Category: lupus

Beth Moore · Goals · lupus · Random Thoughts · Sunday · thoughts · Uncategorized

Sunday Thought

jachancellor2 Comments

“Sometimes a storm in your life is what will blow you to the place you are longing to be.” – Beth Moore

Storms.  Not really.  Just feeling as though I should be doing something other than what I am doing.  My body is still adjusting, and the Lupus is conquering now.  Everyday I battle the inflammation and pain.  I am SO much better than I was a year ago.  But still in pain.  Storms.

So, I remind myself that I am working full time, taking two college classes (have taken 3 so far) this summer, and challenging myself to do more (walking daily and 5k’s).

So I read this quote and think of today and tomorrow.  Tomorrow is a dream.  Today is the moment I should be in.  Not worrying about what I am not doing, but what I have already accomplished.  God has blessed me with having more energy and a supportive, loving family.  They encourage me daily, if not moment by moment.  So why the storms?

I struggle always wanting to do more, because I can’t just sit anymore.  I maybe in pain from my joints and basic life, but I don’t want to sit on the couch anymore.  Ever.   I know that I need rest days but dreams.  Dreams of being more involved, starting a shop (really), getting back into ministry…dreams.

So…today’s post is just a bunch of scattered thoughts…but thank you for listening.

Blessings.

 

Bariatric Surgery - My Story · lupus · Random Thoughts · thoughts · Uncategorized

Put On Purple Day

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Today is Put On Purple Day for Lupus Awareness.

Putonpurple17.png

Show me your purple!!

Blessings.

 

 

lupus · Random Thoughts · thoughts · Uncategorized

Spoons

jachancellor1 Comment

My days have been much better since surgery, and 125 pounds lost.  My joints don’t hurt as bad as they used to.  I have used the Spoon Theory many a time to explain my fatigue, and just levels of pain.  This picture explains:

mollys fund spoons

Thankful my days are better, but I still have bad days.  They are fewer and far between now.  Thankful I don’t have to use so many spoons.

Lupus Awareness Month.

Blessings.

Bariatric Surgery - My Story · college · lupus · Uncategorized · WLS

College, Lupus, and WLS

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I have just begun my journey back to school.  At Jacquelyn’s graduation, I felt old sitting there with all of these young people that stuck with what they wanted.  There several that were older in the graduation ceremony.  But…I have remind myself that I have just started again.  I also feel like this past year has been really different in retrospect.

Richburg river

I have stuck with a diet plan and surgery.  I have gone back to full time work.  And, I have started a very long process of getting several degrees.  And, this blog…I have blogged for 5 months.  Crazy.  Walking every morning.  My college classes begin again on the 15th, and I have proven to myself that I can do this.

Following my planner has helped.  I have been keeping up with the day to day routines in my Passion Planner since January.  I think it really has helped.  I keep up with my health as well as my schedule, and most importantly goals.

Bariatric Surgery (WLS) has helped me with being able to function more than just for work.  I know that my body is still adjusting, and I still get flares from doing too much.  But I would rather be able to do most things than nothing at all.

Hair is going away again (on Methotrexate for Psoriasis), and I am not happy about that.  The plaque doesn’t seem to be getting any better, but have to continue it for a while before we make the decision to stop that again.  Fatigue has been bad recently.  But, again wouldn’t change my path (past) for anything.

Remember, May is Lupus Awareness.

Blessings.

 

Changes · lupus · Random Thoughts · thoughts · Uncategorized · WLS

Body Adjustments & Lupus

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I have been experiencing more Lupus symptoms since my surgery last year.  A big part of my bodies adjustment has been my hair.  I had thicker but still thin hair when I was younger (permed, and colored it -it was the eighties).

