Fibromyalia & Gardening #3

Wow!! You are a trooper, and sharing so much with us is an inspiration. I can only speak for me of course, but reading of how you push yourself in spite of and thru the pain to do what Needs to be done....DOES inspire me to get off the bed and do something. the old saying "use it or lose it"' is true. i have gotten so weak from the past 6 months of nearly total inactivity that just standing for Church worship and praise wears me out. I am a class assistant instructor with our dog training club teaching a CGC class, and Wednesday night after getting to the class then standing in the ring to check the students and dogs in.....just 10 minutes and I was feeling weak kneed and slightly light headed. You see I had spent about 3 days in bed...hurting and hiding from the world. Gotta get out of that mode. I don't know if anybody else does that. It seems like most people have families and so can't really hide in the bed for days....but it is not at all helpful. The pain meds and soft mattress and warm bankies might be comforting, but the mus=scles don't get used and then it is %(*&*(&^ working back up to any kind of strength and endurance.
My AC was checked & cleaned for the summer on Wed and the man showed me where the bottom of the big box outside is nearly completely rusted thru........the compressor could just bust thru onto the ground any day when it kicks on . It is at least 18 years old. So I am having a new AC & "hybrid" heat pump installed on Tuesday. Well that loan had set me back to having $129 left each month for food, etc, according to the list of bills and "budget" that the nice female loan officer showed me & helped me work out. I'm scarred....well not scarred really....I know my God will take care of me. I just may have to cut out many "luxuries". I hope that Internet and thus DG are not things that I have to cancel to survive. Please add me to any prayer lists that are out there.
I also an going to work every Thursday at the church doing receptionist and clerical type things. My church has very few actual staff members. Most everything is done by members serving. It is so amazing to see how "the body takes care of the body" when God's Word and sharing the truth of His love for us with the world is the focus . anyway...I am exited about this opportunity to serve...much of what I will be doing is in the children's ministry area too, so that is special to me.
Whoa...... am I tired. .... One room is nearly straightened, decluttered and funcional...only 5 more to go,.....^_^ well + basement...LOL
G'nite...er morning all.......I pray for each and every one of you to have a wonderful weekend..........I have a request of you, just for fun...please look for a "special moment" this weekend and share it if yo like, after you find it!!
Hugs & prayers,
Sheri

Go Scraps, go Sheri, go me, and go anyone else I inadvertently failed to mention! We are real troopers, whether we take a few days/weeks/months off or we just keep pushing.

I finally admitted to myself (and the choir director) that I am not up to singing the big concert next weekend. There have been so many extra rehearsals, before church and after church and I don't have the stamina. I feel like such a wimp though!

It is so hard to say no to invitations and requests. Now that I am disabled I have learned to say "Thank you so much for thinking of me, I am flattered, but my health will not allow me to do that at this time. I'm sure you understand."

Good answer, 2nd! I usually don't get invited any more - I volunteer/claw my way into activities.

Hi everyone, We all have bad days and then our really good friends help us up, dust our pants off and help us back on the horse again. I appreciate the cheers and encouragement from you guys. My hubby almost worked my tail off saturday and we got all the insulation in ceiling so hopefully the sheetrock guy can get to us soon. I can see a faint light at the end of this house building journey. It has been rough on me. My legs swelled up on me bad and I can barely walk today and it hurts so bad I am concerned. I know I have been on my feet more lately but I do not think that alone should cause the swelling. Must be blood presure related but dr. did not seem to concerned. I may need to go back and force him to get a scan on it. We all struggle so hard with our health problems just to do what we enjoy or to take care of our homes and families when there are dopeheads out in this old world who do not care what it does to their bodies. I am overweight and people treat me like it is because I did not take care for myself but I exercised all the time when I could I just can't anymore. It is strange to me also the lack of concern you get from the health care industry anymore dr.'s, nurses, etc. Do you guys feel that way too? Like they just race you through the office and never hear what you say and certainly not really care about you. I once had a doctor call back and ask how my daughter was doing after going to visit him for stomach pain. I was shocked that he went out of his way to inquire about her because they do not do that on a normal basis anymore.

