Random Dozen-Aliens

1. Do you believe, somewhere deep inside, that blondes do indeed have more fun? That they are "dumber" than brunettes or redheads? Be honest!
They have more guys hit on them and what not.  Now I don't know if they have more fun but they do seem to get more of the guys attention.  They aren't dumber than anyone.  The color of your hair doesn't make you dumb.
2. Which animal would you most like to observe in its wild habitat?
Tigers-They are so pretty and I love them!
3. This week the U.N. announced that Dr. Mazlan Othman has been appointed the official "Alien Ambassador," should any extraterrestrials contact us. Have you, or has anyone you know, ever seen a UFO?
Not that I know of but I believe in them.  Why would we be the only people in the whole universe???  It doesn't make sense at all.
4. Name your favorite Hitchcock film.
I don't know that I have ever seen any of them.
5. Would you rather spend time at the library, the mall, a craft store or home?
Home for sure.
6. Which Disney princess is your favorite? (Or Disney character, if you are a guy)
Belle because she reminds me most of myself.
7. What kind of art is your favorite?
I love music so I would have to say music for sure!
8. How do you feel about viral videos, that is, videos made by amateurs that end up on Youtube receiving thousands of hits?
If they are funny I will watch them.  It doesn't bug me and never has.  If anything it amazes me how many hits they can get.
9. Where do you buy your jeans?
Kohls or JC Penneys
10. Tell me about your first automobile accident.
It was last year and I rear ended another car and my car got all of the damage
11. Have you ever been honest when you knew you would benefit more if you would be dishonest?
I always try and be honest even if it means I lose out of stuff.
12. If you were appointed "Ambassador to Aliens," what would you show and tell first about life on Earth? What would be the most difficult thing to explain?
People here are idiots.  I think our holidays and some of the dumb customs that we have.

MS Tuesdays

I usually post about MS on Tuesdays but I am really not feeling good this week and haven't felt good enough to get a post together for this week.  I am hoping I will be able to get one ready for next week!

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The "I've Been Tagged" Meme

1. Where are you from?
Utah-I was born and raised here.  I am ready to move though and forget that this state even existed.
2. If you could live any place in the world, where would you live?
America and anywhere but Utah.  I would love to live in a big city.  I wanted to be a nurse and work in an inner city hospital.  I think it would be fun and always changing.
3. What's your favorite blog? I'll check them out of course!
I can't name just one.  I love lots of blogs.
4. What is your biggest blogging pet peeve?
I don't really have one
5. What's your favorite TV show this season? I need a new show! :)
Big Bang Theory
6. What's your favorite 'down' time {nothing computer related}?
Reading a book
7. Are you a parent? If so, what's your favorite thing to do with your children?
I had a child that I placed for adoption and I know have two cats that I love to chase around and bug them when they are trying to sleep.
8. What about your blog, have you considered changing?
Not really anything-This blog is true to who I am right now!
9. What do you do for a living (if you work outside the home or if you work at home)?
I am a receptionist for a HVAC company.
10. What is your favorite song at the moment? What is your favorite song ever?
My favorite song of all time is Welcome to My Life by Simple Plan.  I don't really have a favorite song right now. 11. What is your favorite niche TV channel to watch?
Discovery Health or Discovery when the Deadliest Catch in on.
12. If you could have any career, what would it be and why?
Either Nursing or being a Social Worker.  I would love to help people everyday.  I also think working in adoption would be great.
13. What is your favorite outfit?
Jeans and a t-shirt with my crocs.
14. If you could tell your teenage self something, what would you say?
Don't be so damn stubborn.
15. What is your biggest blog pet peeve?
I don't really have one 16. What is your favorite recipe?
Salsa
17. What is the funniest joke you've ever heard?
I can't post them on here because I don't need to piss people off!
18. What is your favorite vacation spot and why?
Yellowstone-It is so relaxing and peaceful.  While I am there it is like I forget that the drama in rest of the world even exists.
19. What are you most excited about with fall here?
Cooler weather
20. Did you envision yourself to be where you are today ten years ago? If not, what did you envision?
No I could never see me being where I am at.  I thought I would be a nurse working in an hospital.
21. If money were no object, what would your dream house look like?
The one I grew up in.
22. What is your all-time favorite Disney movie?
I don't know that I have a favorite one. 23. What's your favorite blog to read? Or a blog you think isn't getting enough notice?
I have to many that I love so I am not going to post any of them because I don't want to leave anyone out.

