Finley

Monty

Moby

But then Koko happened. My sister’s friend Judi volunteers for an awesome animal rescue and placement service Barks of Love. Most of their animals are rescued from shelters before they are euthanized or rescued from people no longer able to care for them. It is a great organization staffed by caring and committed volunteers. Judi and Barks of Love will do whatever it takes to rescue an animal and place it into a good home. Fortunately for me, she thinks we have one, because when she posted a picture of a foster pup needing a good home, I was done. In my heart she was already mine.

Koko

My health was definitely a consideration for all of us when deciding if Koko was a good fit for us. It would not be reasonable or fair for me to adopt a high energy dog that needs excessive exercise. My husband is already the designated dog-walker, so adding one more leash was not an issue for him, but if she needed more walking than he has time for it would be a problem. Dogs are great to help encourage us to walk and be active, but as we all know there are days when it is just not possible. I know I am fortunate to have a husband to compensate for my unpredictable health. And it turns out that Koko is the perfect fit for us after all.

She is smart beyond belief! Mostly house trained when we got her thanks to the great fosters with Barks of Love. Her name was Justice, but we changed it to Koko and she answered to it by the end of her first day here. She is playful but not crazy. In fact she gets most of her energy out on her walks with Rob and in playing with Finley. They have become great friends. I was fortunate with Casey and Finley. They had the knack of matching their energy to mine. If I needed to sleep in, they let me. If I needed quite time and space, they respected it, and somehow, Koko is already doing the same. She really is amazing!

Give her a toy to play with or a bone to chew on and she is in heaven. She puts herself into her crate when she is ready for a nap. She seldom whines, she respects authority, and has already learned several tricks. Did I mention she is amazing?

Rob and I were not blessed to have children of our own. Koko, Finley, Monty and Moby are as close as we will get to raising a family. Casey filled my heart with love for 15 years, and when she was gone I had no place to direct it. Lucky little Koko is the new beneficiary of all that love. She is not replacing Casey. She is honoring Casey. I had a dream the night before we were to meet Koko. I was standing at my front door and Koko was on the other side. As I reached to open the door I looked down and Casey was standing there wagging her tail, excited to meet the newest member of our family. It was all the reassurance I needed that Casey is fine, and that Koko belongs with us.

Casey

Welcome to the family little Koko!

I listened to the song for the first time with tears in my eyes. It is a beautiful anthem of love – enduring love between spouses who live daily with the trials and uncertainty of chronic illness. Chronic illness is not just hard on the patient, it is hard on everyone who loves them and has to watch them suffer. This song made me want to shelter and protect my husband from all the heartache my illness has caused him. Just as Rob sings in Her Diamonds, if I feel bad my husband does too.

Not a day goes by that I don’t think about how blessed I am to have a husband who loves me, protects me, supports me, honors me, and still thinks I am fabulous even on the days when washing my hair would be as difficult as climbing Mt. Everest. But when he is hurting, do I always remember to do the same for him? Probably not.

Her Diamonds touched my heart and gave me perspective. I just had to share it with you all. This post is in honor of my husband and all that he gives of himself. He deserves so much more than this dedication. He is my rockstar!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQgaGS4BL6I]

Lyrics to Her Diamonds

Oh what the hell she says
I just can’t win for losing
And she lays back down
Man there’s so many times
I don’t know what I’m doin’
Like I don’t know now

By the light of the moon
She rubs her eyes
Says it’s funny how the night
Can make you blind
I can just imagine
And I don’t know what I’m supposed to do
But if she feels bad then I do too
So I let her be

And she says oooh
I can’t take no more
Her tears like diamonds on the floor
And her diamonds bring me down
Cuz I can’t help her now
She’s down in it
She tried her best and now she can’t win it’s
Hard to see them on the ground
Her diamonds falling down

She sits down and stares into the distance
And it takes all night
And I know I could break her concentration
But it don’t feel right

By the light of the moon
She rubs her eyes
Sits down on the bed and starts to cry
And there’s something less about her
And I don’t know what I’m supposed to do
So I sit down and I cry too
And don’t let her see

And she says oooh
I can’t take no more
Her tears like diamonds on the floor
And her diamonds bring me down
Cuz I can’t help her now
She’s down in it
She tried her best and now she can’t win it’s
Hard to see them on the ground
Her diamonds falling down

She shuts out the night
Tries to close her eyes
If she can find daylight
She’ll be all right
She’ll be all right
Just not tonight

And she says oooh
I can’t take no more
Her tears like diamonds on the floor
And her diamonds bring me down
Cuz I can’t help her now
She’s down in it
She tried her best and now she can’t win it’s
Hard to see them on the ground
Her diamonds falling down

Thank you Michelle at Life in the Autoimmune Lane for sharing this song first on your blog and introducing me to the anthem of my marriage!