Birdie, you can not hide under cover anymore or we will all come from all corners of this country and harrass you into getting up and chatting with us and we will want refreshments when we get there, also we are going to complain if your house is not up to par. If I have to get up and face the world everyday I think you should too.LOL. also those of us who have spouses get nagged if house is not tidy and there are no clean clothes so we are going to treat you like family and nag until you get up and get moving again. Oh, and we want you to smile and not sulk. Hehehe. You can forward this to me when I get depressed again. Just trying to perk you up girl. Love ya, scraps

OK< OK i get it....I showered and changed my socks today.
Couldn't even go to church, thank God the entire service, including the music praise & worship is a live on video stream to all parts of the world.......reachthetriad.com for an that want to join me I'm usually the blond near the front (row 1,2, or 3) just left of center. the teachings are available pod-casts 24/7 but the live service video stream services times are ES or daylight Time Sun 9:15 & 11:30am +6pm, Midweek service is Thurs 7pm....teaching is verse by verse Sunday is the new Testament and Thurs is the Hebrew Scriptures, AKA "the Old Testament". Oh how I hope some of you might join us.
I am pulling out of the horrible dark slump I have bee in since before my 1st knee surgery in Dec.
I am Assist teaching a Doggie class on Wed night , also will begin in May working 1 day / week helping @ the church with prepairing lessons or stage sets or whater needs to be done
A very special friend is helping me work thru my house and she helps me have faith that the day will come when i feel like I could actually invite some ladies for a morning coffee/ bible study.........it isn't here yet for sure, but everything is done the same way one step and one day a t a time till the goal is met, then another goal is set.....so , I am on the right trail once again.....thanks for the kicking offer for when I need it .
Some would have put me on a suicide watch these past few months if the actual truth were known......glad to be PAST there though!!! really
I would not want to essentially refuse to be available for the plans that my Lord has for me and also I would not want t hurt my friends and the people who love and care for me.
I have learned (and really knew anyway----but you forget when that dark cloud cancels out all the light)that there is a BIG difference between 'feeling 'like you are cared for AND 'being 'cared for........
what we feel is ofter very far from what actually is.....I think that is why King Solomon speaks so much (as do others throughout the Word) about the lying heart or the vanity of feelings and how feelings are not what truth should be based on.
As often happens in difficult seasons, growth occurs.
Fruit trees produce overwhelming amounts of fruit after a severe drought or other 'seeming' disaster............
....Food for thought (no pun intended.)

May God bless you each and every one of my special DG friends,
Sheri
here's a baby Carolina Wren from my front porch. It's Momma created a very well camouflaged little 'cavern' down in a hanging basked of dead plant remains from a last years pot. last weed I took it down to plan its use for this year...Momma was startled and nearly flew up my nose!!!! I'm letting her use the 'home' and no renovations will occur till she & her little family have moved on.........just thought I'd share them with you a tiny wide open mouth is about all there is to see, but at that age & stage that and the other end are basically all that matters ^_^
Hugs from a Birdie

ps...the final count is 6 Bluebird eggs again like last year, on my back porch, same box, same place, new Mom....hatch date is Mon 5/4 ^_^

Birdie I am so glad you are perking up some. I need my garden pals even if I am not able to garden right now myself. I have hurt my knee somehow or the fibro has it hurting bad. But I got up and went to see mom in nursing home anyway. I am tired so will chat with you later.

Hi everyone, I've been missing all of you, hopefully I can hang around more. Hugs to you all.

Cathy! Hello! There you are.

PT on Friday was AWFUL - I felt like giving up forever. Today was not so bad, despite this bizarre heat wave.

Sometimes PT seems worse than just staying put. Takes me days to recover, then it starts all over and I'm not sure it is helping anything. I sure understand your feelings Carrie.

Me too, and then Medicare discharges me for not making progress! [I have a degenerative disease, PT helps it not degenerate as quickly, you lunkheads!] My apologies to any Medicare employees . . .

Yesterday my PT said he needed to stretch the nerve in my neck. It brought tears to my eyes. But it sure worked!

lunkheads! that's a good one.

yeah, I thought hard about all the expletives I WASN'T going to use.

2nd, sorry about the pain, but very glad it worked!

Carrie, you are such a proper lady, haha.

ha ha ho ho hee hee!! You gotta be kidding me.

