All is well...

All is well.
My hands no longer wake me up in the middle of the night. Only once since I took the prescribed remedy did that happen again. I am sleeping well. I have been struggling with a morning cough that is worrisome and although my wrists do not wake me up in the middle of the night, I know that they are not right. They crackle and ache throughout the day. Somedays it's worse than others. These are things I will mention to the doctor when I see her in a couple of weeks.

This week I am going to give myself a test of endurance. I am still limited by my physician to a maximum of 30 hours per week and no more than a seven hour day. I have been working six hour days pretty consistantly and this week I am going to bump it up to seven and see how I do. I have a doctors appointment coming up on February 23rd and I would like to be able to ask the doctor to let me return to work full time.
Don't get me wrong. I really enjoy 30 hours a week. It is a nice balance of being able to be at work and be at home but what continues to loom over me is "disability". I'd like to be done with that.
To be done with that, however, does mean that I need to return to work full time.
What this time has taught me though....

1. My children and my husband have to know that they are more important than my job. I may say it to them daily but it will be my actions that speak louder than words.
2. It is important to make time to volunteer in school and at church where my kids can see that I think school, and their teachers, church and our faith are important.
3. Planning and communicating the plan makes life easier on everyone. Meals, activities, meetings, etc...
4. Too much is just that...too much. Pick your battles. Chose what is most important. Give back in a way that feels right and honest.
5. Smile. Life is full of blessings but you must have your eyes and your heart open to see them.

Please pray that I am physically able to return to work full time. Please pray that I don't lose balance when that happens. Please pray that the cough and the wrists are nothing to worry about and "this too shall pass".

Thanks for checking in.

Kris

Update on my hands....

In the last post I shared with you the pain in my hands. Well, as you know I did not get the cortisone shots and I did see Dr. Sweeney. He prescribed a remedy that I am suppose to take for the next 3-5 days. The first night there was no change. I still woke up with a tremendous pain in my hand. The second night....sweet dreams, no pain. I actually woke up at 4:00 and wondered if I had really slept through the night.
We'll see what happens tonight and I will let you know.

I started my day this morning with this lovely note in my work "inbox". I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

May today there be peace within.

May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.

May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content with yourself just the way you are.

Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love.

It is there for each, and every one of us.

A New Year....

Happy new year family and friends.
Not much has changed since I last reported in. I did go ice skating with Bill and the kids on Sunday afternoon. I don't remember the last time I skated, it was definitely before children and I think it might go even farther back then that, though Bill insists we skated together at least once. With that being said, we met in 1989....so who knows.

I wasn't going to go. I was afraid that if I fell I would break something or worse yet, wouldn't be strong enough to get myself back up. It's a lousy way to live really, not doing something just in case...
Then I asked the kids if they wanted me to go and they both said yes (which also kind of surprised me because they love time with Bill). It was an opportunity to be together as a family and I wasn't going to miss it, so I went.
We had a wonderful time and I did it. I was wobbly. I was scared. I did it anyway. I marked that down as a success for the day.
We should all have a success for the day and something we hope to do better tomorrow. Funny how the "doing ________ better tomorrow" is easier to identify.
Please don't forget about the successes.

For the past two weeks or so I have been struggling with severe hand pain. The good news it isn't constant and it's only achy most of the time. The bad news is it happens every night between 1-4 in the morning and it is really painful then. Last night while I was awake trying to breathe through it I realized the best way to describe it really is it's similiar to a charlie horse you might get in your leg. There is just no way to get comfortable and no way to make it go away except to wait it out. Last night it lasted for quite awhile and this morning I was wiped out. I decided it was time to call the doctor. Her assistant called me back fairly quickly and said the doctor could get me in for wrist injection. WHAT? A wrist injection...did it really hurt that bad? Bad enough for a couple of cortisone shots? Well, last night, absolutely I would have done anything to stop the pain...this afternoon, a couple of cortisone shots sounded like a bit much, maybe it will go away on it's own.
I made a second call to Dr. Sweeney. He is the doctor I credit in helping me rid myself of most of the prescription medicition I had been taking. Primarily, he helped put an end to the prednisone.
I have an appointment to see him tomorrow and he may need to adjust or prescribe a new remedy. I know, I know....my kids call them sugar pills, Bill sometimes refers to this as going to see the witch doctor, but really, if it helps, isn't that what is important. Remember, Dr. Sweeney is first and foremost a traditional doctor of medicine and it wasn't until he found himself helpless in getting treatment for his young son severe asthma that he began to incorporate eastern medicine into his approach. I hope he can find something other than cortisone to help me out.

