part in this picture is ME.
Yes, it is time to be selfish here. My health is the most critical thing here. I need to eliminate several things to stop this whirlwind before it gets any worse. I know what I need to do in my life and plan on doing it. In fact, I have already started the process.
Now, for you. What are the things in your life that are causing dirt devils to becomes whirlwinds? Are you on a raging river right now that is careening out of control? What is being affected in your life?
I challenge you to make a list of all the things you have done in the last three months (like I did) and see what things are really necessary for your well-being. What things are getting in the way of the end-goal? And take steps to eliminate them before you are being swept away and being slammed into chaos.
I've often thought of the character Tipo from the Disney movie "The Emperor's New Groove." She wakes up from a nightmare and says, 'I had a dream that Dad was tied to a log and careening out of control down a raging river of death.'
I often feel I am careening out of control on a raging river of life--or in a whirlwind that sucks me up and spits me out tattered and torn somewhere down the river of life where I really didn't want to be. As I've gotten older, and hopefully wiser, I've noticed some of the chaos in this whirlwind is my own doing. And even though I don't mean to do it, it happens. Let me explain.
I am caught up in a whirlwind at this moment and it's starting to pick up momentum. I've noticed it gaining speed for sometime now and have been trying to stop it before it flings me far and does some serious damage. In my case, an MS relapse that could set me back several weeks or months.
It started back in November when I took a spill and gave myself a concussion. Instead of taking it easy and recovery fully (heck, it was the holidays. Who had time to recover?), I jumped back into life after about ten days and started with my agenda.
I went Christmas shopping. I kept up with my photo restoration, which is fine since I was sitting down for this and wasn't over-exerting myself. I started to stay up later to be with my husband and son. Then, my daughter came home from college so I started to do more with her and stay up even later. I love to play 'Words with Friends' since it helps keep the cognitive part of my brain going. I had more friends adding me to their list so I was playing more. December turns into January, and the stress is building.
February came. I broke a tooth, and we have no dental insurance. Rick's new job with the new insurance really pays for nothing. So the chaos is mounting. I found out when I took my spill in November, I tore some ligaments in my knee. Add more doctors appointments to the day. The ride down the river is starting to move rapidly. This ride is filled with photo restoration, housework, blogging, genealogy, staying up late (I never did get to bed early after the holiday season), and 'Words with Friends.' We take a trip to see my daughter at college and celebrate her 20th birthday. I'm really feeling the whirlwind building speed now.
March comes in with spring-like weather. I'm now getting involved with my garden stuff. I'm offered to do Water Conservation at the county extension. I've been wanting to do this for years! Along with this, I do my normal helping with garden volunteering, pruning, & classes; added to all the above stuff from February.
In the days before I had MS, the whirlwind would have been a small dirt devil at this point and I could have squashed it with taking a nap or two. But with MS, I can't do this. I know that something must give. BUT, do I do give something up? Noooooo.....
I have added Pinterest to this. I like to see what others are interested in and want to add my interests. Both my children's graduations are coming up in May--one from high school, one from college. I'm also trying to get my yard cleaned up for spring (with help of course) and work on a plan for what to plant and grow for this year. I have to keep in mind that whatever grows, I have to reap and can in the fall. I need to beware there, too. I always get carried away with that and create a great massive whirlwind with harvest season.
So, how did I bring this on myself? How did I go 'careening over this raging river of death?'
Simple! I did not say NO. I did not chose the important stuff. The most crucial part in this picture is ME.
Yes, it is time to be selfish here. My health is the most critical thing here. I need to eliminate several things to stop this whirlwind before it gets any worse. I know what I need to do in my life and plan on doing it. In fact, I have already started the process.
Now, for you. What are the things in your life that are causing dirt devils to becomes whirlwinds? Are you on a raging river right now that is careening out of control? What is being affected in your life?
