Live Art.fully

I posted as guest, since none of the other choices...

2012-05-29T18:11:28.694-07:00

I posted as guest, since none of the other choices for commenting, worked.
kingfisher
kingfishercrossing.blogspot.com

I'm so sorry you have to live with chronic pai...

2012-05-29T18:09:23.891-07:00

I'm so sorry you have to live with chronic pain and debilitating prospects. I wish I could blow tender kisses of healing to everyone who suffers -- and there are so many (including me!) It's amazing that you're able to focus as much as possible on the good, the brave, the beautiful. That's very hard when one is in constant pain. Thank you for being an encourager. May you find those who will encourage you, as well. Be blessed by God.

Hello. I just saw your blog. I am a fellow AS suff...

2012-05-27T15:01:11.811-07:00

Hello. I just saw your blog. I am a fellow AS sufferer. I have found great relief from pain by avoiding ALL starches. My flare-ups calm down within a couple days. If they don't, a Water fast will break the Inflammation cycle.

The other EXCELLENT healthy thing that I do daily, as soon as I get out of beds, is a stretching excercise video called T-Tapp, named by creator Teresa Tapp. Omw! ALL AS people need this stretching DVD. Before T-Tapp, I couldn't stand straight as my back muscles were too tight. After a week of her 15 minute DVD, I noticed my posture was better (and I wasn't "forcing" myself to stand straight)! As long as I do a minimum 15 min stretch, I'm good to go. On flare-up days, I do it twice a day. It is an option for those who can't afford physical therapy!

I hope you find reduction in your pain, thru PT and diet choices. A good site is www.kickAS.com for info and dirt changes!

God bless!

Thank you so much for posing this! Sometimes I fe...

2012-05-25T17:40:52.518-07:00

Thank you so much for posing this! Sometimes I feel so guilty about not being able to keep up with others. Sometimes I think my friends have a hard time understanding. It's hard to understand if you haven't been through it. You hit the nail on the head.

Bravo! beautiful lady!! Bravo!! I am so glad to se...

2012-05-25T16:01:46.663-07:00

Bravo! beautiful lady!! Bravo!!
I am so glad to see all these responses here. After my "what you don't see" post on One Moment One Life I received a lot of the same supportive comments and it was really a turning point for me in regards to "truth". I've spent a lot of time re-evaluating things (especially when it comes to the blog) and what I write. I think we are very much a like in that our desire is to pass along hope and strength and to not fall into the "complain game". But humans hunger for truth. And the fact is that you are a beautiful person - it's not in your nature to make your illness your crutch. So combine your personality with truth and honesty and you get exactly what you just posted - and THAT is what people need to hear. Both to be supportive TO you AND to find comfort FROM you.
You are traveling this journey with Grace, my dear. And you are so beautiful.

"Owning our story and loving ourselves throug...

2012-05-25T06:41:36.433-07:00

"Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we will ever do" ~ Brene Brown You are so beautifully brave! Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you. As I think I read in a comment somewhere, when you open up like this you help all of us who read it open up more too. And the world is a better place. ((hugs))

Dear Jenn, I wish everyone with chronic pain could...

2012-05-24T22:34:48.884-07:00

Dear Jenn, I wish everyone with chronic pain could read this post. I wish everyone with chronic illness could read this post. I wish everyone with permanent disability could read this post. The words "You are not alone" are so powerful. I think pain of any sort--physical, mental, emotional--is by nature isolating, partly because as it saps our resources, it becomes so much more difficult for us to connect with others. Thank you for speaking out. I always want to understand you more, and I'm so thankful you share your writing and your art. Thank you for not judging me. Your words unlock in me more grace toward myself as well. You are a gift to me and so many other people. Love you! Wendy

Jen, hear me here girl: You. Are. BEAUTIFUL. And I...

2012-05-24T20:29:05.336-07:00

Jen, hear me here girl: You. Are. BEAUTIFUL.
And I mean BOTH of those pictures.

Wonderful Jenn. So very true. And I agree. Cost...

2012-05-24T20:14:48.540-07:00

Wonderful Jenn. So very true. And I agree. Costochondritis pain is one of the worst pains I've ever felt. I always tell the story of when it was bad for me and I had zero pain meds on hand. I drug myself to work. I was desperately trying to move carefully and slowly and trying to survive the day. A co-worker came to my desk to ask a question. I took a breath as I prepared to answer and the pain sky rocketed. I burst into tears as it was just my body's immediate response. The director who sat behind me turned around and was about to rip my co-worker into pieces as he thought he must have said something horrible to me to make me cry. I actually drove myself home...yet another stupid thing I've done. And called my dr in such tears that the nurse was extremely worried about me. I've never had zero pain meds on hand since then.

And on the topic in general... I am reading a book my dr co-wrote called "But you don't look sick." I get "but you look great". I hate that. People mean it as a compliment but really it means I hear you saying you are really ill but I just can't see it in your face. And they are trying to resolve the discrepancy. People think of illness as acute illness. You get sick. You fight it. You survive or die. They don't think of illness as chronic illness, which you and I both know is the attempt at a full and happy life even though you are severely ill every day for the rest of that life.

You know we are all here for you on the good and bad days. The days you feel radiant and beautiful and the days you don't feel that way. And you know we all know there are days where you are both all at once.

Thanks for sharing Jen. I admire you. I want to sa...

2012-05-24T19:09:32.181-07:00

Thanks for sharing Jen. I admire you. I want to say how much I enjoy your posts and writings. Your friendship is real and you are a great inspiration. Take courage.

I admire you strength and courage to be honest her...

