Quote of the Day

Without belief in yourself, you are left with a prison of a mind.

~ Brandon A. Trean

Quote of the Day

Sometimes to get what you want the most, you have to do what you want the least.

~ Jodi Picoult

Quote of the Day

When we are no longer able to change a situations, we are challenged to change ourselves.

~ Viktor Franki

Quote of the Day

Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.

~ Will Rogers

Quote of the Day

When in doubt, take a deep breath and keep moving.

~ Laurell K. Hamilton

Quote of the Day

The most confused we ever get is when we're trying to convince our heads of something our heart knows is a lie. 

~ Karen Moning

Quote of the Day

The truth is not always beautiful, nor beautiful words the truth.

~ Lao Tzu

Quote of the Day

All endings are also beginnings. We just don't know it at the time. 

~ Mitch Albom

Quote of the Day

Our greatest failures often give rise to our greatest successes

~ Terry Cohen

Quote of the Day

You can't always get the perfect moment. Sometimes, you just have to do the best you can under the circumstances. 

~ Sarah Dessen

Summertime Blues

One of these days I am going to do a post on chronic illnesses and depression. For me, they've been playmates for as long as I can remember. The more things are taken away from me by the various illnesses, the more I retreat into a big ball of depression. I do try and pull myself out of it when I can. I know it's not a good thing to be so down all the time. I make myself have contact with other people. even if it's only by phone or online, I still push myself to "talk" to others.

That lesson has been a hard one to learn over the years. There were quite a few times where I was able to put on the happy face and do what needed to be done. When I would come home, I could take off the mask and fall apart, not moving from my bed for days. Now, I'm happy that I have let others in on the deception so that they can call me out on it whenever they see me sliding back into that depressive state. Some days, I don't know what causes me to sink into that bed of sadness. I do know the root of it this time. Personal matters that are still unresolved as of yet weigh heavily on my heart because I know that neither side is ready to work things out. And it hurts me emotionally, mentally and sometimes physically.

So today and tomorrow are going to be easy days. I don't have any appointments this week. Therefore, I will be able to work through my serious backlog of books to be read and reviewed as well as work on the scarves and hats for the project we have going. We really behind so kicking it up a notch will help a lot! Hope you have a great Tuesday. I will see you again on Thursday!!

Until next time,
Kay

Quote of the Day

Perhaps it is our imperfections that make us so perfect for one another.

~ Jane Austen

Quote of the Day

It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.

~ William Shakespeare

Quote of the Day

It always seems impossible until it's done.

~ Nelson Mandela

Busy day but all I wanna do is sleep...

The past few days have went by in a blur. Thursday was packed with doctor appointment to check my INR and then it was project day. I spent a large portion of the day working through some the books on my to-read pile. My bloodwork came out within range so I was able to celebrate for a short time. I still have to face the follow-up appointment with the lung doctor toward the end of the month. The increase in breathing treatments has really been a big help. Only drawback has been the decrease in energy. I'm hoping that will work itself out as the days go on.

I couldn't find a comfortable sleeping position Thursday night, so I stayed awake until the alarm went off for the hubby. With him off to work, I was able to use the entire bed to find the most comfortable way to sleep. Then I knew nothing. Literally. I remember nothing from the moment my eyes closed until my mom called me in the afternoon when she was home from work. I haven't slept like that in a truly long time. Feeling both upset at myself for sleeping away perfectly good hours to work and happy that my body got some much needed rest, I worked my way through some of the books, did a small bit of research on writing query letters and took care of my needy furkid.

Although I figured that my body would have no use for further rest, I was proved wrong once again. Once dinner was out of the way, I did my usual nightly medicine/breathing treatment routine. Mr. Sandman decided that I needed a few more hours of sleep and happily scheduled me in for the hours between 9pm and 4am. Now, I'm sitting here feeling slightly tired after being up so early and taking my meds. I've been able to make a lot of headway in my reading list. I've also worked on a few upcoming posts and plan to do some crocheting. But really, if the need arises, I just might nap.

Anyone else out there have these kinds of weeks?

Until next time,
Kay

Quote of the Day

Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.

~ Albert Einstein

Quote of the Day

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

~ Confucius

Quote of the Day

Start today! Today is the tomorrow you put it off until yesterday.

~ Lyndon Forman

Quote of the Day

An obstacle is often a stepping stone.

~ Prescott

Losing my cool

Summer is definitely in full swing here. It's been a difficult few weeks adjusting to the increase in breathing meds as they have made me soooo sleepy. Not just a little sleepy. But walking zombie kind of sleepy. I have such a full plate with all the things that I want to accomplish that napping for a few hours really takes me further from my goals. Add to that the fact that I'm hidden away from the evil sunlight and humidity, you'll see that my hours to work on things in light are greatly reduced. I guess it's why they call it a challenge, huh?

Today's blog isn't going to be long. I'm feeling okay today and I'm going to take full advantage of each second to get as many things progressing as I can. Take care and have a safe, happy day.

Until next time,
Kay

Quote of the Day

Once you choose hope, anything's possible.

~ Christopher Reeve

Quote of the Day

Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don't have the strength.

~ Theodore Roosevelt

Quote of the Day

When writing the story of your life, don't let anyone else hold the pen.

~ Harley Davidson

How You Doin'?

