My Chronic Pain is a Blessing in Disguise

I keep thinking I should stop with this nonsense that I am going to find somebody to fix my weirdo problems with these obscure neurological disorders, bones, joints, tissue damage, missing tendons, LOL and whatever else I forgot to list. (I'm sure you get the picture.)
I've tried, for years, to find a doctor who would be confident and successful in trying to repair, even the slightest parts. (Since it requires a team due to so much going on.)
I feel bad a lot, because I am blessed. Believe me, even this chronic pain/neuro issues, have been a blessing in disguise. (In some ways.) 
When I think about whether I would trade in my ailments for my super hectic, fast paced, workaholic life again, I think I'd stick with this, since it has slowed me down a bit and has allowed me to work from home and spend more time with my family.
But, I feel bad a lot since I keep trying different doctors & specialists, thinking somebody, somewhere, one day, will have a solution for even 10% of this. There are people who have much, much worse going on and I know it could be worse and even though, living with serious pain, several layers of pain, not being able to do normal things, like, walk, run, jump, lift my foot off the ground, vacuum or use a hair dryer without electrical zaps going through my body for 3 days straight, certain sounds set off so much pain, (it's unreal!), not being able to shave my legs, wear jeans, shoes, walk uphill or downhill, up or down steps without it taking an hour, etc etc, is a bad place, it could always be worse.
I'm very stubborn and I believe that sometimes when you're fighting for something constantly, maybe you are a bit blinded to the consequences. I wonder if running to doctors, researching, trying to fix 1 part so that more can be fixed, etc etc, maybe will end up causing more problems in the long run? 
I took a big hit today. I had super, duper high hopes for this and it ended up being much worse then I was, (yes, it's temporary.) but, again, I'm told, "Well, this is last resort." Uh, how many times will I be told that? Lol! It's always, "this or that" "no more solutions", "this won't work", "this is it.", OK, SHUT UP! I don't believe it because I have been told this for a decade and they still say it and still come up with something.
I think the second I give up, it will consume me and I will end up in a wheelchair or the RSD will cover my body completely and I'll be in my house, 24/7  That's why I keep fighting and I'm getting worried I'm running out of options.
At the same time, I also believe that the more I fight, the more I push, the more problems can pop up. 
Yes, I try and use several all natural options but a lot of my issues are actually bone and joint issues, like, real ones that actually need fixed and nobody can fix it, yet.
Natural remedies help a little with MS & RSD but they to are temporary and also help a little, not a ton. (Which is fine and I'm grateful) but there are some layers of pain that NOTHING touches.
Those are the layers that I have a 50/50 shot with getting worse if I continue to fight. and every time I feel I'm getting closer, something comes and knocks me down further and adds even more of a dilemma.
Back to square one again  Completely unravel all I thought and did and start back at the beginning and add more drama to the twisted outline of things that need fixed before attempting a shot at remission so that more can be fixed so that more can be fixed so that more can be fixed, etc etc etc etc etc. It sometimes feels like a never ending road of insanity and it becomes so overwhelming that it takes over my regular, every day to day activities. (along with the pain, old and new.)
So, do I take a break?
Do I keep up being a stubborn, rebellious, hopeful person?
Or do I keep fighting and reading and researching and trying new things?

#FastAdvil Please!!

* I received a sample and coupons from, Advil and Crowdtap, in exchange for my honest review of this product. My opinions and views are always my own. Free products, samples, affiliates and paid posts  will never change my honest opinion about any product or service.*


