Living With The What Ifs
What if my health gets worse and I cannot work even part-time? What if I can’t take care of my children the way I want to? What if I cannot pay the doctor’s bills? What if we lose our medical insurance? What if I never get better? What if people judge me?
Have you ever caught yourself playing the “What If”‘ game? It is a destructive game that makes things worse. It increases anxxiety, makes us tense, and weakens our immune system. These thoughts are not reality, but worse case fears. We cannot live like that.
We also have the reassurance that God is with us no matter what comes our way.
We have to give up control of wanting to know what’s going to happen in the future. When these what ifs take over try confronting them with positive statements. What if God promises strength in my weakness (2 Cor. 12:9-10) What if God says He will never leave or forsake me? (Heb. 13:5)
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:5)
Inspiring Quotes
Today I would like to share with you some quotes that I have collected over the years. They have helped me in times of discouragement.
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.” - Plato
“You were born an original. Don’t die a copy.” - John Mason
” A ship is safe in it’s harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.” - William Shedd
“It’s never too late to be what you might of been.” - George Eliot
“You will never be happy with what you want until you are happy with what you have.”
-unknown
“The man who has no imagination has no wings.” -Muhammad Ali
“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” -Mother Teresa
“I am useful to God not in spite of my scars, but because of them.” -Pam Vredevelt
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THESE AS MUCH AS I DID!
Making Cleaning A Little Bit Easier!
Keeping the house clean and neat can be a struggle when you have small children in the house and you have chronic health problems. I wanted to share some tips to make things as easy as possible.
1. Keep supplies under each bathroom sink. Sprays, cloths, paper towels, etc. It may seem like a pain at first to have to buy multiple supplies, but in the long run you be glad you don’t have to run downstairs everytime you need to clean something.
2. Spray surfaces in the bathroom or kitchen when you first get up and then about ten minutes later come back and wipe them. The products will work better if they,ve had a chance to loosen things up.
3. Put a container of water and lemon juice in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes. This will loosen things up and freshen up the microwave. Just wioe down the top and walls.
4. If you can afford it, get one of those new robotic vacuums and floor cleaners.
5. Clean in short bursts of 5 to 10 minutes. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon or evening.
6. Pick a room. Spend another 10 minutes cleaning one room. Clean a different room every day so eventually the whole house will get attention.
7. Keep a vacuum on each floor of the house.
8. Take all items off counters, tables, and shelves and only put back the most important things. The less stuff you have the less you’ll have to clean!
Lastly I wanted to share with you some wonderful products that I have come to love. The company that makes them is called Melaleuca The wellness Company. They make concentrated cleaning products that are not made with harsh chemicals or toxins. They work really well because they are made with citrus solevants, melaleuca oil (the highest grade of teatree oil), vinegar, etc.
To learn about the business or how to become a customer and get the products directly to your door you can get my contact information at www.workathomeunited.com/tanyaf.
HAPPY CLEANING!!
Keeping a medical records journal
Hello everyone!
I wanted to write today on the importance of keeping health records for yourself, kids, and any other family members. It’s especially important if you are dealing with a chronic illness.
There are record books that you can buy or you can make your own using a three ring binder. Be sure to include names of doctors with phone numbers, addresses, any medications they’ve prescribed and the date started. List any side effects or improvements you’ve experienced and the dates.
List any new symptoms in general that you’ve had and questions you may have for the doctor. Bring this to all appointments so each doctor know what the other is treating you for. If anyone else has any suggestions I would welcome your comments.
Had A Great Time Saturday Night!
Apples to Apples was loads of fun and very easy to play. You can still interact well because you don’t have to think too much. My kind of game! They have a version for kids too. It was just nice to finally be around other people my own age and laugh. It was also a way for me to get to know my neighbors better.
I have a bad cold so I am just taking it easy today. I don’t know why, but when I get a cold my whole body aches from head to toe. Maybe colds just make my fibromyalgia kick in. I hope everyone is doing well!
Cool Weather
I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend and the cool weather. Depending on where you live of course. I was tired of all the humidity.
My puppy is doing a little better in the sleeping department. I’m getting a little more sleep which I am very happy about! I still need more though. Ond day at a time. I think I’m actually going to go to a girls night out in my neighborhood. They are going to play Apples To Apples. I ‘ve heard a lot of good things about it. My daughter has played it at school also. This group usually plays Bunco which I’ve never played before. They’ve been inviting me all year, but by the time Friday evening comes around I am spent. I will let you know how it goes.
Enjoy your kids this weekend as much as you can. They grow up too fast. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t get all those “important” things done this weekend. ENJOY LIFE!
God Bless.