After a couple of weeks adjusting to the new schedule of medicines, I feel like I'm starting to get used to the way I feel. This allowed me to move around in my "cave" more without that tightness in my chest that I was feeling less than a month ago. I hate breathing problems but I know some of the reasons are my own doing. Because of our financial situation, I wasn't always able to afford one of the necessary medicines for my breathing to take daily. Honestly it was just too expensive without coverage. I was thankful to see that the medicine was covered this year and I started taking it as I'm supposed to. Combined with an increase in nebulizer treatments, I feel like my lungs are more open. Now, if I could just get the rest of me in line, I'd be great!

The results of my annual bloodwork came back earlier in the week. My thyroid was low as I expected. I have had a hard time taking that stupid little pill due to its stupid little rules about taking on an empty stomach and not with other meds. Like it's important or something! Oh, okay. So it is important. I know I feel a lot better when I take it consistently so if I have to set my alarm for really early to take the med and then go back to sleep, I will. At my age, I need to stop being so carefree with everything and take the doctor's advice a tad bit more seriously than I have been. The good news is that my cholesterol was really good and everything in range. None of the numbers were at the high end of the range either so I'm really pleased. The last time I had my bloodwork done, my "bad" cholesterol was a little high and the "good" was just a few points low. Even though I had several moments where I didn't pay attention to what I should have been doing, everything seemed to turn around well enough that I will continue to maintain the small changes. Most likely I will add a few more as I do need to lose weight. One thing at a time.

Crocheting has seemed to take a front seat in my daily activities. My grand idea of honoring my late brother and grandmother by helping those less fortune was supposed to be a community driven effort. When I first began the project, there was a great sense of people wanting to help and they did. Donations of yarn and some items came in and helped to get the project off and running. Due in large part to my lack of posting all the time on Facebook or elsewhere, the continuation of making the items has fallen on my shoulders. I am determined to complete the goal I set in the beginning of 75 sets of hats and scarves for the behavioral center. But honestly, as long as I'm able to get 61 by the end of October, I'll be happy. That's the number of beds that the center has. Most of the time, they're full or overflowing. That's why I wanted to have extra. So it's stitch, stitch, stitch until I have callouses and yarn burns. Currently, I have nearly 40 completed and bagged so that's awesome in my book. The end of this month, I'll probably start to post more on Facebook where the project page is and to contact others as the project grows. I have a dozen different ideas that I want to help others with because that's what my brother and grandmother would have done.

Of course when not sleeping or stitching, I'm reading, writing and trying to keep up with my book blog. I never thought that I'd ever be busy again after my PsA began to take hold. I thought my days would be spent sitting and staring at walls. Admittedly, some days are like that as my hands don't want to do what they're told to but right now, there's not been as many. Mostly I have had pain and stiffness in my feet and upper back. That's been a blessing. I hope it holds out while I work my way through all these things I want to do. You never really realize just how important your hands are until you're not able to use them as you would normally use them.

At any rate, it's time for a breathing treatment and making headway on the to-do list. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Until next time,
Kay

Quote of the Day

Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, “I’m possible!”

~ Audrey Hepburn

Quote of the Day

When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.

~ Henry Ford

Quote of the Day

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.

~ Alice Walker

Happy Fourth of July!!

Only a quick post to wish everyone a safe and happy 4th of July. It's a major holiday here in the States. Many businesses are closed while people throughout the country are ready to have a good time to celebrate our freedoms and liberties. I want to take the opportunity to thank those men and women, both past, present and future, who put their families on hold and their lives on the line so that we here can have celebrations like this. It's not always a glamorous job to serve in the military. Sometimes, it's a downright pain but without it, we'd all be lost. Stay safe. Keep your head down. Come home soon. Especially my D-kiddo.

Until next time,
Kay

Quote of the Day

You can’t use up creativity.  The more you use, the more you have.

~ Maya Angelou

Blerghie blergh...

So, when I restarted this blog, I promised myself that I would do two things with it.

1. I would always be honest - no matter what.
2. I would find a posting schedule that I could maintain and do exactly that.

In the essence of #1, I have to honestly say that it's been hard for me to achieve #2 here lately. And it's not because of a lack of topics to cover. There are so many things that I actually want to discuss about the diseases that I and so many others have to deal with, but there's also the dark side of the disease that makes it difficult to do anything planned in advance.

The main reason that I picked Blogger to maintain this blog is because I was familiar enough with the way it worked. I can use this familiarity to my advantage and set up posts to publish even when I'm not able to work on anything on that particular day. For example, I feel like I've been hit by a Mack truck that's reversed over me and hit me again. If I had felt up to working on my blogs all day yesterday, I could have had this post already typed up and set to go at whatever time I chose. On a day in which my hands feel up to it, I can crank out two or three posts and publish in advance any that are finished up or ready. It really does pain me that I have used up all the posts that I had done "just in case" something were to prevent me from sitting here and typing out whatever I wanted to say that day.

Future posts may be informative or they may be simply short ones to say how things are going. I'm going to fight to maintain the schedule I have set for myself until it's proven to be too much for me to handle. As of this moment, I do feel like that truck's been by here too many times. We've had storm system after storm system come through our state and it hasn't been the best of roller coaster rides, let me tell you. Doing a lot of catching up with my crocheting and reading for my book blog has been the orders of the day. I still have over 35 hats and scarves to create while reading through a dozen or so books that need reviews. Can't say that I haven't found away to stay busy. One slow stitch or word at a time!

Since Thursday is the 4th of July, a holiday here in the States, I won't be posting a regular post. It will probably be just wishing everyone a very happy and safe 4th. No matter where you are, take time to enjoy the simple joys and freedoms in life.

Until next time,
Kay

Quote of the Day

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.

~ Confucius

Quote of the Day

It is never too late to be what you might have been.

~ George Eliot