As many of you are fully aware, I have RSD. What is RSD, you ask? Well, it is usually pretty hard to explain, but I will try for the gazillionith time....
It is a neurological chronic pain disorder. Many people suffer from this but not all of us have the exact same symptoms, so I will share some of mine.
I have burning pain from my hips down through my toes. This is the most painful part and can last for hours or even days on end when I have an outbreak. Outbreaks are everyday, sometimes they don't seem to end. I also have electrical shock pain and this just comes and goes, as well as regular old soreness, aches, irreversible bone, tissue and muscle damage and rashes, discolorations, welts, hyper sensitive nerves, hyper active senses, hmmm, I actually keep a pain diary and have 43 different layers of pain but I won't force you to read all of that! This isn't school and if I were to list them all with descriptions, I would need an overhead projector and a pointer and I don't, so....
Anyway, on top of my alien like disorder, I was also diagnosed with MS a couple of years ago, after an accident. I can't claim expert on MS because, I really don't know much about what I am dealing with in that realm just yet.
I can tell you that I have had a long history of broken bones in my feet and ankles and some torn tendons, heel spurs and drop foot. All of this finally led to re constructive foot and ankle surgery, which led to this horrific chronic pain disorder.
I have a hard time finding any sort of pain relief, especially after a night of work or even a night at home. (One weird thing about all of my disorders and injuries is that it seems to hurt much, much more if I am resting and then stand up.) I also have a severe problem with swelling. I also can't shave very often due to my skin and nerves being so super sensitive.
I rely on pain medications to help me move, even though they don't work so well. So, I tend to try and find healthier approaches but again, there isn't much out there that alleviates all of this pain. I simply would like to find the perfect combo so that I can keep my pain levels down a bit so I can be a regular person.
(Well, I don't really want to be to regular, that would be super boring!!)
I have found that a good mix of hot water, elevation, no electricity, or at least a small amount of electricity, (I have a strange sensitivity to electricity that becomes very painful as well.) and sometimes heat pads, but most of all, something to make it possible to go to sleep and stay asleep.
I often use, Advil, it has always helped with swelling and made it easier to move and function throughout the day. I do like to have as much help as I can find, to get the edge off a bit.
A lot of people think a pain medication will take all of their pain away... this is not the case. Pain medicines, even prescribed medications, only take away the most brutal, sharp, stinging, excruciating pain that you sometimes deal with, or all the time deal with.
Advil is good for this. I have been a long time, Advil fan, for everything from headaches to after having a baby to migraines to breaks and sprains. Out of everything I have tried over my years on this planet, Advil was already the fastest acting medicine that I could find.
Another reason I always preferred, Advil, over all of the rest, was because of the coating. I have a hard time swallowing pills and can take a few minutes just to down one. This sucks, because, it starts to melt and taste chalky and that is one of the grossest things I have ever tasted.
Advil is coated, which makes it much easier for somebody like me to cope with.
Now, Advil came out with this new product, Fast Acting Advil Film Coated.
First of all, I was pleased with them to begin with and at first I thought, well, maybe it's just me and I won't notice much of a difference. So, I put these heaven sent pills to the ultimate test, after a 9 hour shift bartending.
I have a 30 minute drive home from work and when I get home, I can't get out of my truck very well. I end up sitting there for a while and trying to decide which foot to land on. I usually end up crawling to the porch steps to get into my house since my left foot will not move up at all, I have to use my right leg for support. Well, after a busy Saturday night at the bar, that side isn't even good enough to rely on.
I figured since the old Advil, worked fast enough, I would be able to take 2 of the new Advil, drive home and notice a difference by the time I got home.
(Oh, another form of pain relief for me is music, anything to help me escape.) I drove home listening to the newest 311 CD, screaming along with the lyrics as loud as I can. (That's just another form of therapy I like to use!), got home, parked and wondered how this was going to work....
I did notice the throbbing had calmed down some, I didn't even have the usual problems trying to press the gas and brake pedals and my ankles weren't as inflated as they usually are after work.
BONUS!!!
I am not going to lie and say, I was pain free! (That doesn't happen) but I will say, I am very impressed with, Fast Acting Advil. I didn't take my prescription medicine before I left for home, just the Advil, so I could have a proper review and the funny thing is that I noticed more of a difference with the swelling and throbbing more then with prescribed medications.
I have one more sample pack left and will be using this in the morning which is when my pain levels are through the roof! Plus, it is supposed to rain all night and day and I have a busy day filled with errands and a Halloween parade.
Would I recommend Fast Acting Advil? Of course. I would recommend this to anybody who has to deal with any amount of pain, no matter how big or small. My husband used a pack of these for his back pain and his headaches he seems to have every morning. He also reported that they helped quite a bit with swelling, which, we all know, leads to less pain!
I would highly suggest that you speak with your doctor regarding any possible allergies, drug interactions or pre existing conditions that would make it that you would not benefit with Advil, as you should do with any medicines.
Will I purchase Fast Acting Advil? Yes, matter of fact, I will be using one of the coupons I received, tomorrow.
I will be adding these with my pain regimen, mainly for weekends at work and for rainy or snowy weather.
I am not a doctor and I do not know the pain you may have, but I hope this review has helped you in some way. Maybe you relate to me or maybe you don't. I would love to read comments about your pain relief regimens, have you tried Fast Acting Advil? Did you notice the difference in the time relief starts? Have you ever thought about adding Advil for fast relief from swelling. headaches or minor pain or even breakthrough pain?