You were just an infant the day I had my accident that eventually developed into Fibromyalgia. What is one of your earliest memories of having an aunt with Fibromyalgia?

I remember that you were not always able to pick me up so much or do things together like I did with other people in the family, also I remember when we would go to places like amusement parks or Tustin Tiller Days you didn’t always go on the rides with me and C.J. (C.J. is her older brother/my nephew)

Your mom has always been very caring and compassionate about my health issues. Do you remember any advice or information she gave you about Fibromyalgia?

Yes, she always would tell me, and still does, “your auntie isn’t having such a good day so don’t be too hyper or be too much of a bug.”  and that always made me know that you were not feeling too well and I understood that it was your Fibromyalgia.

Even when I am not feeling well, we always manage to have a lot of fun together. What is one of your favorite memories of a time we spent together when I was not feeling well.

My favorite day together over all, and you were not feeling well was when we went to the beach and fed the squirrels and then went to Cabo Grill and met Bam Margera and Tony Hawk.

That was a good day! The very next day we went to the beach again and got caught in a rip-tide. It was very scary for both of us, but I hated not being strong enough to rescue you. Thank goodness we were both safe. You spent a lot of time with me last summer. How did it affect you when I was not feeling well?

I always knew when you weren’t feeling well, it would upset me sometime because I knew that we weren’t going to be spending so much time together or we wouldn’t do much or go places and it was summer so I wanted to but I always understood that when you don’t feel well that you say no to something like the beach and I would know that means no.

So on the days when I was not up for going to the beach and we stayed home we still managed to spend quality time together. What would you say is your favorite way to spend time with me when I am having a “bad” day?

I like it when we just sit around and watch tv but my FAVORITE thing is poker=] (I taught Dani to play poker several years ago, and she is a shark! If you sit down to play with her, expect to lose all your money.)

If you could use just one word to describe Fibromyalgia what would it be?

hmmmm…. painful

What advice would you give to a friend or classmate with a loved one with Fibromyalgia?

I would first of all tell them that I have an auntie with Fibromyalgia and I would tell them its a disease that controls your body and sometimes takes time out of your life because you are so sore from doing something the day before and I would tell them that whoever it is that has Fibromalgia wouldn’t be able to do the things they used to be able to do and I would explain to them some examples that happened between us and the family concerning your condition.

Do you think we would be closer or that I could love you any more if I had never been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia?

NO!!! I could never ask for anymore of your love because I know that you love me a lot and we are already so close I don’t think we could get any closer to each other. I love you so much and you are my favorite auntie and the best auntie a niece could EVER have and just the time I spend with you and the love we share is enough for me=]

How much of your participation in this interview had to do with the $20 I promised you?

Hahahaha well you just told me right now so I was just doing this because you asked me to and because I think it was awesome to do something like this. I don’t need money to tell you how I feel about you and your condition and I love you so much you don’t need to give me money this was something for fun.

You are a wise and loving niece Dani. I am a lucky and proud Auntie!

28/30

Some people may think the story here is the unlawful and dangerous risks Mr. Palmer took acting out on behalf of his wife, but it is the story within the story that is really important. It is key not to miss this point; Walmart gave his wife Fibromyalgia!

A Linden man is under arrest after he climbed up into the rafters at Wal-Mart in Dunn and allegedly caused a public disturbance.

William Arthur Palmer, 46, of McBryde Street was charged with injury to real property and disorderly conduct.

“He was climbing around in the rafters cutting down Wal-Mart signs, and shouting profanities at the officers and people who worked there,” Dunn Police Chief B.P. Jones said. 

According to the arrest report, police were called to the store about 11 p.m. Saturday where they found an “extremely irritated” Mr. Palmer in the rafters over the paint area of the store, cursing officers at the scene, Wal-Mart employees and the “entity Wal-Mart.” The store was reportedly evacuated in the name of public safety.

