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30 Things

8 Sep
Written By

30 THINGS ABOUT MY INVISIBLE ILLNESS YOU MAY NOT KNOW

1. The illness I live with is: Multiple Sclerosis
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2000
3. But I had symptoms since: As long as I can remember
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Not knowing what each day will bring 
5. Most people assume:That I am just lazy because I am too tired to go out and do anything after work or on the weekends.
6. The hardest part about mornings are:Having to get up when I just want to sleep.
7. My favorite medical TV show is:I love the shows on TLC and Discovery Health.
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is:My computer
9. The hardest part about nights are:Not being able to sleep
10. Each day I take _10_ pills & vitamins. (No comments, please)
11. Regarding alternative treatments I:am willing to try anything that could work or take away some of the pain.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose:Visisble
13. Regarding working and career:It is hard to work but I do my best.  I don’t let many people know I am even sick.
14. People would be surprised to know:How much pain I am in and how tired I am.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: Being tired and know this will never go away.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was:Be stable and find a medication that works for me.
17. The commercials about my illness:There aren’t many and the ones I see bug me!
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is:I don’t know.  I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t sick.
19. It was really hard to have to give up:Gluten because it is in all my favorite foods.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is:Blogging
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would:Live it up!  I would do as much as I could do in one day.
22. My illness has taught me:Patience
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: But you don’t look sick or tell me I am lazy
24. But I love it when people:Want to learn about MS
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is:You don’t know how strong you are until being strong is the only option you have.
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them:It will get better!  There are people out there to help you!
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is:That is it doable!  Just because I am sick doesn’t mean I am going to die tomorrow.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was:People haven brought dinner to my family.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because:People need to learn that we are sick even though you can’t see it!
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel:Good because it means more people want to learn about MS
Filed Under: PERSONAL THOUGHTS

Tuesday’s MS Post & A List Post(Day 2)

7 Sep
Written By

Day 2′s assignment is to write a post that has a list in it.  This shouldn’t be too hard because I love to use lists in my post.  They are easy to make and a good way to talk about things because that is how my brain works.  I am going to do this one today because I already need to use a list in this post.  Today’s topic on Multiple Sclerosis is the different types of MS.  I don’t think people realize that there are different types.  I am going to name them and then go into a little bit of detail on them.

  • Relapsing/Remitting MS- This is the type that I have.  This type is called this because it comes and goes.  You get better but most of the time not all the way better.  This is why I have some days that are worse than others or I will get super sick but over time I will get “better”.  A great example of this is when my hands when numb and I couldn’t use them but over time they have become so I can use them but they still tingle.  They feel like they are sleep and just about to wake up all the time.  Most people that are diagnosed with this type when they are in their 20′s or 30′s but like me you can be diagnosed with this type when you are younger or older as well.  I think this is one of the most common types of MS.
  • Secondary Progressive MS-This type is when people that had the previous type of MS start to just get progressively worse and don’t get better.  They say that after you have R/R MS for 10 years that the rate of developing this type is 50% higher than before and if you make it to 25 to 30 years the rate goes up to 90%.  I didn’t know this about this type and to be honest with everyone it totally scares the hell out of me!
  • Progressive Relapsing MS- This type of MS gets worse from the beginning.  They may or may not get a little bit better but they are always going to just get worse.  You may get better after the first attack but in between episodes you will keep getting progressively worse.
  • Primary Progressive MS-With this type you are always getting worse and there is no real let up of the disease.  You may have periods where you seem stable but you will never get better.  You are more likely to be diagnosed with this type of MS when you are in your 30′s or 40′s.  This type also attacks the spinal cord more than the brain.  People with this type are less likely to have problems with thinking than people that have the first two types.

Writing this post has also helped me out.  I have learned a lot while I was reading articles for this post.  I thought I knew all about what MS but I guess I still have tons of things to learn as well.  If you have anything you would like to know more about please let me know!
I got the information for this post primarily from: http://neurology.health-cares.net/multiple-sclerosis-types.php

Filed Under: 31dbbb, A List, MS, MS Tuesdays

New Design On My Other Blog!

6 Sep
Written By
I had my private blog redone but Jacqui.  She does a great job!  Since it is private so that certain people can’t see it I am going to post the pictures up here so you can see what she made for me!
She made the background and header.  She also made a blog button and then the MS button for this blog.  She made a signature and post separator along with a favicon.   You should all check her out!
Filed Under: Jacqui, New Design

10 Things That Make Me Happy

6 Sep
Written By

I picked another prompt from Mama Kat’s page again today.  The one that I picked is: Write a list of 10 things that are sure to put a smile on your face when you are not happy.