Saturday 9

1. Who in your life do you think behaves and thinks the most like you do?
I think it would be my grandma.  Even though she is my step grandma we are still so much alike it isn't funny.
2. As a kid, were you ever wrongly accused (and punished, if it went that far) for something you didn't do? If so, what was it? What happened?
I was always punished it seems but I can't remember if it was my fault or not.  I would have to say though that I don't I have been accused and punished for something that I didn't do.
3. What about as an adult, were you ever wrongly accused for something you didn't do?? Do you think it's worse to be accused as a child or an adult? Why/why not?
Nope I haven't.  I try and stay hidden in the background so I don't get noticed very often.
3. What’s the scariest weather situation you’ve experienced?
Probably the super bad snow storms we have most winters.
4. If you could wake up tomorrow morning in another country, where would you want to be and why?
Australia because I have cousins there and it seems like a great place to live.
5. Instead of going to work Monday, if you could spend the entire day doing something else--any one or two things that you absolutely love doing--what would you do?
Sleep and mess around on the internet.
6. What sites (other than meme sites) do you use most to help you post on your blog?
I use sites that about MS for the most part.
7. Check out a post on your blog from six months ago (March 2010) and tell us what is different now about your blog and/or life?
I am content where I am at and certain people are gone forever.
8. What was the last photograph you took?
It was of my cubs.  I am always taking pictures of them.
9. Which fashion trend do you believe is the most horrendous and why?
Skinny Jeans-They are just ugly and people that are over weight shouldn't wear them because they are super bad looking on them.

Blog Hops

Welcome Everyone!

Not Listening

Most of the topics for the writers workshop this week are good.  Here is a list of the topics she has for this week:

1.) In the book I'm reading, Girls of Tender Age,the main character is deeply affected by the murder of a childhood friend. Describe a tragedy you didn't expect to be as deeply affect by as you are.

2.) Tell us about a day you were sure you wouldn't get through.

3.) A time when you should have listened to your mother.

4.) Your pets least likable character trait.
5.) 10 Reasons why you love your job. 


I had a really hard time choosing what one to write about but I finally decided I would write on #3.  There are a lot of times I should have listened to her.  I have the type of personality that if you tell me not to do something I am going to go right ahead and do it just to prove that I can.  For instance when I placed my daughter for adoption my grandma actually found the family and asked my worker to put the file in my stack of families but not to say anything to me.  I went through all the files and happened to bring them home and another family.  I didn't find out this until after I had her and placed her with them.  My grandma knew that if she told me I wouldn't pick them out of spite even if it was where she was supposed to be.


Also this happened when I got married.  I knew I should do it but I still went right ahead and did it because I knew they didn't want me to do it.  I am not sure why I am like this but I always have been even as a child.  They have learned this about me and so they just keep their opinions to themselves anymore.  I guess most of it has to do with the fact that I am so damn stubborn I refuse to do it anyone elses(sp) way but mine.  If I had just listened to her I would have saved myself a whole lot of trouble and money!

Randon Dozen

1. Have you, or has someone close to you, ever won an award for anything? (I just came from my dad's ceremony wherein he was given a medal of honor by the French government for service in France in WWII. Pictures to follow.)
I got a lot of awards when I was in high school but other than that I don't think anyone I know has won anything.
2. Who is the nearest relative to you who has served in the US Military?
My grandpa, uncle, dad, and brother all have served or are still serving in the case of my little brother.  I would have joined as well if I hadn't been diagnosed with MS at such a young age.
3. Share something that stirs the patriotic spirit in you.
Seeing people in uniform and attending a military event.
4. Where are you in the birth order in your family? Do you think your "placement" made a difference in your personality?
I am the oldest-It definitely made me feel like I need to be in charge of everything.
5. Name one trait you hope you carry that was evidenced in your parents or grandparents.
I would say stubbornness but I can tell you that I got a double dose of it-I used to think I was the most stubborn person in my family but my little brother takes the cake on that one.
6. If female, do you prefer wearing a skirt or pants? If male, shirt and tie or polo?
Pants for sure!  I don't even own a skirt or dress for that matter.
7. Approximately how many times do you wake during the night? What do you do to go back to sleep?
I can't even count and that is dependant on when and if I actually fall asleep.  I have horrible insomnia so I don't sleep that much and I can go days and days on just a few hours of sleep.
8. Share a favorite movie quote.
"My tail isn't bushy til 9!"
9. What is your favorite Fall candle scent?
I am not a huge fan of fall scents.
10. What is one Fall activity you're looking forward to?
Football baby!!!!!
11. Tell us about a pleasant surprise that happened to you recently.
I haven't really had anything that surprised me lately.
12. What was it like when you first met your in-laws-to-be?
When they came out for the wedding and they were actually his grandparents because lets just say he comes for a dead beat family and they didn't come for the wedding.  I should have looked at them and called it all off!!!!!