The report said police witnessed Mr. Palmer cut down at least two signs above that department and store employees said he had already cut down several signs in the Garden Center. Damage to six of the store’s signs was estimated at $3,000.

To accomplish the task, Mr. Palmer apparently used a pair of cutting pliers and snips he removed from packaging at the store before beginning his climb.

“William Palmer advised that it was humorous in his opinion to use Wal-Mart’s tools to cut down Wal-Mart signs,” Dunn Police Officer James Brannan wrote in the report.

Mr. Palmer said he was upset with the store because they had refused to remove hanging signs after a similar sign fell on his wife in the grocery section of the store in August 2005, landing squarely on her head and back.

Since then, Mr. Palmer said, his wife has been in near constant pain and was diagnosed with myofascial pain syndrome and fibromyalgia, chronic pain syndromes associated with muscle, tendon and ligament trauma.

“She was hurting really bad Friday and Saturday and it just got to the point where I just flipped,” Mr. Palmer said. “It just made me feel better. It was like therapy.”

Mr. Palmer said he and his wife filed a lawsuit against Wal-Mart last year. The case is currently awaiting arbitration, he said.

“The safety of our customers is always a top priority, and that includes making sure signs in our stores are properly secured,” Wal-Mart Media Relations Manager Michelle Bradford said. “We’re cooperating fully with the Dunn, N.C., Police Department in their investigation of what happened Saturday night. We’re grateful that no one was hurt.”

According to the arrest report, Mr. Palmer finally climbed down from the rafters after about 45 minutes at the request of Erwin Police Officer Bill Morris.

Mr. Palmer said even though he “flipped,” his primary thought during his actions was to act in the public interest.

“I think they should at least let people know they need to wear hard hats in there, or post a sign that says, “Watch out for falling objects. Enter at your own risk,’” Mr. Palmer said. “I just felt like I was doing the community a service by taking them (the signs) down.”

Mr. Palmer was released on a $1,000 bond with a court date set in Dunn District Court for March 11.

 

Have you ever stubbed your toe on something and became so angered by the pain that you turned around and kicked the very thing you stubbed your toe on? And didn’t you feel better after you kicked it? Even though it was probably not the safest and smartest thing you could have done in the moment? Well that is exactly what Mr. Palmer did. If my husband or I had one place, one entity to direct all of our anger and frustration I am not sure there haven’t been times over the years that we wouldn’t have done something similar. This story demonstrates so clearly the emotional impact of living with a chronic illness, not just to the person suffering with it, but also to the people who love them.

I LOVED this story! Bravo Mr. Palmer. I am so sorry that your wife is suffering so greatly. Her pain is tragic in that it was brought on in such a random  and possibly avoidable way. I hope you get a HUGE settlement in arbitration so she will have the funds available to seek whatever treatment will help alleviate her symptoms and bring you both some much needed happiness and peace of mind. Although you already “kicked that table” pretty hard, and from your statements, it sounds like it was the exact therapy you needed! Bravo!

1. I think I have that too.

2. My sister-in-law has fibromyalgia and she’s still working. She says it helps to take her mind off the pain.

3. But you look okay.

4. Is that a real disease.

5. Maybe you just need some B vitamins.

6. Do you have any percocet? I could sure use one right now.

7. Well, we all start to ache when we get older.

8. Can you hold this box for me? I can’t find my keys.

9. Does this mean you won’t live as long.

10. Well, just try to look on the bright side.

Linda Meilink goes on to qualify each thing on her list, and these clearly come from her own personal experience. But it got me to thinking. What has been said to me over the years that has just made me cringe? So here is my list.

1. Did you see that commercial for the new drug that cures Fibromyalgia? - Now this drives me nuts because, A) It does not CURE Fibromyalgia. It is an anti-seizure medicine which has proven to reduce pain in FM patients. B) Pain is just one of the symptoms of FM and it does nothing to address the others – fatigue, fibrofog, dizziness, sleep disorders, etc. C) It has its own list of side affects that some of us would rather not expose ourselves to, and D) I chose not to take prescription drugs to treat my FM.

2. Fibromyalgia is what they diagnose you with when they are not sure what is wrong with you. - ARGH!!! I heard this most recently from someone who was quoting his friend – AND HIS FRIEND IS A DOCTOR! FM is still under-researched and misunderstood, but it is real, and recent testing is going a long way to prove that. Now if everyone in the medical field would just open their mind to the possibility, great progress could be made.

