A Nice Sunday

We had a good day. The sun was shining and inviting and the birds were singing

Did a few chores this morning then spent time with Dwain taking photographs of hummingbirds and birds. My right shoulder has been giving me fits so had trouble holding my arm up to snap the photos. The standing still was also difficult. My legs are cramping hard tonight.

I came into the house about 11, sat in my chair and in a short time was zonked. Slept for only 45 minutes but it revived me. I woke up cold. Couldn't get warm. It took getting in the sun again to warm me up. It was almost like a switch was turned off then back on again.

This afternoon we downloaded our photos and I worked on the computer for awhile. We had halibut for dinner courtesy of our friend Allen. He went to Alaska this summer and shared a couple of packages of fish. It was wonderful. Another rack of dirty dishes. Man I hate washing dishes by hand!

Watching the Grammys as I write. I'm really getting old, altho not as old as my friend Carol. Happy Birthday my good friend. I love you! The music is just not as it used to be. In many ways that's a good thing, but I miss singers who just sing.

It's Friday

It's been a full day. I watched the sunrise over the Kofa Mountains while Dwain snored away.

The morning was spent in town. We went to the big tent for the craft show and beginning of the car show. The car show is Saturday and Sunday. But a few were in place. We saw a Studebaker. Definitely doesn't look like the one in back forty. :D We talked to a couple who had a photography booth.

Looked at a few booths outside, nothing new. Stopped at The Gambler, which is an RV supply store. Got gas for the generator and water. We buy water here. Cheapest place we have found is five gallons for a buck. We got a burger at Burger King. Last stop I picked up produce and bread while Dwain mailed a birthday card to our good friend Carol. Carol is a great friend (not just a good friend) and she always reads my blog. :D She is older than I am! Hee Hee

After we got home, Dwain started putting together a clothes line. Saturday will be wash day. I worked on the computer until our neighbors stopped by while on a walk. They are from Canada. We had a nice visit.

My Fibromyalgia is doing ok today. I had cramping in the back of my upper legs after walking down town. Still protesting a little tonight. I did have something different happen this morning. As I was sitting up in bed before getting up, quite a bit of tearing poured from my left eye. This has never happened before. I probably wouldn't have thought much of it, but a friend on the Facebook Fibromyalgia site commented about doing the same thing the day before. I will check my favorite Fibromyalgia book, Fibromyalgia Up Close and Personal, to see if the good doctor discusses this issue.

Still have a sink full of dishes that need to be done. Will write more tomorrow.

Feel Your Happiness

Here are a group of sayings I found in a women's health magazine with my comments.

JUST DO IT: Choose to be happy

Can we "choose" to be happy when in so much pain? I believe we can. I have the hardest time being happy when I'm by myself. I feel the pain more when alone, nothing to distract me. After I've had a great visit with a friend either in person or on the telephone, my pain is increased. I never knew it took so much energy to talk...

SAY THANK YOU: Practice an attitude of gratitude

Can we have "gratitude" when fibro fog has closed your brain, you are unable to verbalize your thoughts or can't remember where you put the milk when it's not in the refrigerator? Take a deep breath and thank God your brain will eventually tell you where the milk is even if you stumble upon it while taking out the bread for lunch. :D

LAUGH EVERY DAY: Careful; it's addictive

Can we laugh when our bodies are screaming with symptoms like numbness, tingling, and stabbing, burning, aching pain (just to mention a few)? YES, absolutely! You must laugh in order to get through each day. My friends on the Facebook, Fibromyalgia site, are a wonderful diversion and provide laughter each day. I'm lucky to have a great family and very funny friends. Laughter will wear me out physically and my pain will increase, but it makes me feel happy and that is good.

LIVE LARGE: Generosity gifts the giver most

Can we be generous and receive the best gift of all when our eyes may be dry, unable to focus, seeing spots or objects in the air? When our restless legs, arms or whole body are jumping without control? Yes. Fibromyalgia sufferers are type A personalities. We volunteer for projects and committees. We bend over backwards to make sure our families and friends are taken care of. We are active in our communities to make them a better place to live. Giving wears us out physically, but the endorphins we receive are many. We are a group of givers and we feel we receive MORE than we give.

BE: Live in the moment

Fibromyalgia allows us to "be." We DO live in the momentS of our lives. Besides feeling the migraine, the throat muscles swell, the feeling of our feet going out from underneath us without warning or the intense, scary experience of being where there are many different noises and smells, there are special moments we live in. We see the color of the butterfly, a baby's sweet smile, the clouds in the sky, the expression on our family's faces, we feel the warmth of the sun. What a joy to hear the bat hitting the ball. Those without a chronic disease often miss the simple joys in life.

Have you looked at your bookmark lately? How many times do we use the bookmark to mark our place?

Does it have a beautiful picture?

A special verse?

Do you JUST use it or do you enjoy it?

HELP!!!!!!!

I went to the Main Event in Quartzsite yesterday and the noise just about sent me to the looney bin. The Main Event is a very long tent with booths lining multiple rows. The booths contain merchants selling their product. As I was walking by a Scentsy booth (candles, perfumy) the salesman started talking to me, the booth on its left started splashing water with great force on plexy glass. In the booth across from the Scentsy booth was a man with a microphone selling cookware. The people walking by were all talking. Then my phone rang and it was Dwain. It felt like a Calgone commercial. I've been rattled before when there is alot of commotion, but this was the first time I could not think, speak or move. It was a scarry feeling. I hung up the phone and forced myself to move out of the situation. Once I was about 10 feet away, my senses started to return. When I think of it even today, I get tense.