Heat & MS

This week for my MS post I am going to post about a experience I had this weekend.  It was Governor's day.  This is basically where the national guard units in Utah get inspected by the Governor.  They turn into into a family thing.  My Grandma and I decided that we were going to go and support my little brother.  He had to be there by 8 so we left the house about 7.  When we got there we had to park far away and hike down to where it was going to be held.  We went and got seats and had to wait until 10 for it to start.  At about 9 there was no more shade so I was sitting in the sun.  I didn't think it was going to be a big deal though so I didn't move and go and go stand where there was some shade.  After it was over and we found my brother we had the hike back to the car.  This is where the trouble started.  It was maybe a mile hike up hill in the heat.  By the time we made it to the car I was totally whipped out.  The heat made the MS 10 x worse than what is usually is.  I then spent rest of Saturday and all day Sunday in bed.  I am still warn out.

When people with MS are in the heat it causes what is called "pseudoexacerbation".  This basically you seem to be getting sick but there isn't any new damage being done to your nerves.  I seems like you are having a relapse but your body is just reacting to the heat.  When your body temperature returns to normal what you where feeling should go away.  Here are a few symtoms that people may feel when they get to hot. 

• Decreased cognitive function
• Numbness in the extremities
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision, known as Uhthoff’s sign
• Tremor
• Weakness

For some people this can be so sever that people have to move to cooler climates so that they aren't constantly sick from the heat.  What people may feel varies from person to person though.  If you have any questions please let me know!
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This is the site I got the information for this post from: http://ms.about.com/od/signssymptoms/a/heat_intoleranc.htm

Queens MeMe

1. Name one thing you'd like to change about yourself
I wish I had higher self esteem.
2. If you wave a magic wand and be done with all the small petty nuisances in your life, what you would have "be gone" first?
My idiot husband!!!!
3. Do you collect and save your spare change in a jar?
I collect it in a bag so ya I do!  I save it up and then turn it in once I have a big bag full.
4. Change your world. What is our biggest concern as a global humanity?
Not taking care of the planet.  People waste so much stuff!
5. What would you have changed about your last relationship or the one you're in now?
I would change the fact that I was even in a relationship with his dumb ass!
6. If you could reverse the course of history in a time machine, what would you do and how do you think the world would be different today?
I would make sure the Holocaust didn't happen. That is the one thing that I wish I could change.
7. Who would you like to change into a toad?
My husband and once he was a toad I would run his dumb ass over!!!!
8. What is the first thing you change into when you get home from work?
I take a bath and get ready for bed!
9. If you could change places with anyone in the world for one day, who would that be?
Oprah-I would love to know what having that much money feels like.  I would also like to do good with some of her money!
10. Have you ever heard the expression "turn over a new leaf?" What is under your old one?
A lot of mistakes that I am trying to fix-Like marrying a total idiot!

11. Name one thing that can cause you to immediately change your mood.
My cats.  If I am having a bad day they can always make me feel better and put a smile on my face.
12. What have you recently (or ever) had a change of heart about? And why?
Getting married.  I wish I never would have gotten married.  I don't have the personality to be married that is for sure!
13. When is the last time you changed the oil in your car?
Like 5 months ago and I am going to change it on the 1st of October because that is my next day off of work!