Hello everyone, My husband's company has been bought out and he is layed off. I know there are alot of people in the same boat right now but we are in the middle of building a house, of all times for this to happen. Please keep us in your prayers. I stayed in the yard and kept busy trying not to think about it because I knew they were having a meeting today which could have been good news or bad but it was bad. He got layed off and not ask to join new company. That means no health insurance because I doubt we can afford cost of it without him working. Hopefully something good will come out of this. He will have time to finish house but our savings will not last long at all since we just spent most of it on house. Oh well, I planted flower seed today and hope they will make me smile when or if they come up. I got a blister from hoeing weeds. I have not had much time for flowers with building project so it was nice to be playing in dirt.
Carrie and Cathy I hate your PT is so tough on you. My muscles hurt enough without someone pulling and prodding on me. I hope you guys feel better soon. I do not know about you guys but I would love to have a free day ( free of pain and problems with my health) It seems like one thing gets better and something new takes over. Have a good evening, Scraps

Oh Scraps, what a terrible thing to happen, prayers are heading to heaven right away.

Hey, can we start a new thread and call it something like health problems and gardening? I think having it named a specific problem may keep some from joining our conversation.

That would be fine cathy just put a link thingy because I do not know how. I was just hoping when I started this link to connect with others who have problems trying to garden. It is so easy for us when we are young and healthy or just healthy. If I could just borrow my husbands strength for a day or two I could do some serious gardening. Everything is a struggle when you hurt all the time like us with fibromyalgia. I know people with other health issues face different battles but we can all understand that for some of us it is not so easy. I was in a wheelchair for a short time and so I am Thankful to be able do do what I can. I just pay for it with pain. No matter what I do work or play it hurts in my muscle tissue. I also let depression get me down occasionally because I give up, so I wanted to be able to give encouragement when someone was having it rough. It helps to have someone to connect with who understands. Birdieblue has become a close pal through this link and we share dmail and encourage each other. Carrie is also good about saying hang in there. Others frequent the site also and I do not want to leave anyone out So by all means if you think we can reach more by changing the link or whatever that is fine with me if it is with others. Scraps

hello

This message was edited May 1, 2009 12:24 PM

Or another link titled something like "do pain or health issues keep you from enjoying your garden?" and maybe put a link in a sticky to this one for encouragement?? JMHO I think Fibro and Chronic pain add a component that some might not undersand, and I don't want to hear about it being in my head or the like........heck I don't know how to organize anything....my $.02 isn't really worth much....sorry, I don't think I should have started to give any feedback here.....so...another big "oops" for me........sorry

the new continued thrreadis missing the opening lead in that is always there either by Scraps of LeafLady esplaining the thread...That has always been nice and I know was a big help for me as a newbie here to feel welcome and know what the thread was for
Sheri

I've removed all reference to this thread in the new thread since I've been accused of hi-jacking. So sorry for trying to more inclusive in the title.



This message was edited May 1, 2009 12:31 PM

BirdieBlue, That was so thoughtful of you sweetie and please feel free to continue dmailing when you need a friend honey.
Fibromyalgia is a complicated disease and if you or a loved one is not suffering it you probably do not understand all the symptoms that comes with it. Depression being one of the worst along with the pain. People understand your illness more when they see it or know the severity of it. People would never say to a cancer patient or someone in a wheelchair that they did not feel for them when they are suffering pain and depression. Most patients with fibro look healthy so they get told to get over it and move on. When your body hurts regardless of what you do, regardless how much money you spend on gimmicks and meds that say they will help the pain, no matter how many specialist you go to, Regardless if you were once a good person who worked hard and played hard, regardless of how rich or poor you are. I have been dealing with this pain for 15 or more years and I have learned to have true compassion for everyone. I never understood alcoholism but I think if I started drinking now I would be one myself. We have to love each other and keep moving on. Love and prayers, to everyone, scraps

Scraps, please continue the Fibro and Gardening in a #4 thread or someone who knows how to do that.
Who decided that depression issues are "off topic"?...not anyone with Fibro.
I do not know how to start another title page to continue this Fibro thread, but I really, really hope that someone does. Depression is a BIG part of what Fibro patients battle.
Who ever decided that talk of depression from the problems of Fibro was "off topic" has no medical training or much of an understanding of Fibro either.
I've been writing and reading in the Fibro accessible gardening thread for nearly a year and don't remember ever seeing anything that was "off topic.
Thank you Scraps for starting this thread.....please don't anybody else squash it!!
I NEED it and so do other people battling all of the aspects of this disease.
Sheri / BirdieBlue

This message was edited May 1, 2009 3:22 PM

Just to clear the air, it was not my intention to change the thread, just make it more inclusive since so many of us in the discussion have serious problems, too. A new member had asked me if she was welcome in the discussion since she didn't have fibro. I made no changes to the first paragraph, I did not write the depression sentence, it has been there all along.