I challenge you to make a list of all the things you have done in the last three months (like I did) and see what things are really necessary for your well-being. What things are getting in the way of the end-goal? And take steps to eliminate them before you are being swept away and being slammed into chaos.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
MS Awareness Week March 11-18
Many of you are aware I suffer from Multiple Sclerosis. It's something I share openly with all those that want to know. I'm not afraid to tell my story: what symptoms I started with; how long it took them to diagnose me; what I've done to deal with it; and what things I'm doing now to help with it.
I wasn't always this way. As mentioned in earlier postings, I struggled coming to terms with this. Anyone who has lost something or someone does. You go through stages of shock and denial that there is no way this can be you. It must be someone else's results. Then, comes the guilt of wondering if you did something to deserve this; or maybe pain (at times almost physical) breaking your heart and wondering how your life is going to be from now on.
Anger and negotiating come next. I remembering making deals with God about my kids. Then, my deals would turn into angry rants at Him for making me have to suffer this terrible disease that doctors didn't know anything about or have any cure for. "How am I suppose to raise a family being STUCK in a wheelchair?! You might as well take me now!" Then, remorse and shame would take me over, and I would plead for forgiveness, only to have the anger start all over again the next day.
Depression soon follows. Thanks to a caring husband and good doctors, I spent three and half years in therapy for this. I was able to cope with the feelings that come from losing much that comes with a chronic illness. And if you can cope, comes reflection. It's during this time I came to realize and accept my disease. I learned to know I had support from friends and family. I read and studied everything there was to know about MS. I started to gain knowledge.
With knowledge comes power and your life turns for the better. You feel better, and you can do more. You can accept and have hope that all is not as bad as you thought things were going to be when you first got your diagnosis umpteen days ago.
For me, it was about five years before I was able to speak openly to people about this disease. But now, I want to share and let people know. And I am letting you know.
I wasn't always this way. As mentioned in earlier postings, I struggled coming to terms with this. Anyone who has lost something or someone does. You go through stages of shock and denial that there is no way this can be you. It must be someone else's results. Then, comes the guilt of wondering if you did something to deserve this; or maybe pain (at times almost physical) breaking your heart and wondering how your life is going to be from now on.
Anger and negotiating come next. I remembering making deals with God about my kids. Then, my deals would turn into angry rants at Him for making me have to suffer this terrible disease that doctors didn't know anything about or have any cure for. "How am I suppose to raise a family being STUCK in a wheelchair?! You might as well take me now!" Then, remorse and shame would take me over, and I would plead for forgiveness, only to have the anger start all over again the next day.
Depression soon follows. Thanks to a caring husband and good doctors, I spent three and half years in therapy for this. I was able to cope with the feelings that come from losing much that comes with a chronic illness. And if you can cope, comes reflection. It's during this time I came to realize and accept my disease. I learned to know I had support from friends and family. I read and studied everything there was to know about MS. I started to gain knowledge.
With knowledge comes power and your life turns for the better. You feel better, and you can do more. You can accept and have hope that all is not as bad as you thought things were going to be when you first got your diagnosis umpteen days ago.
For me, it was about five years before I was able to speak openly to people about this disease. But now, I want to share and let people know. And I am letting you know.
- Did you know that 2.1 million people worldwide have MS?
- Women are 2-3 times more likely to have it than men.
- Children can also have MS. There are 10,000 documented cases
- MS is not contagious
- The majority of people with MS do not become severely disabled
If you want to find out more, or find a local chapter in your area, check out this website for more information. http://nationalmssociety.org/index.aspx
Last year, my daughter and her college friends joined the MS Walk in her college town and helped raise money for research. Rick and I went and joined in. Jess learned a lot she didn't know about MS and thinks she will do it again this year. Thanks to my daughter for setting an example to her friends!
Everyone, everywhere, can do something to help spread the word about this devastating disease--even if it is just passing the word on to help donate to an MS Walk in your area come Spring or Fall.
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