A Friends Prespective

HELLO, MY NAME IS MISTI AND I WAS ASKED BY MARGARET TO WRITE A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT HOW I SEE HER MS AFFECT HER DAY TO DAY LIFE.  I HAVE KNOWN MARGARET FOR SOME TIME NOW AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU WHEN I FIRST MET HER I HAD NO IDEA THAT SHE EVEN HAD MS UNTIL SHE OPENED UP TO ME AND TOLD ME ALL ABOUT IT. I HARDLY KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT MS AND WHAT AFFECTS IT HAD ON PEOPLE. IN THE PAST I KNEW A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT HAD BEEN AFFECTED BY MS BUT I NEVER KNEW THEM PERSONALLY SO I WAS NOT FULLY EDUCATED ON THE MATTER. MARGARET WOULD TELL ME HOW TIRED SHE WAS AND HOW SHE WAS HAVING A HARD TIME DOING SIMPLE THINGS. AT FIRST I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHERE SHE WAS COMING FROM AND HOW IT REALLY MADE HER SO TIRED. BUT WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS OF REALLY GETTING TO KNOW HER AND SPENDING ALOT OF TIME WITH HER I COULD DEF SEE WHERE SHE WAS COMING FROM AND HAD A WHOLE NEW OUTLOOK ON IT ALL AND A BETTER UNDERSTANDING. I TRULY FELT BAD AFTER BECAUSE OF THE WAY I FIRST WAS THINKING. IN MY MIND I COULD NOT SEE HOW SHE WAS SO TIRED AND HOW SHE NEVER WOULD DO ANYTHING AFTER WORK OR HARDLY EVEN GO OUT ON THE WEEKENDS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON AND I GOT CLOSER TO HER AND WHEN HER AND I WOULD GO OUT I WOULD SEE HOW MUCH IT TOOK FROM HER AND HOW MUCH IT DRAINED HER. THE SIMPLEST THINGS AND THAT REALLY SADDENED ME TO NO END. SOMETIMES HER AND  I WOULD GO OUT ON A FRI NIGHT AFTER WORK AND THAT WAS THE HARDEST FOR HER BECAUSE OF BEING AT WORK ALL WEEK LONG. SO THE REST OF THE WEEKEND SHE WOULD BE DOWN AND TIRED TRYING TO CATCH UP SO SHE COULD MAKE IT THORUGH THE NEW WORK WEEK. I NO LONGER GOT UPSET IF SHE DID NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING INSTEAD I STARTED TO FEEL SO VERY BAD FOR HER AND WISHED THAT SHE FELT WELL ENOUGH TO GO OUT. ITS NOT THAT SHE DOES NOT WANT TO DO THINGS SHE HAS NO STRENGTH NOR ENERGY TO DO SO. SHE IS SO YOUNG AND ALL SHE CAN DO IS DO WHAT SHE CAN TO GET TO WORK AND THEN THE WEEKENDS LAY LOW SO SHE CAN DO IT ALL AGAIN THE NEXT WORK WEEK. I HAVE TO GIVE HER TONS OF CREDIT SHE SURE DOES TRY AND SHE SURE DOES TRY AND PLEASE EVERYONE EVEN IF THAT MAKES HER SICK. HER AND I HAVE A UNDERSTANDING NOW AND I TRY TO HELP HER OUT AS MUCH AS I CAN. IT MAKES ME VERY SAD TO SEE HER GO THROUGH SO MUCH AND HAVE TO LIVE WITH THIS. I HAVE EVEN WENT TO SOME OF HER INFUISIONS WITH HER AND AFTER THEM SHE IS REALLY SICK. IT BREAKS MY HEART AND I LOVE HER WITH ALL OF MY HEART. SHE IS A WONDERFUL WOMAN THAT IS SWEET AND TRYS TO HAVE THE STRENGTH AND ENERGY, BUT CANNOT BECAUSE OF HER MS. I WISH THAT MORE PEOPLE WOULD BE MORE OPEN MINDED AND GET TO KNOW HER FIRST BEFORE THEY JUDGE HER. PEOPLE SHOULD NOT ASSUME THINGS BEFORE THEY KNOW THE FACTS!!!!!!!!

Guest Post Friday-Depression

This video is super touching and funny enough it spoke to me today.  Melissa didn't know I needed to hear this but I truly did need to hear this.  I hope that this can help others as much as it helped me.  I am going to post this on the top for awhile.

Invisible Illness Week-Lyme Disease

Today's guest post is one that I was super excited about.  She is a very strong women even though at times she may not feel like it.  Watch her vlog and then drop by her Lyme Blog and learn more.  If you take the time to get to know this lady you will see how strong she really is!  Enjoy!