RE: " so many of us in the discussion have serious problems, too."
Fibromyalgia IS a serious problem. I have many other health issues also. There has never been any question that many disabling health issues , NOT just Fibromyalgia, were included in this forum. No one has (that I have seen) has ever tried to keep this to a 'Fibro only' forum. Often, only after many years of teatment for other issues (atrhritis, chronic pain, depression, etc), does someone Finally get the diagnoses of 'Fibro'.
The problem was with changing the title of this forum. People with Fibro have complex issues that do not fit into any other forums, but do 'include' many other issues

It IS true that folks who *don't* have fibro have wondered if this is the right place for them, Sheri, I just blunder in! Some people are more timid. There isn't an MS thread, for instance, or a PPS thread, a crippling migraines thread or an RA thread (some of the issues I happen to know people right here on Dave's battle with). I think the things that bring us together are more important than the things that keep us separate, each in our own thread.

Cathy never said Fibro isn't a serious problem; I think (feel free to correct me) she was trying to explain how it felt to have a serious problem that wasn't mentioned in the original opening paragraph. And if you go back, you'll notice that the very first thread like this WAS fibromyalgia only, but I invited myself and so leaflady added MS to the opening paragraph.

Please, let's not be divisive ... we have so few other people who really understand pain and not being able to count on your body ... we need each other! I wrote an article for the MS newsletter this month.

I'm sorry I wrote anything. i don't seem to be as eloquent as som here with my words and when I feel passionate about something, then that is the way I write.....then things just get all blown up. I'm gonna try really hard just not to write anymore.
I feel like I'm burying something,...but that's probably depression and has no place here so.....

Oh My, I do not know where to begin? I started the thread to connect with people and have enjoyed it so much. I never intended to leave anyone out. Just make a connection to see if someone who had fibro could help me in some magical way I guess. I do not know maybe.... they rubbed dirt on them and it cured this dreaded disease for them. (hehehe) Anyway............... I have truly enjoyed it and love all of you and will try to keep posting when I can on all of them. However, I am too old school where technology is concerned to even figure out how I started it in the first place. I would like to continue this thread and will join in elsewhere also that should make everybody happy maybe. Help me somebody, please to make a link to fibro and gardening #4 then if there is no interest it will simply fade away. Scraps

I know how to do it. I don't have fibro. Is it OK is I call it something else besides the fibro thread #4, like the painful gardening #4 or something that doesn't leave newcomers wondering if they're in the wrong place?

This message was edited May 1, 2009 5:12 PM

That is fine with me carrie I could not even figure out how in the world I ever started that link anyway. Lots of love and compassion was what I wanted hahaha. I am sending you a bushel of both today. Anybody else want some too? Just ask and I will send you some love too. That is what we all need most anyway along with more flowers to plant.

Rereading it, it does sound like depression is unwelcome. I think if depression is the primary cause of disability you are maybe better served by the Healthy Living Forum, but we've certainly all been depressed, either as a primary result of our condition (MS causes the brain to stop reuptaking serotonin) or as a secondary result (I'm depressed because I have an incurable progressive debilitating disease). Maybe I'll stop after

"the same reasons much of the time."

Cathy, come back!

Sheri, come back!

Leaflady, come back!

Carrie, It would be wonderful of you to continue it as you have suggested , thankyou very much. I don't want to see this die.
Quite honestly it is what I have gotten out of bed to read many a time. You guys helped me stay afloat much of the winter, when my bubble had burst.

OK, can't do it right now but tomorrow I will. Thanks, Sheri. ^_^

OK, DH says were NOT going out, so I CAN do this tonight. Back in a flash. "Gardening with Pain." "Painful Gardening." "Gardening despite pain."

.... Oh, My Aching Garden.., Chronic Pain & Gardening .....(I really just wrote to share a laugh with the "OH, my aching garden one...that brought me to tears, right here all by myself) just wanted to share that laugh!! Just so we stay together and support one another, that is what is important...that and that others looking for that same support will be able to find us..there are a lot of forums out there to sift thru for a newbie. I was sooo excited to find one that dealt with chronic pain issues....we need to be there for others looking for us. Thanks Carrie for continuing this.

OK, I called it "compassion for gardeners with pain" trying to sum up Scraps' original idea with my newer one.

go here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/982824/

Oh, and thanks Cathy for wanting to find a way for others with chronic pain issues to feel welcome. I do forget that not everybody is as bold as I Can be at times, and that there are some who just might stay away rather than ask or just write anyway.