Mothering alongside chronic illness
Recently I came across an article in Pittsburgh Parent magazine titled Moms…living with chronic illness. The article stated, “ Mothers rarely finish their days with thoughts like, ‘That was easy. Everything went as planned.’ This is doubly so for mothers living with chronic disease.”
The author goes on to suggest a few things to help us cope.
1. Adjusting your expectations.
It’s hard to know exactly what you will be able to accomplish when you don’t know how you’ll feel on any given day. One thing that is a must is adjusting expectations and priorities. Sometimes I take a look at my to do list and pick the most important thing that cannot wait. I know that this is all I might be able to accomplish for that day. All of a sudden laundry is able to wait another day. Even if you don’t get as much done as you had hoped, know that your children would rather have a mom who has paced herself and has something left to give her them.
2. Accept help.
We need to learn to accept the kindness of others. Most mothers don’t have a problem with accepting help if they have a sick child or just had a baby. When you have a chronic need for help with every day things it’s hard not to feel bad about it. People like to help people they care about. Sooner or later everyone will be in a place where they need help. Don’t deprive someone of the good feeling of helping you out. You never know, on a good day you might be able to help them also.
State your needs.
Get rid of the idea of “supermom”. You are a mother with special needs. You wouldn’t feel bad about having to adjust your plans and daily activities if you had a child with special needs. You are just as important. Be articulate and to the point about what you need. The person can either say yes or no. I know my husband doesn’t like it when I beat around the bush. If he’s able to take the kids out you may be able to cook that nice dinner and get some rest.
Find support.
It’s nice to have friends and family members who are willing to listen. But you’ll also need someone who understands what you’re going through because they have been there too. Even if support groups aren’t your thing, you can go once, connect with a few people then meet or talk with them outside of the group. You can find such groups at www.hopekeepers.org or through your local hospital. There are also online support groups. These can be found at www.restministries.org, www.Healingwell.com, and www.Dailystrength.org.
I hope these ideas will help you live a more fulfilling life under the circumstances. Always remember, you can still be a great mom even with limitations. We are teaching our children how to be more kind, compassionate, and understanding. That is always a good thing!
Living With A New Puppy!
We got a black toy poodle about three weeks ago. He is three months old and his name is Toby. He is adorable! He only weighs about four pounds.
My kids have been wanting a dog for a long time and we thought a small, non-shedding dog was the way to go. My neighbor actually purchased it for a surprise for her husband. He informed her that they might be moving and could not take a dog. She showed up with it on my front porch when my husband was out of town on business. We were planning on getting a dog anyway, just not quite that soon and not that breed. Well, needless to say the kids and I fell in love with it. My husband I’m not so sure!
The only thing I’m struggling with is the fact that he wakes up at 5:30 a.m. to go to the bathroom. It’s really effecting my energy level having to get up that early. If anyone has any suggestions for how to get your dog to sleep later I would greatly appreciate it! Maybe I’ll just have to wait untill he’s an adult!
Living With Invisible Illness
Living with invisible illness is a rollercoaster ride. Help a friend hang on. Support Invisible Illness Week by visiting www.invisibleillness.com. It runs from September 10- 14th.
Let your friends and family and doctors know about this week.
I just got back from a four day vacation with my kids. One last fun thing before school starts next week. I was able to see my parents and sister. We went to the lake and did a little bit of hiking in the woods. Even though it was raining we managed to have a nice relaxing time. It felt so good to be well enough to get exercise in the fresh air and work up a sweat. I was very thankful that I was able to do that!
We also saw the Lion King production with my mom and my in-laws and kids. It was amazing! The animals looked so real. The animals walked up the aisles and the kids really got a kick out of that! There was singing and dancing and tumbling. Something for everyone. If you ever get a chance to go you should.
I hope everyone is all ready for the start of school. Next time I will share some back to school tips!
A Few Ways to Help Supplement Your Familiy’s Income!
I know from experience that it’s hard to contribute to your family’s income when living with a chronic illness. I have dappled in many home based businesses trying to find the right fit to accomodate my children, husband, and limitations. I have to admit I’m still working on that. I have found some things that look promising though and I’d like to share them with you.
Here are some websites that pay either cash or reward you with gift certificates, etc.
www.opinionplace.com/main.adp?
Here are some companies that hire virtual call agents:
Do your friends look to you for advice about things your passionate about, such as scrapbooking, cooking, or animals?You may want to consier becoming aan online expert guide. Check out these websites:
If you have a college degree and the skills to tutor online, this job may be for you. Go to www.tutor.com. If you pass there probationary period you can earn between $10 to $14.
Also consider selling some of your children’s clothes or your own at a consignment shop. Do you have cd’s or books that are still in good condition? Try selling them on www.amazon.com.
Hopefully these ideas will help a little. Let me know if you have found anythting helpful.
Blessings!
