YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND!

“YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND”

First, I want to thank everyone that has sent me such wonderful words of support and encouragement since I started my blog. You are all so encouraging and the reason I decided to do this in the first place!

I know so many of us have found a real sense of community via the ICA Facebook page and are able to share our experiences, successes, struggles and so forth through this wonderful social media tool. But as many of us have often talked about, when we get sick it seems our circle of friends seems to dwindle and we feel a sense of isolation. I was talking about this with my therapist yesterday. It is a challenge, and I know my circle has shrunk since I went on disability. But, let me tell you, if you have even one close friend that is there for you, that makes you laugh, that helps you to NOT always focus on being sick, cherish them and cultivate that relationship! I have a very small group of friends, but they are so supportive, encouraging and have stuck by me, that I cannot even express how much they mean to me and how grateful I am for their friendship. I just got off the phone with one of my girlfriends and we had the best time chatting with each other and laughing. Tomorrow, bladder willing, I’m having lunch with one of my other remaining friends. She always makes sure we get together as often as I am able and we talk on the phone, Facebook and email too. These are my dearest friends that have stuck by me and I hope each of you has a friend or two just like I do.  

But, maintaining these friendships isn’t all one way either. I know we can often feel that because we are sick, we sometimes feel our friends should always be the ones to reach out to us. It has taken me work with my therapist to understand the other person’s perspective and how so often friends just feel helpless, don’t know what to say or do and back off or say the wrong thing. So, for me, I try to figure this out and keep plugging away at the relationship – up to a point. All relationships are a two way street; so I have to reach out to them just as much as they have to reach out to me. I make sure I don’t spend all our time talking about ME being sick. I answer their questions, bring them up to date, then pivot over to their lives and get caught up with what’s happening with them. Like many of us, some friends have fallen by the wayside, but the ones that stick with you are your TRUE friends who really care. Even if it’s only one, two or three (that’s about where I am these days). Keep them close to you; let them know how important they are to you. THANK them for standing by you and for their support. 

So, this is something I am working on coming to terms with. Figuring out that, yes, my life has changed and I can’t socialize like I used to, and that some of my friends have fallen away. But I can choose to dwell on the loss and changes, or I can thank heaven for the friends that have stuck by me and be happy with those relationships and make the most out of them. I am happy today thanks to the time on the phone with my girlfriend and that’s the most important thing. I am happy, even with all the struggles, talking with a girlfriend can really make my day! I hope everyone has at least one friend that can make them happy too!

This video/song really speaks to me; I hope you enjoy it and find it as inspiring as I do – “You’ve Got a Friend”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIMJBDj_JkE

NEVER GIVING UP!

My IC doctor really is great! He is so determined to help me and gives me so much time to discuss various options and ideas. He wants me to have an InterStim programming session to try to help with my retention, so I'm doing that next week. Also, when we see how severe my retention is, we agreed I need to self-catheterize more often, at least each night at bed time and I'm on board with this. I already know it helps me get through the night better. There are some other things that he wants to research and look into and then see me again in 4 weeks. I'm working my Probiotics every single day and I truly believe they are beginning to help, so I am cautiously hopeful but not ready to jump up and down. I am committed to them for the long haul and as promised, will report how it goes. I feel good about my appointment today. My doctor is always looking for solutions and that's more than half the battle. I am grateful!

A LITTLE VIDEO TO SHARE!

Hi Everyone! I have to go to two back to back doctor appointments, so I don't have time to write anything today. I'm going to attach a link to my latest little video in case some of you haven't seen it. I hope you find it inspirational and positive and that everyone has a good day. You are all my inspiration and I carry it with me every day! Be well!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-VVgYevtCY&feature=plcp

SHORT & SWEET!

When I started this blog, I said sometimes I would keep it short & sweet and write whatever I was thinking about, and today is one of those days. I hope everyone had a good weekend. The weather here in the Chicago area has been very Fall-like and wet, windy and gloomy. The sun is trying to make an appearance today, which would help my spirits if it would actually put in an appearance. As I write, the clouds seem to be moving out - yeah!

I can't believe October is already half gone. The weather is changing, birds have begun to migrate to warmer climates. I wish I could go with them! I used to enjoy winter, as I was an avid skier and even would run in cold weather as well. I always enjoyed the 4 seasons. Since being diagnosed with IC - not so much. Cold weather bothers me more than it used to, I hate extreme heat too. So there is a very narrow window of weather that I enjoy anymore. Is anyone else like this? 