  1. My cats always put my in a good mood.  It is like they know when you are having a bad day and they want to be petted and sit on my lap.
  2. My grandma because she is always doing something weird.
  3. Watch Liar Liar.  I have seen it so many times I have it memorized but I still love it.
  4. Being around friends
  5. Blogging
  6. Getting a new blogger layout!  I love to change them a lot and it always makes me happy when I get a new one.
  7. Shopping when I have money.
  8. Finding money that I didn’t know I had or getting money that I didn’t know what coming to me.
  9. Tweeting with my twitter friends.  They always know what to say to make me smile when I am having a bad day.
  10. Reading a good book because it helps me escape all the troubles I am having at that time.

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Filed Under: LABOR DAY, Prompts

Blog & Twitter Hops

6 Sep
Written By


Awards & A Tag

5 Sep
Written By

I got two awards in the past month that I need to post about and pass on to my lovely followers.

I got the two awards above.  One was from Mommylebron and the other one was from Tell Me Something.  They both want me to list 7 things about myself and then pass them on to other bloggers.

  1. I have two cats named Elinore and Sylvia.  I usually all them the cubs or the girls.
  2. I have Multiple Sclerosis and I have started to do a post on Tuesdays about it so if you want to know anything about it let me know!
  3. I love to watch movies 100 times.  
  4. I am a football freak.  I like the Colts and Ravens for the NFl and for college football I watch BYU and the U of U.
  5. I was raised by my grandparents but I have started to try and build a relationship with my parents.  I am finding though that my mom wants nothing to do with me.
  6. I placed my daughter for adoption when I was 20 years old.
  7. I hate change.  It always make me super nervous.  

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I was reading Beth’s blog today and she had this tag on her blog it looked like a lot of fun so I decided that I would do it as well!

1. Why did you start blogging?


I started because a few of my friends have blogs and it looked like fun.  It took me awhile to get into it and now I love it.  I have met such great people and I get support when I need it.  
2. If you could travel any where in the world with no restric tion of costs, where would it be and why?


I would go all over the world.  There is no way I could pick just one place to go.  I love to travel so I can’t pick just one place.
3. Did you have a teacher in school that had a great influence on your life? If so, what?


I had a teacher that made biology come alive to me but other than that I would say influenced me.  
4. If you could spend the day with a famous per son, who would it be, and what would you do?


Montel Williams because I would love to pick his brain and do some good for the MS world.  Other than that famous people bug me!
5. Toilet paper — over or under?


Doesn’t matter as long and it is there!
6. Name one thing in your life that you would do over if possible.


Getting married!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7. Tell about your pets — if any.


I have two cats that I treat like they are kids.  Their names are Sylvia and Elinore.
8. Do you live in a small town or a large town. (You don’t have to name the town.)

I live in a small town but it has gotten bigger as I have grown up.
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Now I am supposed to tag people but I am going to tag anyone who wants these awards!  I also want to thank all of my followers I know have 140!!!!  Thanks to everyone to reads my blog!

Filed Under: Blog Award

Suicide Prevention Week By Melissa

4 Sep
Written By

Editors note:  This is Melissa Friday post but because she had a suicide death in the family last weekend she is just getting to it now.  Please read this because maybe we can save some peoples lives.
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September 5, 2010 through September 11, 2010 is National Suicide Prevention Week. World Suicide Day is September 10th.
I know this is a different type of subject matter than what I have written about in previous guest posts, however, this is a cause that is near and dear to my heart. I realize that it sounds rather strange for someone to say that suicide prevention is a cause near and dear to their heart, but that is how I feel about it. At one time in my life, I really did not think about how important it was to talk about it. All of that changed after my second suicide attempt and a stay in a psychiatric hospital. As my mind began to heal, and I began to reach out more and more to people all across the world, I realized that suicide is a topic that people are extremely hesitant to discuss.
It is something we should discuss. Each year the suicide rate increases. As the amount of attempts goes up so does the number of people who die by suicide. Suicide affects people of all walks of life, gender, age and race. From teenagers to the Elderly and everyone in between, they all usually have one thing in common. An untreated mental illness/mental health issue. In many instances that untreated illnesses is Severe/Major Depression.
Would you know if someone you loved was at risk for suicide? Would you know what signs to look for? People do not always talk about their desire to die by suicide, nor do they always give away their personal effects when they are thinking about taking their own life. I know many people believe that someone on the verge of suicide would do those things, but in many instances of death by suicide the family is caught off guard because their loved one did not display those particular signs. Unfortunately, they did not know how to look for others.
I knew I wanted to kill myself. So I very carefully, as much as possible, avoided anything that would give my family any clue that I was in so much trouble. I did not talk about death or suicide. I did not give away any of my possessions, I did not even leave any kind of suicide note. If my family had known about other things to look for, they would have seen the signs of what was going on in my head that I could not cover up.
Some things to look for that might be warning signs that someone is at risk for suicide:

  • Appearing depressed or sad most of the time. This was the biggest clue I exhibited and could not hide.
  • Withdrawing from family and friends. This is also something I did that I could not hide.
  • Losing interest in most activities. Hobbies and just keeping the house in order were things I was no longer interested in. I could not hide this.
  • Dramatic Mood Changes. I had two moods, sad or angry. It was impossible for me to hide this.
  • A change in sleeping patterns. For most of my depression, I slept too much. As it came closer to the time that I attempted suicide, I barely slept at all.

