Tag Archives: potsie

“Grieving The Life I Once Had” – from HuffPost

A little while ago, I read this post on HuffPost:

Grieving the Life I Once Had
by Naomi Sakin

(I actually got there from Dysautonomia International‘s Facebook page.)

Facebook is really the only way I get any of my news. The only news source I follow directly is National Geographic, and that’s primarily because I have admired their photography for as long as I can remember. Anyway, that’s off topic.

The article, is heartbreaking. It’s heartbreaking because it’s real. So devastatingly and painfully real. You don’t find out what she has until the end, but it doesn’t matter. I think anyone with a chronic condition can relate, especially one that you weren’t born with, or that you were born with that didn’t get diagnosed or show up until later in life, or one that changed as you grew, or one that is progressive that suddenly throws you curve balls that alter your day-to-day. Really, anyone. Anyone that no longer can do what they used to.

Take caution reading the article. If you are fragile, you will cry. I teared up, but luckily I’m not doing too badly, mentally, right this moment so I didn’t lose it. Yesterday, I would have flat out bawled for hours.

I am kind of proud as to what my unconscious and fingers decided to add to my Facebook share and wanted to share it with you:

The life we once lived gets torn from us in an instant. The life we once lived gets replaced by pain and pills. Still, we are somehow expected to carry on. We adjust, and we move forward.
– Elizabeth Bulfer

Sometimes, we don’t know how we move forward, but we always seem to move forward. That’s why I started this blog: to move forward, to remember to always move forward, to give me a reason to move forward (if only to make one more post), and to remind others to move forward.

Together, we can carry the enormous weight of these illnesses and our grief.

Together, let’s move forward.

Featured Image from the article

In Need of Spoons…

Does anyone have any extra spoons?

spoonie

 

My family is arriving Friday morning and I have a LOT to get done around the house to get ready for my graduation party Saturday before they get here.

Anyone have spoons they don’t need to help me get thru the weekend?

special spoon

On a positive note, I no longer have any classes!!!!!

I Didn’t Pass Out

Thankfully.

I was out of LabCorp just after noon. As soon as I got to my car I chugged my Ensure and took my medications. By the time I got the DMV (I had to get plates for the Ford), my medication was starting to kick in. I didn’t get home until after one. Thankfully, I had some leftover ravioli in the fridge and it happens to be a cheese day so I was able to eat it (they have Parmesan which is an aged cheese) for a late lunch, and now I’m feeling a lot better. Now, off to work on more homework for the end of the semester.

Empathy vs Sympathy by Brene Brown

This video is a very short and beautiful way of describing the difference between empathy and sympathy. Empathy is important and how we connect with people. Empathy is what everyone needs, what everyone wants. Learn empathy. Practice empathy. Foster connection. Foster love.

Burn Out

My house is burning out: both Dan and I are burning out, actually. We’re both pushed pretty far towards our limits and both our burn outs are feeding into each other. It’s not a good situation really, but luckily we have each other and the little strength we each have left is stronger together. Dan is really busy with school, and work, and the stuff around the house that I can’t do, and the home improvement stuff that I can’t do, and taking care of me. I’m busy with school, and the stuff around the house that I can do, and trying to get the stuff done for making money that I want to do, and trying to figure out how not to be in so much pain, and all my doc appointments, and dealing with side effects, and getting over a head cold, and trying to figure out what I can actually do around the house, and trying to make sure I have the spoons I need for the commitments in the coming days.

The burn out is really why I haven’t been on here. I’ve just been trying to survive right now. It’s been harder than it sounds. Hopefully, things will start to equal out soon.

“Official Uniform of the Dysautonomia Warrior” – another shirt and two questions

 

I found a pretty and comfortable looking tee shirt! (It says it’s made out of very soft materials.) I’m thinking it’ll probably be great for lounging around the house in the summer.

What kinds of merchandise do you think will work well with this design? I have a basic sweatshirt and now this tee.

What other illnesses/conditions do you think I should make this design for? (Example: “Official Uniform of the Fibromyalgia Warrior”)

Humorous Dysautonomia Sweatshirt

I was clicking around Zazzle trying to figure out some new products that I wanted to make, and was struck with a rather silly idea:

People with dysautonomia often do not have the ability to wear what they used to or necessarily want to. Many of us are forced to choose comfort over any sort of style.

This idea ultimately led to these:

 

What do you think?!

See other shirts

We All Have Limits

Over the years, I have surprised myself by being able to continue on past what I thought was my limit. It really is amazing. I don’t really know what the alternative is… I guess crawling into bed and never coming out again? Trust me, there are definitely days where that is all I want to do, but I have two lovely little kitties that require feeding and loving.

Pain LevelThis neck/shoulder/back stuff, however, seems to be pushing it. I think I finally found a limit. A hard and fast limit.

I’ve been debating posting this because… well, because. This is going to be a very frank discussion on hitting limits and depression. I don’t like to discuss my depression, at least not the part of it that’s active. Depression tends to gain a lot of pity, and I hate pity. Depression is a part of who I am, it’s something I live with daily, it’s something that is always going to be a part of me. However, depression does not define me, and usually I have a pretty good grip on it. Usually.

Continue reading →

My Social Circles Aren’t That Good For Marketing

Ya’ll know I’m trying to make money from home (posts 1, 2, 3; pages 1, 2) to help with my own medical bills, upcoming student loan repayments, and the car payments we’ll need to make soon thanks to both our cars being really old. I am quickly realizing there is a small flaw in my plan: my social circles are not “direct sales” friendly. My personality isn’t that fantastic about it either, actually, since I don’t like being pushy.

Why aren’t they good for marketing purposes?

Cute Compression Socks on Sale!

This is not a sponsored post… I just love fancy socks.

RejuvaHealth.com is having a small sale! They have a coupon code too: CELEBRATE. The code takes an extra 10% off, even sale products! I just bought three new pairs of compression socks, and I’m super excited about it. I love my socks!

rejuvahealth sale

I got the Chevron Slate socks, Rose socks, and the Sheer Floral knee highs. I’ve been stalking their sale page in hopes of finding some of their medium strength (20-30 mmHg) socks. As you can probably see, I got two pairs of the 20-30 mmHg socks, and another pair of the 15-20 mmHg. I have two pairs of the 15-20 mmHg, and they’re great for light compression on a daily basis. I can’t wait, however, for the stronger ones for when I go do things where I’ll be on my feet more!!!!

(I’m still working on a styling post, by the way. As it turns out, I don’t fit a lot of my clothes that I want to wear them with. Hopefully, summer will yield more styling options.)