3. If you would just exercise you would feel better. - It is not that simple. Yes, gentle exercise can be beneficial for fibromyalgia, but it can and does cause flare-ups. It is a matter of slowly building up your tolerance, but forgive us if we do not go out of our way to deliberately cause ourselves more pain. It really is a vicious circle. If you knew something you ate would make you healthier, but that you were going to throw up violently each time you ate it, could you?

4. You can’t be here by 10AM, how about 11:30AM? - Uh, no. When I am down, I am down. I will not magically get better in an hour and a half. But thanks for being flexible!

5. Well it is really common. - Okay, so does that mean it should be easier to deal with? Are you equating it to acne or ingrown toenails? I just don’t understand this comment. Pain may be common, but it is still painful. Common does not equal easy to live with. And part of what makes it seem so common is that it is currently being over-diagnosed, but that is for another post.

6. A lot of people are much worse off than you are. - First off, this is absolutely true. I have a lot of fortune in my life – friends, family, etc. But everything is contextual. This is my life, and this is what I struggle to live with everyday. Somedays I manage well, but others I am a total and complete mess. Does that mean that I am being insensitive to my neighbor who has terminal cancer? No, I don’t think so. It simply means I am struggling and could use a little empathy. So reminding me that it could be worse does not make me feel better, it simply makes me feel guilty for indulging in a little self pity.

7. How is your back? - I got this one a lot after I was first diagnosed 11 years ago. The original injury which brought on my FM was to my neck. I had never had issues with my back, and yet numerous people asked me this. Often the same person more than once. Pretty ungrateful of me to not appreciate their interest in my health, but it always confused and frustrated me. This is a much more appropriate question since the accident two years ago. My back is killing me right now!

8. Have you tried acupuncture? - I would love to try acupuncture, but who can afford it? It is not something you can do one time and reap the benefits of it. It is something you need to do repeatedly, and it is costly. I have not always had insurance, and when I have acupuncture/massage is not covered. It is too bad that holistic medicine is for the most part not covered and that it is so expensive.

9. Maybe you are just depressed. - For a lot of patients Fibromyalgia and depression do go hand in hand, and until recently many doctors believed that FM came out of depression, but that is not the case. Many women with FM have never suffered from depression. I have had some pretty low days, but I can honestly say that I have never been clinically depressed. FM has changed my life so dramatically I have had a lot of trouble adjusting and adapting. I have been mad, sad, angry, unreasonable, and a few times I felt close to losing my mind – but tell me, could you be physically tortured and never respond dramatically to it?

10. Silence. - No response is sometimes the worst response. I have had new doctors sit and smile condescendingly at me while I explained to them I have Fibromyalgia. They never say it, but I know they are thinking that it is not real, that what I am experiencing can be explained away, that I am weak, and a hypochondriac. They say a lot by sitting there saying nothing at all and I hate them for it. I hate their close-mindedness and their pre-judgement of me. I can never get past their silence.

So that is my list. What is on your list?

NOTE: My husband thought this was a little edgy and he could tell I was clearly not feeling well when I wrote it. The very nature of the subject tends toward negativity. I hope this is not too abrupt to read but I am choosing not to edit myself.

In January of this year they began a campaign called Pledge to Care. The Pledge to Care is a way for family members, friends, and healthcare providers to show their support to persons with Fibromyalgia by making a simple pledge.

“Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain  disorder that affects 6 to 10 million Americans, however recent health care reform legislation and biased attitudes towards people with fibromyalgia, continue to prevent them from receiving adequate and appropriate access to medical care,” said Lynne Matallana, president and founder of the National Fibromyalgia Association. “Family members and other caregivers play an important role in the treatment of the person with fibromyalgia, yet many are still not well informed or know how best to care for their loved one. The ‘Fibromyalgia Pledge to Care’ is designed to help raise awareness for fibromyalgia, and provide a tool which will encourage others to join us in our national efforts to insure fibromyalgia patients access to better medical care.”

 

By going to NFA’s website and filling out a simple form, you can join a long list of family members and friends who have already made this pledge. Fibromyalgia is still known as “the invisible illness.”  It is invisible not just because it does not show up on an x-ray or blood test, but it is invisible because it is easy to dismiss or ignore what is not understood. The NFA has made it their mission to develop and execute programs to educate and inform, because with understanding comes compassion, and with compassion there can be progress.