Carmen sister 19722015-11-09 13.11.45Then, when I was diagnosed with Lupus it really got thin.  I change my style to a basic bob haircut so I wouldn’t have to place too much stress on my hair, or my arms and shoulders.img_2231With the weight loss surgery I lost even more hair.  After about 7 months, it started growing back.  Curly!  Crazy I know.  Now I am trying to figure out how to style, and take care of the new growth.  And, back to losing it again due to the Methotrexate.  Ugh.

Other things that are giving me fits are the skin changes.  I knew that things would sag, and droop, but with my Sjogren’s, my skin is having a hard time adjusting.  Although I still believe that for me surgery was the best decision.  Adjustments will always be made whether I want them to happen or not.

Blessings!

 

 

lupus · Random Thoughts · thoughts · Uncategorized

World Lupus Day

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Today, May 10, 2017, is World Lupus Day.

World Lupus Day

Please read more.  Ask questions.  Thank you.

Blessings.

 

 

accomplishment · Bariatric Surgery - My Story · Bucket List · goal · Goals · lupus · Uncategorized · WLS

Bucket List #18

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My bucket list item #18 is conquer math.  I began the journey in January with developmental math due to my placement test.  I have such test anxiety that it wouldn’t have mattered how much I would have prepared for the placement test.  I needed to go to the first developmental class.  I was really okay with this.

The first day, I was freaking out about the end of the book.  Everything looked so foreign to me.  Like an alien language.  But that was day one.

I conquered the first Mat 0018 with an A!!  I took my final on Monday night for the Mat 0028, and received a 96!!  Oh my goodness!!  How scared I was to even begin Math.  All it took was a step.

So, I have gotten over the beginnings of Math.  This summer I will take Intermediate Algebra.  And, hopefully, I will conquer it.  Fall will be College Algebra.  Lord willing.

What have you conquered?  So another goal met, and it’s only May.  Ha. Got a ways to go, but loving this.

I never thought I would be able to do any of this with my Lupus and my old weight.  Only due to the weight loss, am I able to do so much.  I fight fatigue with my lupus.  The fatigue is still here.  But I fight it.  Daily.

Blessings!

Bariatric Surgery - My Story · lupus · Random Thoughts · thoughts · Uncategorized · WLS

Lupus Awareness Month

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May is Lupus Awareness Month.  All this month, I will be promoting awareness.   I will incorporate some of the things I do to get through the day, and highlight the positive and negative.

So if you would like to find out more, click here:  www.lupus.org

 

lupus2

 

Blessings!

 

lupus · thoughts · Uncategorized

Bad Days

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My head has been killing me the past several days.  My eyes can’t focus, and my stomach has been upset.  At first I thought it was the bug going around.

With my weight loss, my lupus has taken a back seat for a long while.  It appears some of the symptoms are back.  Fatigue, eye strain, and headaches are here.  My body aches, and it hurts to sleep, sit or stand.

I have been hopeful that a lot of this was gone.  I know that it is just a bump.  We have been really active and busy lately.  I haven’t had a down day in a long while. Yesterday was the down day.   Back at it today.

And more rest days in the future.

Blessings!

 

iv therapy · lupus · sick

Sick

jachancellor2 Comments

Well, I haven’t been feeling well at all, and was trying to keep it at bay.  It turns out I have bronchitis, sinus infection and borderline pneumonia. Joy.  Having nothing of an immune system doesn’t help.  And now, after a steroid shot (which I like a lot more than the pills – no bitter after taste, or graduating down the script), and a z-pack on the road to recovery.

I have done everything I was supposed to do.  Claritin D for the post-nasal drip. Vapor rub and breathe-right strips so I can sleep at a 90 degree angle. Rest…well, that one, not so much.  Drinking lots of water. And it gets me and hard.

So no IV therapy on Friday.  I am feeling sluggish this week anyway, I think, from doing the garage on Saturday, and was really looking forward to my medication.  It helps so very much in my day to day activity. My stamina, but not my immune system.

Ugh.

Well, rest it is…and soup.  Yes, soup.

Hope all of you are staying healthy.

Blessings,
Jerry Ann