This is by no means a complete list of the warning signs that someone would display. If you were to do a Google search for “suicide warning signs” you would find many more lists that are much more complete. What I listed were warning signs that would be difficult or impossible for someone to hide. Things to look for and to pay particular attention to.

Anyone and everyone is at risk for developing a mental illness/mental health issue. Some people are at a higher risk because of family history, or a history of other chronic health conditions. There is no immunization to guard against mental illness. There is no magic pill that would prevent someone from developing a mental health issue. Which means anyone and everyone could potentially be at risk for suicide.

I believe that knowledge gives us power. By knowing what to look for we are being responsible parents, spouses, children, siblings, friends, and etc. to the people we love. It gives us the power to help. Never tell yourself that death by suicide or a suicide attempt is something that would never happen to someone you love. My family thought that, and were surprised to learn that they were wrong.

Filed Under: Guest Post Friday

A Few Days Of 30 Days Of Truth

4 Sep
Written By

I haven’t done this in a week or so.  I am going to do a couple of days in this post.

Day19- What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
This one is very loaded.  I think religion is a good thing but I hate when people think they are better than other people because of the religion they belong too.  I also think that anyone should be able to go to church with out having people bully they or  make them feel like they don’t belong.  As for politics I think Obama is a jackass!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 20- Your views on drugs and alcohol.
I don’t mind people drinking as long as they are nice and not total jackass when they are drinking.  I have been around me drunks and they make me want to never drink.  As for drugs I don’t think people should do them every.  Drugs will and does tear apart families.  I wish people could see and care about what they are doing to their families when the over drink or do drugs all the time.  I don’t drink but if you chose at least be nice!

Day 21-(scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
It wouldn’t even be something I would have to think about.  I would be at the hospital or where ever she is at.  I am a super loyal person so it wouldn’t matter if we were fighting or not.  I would never even think about not going just because we had gotten into a fight an hour before.

Day 22-Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
There are a few things the first one is marry the jack ass that I married.  If I could change that I would be so happy.  Now I have to find the money to get rid of his dumb ass!  The second thing is get pregnant and not because I regret her.  I regret all the pain I have had to go through and am still going through.  I will never regret her but I wish I would have listened to my family and waited!

Filed Under: 30 Days Of Truth

Changes

3 Sep
Written By

I have been struggling to find stuff to write about lately.  I found that Mama Kat keeps all of her prompts that she has used to writers work shops on her blog.  So I read through some of them and decided I am going to write about this one: Describe what you would change about yourself if you could.  This is a loaded topic because I feel that there is a lot I would like to change about myself.  The biggest one I would change though is my weight and the extra skin I have left over from having my daughter.  I know both of these issues can be fixed but they really do bug me.  I could do more to lose weight but it is hard because I already can’t eat so much that cutting all the junk out would leave me with hardly anything to eat.  I will be honest I am sure there are a lot of things I can do about the weight issue but right now I would rather bitch and moan then do any of them.

The extra skin there is nothing other than a tummy tuck and that doesn’t sound like a good option to me.  I would rather have it then have to go through all the pain and what not that comes along with getting a tummy tuck.  I have enough pain in my life I refuse to cause more pain by getting a tummy tuck or any elective surgery for that matter!

I hope everyone has a great Friday!

Filed Under: WEIGHT

Elevator Pitch

1 Sep
Written By

Today is day one of 31dbbb for me.  I am super excited to do this and see where it takes my blog.  Today they want me to write an elevator pitch.  This is basically something that sums up what my blog is about.  They want me to have one that is short and another one that is a little longer but less than 100 words.

For the short one mine is: The stories of things that happen in my world.

The longer one is: I write about MS, Adoption and life in general.  I tell it how it is and keep it real at all times.  People don’t like to hear what I have to say sometimes.

I don’t really like the either of them so it is something that I am going to keep working on and once I get them where I love them I am going to use the shorter one for my tag line on my blog header but now this is what you get!

Filed Under: 31dbbb, Elevator Pitch
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