Today I've had a productive day. Completed many chores in the morning and had a relaxful afternoon.

Quartzsite, Arizona

We left Sonny and Mary's at 10 am. We had a wonderful visit with them.

We arrived in Quartzsite, Arizona at 2:30. We did not have difficulty finding a place to park our Montana. I took care of sitting up the inside of the RV. Dwain set up the outside, plus set up the TV and internet satellites. He also got the solar panel frame put together.

Tomorrow we will go the the Big Event tent. It is the last day. We will go in the morning. We want to be home by 1 pm because the AFC and NFC games are on in the afternoon.

Right now too tired to right so will head for bed and write more tomorrow.

Fibromyalgia on Facebook

I want to tell you about a Fibromyalgia site I am enjoying on Facebook. If you belong to Facebook, enter "Fibromyalgia" in the search box.

I receive GREAT support from members, female and male, although mostly female. They are supportive and great fun. I also find support in talking to others about symptoms. So many times we don't realize that something they are experiencing is a Fibromyalgia symptom. When we have that realization it is such relief.

Not feeling as well today as yesterday. Had to take add'l medication. Have errands and laundry to do this afternoon. We are leaving Apple Valley, California tomorrow.

Restful Day

Today was a quiet day. It rained buckets and the wind blew. Due to let up tomorrow. Got a few chores done, visited with Sonny and Mary. Also a telephone call with my very good friend Carol. So good to hear her voice. I miss her. She is always positive and makes me smile. I wish she and Bill could join us in Arizona if even for a week.

Tomorrow is errand and laundry day. Planning to leave Apple Valley on Saturday. We will drive to Quartzsite, Arizona, which is about a five hour drive, arriving in time to set up our dish and satellite..gotta be ready to watch the big football games!

My Fibromyalgia did well today. I had an hour and a half nap this afternoon. :D

I feel lucky...have you been lucky today? Maybe the cap came off the container easily. The door didn't hit you in the butt on your way out. Had the rain stopped when you needed to go outside? Your taxes are done. The baby slept through the night.

Bursting with Moments

"Get up and out. The day is bursting with moments" Renee Locks

When I read this quote, it tied in with my last writing on "joy." Our days ARE bursting with moments. We don't always recognize "moments" as we don't always recognize the "joy" in our lives.

I had "moments" with my friend Mary today while running errands. When we were ready to leave the department store, it was pouring rain. We decided to get something to drink at Starbucks, have a visit and wait for the rain to let up. Spending time with Mary is terrific fun. Because we decided to wait out the rain, we had "nose to nose" time for a nice visit with no interruption. We ordered our drinks and settled into a nice window seat. Watching the rain is calming for me. The rain did not let up. We finally made a mad dash to the car and returned home.

My Fibromyalgia began to protest because the blowing wind and I had gotten wet. A change of clothes helped, but for about an hour after arriving home, my legs were cramping and feeling cold. Other than that, my Fibro stayed in check today.

My "moments" during this short trip to the store with a friend?

1. Individual time.

2. Personal conversation.

3. Mary's impish personality.

She grabbed two large Target bags to put over our heads. Simple act... fun!

4. Because I am in a new city, I enjoyed the sites.

5. Less Fibromyalgia pain.

I'm sure there were many moments I should have recognized. I know that since the Fibromyalgia Disease came to stay with me, I recognize more than I did prior to its arrival.

Are you recognizing the "moments" in your life?

A Joyful Heart

"A joyful heart makes a cheerful face." Proverbs 15:13


Are you joyful? I have found it difficult to be "joyful" since Fibromyalgia came to stay in my life. When you have continous pain throught your body, 24/7, it's hard to be "joyful." On the other hand, I have found "joy" in people, situations and things. My family and friends provide joy on a continual basis. The clerk at the grocery store? A few days ago it was the postal worker. The simplest situations provide joy...sunsets/sunrises, hearing the voices of my grandchildren and seeing their joy of life. Your favorite music? Have you ever found joy in looking at a beautiful flower with drew drops? The joy of seeing the arrival of an airplane carrying someone you love? A see-through container with seashells that you collected yourself? Your favorite tea cup?

I hope you can find "joy" in your life...it surrounds you and when you find it, your Fibromyalgia feels better.

Purposefully find something that makes you "joyful" today.

On The Road

As you might remember, Dwain and I live in our 37' Fifth Wheel full-time. We gathered up our little house and hit the road on Wednesday. We are on our way south to the Arizona sunshine. We will take our time traveling. We spent our first night near Newport. Then on to Coos Bay where we will stay 4 days. Dwain is spending time with our friend, taking photos in the area. I have enjoyed most of the day accomplishing some needed tasks and visited with 2 friends. The 3 of us had a good fish and chips dinner at the end of the day.

My Fibromyalgia is doing well since we started our trip. I needed quiet time. I pushed myself over the holiday. I must find a solution to make Christmas festive ahead of time rather than having tasks close to Christmas. Maybe I can come to an understanding that many don't need to be done. I am aware I push my self too far and I need to remedy the situation.

I do enjoy our traveling. There is lots to see and many simple things in life to enjoy.

I'm Back Again!!

So...once my computer was replaced, a strong windstorm broke an important part on our internet satellite. We were able to get the part 4 days ago. I've missed blogging each day.

I hope everyone had a great holiday. We did. Our kids were able to come together for 1 1/2 days. It was great having them all under one roof, enjoying each other.