Ho Ho Hope You have a Merry Christmas and a Healthy New Year :)

Guess what?? We have snow!! Now some of you in the frozen tundra of the the midwest and northern parts of the country are probably rolling your eyes OR going yeah, AND...but...we live just outside LAS VEGAS...so as you can imagine..this is a pretty big deal. Besides that...it snowed over a week ago and we still have some lingering around. That is even a BIGGER DEAL!!! First of all, we get snow around here every few years...but it NEVER sticks to the ground. Last week....it snowed ALL DAY...and it stuck to the ground. In the area we lived, we had about a foot of snow. Because we never have snow, our local city department does not have snow plows so the roads were pretty hard to navigate. Also, cars do not have snow tires so everyone was slip sliding around OR getting stuck. Tom thought he was going to have to park at the shopping center around the corner from our house and hoof it home (about a mile away) but he kept at it and got safely home. The funniest thing to both of us (who grew up in Northern Illinois) was that the local schools (and MANY of the local businesses) decided to shut down the night before. Too funny!!)

Anyway, I really wanted to go out and play in it. I wanted to make a snowman! I REALLY wanted to make a snow angel but I was afraid that if I got down that I would not be able to get back up (my hips are REALLY bad these days!!!) so NO fun in the snow for me :(

I tried to take pics of the snow and/or video but my junk cell phone was on its last legs. (I am happy to report that Santa came early and brought me a pretty pink Katana cell phone!! It is just gorgeous!!! My old Razr was pitiful. It was being held together with scotch tape!!!)

Christmas is just around the corner. I am getting more of the "spirit" as it gets closer. I listen to Christmas carols and have watched a few of the Christmas movies which seem to help put me in the right frame of mind. On Christmas Eve, we will go to Mass , and then we have our "Christmas Eve Feast" which consists of lobster tails, basmati rice, and snow peas and pie from CoCos Bakery (the Lemon Cream Cheese!!) After we rest our tummies, we open up on presents (on Christmas Eve!!), and then go to sleep. On Christmas Day we normally have a big dinner.

As I read so many of your blogs, I am touched by the kindness of strangers. So many people have reached out and helped others in need this year--It really has restored my faith in people. (I was getting a bit discouraged about people stealing mail as I have been the target myself recently. How sad that our economy has become so bad that people feel they have to steal other people's packages/presents?? Talk about Grinches!!



Health Report: As I said--my hips are hurting. I need to go see my orthopedic doc to see if I need to get one of my hip replacements revised (OUCH!!) I slipped in the shower in November and it has really been hurting since then. Obviously, it isn't out the joint, but it is pretty painful. I had two different surgeons (one did the left hip and another did the right hip. The right hip is the one that is bugging me....so I am going to go see the guy who did my left hip....figured that his hip is doing better--his incision is much smaller and I have not had ANY pain or problem with that side whereas with the right side--I have ALWAYS had problems :(



What else?? I have been having lots of headaches but that is to be expected with CNS lupus. Sometimes my brain doesn't work right and I just get SO frustrated. I have to remember how far I have come though. I mean I was in ICU for 5 days after my stroke. I couldn't even lift my right side. My speech was slurred. I had to undergo speech therapy and occupational therapy so sometimes I have to remind myself to be more patient with myself. I am hardest on myself.

Oh, one more thing...thanks to everyone for their posts and comments. It always encourages me. Hopefully, I will be able to keep my website http://catholicgirl.faithweb.com/ updated more frequently (I did update December but didn't get any quotes which is probably one of my most visited pages) I want to hear more from you...give me your feedback...tell me how you celebrate Christmas? Do you open presents Christmas Day/Eve? (I know a couple who almost didn't get married because they couldn't decide on this--well, not really, but you know what I mean??) What are your feelings about the "Grinches" who have stolen Christmas and the "Angels" who have "given" Christmas?? I am looking forward to hearing from you!!


Lastly, I guess just remember the reason for the season...Jesus. He is the reason why we celebrate Christmas. It is His birthday we celebrate. At the kid's Mass, they always sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and I think that TRULY sums it up and puts it all in perspective!! If nothing else, just sing Happy Birthday to Jesus on Christmas :) Remember...the Lord LOVES to hear from us. He truly does. I know that you might feel silly singing Happy Birthday to Jesus...get the kids together...they will love it!!



And with that, I will wish you ALL a very Merry Christmas and a very happy and HEALTHY NEW YEAR. If you see someone struggling with packages today, hold the door open for them. If you see someone with a frown...give them a big smile. Show some kindness in the world. Be the CHANGE you wish to have in the world!!! It all starts with YOU!!!



Until next time...



Gentle hugs,



Shelley

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December 2008 Merry Musings :)

Wow...another year has flown by. I can't believe how fast time goes by. Seriously. Where DOES the time go? I really do not seem to have enough hours in the day to possibly get all of the things done that I want to do...and really...I don't DO anything...LOL!

This time of the year can always be a bit stressful, huh? Everyone seems to be in a rush...the hustle and bustle of everyone and everything can be hard for people who like to have things in order or who live life by a schedule (raise of hands!!) Also, just the change of weather can be difficult for those who have chronic illnesses and can trigger flares. This in combination with any stress of a change in routine can give those who are sick a really double whammy of a flare.

I try to remember to slow down and appreciate beauty of the season. Everything seems so sparkly this time of year. Also, the very few times I actually get out my favorite thing to do is to watch the kids at Santa's toy shop. I just get a kick out of it..some of them are so excited...and then some are so scared--me--I remember being scared out of my mind--who was this crazy fat guy in the red suit?? But I also remember some sort of connection that my wish was going to get granted if I went and chatted him up so I very timidly went to talk to him.

As far as my health update, my last chest xray came back TOTALLY CLEAR. Yipee!! This means that I can go another six months and then I go get another one. As Tom says, though, it is ALWAYS something, because I do have some other health issues going on. I am having some problems with one of my hip replacements that I had done a few years ago. I may have to have one of them redone or "revised". I really don't want to because as the motto goes around this house...I try to avoid surgery as much as I can...LOL! SIGH. Oh well, I go to see my orthopedic doc in January so I guess I will know more then. (I am going to see the doc who did my other hip--or should I say my good hip--obviously--I don't want to go back to the doc who did the lousy hip!!) Also, I have been having some trouble with my brain. The neuro, though, told me that I was doing pretty good for someone who has a "hole in her head" (that is from the stroke) Seriously...he said that. I was like, ah, OK! But, I have been having horrendous headaches...but he said that is to be expected and that I should just be lucky to be alive and that most people who have had my kind of lupus and especially the extent of damage to the brain only live 2 years (and here it has been 8 years--again--AH, OK!!)

Well, that is it for the update.

Please have a Blessed Christmas and a healthy and happy 2009. I appreciate all of your comments and posts. They encourage ME so please send them in.

As always, prayers are SO powerful. Let them work wonders in YOUR life.

Until next time

Gentle hugs,

Shelley