Kerri & The MG

Editors Note: Kerri is an amazing person and I love to read her blog because we may not have the same illness but we are both sick and struggle day to day because of the disease we have.  Everyone should follow this lady because if she can make it through her days then so can we all!

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I am so pleased to be writing a guest post for The World As I See It!  Margaret is a good “bloggy” friend, and we have a lot in common.  So thanks, Margaret, for asking me to do this!

Margaret and I both have “invisible” illnesses.  I have a neuromuscular disease called Myasthenia Gravis (MG).  Some of the symptoms I have include lots of trouble breathing, double vision, difficulty swallowing, speaking clearly, and overall muscle weakness.  The type of MG I have is MuSK+ MG.  There are about 7 people in a million who have the same thing. (And here I thought I was one in a million!)

I wasn’t officially diagnosed until 2003, but I had symptoms starting as early as 1995.  To look at me, all you might notice is that I have a trach.  Not all people with MG do, but I had complications, and my vocal cords were scarred.  I need the trach to breathe through.

Many people see the trach and assume that I had cancer or something; they have no idea what I go through on a daily basis.  My disease is, for the most part, invisible.

The worst part about that is when people look at you and you know they are judging you.  I am overweight, partly due to many of the medications I have to take.  My husband (who is very healthy, thank the Lord) and I park in handicapped, because when I get to the store I may look okay, but by the time I’m done, I may barely be able to put one foot in front of the other.

But people just see an overweight, lazy person who is taking a good parking spot from someone who really “needs it.”  I try not to let it bother me, but it’s hard.  Some days are worse than others.

Imagine that when you wake up in the morning, you have a pocket full of change.  Every day it’s different, and you won’t know how much you’ll have until you get up.

So one morning I may wake up and have 43 cents in my pocket.  Getting up, getting my son up, getting breakfast for both of us, making my coffee and getting him dressed takes at least 13 cents.

There are 2 loads of laundry to be done.  That’s 25 cents gone. That leaves me a nickel, and I still have to take care of my 4 year old all day, homeschool, take care of our 3 dogs, do the dishes, feed my son and myself lunch, do the bills, write my blog….You see where I’m going.

The next day I may only wake up with a dime.  Those days are the hardest.  My son only knows me the way I am.  He knows I am different than other Mommies, but he’s not sure why.  To him, I look pretty much the same as other Mommies.  I probably look “normal” to you too.

But on the inside…on the inside, it’s tough.  It’s isolating.  It’s frustrating.  It’s heart breaking.

So next time you a mother and young child on a train, and she can’t “control” her child, understand that it’s a miracle she and her child are on the train at all.

Next time you are in line behind a slow, grumpy man who is getting on your nerves, know that he has chronic pain that the doctors can’t fix, and he hurts all day long.

When you see the overweight, middle aged woman who has a nice haircut and make-up on shopping, but parking in handicapped, appreciate that it took her 2 hours to do her hair and make-up because she is so weak she has to rest every 60 seconds.  But she still wants to look pretty.  On the inside she is the same as you.

Try not to judge.  There may be so much more going on than you could ever understand.

Kerri

www.sickofmg.blogspot.com

MS Tuesdays

This week is invisible illness week.  I am going re-post my story so that people can read it that maybe didn't get a chance to read it the first time.
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First I am going to post some helpful information before I post my story so that you will be able to follow along a little bit better.