2012-05-24T17:16:44.610-07:00

I admire you strength and courage to be honest here with all of us. I too endure immense physical pain for other reasons but nevertheless I need compassion and understanding from others too...especially those in my extended family. I hate how this disease affects those I love the most and I often wonder if they resent me for it. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you for your vulnerability. It is difficult...

2012-05-24T16:33:47.613-07:00

Thank you for your vulnerability. It is difficult for those who only see us at our best to understand what we are going through unless we show and tell them. That has been my experience--even with those whom I was living with didn't understand or get it. They see us looking "fine" and assume that's how we always are and nothing could be further from the truth!

Truth, brave sister, truth. So proud of you living...

2012-05-24T16:24:18.381-07:00

Truth, brave sister, truth. So proud of you living the real. Love you!

What a wonderful post and blog. I too have Costoch...

2012-05-24T16:17:05.613-07:00

What a wonderful post and blog. I too have Costochondritis bestowed upon me by Rita, my Rheumatoid Arthritis. It is the worst feeling ever. Especially the cracking and popping portion when you try and move or breathe. Best of luck to you and I hope you feel a bit better soon.

Jen, this is a beautiful piece, and YOU are beauti...

2012-05-24T16:16:41.051-07:00

Jen, this is a beautiful piece, and YOU are beautiful in BOTH pictures! Your beauty stems from your courage and your sensitivity and from your pain.

Jenn, I am so thankful for you. Thankful for your ...

2012-05-24T16:15:37.919-07:00

Jenn,
I am so thankful for you. Thankful for your authenticity. Thankful for your strength in weakness. Thankful for your depth of character. Thankful for the way in which you love and guide even when you yourself need love and guidance in a particular day. I am so thankful that you are my person I can text and email when I am in a flare. I know you won't judge or brush it off. Rather you will pray, simpathise and just be present. I am thankful for you. I love you, Xiomara

Very thoughtful. I'm glad there are folks arou...

2012-05-24T16:05:50.010-07:00

Very thoughtful. I'm glad there are folks around to help & I hope you *feel* all the love & support you get from your FB pals.

Being compared to ice cream? Oh my, it's the b...

2012-05-20T19:40:26.590-07:00

Being compared to ice cream? Oh my, it's the best kind of sweetest compliment! On behalf of (in)courage - thank you thank you!

~Lisa-Jo

oh sweet sis-guin,this is beutiful and brought tea...

2012-05-19T22:35:15.851-07:00

oh sweet sis-guin,this is beutiful and brought tears to my eyes because we walk this journey together and there are days that are very rough.i tend to step away and i have for a few weeks now just reading blogs and staying away from much needed support.for me the AS has attacked not just my joints and spine but my mind and brain.little by little everything gets harder.my head hurts,my consentration and memories slowly leaving me.i no longer can read a book which used to comfort me now i have to listen to audio instead of holding a book in my hand.seconds after having a conversation i will 4-get what we had just said.i no longer am able to do 2 things at once.slowely everything is slipping away.in feb i turned 37.i had to stop and think about that.i had 4-gotten.i remembered by the fact my husband turnes 40 and he was born in 1972 and i was born in 1975.for a second i aged myself and thought i was 38.anyway its scary were so young but our bodies are so old.i had at 1 point wanted to write my journey down but i found it to be too difficult.writing for me is is not easy.my fingers/hand are swollen and hurt real bad.if you read my story on faces u will understand me alot better.for some reason your blog and some others i am able to read so i cling to them.some i can't because they become to long and book like.my heart screamed to share this.your writing brings a smile to my face when all i want to do is cry and scream.i hate that we met because of this awfull thing called ankylosing spondylitis.i wish we met under happier reasons.in my journey i am glade i chose not to have children because it would be even harder to go this journey that i am on.i pray you never suffer the pains of your mind leaving you.i think you are an awsome mom and you have tought your girls how to be strong.i hope they have enjoyed there CHRISTmas gift from me.i picture you,your husband,and girls all making the things in those books.i tend to babble more now and at times make no sence.that is why i walked away .lots of love and gentle hugs sweet one

I love the stamps! I love the post! We do all have...

2012-05-17T23:26:06.183-07:00

I love the stamps! I love the post! We do all have battles, indeed we do. I think it's really important, especially with long battles, to pay attention now and then to that perspective of looking back and looking forward by keeping as clear a focus as possible. (I really like "autoimmunity is like a circus"!)

You are a huge inspiration, Jenn!

2012-05-17T16:48:59.156-07:00

You are a huge inspiration, Jenn!

Loving and being loved is vulnerable business, but...

2012-05-16T05:17:37.321-07:00

Loving and being loved is vulnerable business, but always worth the risk.
I remember my days prior to being sick. I had little time for social media and I probably was not the best "friend". My how things change...and I am so glad. I don't know what I would do without the support system I have found over the great www, and as far as my friends go...well, to say that I appreciate them would simply be an understatement.
These are lessons my illness had gifted me with and I would not change that for anything.
So glad you have found a new friend, especially the kind that "feels old". Such a good, comfortable feeling.

Friends are so essential! Many times the consolati...

2012-05-15T21:03:10.371-07:00

Friends are so essential! Many times the consolation of a friend via email is the balm that helps me keep moving forward. Especially that unconditional caring and support about the things that matter most. Thank you for being such a friend to me! May you be wrapped many times a day in the warm understanding of friends!!!

Isn't He amazing?

2012-05-12T13:40:07.810-07:00

Isn't He amazing?

Jenna, you & me & tea.... when can we make...

2012-05-12T13:36:47.303-07:00

Jenna, you & me & tea.... when can we make that happen? I so appreciate your thoughts and experience. Loss comes in many forms. So many hugs for you.