Please Treat Invisible Illness Sufferers with Respect

If you see somebody parked in a handicapped spot and they aren't in a wheelchair, bent in half, using a walker, please be decent and mind your own business.
They most likely are good at covering up any visible signs or there aren't any visible signs at that time.
Same goes for if you see somebody trying to climb into a bus because some jerkoff refused to let you have a handicapped spot because you have a history with the nasty bus driver and he's never been anything but very cruel to you, (that's a whole other story) and he happens to be the slob who is directing traffic and laughs and tells you there aren't any handicapped spots, even when you see them just fine and he laughs and tells you to get out and walk like the rest of the parents.
Ok, I will and thanks, because it took 30 minutes to walk and I missed a few classrooms at open house tonight.
I don't know how people can be so rude.
I couldn't get on and off the steps on the bus without crawling and the 1st bus driver threw a tantrum because he has a schedule to keep. The 2nd explained I shouldn't be scared and I can stand and use the railing like the other parents. Then of course, some ass behind me had to laugh and moan because he had to wait 30 seconds longer to get on the bus.
I hate having to explain what is wrong with me because I absolutely hate it. It hurts enough to have to be "abnormal" and not be able to do simple things.
I try my best to ignore a lot of symptoms, I cancel dr appointments most of the time and I don't pick up half of the medications I'm to take.
I would like to be a regular mom, a regular person, a regular wife, who doesn't have to crawl and can't complete simple tasks and can't do simple things like : walk up & down steps, walk on uneven surfaces or inclines, walk without dragging my foot, or feet, I mean, it isn't any freaking fun and besides all of that, it freaking hurts, terribly bad!
I'm not good at giving up and I'm very stubborn and I like to think of myself as a fighter, so, I'll keep fighting. But, have some freaking respect. Don't laugh and call somebody names or bitch because you have to wait an extra minute, and the ignorant faces just repulse me.
Maybe try having some compassion for once.
 You never know, you may get stuck here like me or the person you are laughing at.
(I just may slice the tendons in your feet and ankles just so you feel a fraction of what I feel, if you catch me on a bad day