• Multiple Sclerosis is what they call an autoimmune disease.  This means that the person immune system for some reason decided it is going to attack so part of the body that it shouldn't attack.   In MS the immune system decides it is going to attack the nerves of the CNS (central nervous system).  They are not sure what triggers the immune system to think that part of the body is a invader and needs to be attacked.
• There are a lot of different symptoms that go along with this disease.  I am going to list some of the most common ones: Fatigue, problems with walking, numbness, tingling, slurred speech, tremors, stiffness, problems with vision, cognition, speech, and elimination.  Every person with MS has different symptoms.
• Anyone can get MS.  Women are more like to get it than men and so are people with a lighter pigmentation to there skin.  So Montel Williams who has MS is a real rarity.  They think MS has a genetic link but they aren't sure what it is.  In my case there is no one in my family history of it.  You usually get diagnosed between the ages of 20-50.  I was a rarity and was diagnosed at age 16.  Although younger patients are now getting diagnosed because doctors are starting to look for it at a younger ages.
• MS symptoms happen when the immune system attacks the myelin around the nerves.  If you think of your nerves like a wire the myelin would be the protective covering around the wire.  If the nerve underneath the myelin gets hurt that is what causes the symptoms and some times permanent disabilities.
• The body tries to repair the damage that is done but it is never the same the the nerve never really functions the same.
• MS is rarely fatal.  Most of the time people with MS with get a common cold of the flu and that is what will end up taking their lives.
• There are several treatments out there that each do things differently.  I am on one called Tysabri and it is the most expensive and most dangerous of the drugs.  All of the current MS treatments are expensive and it makes it hard for people like me who have the disease to get the treatments that they need.  There is always new treatments in the works and exciting things happening in research that hold so much hope for future generations.
• There is currently no cure for MS.

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My Story

I began to get sick when I was in 10^th grade.  The first really symptom that I can remember is my left leg started to drag.  It would just stop working at random times.  I can remember in gym class that year we had to run the mile for a grade and I did my best but I was going to fail the class because I could run it fast enough because my leg was dragging.   We went to the doctors and lets just say the only reason they did an MRI was because my grandma pushed for it.  When that came back they called us in because they needed to talk to us.  They said that there was what they call lesions on the brain.  They show up as white spots on the brain.  They told us that they needed to do a spinal tap to rule out MS.

The spinal tap in and of it self was a huge ordeal to say the least.  I got the spinal tap on a Thursday and by Saturday I was so sick.  I had a huge headache and was throwing up.  So we went to the ER because it was obvious that my spinal tap hadn’t sealed.  When we got the ER they made me lay in the waiting for about an hour until they took me back to a room.  After they knew what was going on they wanted to send me home because the guy that could fix it was on call and he didn’t want to come and do a blood patch.  He finally came in after my grandparents raised a living hell because I could have died if I didn’t get a blood patch ASAP.

When the results of the spinal tap came back they called us in again and told my and my grandparents and I had Multiple Sclerosis.  They wanted to start me right away on Avonex.  I don’t really remember much of the next couple of months.  I think I was still numb to the whole situation.  What I do remember is how sick the medication made me every weekend.  I took the shot on Friday nights and spent the whole weekend with flu like symptoms. I stopped taking that medication after awhile and started on Copaxone.  With that one I had to take a shot everyday and that didn’t last very long either.

I was pretty stable and not much went on until a year ago and that is when my hand went numb and it got hard to do anything with them.  Slow I have been able to use them more but it feels like they are asleep all of the time anymore.  I started on Tysabri about a year ago and so far it has worked the best but I also has a major problem with it as well.  You can develop a condition known as PML that will basically make you a vegetable.  They are finding out that the longer you are on the drug the higher your chances are of getting this serious condition. I am not sure how much longer I will be on this medication but I don’t have any other options right now.

That is my story in a nutshell.  If you have any other question feel free to ask me I will answer any questions that you may have.  

Invisible Illness Week

This week is invisible illness week.  I have a chronic but invisible illness.  People that don't know me tend to think I am just lazy or a bitch.  I wish that people would take the time to get to know me before they judge me.  If you don't have an invisible illness you don't know what it feels like for people to not understand that there is a reason I am like I am.  Here are some stats that will shock you.  I know they did me!

• Nearly 1 in 2 Americans (133 million) has a chronic condition
• 96% of them live with an illness that is invisible. These people do no use a cane or any assistive device and may look perfectly healthy.
• That number is projected to increase by more than one percent per year by 2030, resulting in an estimated chronically ill population of 171 million. Chronic Care in America 
• Sixty percent of the chronically ill are between the ages of 18 and 64. 
• The divorce rate among the chronically ill is over 75 percent 

I got these stats from:http://invisibleillnessweek.com/2009/05/06/statistics_chronic_illness/.

There are so many different types of invisible illness.  This week I am having some great guest posters post about their invisible illnesses.  I will post my story on Tuesday and then the other days I will have some amazing women post about their struggles with their invisible but chronic illnesses.  I hope everyone can learn from these lady's and be a little more excepting of others!