I hope you will all go to the NFA website and complete the Pledge to Care form in support of someone you love who suffers from Fibromyalgia. If it is you that suffers from Fibromyalgia, take the time to direct someone you love to the NFA site and ask them to make this pledge for you. It could be a good step towards educating them about Fibromyalgia and the very real challenges you face every day.

For my family and friends, I would appreciate very much if you took the time to make a pledge for me.  I am very lucky to have such a loving and compassionate support system, but I know that I too could do more to help you understand the realities of Fibromyalgia.  This blog has been a big step for me in that direction.  Now I am taking it a little further and asking you to make a Pledge to Care. If you do make a pledge I would love if you came back here and posted a comment to let me know, or send me an e-mail if you prefer.  Thank you!

UPDATE:

Coincidence! On the same day I wrote a post about The National Fibromyalgia Association, my friend over at The Girl From the Ghetto did the same. Great minds! Check out her comment and then click the link to read her post.

thegirlfromtheghetto

You have got to read my latest post. You can shop @ amazon.com & This organization gets 15% of your sales!!! Feel free to borrow my post and put it here on your site.

http://thegirlfromtheghetto.wordpress.com/2008/12/11/going-to-online-shop-you-can-give-the-national-fibromyalgia-association-15-of-your-sales/

It is over.  All the work, and the cleaning, and the cooking, and chaos that is Thanksgiving, it is over.  All that is left is to heal (and some really yummy leftovers).

I am tired and sore, but I feel good.  It was such a nice day and everyone was a huge help.  It was like a crazy ant farm in my kitchen in the moments leading up to dinner, and then again during the clean up.  I just love all the chaos of bumping elbows and the buzz of ten different conversations going on at one time.  I feed off the energy.  My Uncle said grace for dinner and I could just hear him over Joe Buck’s commentary on the TV about Tony Romo’s finger.  Family, food and football – that is Thanksgiving!  Despite the Fibromyalgia, I am one lucky girl and I am thankful that I have such a loving and supportive family.

Here is some of what Thanksgiving reminds me to be grateful for.

• Standing side by side at the stove with my 88 year old Granny making awesome homemade noodles and gravy.
• Listening to my Dad and Husband complaining about how bad the football games are.
• Watching my Aunt and Uncle cuddling together in a chair while their newlywed daughter sits close by holding hands with her husband.  Passing down the love!
• Listening to my oh-so-smart cousin talk about the things he is passionate about – music, books & writing.
• Sharing a glass of wine and some cheer with my mother-in-law and her husband.
• Accepting compliments and gratitude from my step-mom.
• Passing down the honor of stuffing the celery to my beautiful niece and noticing that this is the first year she didn’t show me she can stick black olives onto all of her fingertips.
• Laughing with my sister.  And oh there was plenty to laugh about.  

Like the eggs, the beautiful and yummy deviled eggs that she brings every year.  This year they didn’t travel so well and when they arrived they looked like this.

But my sis, she has skills, and somehow she was able to transform them back into this.

A miracle I tell you!  And don’t they look lovely on the crystal egg plate that used to belong to our Granny?

My sis always finds a way to make me laugh.  She has done some crazy stuff over the years, like mailing me her pee stick when she found out she was pregnant with my niece, and now that very niece has become her cohort in crime.

So as the day was winding down I was TIRED and just slightly off my game.  I had bought this yummy Pomegranate Italian Soda, and the plan was to mix it with a little of the vodka in my freezer and chill out after all the work, but I just wasn’t in the mood for alcohol.  But for some reason my 13-year-old niece kept trying to talk me into it.  “Auntie, I think you should make a drink now,” she said to me about thirty times, and then she would just stand there with a smirk on her face until I yelled “WHAT!”  This went on for about three hours, and never once did I catch on that she was trying to get me to look in the freezer.

Finally my sis asked for a Pomegranate Italian Soda and vodka, so I opened the freezer, took out the vodka, and poured her a drink.  When I turned around to take it to her, my niece was standing there with her hands on her hips looking like she wanted to kill me.  “WHAT!” I said for the hundredth time.  “Oh Auntie, just look in the freezer!”