Jow Natural Pain Relief Review

By now, most of my readers know a lot about my health issues, so I won't go to much into detail. But for any new readers, I do have RSD and have had chronic pain for several years, more so after a reconstructive foot and ankle surgery that didn't work out so good about 7 years ago. I was also recently diagnosed with MS and I also suffer from arthritis and a few issues that need fixed as soon as I can ever go into remission with RSD and possibly find a surgeon who is brave enough to fix up some ripped tendons and remove hardware.
For now, I have to just deal with it all. I have been through lots of shots, medications, treatments, all the home remedies, extra vitamins, and anything else that comes my way. I am also planning on figuring out how and where to gather the money needed for a treatment called, Calmare. (this is very expensive and a bit far to travel, but they can possibly bring pain levels down from a 10 to a 5, with boosters every now and again)
As soon as I hear about a new, all natural pain relief cream, or gel, I jump at any chance I have to try it out, and although I have found a couple that work pretty well, I don't find 100% relief. (and this is fine, since none of these companies have ever made such a claim, but as with other things, I am always on the lookout for something better, or at least something that can help alongside another product)
What is RSD? RSD stands for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy or is sometimes called, Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome.
It is a chronic pain, neurological syndrome, that is actually a failure of the central nervous system. I guess in short, my nerves are hyper active and hyper sensitive in the affected areas, (it spreads, and sometimes rather quickly), I now have RSD in both feet, ankles, legs, hips, and into my back. My doctors have also suggested it has somehow managed to travel to my right eyeball, but I sure can't use any topical creams or gels there;)
I constantly have problems with swelling, since the nerves are hyper sensitive, it is very hard to even wear clothing sometimes, and the pain intensifies a lot, sometimes daily, and is mainly a very severe, fire, burning, and stinging pain, that is so deep inside, it literally can disable you at times.
Being a mom and a bartender, it is my daily priority to try my best to have at least a tiny bit of a low pain day, so when I try out these pain relief gels and creams, I start using them the second they get delivered!!
Since I have tried and posted about a few other pain relief creams in the past, I was trying to find the differences in Jow, and what makes it stand out. There are a few interesting things as a matter of fact, and just the fact that it is all natural, is a plus in my book!
Like I said, I have found others that provide some relief, and I actually have 2 different brands that I use on a regular basis. Both of those tend to help with different types of pain, and I found a 3rd type of pain that Jow has helped me with TONS!
Like I mentioned above, RSD pain is typically described as burning, I also have this deep electric shock pain that tends to penetrate so deep it really makes it hard to not cry, and it leaves me motionless. (this is common for me in the mornings, and at night). I actually keep a pain diary, and have counted 44 different types, or layers of pain, so my goal is to try to find something that will help with more then one layer, or at least tackle the biggest problem pains the best.
The stinging pain usually occurs in my thighs the most, and my heels. The electric shock pain usually starts in my hips and works it's way down my legs and into my heel, and when I walk, it starts in my heel, and shoots up the backs of my legs, it gets so bad, it really is enough to make me double over in pain. Interestingly enough, I have found that, Jow, works pretty well for both of these layers of pain. Of course it may not stop the "electric shock" pain from starting, (sometimes I have no idea when it will start or where from) but the throbbing, radiating pain that comes immediately afterwards, which usually turns into even more of the burning, has actually lessened quite a bit!
I thought it was a little odd that Jow, would help those layers, I mean, it's a gel, and even the prescriptions I have been taken for so many years, new, old, regular daily meds, NOTHING has taken that pain away, nor has it lowered the level at all. So, how would this stuff do that job??
Usually what I do, is when that pain strikes, and I feel it in my hips, I know it sounds strange, but I can tell which path it will take down or up, ,my legs, and it is very strange, but whether it happens on the right or the left side first, the opposite side will follow almost right after.  So, as long as my bottle of Jow, is nearby, I grab it as fast as I can, and shake it up, and apply it directly on the path the pain is headed!
Now, I'm not going to lie, of course it doesn't instantly heal and halt all of the pain! (If it did, this stuff would cost a million bucks!!), but again, nothing else has helped this part of my daily events, so this stuff deserves the biggest blue ribbon yet!!
With Jow, rather then the constant "radiating" and "throbbing", at a level of 20, it's taken down a few notches, and although it still hurts, I can still manage to not fall into the nearest chair. It tones it down just enough to satisfy me enough to buy some more. (and trust me, I won't waste money on things like this if I am going to be let down!)
Another fascinating thing about Jow, I believe are the ingredients. I found the list to be much different then any others I have seen, and I personally think it has a very relaxing and clean scent. (This would be another good point, have you ever smelled some of those creams and lotions that smell like medicine?? EW!)
Here is a list of what you'll get in this little magical potion:
Alcohol
Mugwort
Dragon's Blood
Frankincense
Peach Kernal
Myrrh
Chinese Angelica Root
Red Peony Root
Ox Knee Root
Himalayan Teasel Root
Safflower
Burred Tuber
Zedonary Rhizome and
Borneol
You will also find the inactive ingredients: Distilled water and Carbomer
They soak all of the herbs for several months, and then strain them and the result is the little bottle of Jow pain relief gel.
Since I love small business, I have to share that Jow is created by a small family run business, out of Rockland County, NY. (Yep, that is another reason to try this pain relief gel, or liquid, out!)
If you want to find out more, and maybe order a bottle or 2, check them out online!
and on Facebook!



I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Dermasolve Psoriasis Treatment Cream

I have always had an issue with severely dry and itchy skin, especially on my legs. Although it isn't psoriasis, I don't have much luck with regular dry skin products and lotions, as they tend to really not do much at all.
Actually, I have used some of the more expensive brands and have had the worst luck with these. On top of the heavily scented lotions and creams, and yes, even the ones that say unscented and say they are for extremely dry skin,actually still have an odd scent to them, and I'm sorry, I thought unscented meant what it says?
I also really can't stand when these lotions are so heavy and I'm not sure how it works, but they might look like they're helping, but they're really just kind of making my legs and feet feel and look greasy, and somehow, (must be some strange form of science), I can even see the dry skin in the greasy parts!!? So weird, I really don't know what else to say about that but I know it annoys me a lot.
I do use specific lotions, and even though they aren't targeted towards people with severely dry skin, I still use them because I like the way they work and smell. They work well on other parts, but tend to not do so much for the dry patches. (Again, they didn't really claim they would, so I can't hold that against them). Point is, I have yet to find something that works on the super duper dry parts and with my disorders, it's hard enough to have the confidence to wear anything but pants, the dry skin just makes it way worse.
One of the worst things about RSD is the way it constantly burns and burns and feels like my legs, feet and ankles are on fire, literally! I even have big welts and burns appear out of nowhere and then burn blisters start to form, and those don't go away so easily. I can barely ever shave, and that really sucks, I hate it.
Ok, so on with the good stuff:)
I am very, very, very happy with Dermasolve Psoriasis Treatment Cream!