I'm spending today curled up with my comfy blanket and taking it easy. Glad to have my doctors appointments tomorrow. I can vent to my therapist before I go see my IC doctor; always a good thing!

The best thing about Fall is the beautiful colors of the season, and we have so many in the development where I live.This is a picture my Mom took of some of the trees in my development by our lake; really pretty. I really love the beauty of nature and that does make me happy! I'm looking for the things I always loved about the changing seasons instead of whining about Winter being right around the corner. Soon, these beautiful trees will be bare and the lake will be frozen with children skating on it instead of swimming in it! I always marvel at that - in the summer when it's so hot and everyone is swimming in the lake, it's hard to picture it frozen and when the kids are skating on it, it's hard to picture it on a hot summer day full of families enjoying the cool water! Nature is amazing!

I hope everyone has a good day and is enjoying the beauty of the season wherever you live!

MY INSPIRATIONAL MOVIE!

Those of you that have been following my blog have likely noticed the various inspirational quotes scattered throughout my posts. These really inspire me and I hope they inspire you too. They were so inspiring, that I decided to take some of my favorites and make another little movie. I hope you find it inspirational and enjoy it. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-VVgYevtCY 

IF YOU DON'T LAUGH ....

So it’s a rainy, chilly, gloomy day here in the Chicago area. A good day to just curl up with my comfy blanket, watch TV and take a nap and rest. I’m fighting another UTI, so glad I already have an appointment to see my IC doctor on Tuesday.  This has been a very frustrating issue for me for well over 18 months and nothing seems to be helping. I have consulted multiple doctors, tried multiple prophylactic antibiotics, stopped doing my instillations – you name it, we’ve tried it! Nothing is working. As I posted before I am taking a Probiotic with a very high dose of live cultures (100BILLION/Day), but I know it isn’t going to fix things quickly and that this might happen. I am not giving up and I am determined to keep working the Probiotics for as long as it takes. My IC friend that recommended it told me it took her six months to correct a similar situation.  So, I am dedicated to trying this long term and I’m not giving up. So, even though this is a frustrating situation, I refuse to give in. I plan to discuss this further with my doctor on Tuesday; we’ll need to run a culture, even though I know I have a UTI (ALL the symptoms that I am well familiar with are present), so that means it will be next Thursday before we know which bacteria I have this time.

 

I have taken to joking about this – if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry as the saying goes, and I refuse – so just call me the “Typhoid Mary” of UTI’s. I’m a walking, talking petri dish of germs I guess! 

So, while I recognize my frustration with this issue, I also recognize that I am coping with it well, all things considered, and that pleases me. If I can handle these constant challenges that keep getting thrown at me, then I consider that a success! 

I am going to take my own advice and use all the tools I have learned to help me deal with this until I see the doctor and not allow myself to get upset or angry etc. I will use my affirmations, rest, listen to music and use my heating pad. I will make it through this and continue to fight and never give up!

I’m gonna get these little “buggers” (LOL) if it’s the last thing I do!

TOGETHER WE CAN DO SO MUCH!

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
Helen Keller

This is how I feel about those of us in the IC Community. Together we are so much stronger than one of us is alone. The support we give each other, I believe, makes us stronger and better able to deal with our IC than without it. I know that I am stronger because of each of my IC Facebook friends, the ICA, my IC Support Group, friends and family. Thank you all for your never ending encouragement, love and support. We each struggle every day with various challenges that living with IC brings us, but knowing I have so much support, drives me each and every day to keep fighting. Earlier this week, one of my oldest and dearest friends drove up to visit me. This was so special and showed what a great friend she is and how much her support means to me. Since I was diagnosed with IC, we have not been able to visit very often as she lives a 2 hour drive from me and I just can’t handle that anymore. She is on vacation this week and chose to take one of her days off to drive up and spend the day with me. We didn’t do anything special, but hang out and have a “girl’s day”. It was so great to sit and visit – best day ever and it did wonders for my mental health.

So, as we lean on each other, we gain strength. Don’t ever hesitate to ask for support; you’ll be glad you did!

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE & VIDEO!

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”
― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

This is a video I love by Dido which she has said is about friendship. I have always loved it and wanted to share it as I felt it went well with the above quote. I hope you like it as much as I do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Oq6rpKqYT4