Sunday Stealing

Cheers to all of us thieves!
1. :::sniff, sniff::: Is the dog in the house?
Sad to say we don't own a dog just 3 cats
2. What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?
I don't usually listen to advice because I hate to be wrong if I don't listen lol
3. What's the worst experience you've ever had involving alcohol?
I hardly drink so I haven't had any bad experiences.  Drinking makes people do stupid things so I hardly ever drink.
4. What's the worst thing you've ever done to another person?
Not going to say!
5. Who do you think started the concept of memes?
Someone who wanted lots of followers
6. Give a song title or line that describes how you are feeling right now.
Welcome To My Life
7. What's your favorite search engine? Yahoo!, Google, Ask, Bing? or something else?
Google
8. If Paul is the Cute One and John is the Smart One and George is the Quiet One and Ringo is the Funny One, which Beatle are you?
John
9. The democratic government decides that, not only do we have to share our money with people who choose not to work, we also have to share our children with those who do not want to ruin their bodies with being pregnant. Which child do you give up?
I wouldn't have to give up any because I don't want kids.
10. When should you procrastinate - now or later?
All the time!  I work better under stress lol
11. What is your favorite fast food?
French Fries
12. What was your favourite game as a child?
I didn't play games because I hate to lose lol
13. Why terrible twos have to be terrible
They don't it depends on the child. 14. Describe your favorite family member.
I don't have a favorite member of my family
15. What does your favorite breakfast consist of?
Hash browns and scrambled eggs
16. What food is better the day after it was made?
Chili and Salsa
17. What was your last big purchase?
My Macbook
18. When was the last time you kissed someone and really enjoyed it?
The last time I saw pear
19. Why are there memes?
Because we run out of things to post about.
20. Described yourself using two words that rhyme. (i.e. fuddy-duddy)
fatty patty lol
21. If you were given the option of a "do-over" in life .. would you take it?
Nope-Everything I have done I have learned from
22. What movie makes (or has made) you cry? What touched you about it?
I haven't seen a movie that has made me cry-A walk to remember was super sad but I didn't cry when I watched it. 23. What is one big mistake that you did in your life? And what did you do to make it right?
Got pregnant when I wasn't married and I placed her for adoption with her family.
24. When Life Gives You Lemons, What Do You Do With Them?
Eat them lol
25. How different are you in real life as compared to the online identity you have created for yourself?
Pretty much the same but I tend to have a bigger mouth online then in person.
26. Do you know what your parents would have named you if you had been born the opposite sex?
I have no idea and since my grandparents adopted me I can't even ask my parents.
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Remember

8 Questions

Beth taged me again for another 8 questions.  I am supposed to answer her questions and then write 8 of my own.   Then I am supposed to tag 8 people to answer my questions.  Here are her questions and my answers are in bold.

1. If you were given a mil­lion dol­lars, and only 24 hours to spend it, what would you buy? I would a house and a car.  
2. Same mil­lion but you have to divide it between at least 10 dif­fer­ent char­i­ties? Where would it go? I would give all of it to the MS Society so they could either find a cure or better treatments.
3. Last time with the mil­lion … you have to give it all away to indi­vid­u­als that you know per­son­ally and for spe­cific pur­poses, how would you dis­trib­ute it?  I would give it to people who needed it the most.
4. Would you rather live in your dream house or in your dream neighborhood?  My dream house.
5. Are you a neat freak, a clut­ter junkie, or some scary com­bi­na­tion of the two?  I am a clutter junkie just ask people I live with.
6. If you were given the oppor­tu­nity (all expenses paid) to go back to school would you do it? And what would you study?  Yes and I would want to study social work or graphic design.
7. Given the option would you go back in time to change ONE thing thereby alter­ing the direc­tion of your life?  Yes I wouldn't get married.  I would save myself pain and frustrations.  It may even mean that my MS wouldn't get worse because I would have the stress of dealing with him and paying his bills.
8. Not count­ing peo­ple or pets … what would you grab if you had to leave your home for­ever and could only take what you could carry?  My laptop or cell phone.  I couldn't live without either of them.

My 8 questions are as follows:

1. What is your favorite holiday?
2. If you had 1 million dollars what would you spend it on?
3. Who is your favorite blogger?  Who do you have read on a daily basis?
4. How long have you known you best friend?
5. What made you start blogging?
6. What do you feel the biggest mistake you have made in your life is?
7. What is your biggest dream for you life?
8. Is there anything that could make you stop blogging forever?