I like everything about this magical stuff, from the bright and happy packaging, all  the way to the serious relief from itching, irritation, scaling, and redness.
I am up a lot at night, and get very little sleep, usually due to either numbness, pain, burning, restless leg syndrome, charley horses, and ITCHING!!
I swear I think itching is the worst, and this is a problem I have had for much longer then just my regular medical issues. I have medications for everything else, (even though they don't always seem to work so well, and the weather is sometimes brutal!), but when I can cope with the pain, it never fails, the constant urge to have to scratch and my flaky, goofy legs are a big problem at night time for me. Especially in the colder months, I can not find relief, at least none as good as this so far!
I am shocked that this stuff is also truly, unscented! It doesn't smell like anything, what so ever, and I can't stress that enough. I haven't been able to find a product that really had no scent, even when it says so.
Dermasolve worked instantly and I was able to see a huge difference in my legs from the 1st use. It is indeed , fast absorbing and it doesn't have the greasy feeling, or look, and it actually penetrates your skin and helps. As a matter of fact, I noticed that with regular use, this really started to show overall improvement in my dry skin patches, and after just a couple nights, I couldn't even find the dry skin that tends to always stick in my clothing, yuck! Black pants are the worst, of course because I can see it more, but I couldn't even find any after a few nights!!
Dermasolve Psoriasis Cream is perfect for:
Multi Symptom
Dryness
Flaking
Irritation
Itching
Scaling
Redness
It is also:
Steroid free
Prevents Reoccurrence
Fast Absorbing
Fragrance Free
Medicated

I was checking out their website, and found that they also have shampoo, scalp oil, milk bath, and body wash!!
They also offer money saving kits if you're like me and are probably in need of more then one product.
I would love to hear what you think!!
Have you ever had any luck with products like this? What types of symptoms do you have? What have you found that has helped you so far?







 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Our Year in Review

I am not a person who likes to wallow and moan and cry about my sucky life, lol, mainly because it isn't so bad;) I would never trade it for anything! But there are times when it seems our bad luck just never ends.
 2012 started out being a good year. In the 2nd week of January, we drove to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, with our then 1 year old, Deegan, for a 2nd opinion about his health and MRI's and other ridiculous test results.

This is Deegan's Zoolander face;)
 He was cleared completely of everything,(with the exception of the club foot and cleft lip, which we already knew for sure and he has been treated and had his surgeries, and will continue too.)
I know I might drive people crazy with my Deegan miracle story but I feel the need to share it sometimes, just in case we can reach somebody new once in a while;) the neurology department was nothing but courteous, friendly, and answered every single question we had and sure enough, told us to believe our instincts because they were real.
I thought that at that point, we were in for the best year ever.

This is me and my boyfriend Deegan.
 He has become quite the photographer with my new Smartphone!
 It really wasn't all that bad, and I know there have been so many families that have had much worse struggles this year.
 So, I kind of feel bad at any time I start to complain or feel sad about things, but hey, we all have to cry sometimes, right? Between our new (used but new to us), tractor trailer, (my husband is a self employed truck driver), needing tons and tons of repairs, and I am not talking nickel and diming us.
 No way! This thing has literally cost us as much as our home. Of course our house didn't cost us a fortune. We kind of lucked out on that deal, however, we are endlessly repairing this house too!
But, our repair bills from this truck are very huge and we still have a balance since the truck always seems to be in the shop. It is right now as I am writing this post! But, see, we replaced the motor, which was a bit over $20k just by itself. So, we kept thinking, well, it's almost like new, what else could possibly go wrong?? No, we aren't made of money. Paying these repair bills off required payment arrangements with the shop, my husband working as often as the law allows, and me bartending every weekend and picking up as many hours as I can without having a babysitter. (My husband is my "babysitter" lol) Since my husband is self employed, yes, he gets paid more then a regular truck driver. Until you deduct the fuel, tolls, repairs, taxes, insurances, workers comp, and the list goes on.
The bottom line is not as pretty as some may think. But we keep waiting because one day, we will have a paid off truck, (like this one is), and it will run smoothly and have no major dilemmas. This truck decided to break every week for a couple months, and always BIG breaks. Then we get a break, then another HUGE problem, and on and on and on and on. Ok, so no big deal, right? This is something we can cope with. Of course! It just requires more coupons, staying home more often, and re structuring our budget. Easy peasy:)
 Actually, now that I am thinking back in my "year in review", it doesn't seem so bad. Of course I don't want the extra bills again this year, or ever! But there is plenty I wouldn't mind repeating:)
Our oldest daughter, Bethany, was expecting ur first grandbaby in 2012, and I was so excited about being a grandma, I decided to go ahead and finally get a tattoo that I wanted for years and years! I am a big horror movie fan, I have always been a horror fan, movies, books, shows, you name it! I especially have always loved Pinhead from Hellraiser. I had 1 tattoo before this one, actually it is our wedding rings:) (and NO, we didn't copy Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson! Matter of fact, they copied us! We had ours done 1st!!) My husband has bunches of tattoos, and luckily has a super fascinating tattoo guy he frequents. (when his allowance covers it!) I have been after this guy to do a tattoo of Pinhead for years and he finally said he would do it. I love the way this artist sees! It's fun just to watch him work.