OH THE HORROR!  Some how, in my tired stupor, when I opened the freezer I had missed it – the headless Dexter doll!  It took a second for my brain to register what was going on, and then it all made sense – the bag my niece took with her into the kitchen after dinner, the gentle nudges to get me to make a drink, and the ice cream!  Hadn’t she told me about 20 times that she was ready for ice cream?  It was all coming together and it made me happy – happy that my sister’s silliness was rubbing off on her daughter and happy that they took the time to set up this little prank.

So I screamed!  A loud, playful scream and everyone came running to see what was going on.  Fortunately my entire family loves Dexter so we all got a great laugh out of it.  Just before they left my niece told me she noticed that I seemed to have more energy after their little prank and she was right.  I did.  Thanks for that you two!  It was a great end to a great day.  I love Thanksgiving!

P.S.

For breakfast Friday morning I was barely coherent and in a thick fibrofog, so Rob made us Stuffing Omelets. OMG they were delicious!  A little recipe he learned from Sam the Cooking Guy.  Seriously, you should try them.  Excellent with a side of potato pancakes and some ham.  

From Sam:

You’re laughing right? Well I’m serious about how good this is – so don’t laugh until you’ve tried it. This is maybe a twice-a-year recipe. It’s for the morning after Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner – and it requires that you still have some stuffing left – and frankly is the best reason to make extra.

Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 slice Kraft American cheese (you can use any kind you like, but this kinda makes it)
• 1/3 cup (approx) leftover stuffing, room temp

Steps

1. Beat the eggs well in a bowl
2. Melt butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat, and add eggs.
3. If making a true omelette, allow the eggs to set – add stuffing to one half, cover with cheese and flip one side over making a half moon & cook to desired doneness (desired doneness for me is not too dry)
4. Or, cook as scrambled eggs – adding the stuffing when you would normally add other ingredients and then cook until desired doneness – which is still not too dry
5. Put on a plate and enjoy
6. Wait for next year

Note: No the turkeys do not have Fibromyalgia, I DO! (and bad grammar too).

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I am hosting for 16 members of my family.  This is my fourth consecutive year doing so.  I love hosting, and I love spending time with my family, and I would not willingly give up the honor of having them all here tomorrow, but there is always the Fibromyalgia to consider.  It is always there, like a big-old-ugly party pooper just waiting to smash me with its mallet of pain.  I have to consider it in everything I do, otherwise there is nothing left to consider, I am just down for the count, period.

So here are some of the things I have learned to do to help make sure that the day is a success for everyone, including myself.

Start early.

I start preparing for everything a couple of weeks ahead of time.  Doing whatever I can ahead of time makes my life so much easier – wash the linens and serving platters, wipe down the folding chairs, etc.  Not only does it help reduce my stress as Thanksgiving Day approaches because I have less to do, but it forces me to be organized. 

Make lists.

I have grocery lists, and cleaning lists, and lists for my husband – lists, lists, lists!  It may sound like overkill, but when my brain shuts down, as it tends to do with Fibrolmyalgia, where would I be without my lists?  They give me direction and purpose when I get confused and overwhelmed.  And they are constantly changing and evolving.  If I hadn’t left my camera at a friend’s I would take a photo of my shopping list for you to see.  It is a color-coded thing of beauty!

Ask for help and accept unsolicited help.

Granny makes the homemade noodles and dressing, my Aunt makes the pies.  My sister and mother-in-law also contribute.  And my Dad, well he contributes where it hurts the most, the pocket book!  Really everyone pitches in.  Even my newly married cousin asked what she could bring this year.  It made me proud and a little sad that she is so grown up.

For the last few days I have had the best little helper, my niece.  She is 13 going on 30 and is wonderful to have around.  Poor little thing, she has no idea she is going to be pulling weeds today.

Don’t sweat the small stuff

This has been the hardest thing for me to overcome.  I am a control freak.  I like every little thing in its place.  I could have been Martha Stewart’s maid in a former life.  Seriously, I used to fret if one of my books was a centimeter out of line on my bookshelf.  Fibromyalgia has forced me to get over this.  I do not have the strength, the energy, or the brainpower to live like that anymore.

So when the family gets here tomorrow and there is a dust bunny that crawls out from under the sofa, I am not going to panic or apologize like I once did.  Heck, I might not even pick it up.  What do you expect?  I have four pets.  Get over it!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Note 2: No turkeys were harmed in the production of this post.  But tomorrow, that’s another story.