So, that's the scoop for now. I will fill you in more after my appointment tomorrow.
Thanks for checking in.
Kris

Away in a Manager...take care Tim.

Yikes, so soon....and after weeks, I am posting twice in one day.

Well, it's late at night and I am just home from a Christmas party so my typing might be slurred...

I just got home from a party and before calling it a night I had to check my email. I received a "caring bridge" update from a friend who is battling cancer. He has a wife and two beautiful daughters and of course, this is nothing he "signed up for".

This past weekend I was with my family and my mom and sisters and a group of wonderful ladies enjoyed lunch and a Lorie Line concert. During the concert I found myself reflecting back on the many concerts we had seen together over the past 12+ years.
One moment, of one concert, over the many, many years came to mind....
"Away in a Manager"...one year this song was especially hard to sing.
I remember holding my mom's hand and praying with her (or maybe silently in my head)..."please dear God, not this year."
"Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay. Close by me forever and love thee I pray. Bless all the dear children in thy tender care...and take us to heaven to live with thee there."
I was sick. I still am...but not nearly as bad as it was. I really did not want it to be over and three years later I am planning to celebrate with family and friends another wonderful birthday of Jesus.
I AM BLESSED.
Merry Christmas...a couple of days early.

Yikes...December

December is taking it's toll on me. 30 hours at work, in addition to the extra running around that this time of year brings has brought some challenges. Last night, was ladies Bunko and I had to listen to my body and stay home and rest. I love Bunko night. It's a great group of friends who get together once a month and laugh and talk and share and I really look forward to these gatherings. Last night the kids and I were all in bed by 8:15. I needed it.

I have to share something very special that happened today though....
We have Secret Santa exchange at work. I know it's a secret, but I really wish I could say "Thank you" to my Secret Santa. My "Santa" made an honorary donation on my behalf to the Myositis Association. You can't imagine how very special that is to me. Well, I bet you can.

Just six more days until Christmas eve. I will never forget a message our pastor shared with us a few years ago on Christmas eve. I hope it sticks with me forever.
He talked about how at this time of the year we are all striving for "perfect"...the perfect gift, the perfect decorations, the perfect cookies or perfect dinner, etc... We often fall short, but that is all part of God's plan. The only thing about Christmas that is perfect is Jesus. If we let go of "perfect" we remember to see that gift and how "perfectly perfect" it was.

If I don't find the moments to log back in and post before Christmas...Merry Christmas everyone.
Kris

PS - A quote from my December work calendar "Possibilities - The rock that is an obstacle in the path of one person becomes a stepping stone in the path of another"

Just a few milestones...

Milestone Number 1
This morning was "payroll Monday". Basically this means that managers review timecards to be sure time in and time out is reporting correctly. It was here that I noticed that I worked two 30 hour work weeks, back to back and that included making up for a three hour appointment at Froedert Hospital (that had a happy ending).

Milestone Number 2
This evening I facilitated the first Wisconsin KIT group meeting for the Myositis Association. There were five people on the conference call and three people that called me in advance of the call to let me know they were very interested in participating but just couldn't make the time that was chosen. The call was very interesting, the people that participated were great and they want to meet again in a month. Although the holidays are crazy busy, they all felt it would be a good idea to come together and support each other during this hectic time. Apparently going outside of the daily "norm" wipes more than just me out.

Milestone Number 3
I received my first check from "CafePress"/the BeeMarket for profits from sales. It was for $53.00 and as promised on the shop site, will be sent to the myositis association as a donation toward myositis research.

Thanks for checking in on me.
I appreciate you.

Good night.
Kris