Now on to the time consuming part of picking 8 people to answer my question.

1. Kerri @ Living With Chronic Illness
2. Jacqui @ In's & Out's
3. Angel @ Angel Believes
4. Elle @ "A" For Effort
5. Mejis @ Southern Discomfort
6. Bacon Lover
7. Ak @ 3 Boys and Adoption
8. Cabin Fever In Vermont

Enjoy these questions!  

Love Letters By Melissa

Love Letters To Yourself

In a previous guest post I briefly mentioned writing love notes to yourself, something I like to do. I find that writing myself love notes is a wonderful way to keep myself motivated and feeling good about myself. Love notes do not have to be long, just a few short words on a post-it-note are just as valuable as writing a long letter to myself.

There are times though, when only a long letter will do. Not just a long letter, but something like how people used to write letters long ago. Letters containing pressed flowers, smelling of perfume or having lovely pictures. Even writing them with a fancy pen that is only reserved for my special letters. It is all about making myself feel good and taking care of myself. I like to save these letters. Pulling them out when I need to hear special, loving words.

I believe that no one knows better what I need to hear to build me up than myself. These letters do that when, for whatever reason, my family cannot fill that need for me.

You never want the letter writing to yourself to become a chore, something you feel like you have to do, so don't do it very often. It is about loving yourself, showing yourself compassion, not one more thing in the long list of things that you must do. Don't get bogged down in using proper grammar, or punctuation, or making it perfect. It is about love, not about perfection.

Make the time that you take to write these letters to yourself special. If you find that you cannot get time alone during the day to do this, try it after the rest of your family goes to bed. Play some soft music, light a few candles, take some time and clear your mind before you get started. Think about the wonderful things you want to say. If you cannot do all that, you can still make that time special by putting some pressed flowers in your letter, decorating the envelope, even putting inspirational pictures from magazines and photographs in it. You could crush some fragrant herbs and put them in, or include your own drawings (even if they are only stick figures). Write some quotes on little slips of paper and stick those in as well.

Start your letters off with terms of endearment, like "Dear" and then put as much love and compassion into the letter to yourself as you can. Write it to someone you love dearly. As difficult as it might be, do your best to not write it in the first person. An example of this is:

Dear Melissa,

You are a wonderful person. I love how strong and self confident you are. You are a beautiful, inside and out. I value you. I admire the compassion you showed to those hurting people today. (and just keep going)

In your letters to yourself you could write about your good qualities, something you did that you are proud of, and things that bring you love and joy. Write about a walk you took, or a special time you spent with another person. You could write about something loving another person did or said to you. Use your imagination, write only about the things that build you up.

You can write your letter all at one time, or take a whole month to write it, adding bits and pieces here and there. Do it the way that works best for you.

On your hard days, on those days when you are hurting and your self worth has taken a blow, pull out your love letters to remind yourself what a wonderful person you are. Read them all, or read only one, whatever it takes to heal your hurting heart.

If you decide to try writing a love letter to yourself, I would enjoy hearing about it. Only as much as you feel comfortable sharing.

Written by Melissa Mashburn of Sugar Filled Emotions

Writers Workshop

This weeks for the Writers Workshop I decided to combine the first to prompts because I can fit both of them.  Here are the first 2 prompts: 1.) A list of things you no longer have in common with your single/childless friends...and why you love them anyways, 2.) A list of things you no longer have in common with your married/child bearing friends...and why you love them anyways.  I fit into both of them because yes I have had a child so I understand what it feels like to have a child and the love you feel for that child but I also placed her for adoption so I don't know what the sleepless night feel like or what parenting is like.  I know what not having kids feels like as well so I feel like I don't fit in either group anymore.  I fit the best when I find other girls that have placed a baby for adoption and know the feelings that go along with it.  I still love all of my friends but I am starting to wish that I had more friends that had placed their children for adoption.  I just am finding that a have a few things in common with both groups but I also have enough different from them that I don't really fit in with either group.  I hate being in the group I am in but I know I am here because I made the best choice I could make for her. This weeks post is short but I feel as if I covered everything I need to!

30 Things

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

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

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

New Design On My Other Blog!

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!

10 Things That Make Me Happy

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.