It isn't complete yet, he will be doing the puzzle box at some point here, and I'm not sure of what else I am getting. Maybe some centobites or maybe other horror guys. Either way, I am more then pleased with the job he did. Whether you like Pinhead or not, you gotta admit, this is a fine tattoo;p (oh, it is on my back, I am a mom, and even though I have no problems with people having tattoos anywhere on their bodies, I can cover mine up to be presentable and not scare anybody!
 Alright, maybe 2012 was kind of cool... Well, it got very cool when our first granddaughter, Lillian Ainsley was born on June 30th!! She is such a precious little princess and her smiles and beautiful eyes just light up the room when she comes to visit. I was to be in the delivery room with my daughter, lol, her boyfriend almost passed out, haha! But as I waited impatiently for the nurse to get done chit chatting with her friend on the phone, my daughter gave birth to this little angel, and I walked in a few minutes afterward. Lillian was already a smiley little thing and it was just a wonderful day all around!

Here is a picture of our gorgeous lil princess grandaughter, Lillian;)
 About a month after Lillian was born, she was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome. This was a bit upsetting for our family, but we are so happy to have her! She is such a sweet little blessing!
 I am so proud of Bethany and Lillian's dad for being calm, cool and collected about the whole thing. Of course nobody wishes this on anybody, but hey, this is life and I firmly believe that God will never hand you more then you can deal with. Lillian is growing perfectly and she is exceeding many milestones and her health is pretty good. She does have some holes in her heart but they are expected to heal as she grows.
Onto some of the bad news again.. Many of you know about my accident I had a few months ago, I totaled ,my 2003 Ford F150, the love of my life! and I broke many, many, many bones, some of which will always ache, but finally, after a few months, I am almost fully recovered.

This accident threw me back so far, something I am not used too. No matter how hard or bad it hurts, I always keep trying, which is actually quite foolish most of the time. But I am to stubborn.
I also had worse luck with my RSD, which decided to spread to other parts of my body. This is a constant struggle and there is no cure as of yet, so this is always something that affects our family in some very big ways. I am always trying to find a way to gather enough money for some alternative treatments and hopefully soon, this will happen. In the meantime, I will deal with it as best I can, well I shouldn't say I will, because my kids and my husband and the rest of my family are all very supportive of me during this whole process.
 I also have been diagnosed with a few other things this year, including MS. Don't ask me about MS because I have no clue;) But I am hoping 2013 brings some good luck or answers or maybe effective treatments for all of it. ( I see my new rheumatologist in March) Other then these "main events", we had the typical bad luck as we always seem too. The constant dr appointments, extra bills that pop up just when you least expect them, and then of course, due to my accident and not being able to keep up with this blog, I lost many sponsors, authors, publishers, opportunities, a writing apprenticeship, and more. That has/had me in a slump for awhile, and I tried to explain to some, even offered  proof, and apparently, it doesn't much matter. With some it did, but not with all. I am hoping to catch up in the next few days, which is a lot of work.
  But I have to do what I can to regain some of the trust I had with people and brands and businesses and of course, the authors of the books that we love to read and review and share.
 On a lighter note, Genevive started school this year, and attended her first dance:)
 Aaron's grades have been awesome as usual. Although his stomach problems are still puzzling doctors and he still deals with acid reflux and missed school. My husband recently had to help find a home for his dad and has been dealing with his dad's bank, expenses, apartment, belongings, and visiting his dad. Unfortunately, there are some not so good things that will be following us into the new year, but I am also curious to see what else 2013 will bring!