Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Wednesday's Miscellaneous Good Stuff

Here it is: Wednesday. Middle of the Week. Over the Hump Day. Half-Way Through the Week. Almost Friday.

For such an auspicious day of the week, only out-shined by Friday and the weekend, it seems that this is going to be the day of Good Stuff. Look here on Wednesday's for your serving of Miscellaneous Good Stuff.

We have a wonderful family living across from the street from us. My DH and I bought and moved into our house in 2007. Very quickly we got to know our "across the street neighbors." S & C are very kind and sharing people. They will help you at the drop of a hat. Their daughter, P, also lives with them. She's chatty, upbeat and great to talk with. She loves my dog, Miko, which makes her A-OK in my book.

About six months ago, P was diagnosed with MS. She is 31 years old. She has taken it with aplomb. She has said that she might as well take it with humor, if the choice is between humor and tears. She already has difficulty walking. She hasn't been able to stand comfortably for about a year. (It was a long while in getting a diagnosis). She falls frequently, had to remodel her bathroom to be able to use the shower. She falls out of bed. And this is just six months.

My Mom developed breast cancer when she was 42, two weeks before my high school graduation. She had a double mastectomy. She had radiation. The cancer just kept showing up in different places for the next 12 years. She never got better from that first attack, just went downhill. Radiation was still in the early years. They were just learning about pinpoint radiation. Ten years into the decline, she lost the use of her legs. It was radiation poisoning. There were times she'd go into remission for 6 months or so. When my second child was born, she was on chemical chemo.Right before my third child was born she came out of her last remission. She never got into remission again. She died two years later. The last two years of her life were horrific as the cancer invaded every part of her body: bones, liver, brain, every single part of her.

She took twelve years to die from breast cancer. She was 54; I was 29.

There were a lot of lessons she taught me. My neighbor, P, and my mom had the same thing in common. They were/are both upbeat. Mom would rather laugh than cry. She was always looking for the good in people. When she'd go into radiation, she'd look around at others there. She'd find the good in them and admire them.

P & my mom had another thing in common. They had to manage their energy, just like people ration out food, or budget. If Mom did something like go out to shop, or dine, or see a movie, she'd be in bed for two days after. For people with debilitating illnesses, like MS, Lupus, fibromyalgia, CFS, , etc. have this dilemma to face every day. What can they accomplish with what energy they have?

A few years ago, I came across an amazing essay, written by a woman who has lupus. Her very close friend asked her what it felt like living with lupus. With an extraordinary insight, Christine found a way to explain this to her friend called The Spoon Theory.

I have passed The Spoon Theory on to many people because of its insight and wisdom. I hope you will gain insight from it and pass it on to those you know.

http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory-written-by-christine-miserandino/

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