Welcome To My New Life Fighting A Disease I've Never Heard Of Before....... Ankylosing Spondylitis

     I am looking into other options to help my family's financial situation. I know with my ankylosing spondylitis I am at a disadvantage. I am unable to perform the types of jobs I have held in the past. I currently have a part time job, which allows me to pick my own hours and days. It is perfect because if I am experiencing too much pain on one day, I can simply work another day. However, this job may be coming to an end soon. I hope things work out and I can continue with my current position, but I do not want to wait and be left with no income. Hence, I have been scouring the web and asking opinions from friends about jobs they think I might be able to handle with my health issues. It hasn't been an easy task.     Where can someone with ankylosing spondylitis, scoliosis, osteoarthritis, peripheral neuropathy, and fibromyalgia get hired? Good question, huh? Yes, I know some people don't disclose their health issues to employers, but how can I not since the...

  Last night was very chilly. We had to use our furnace for the first time this season. Snuggling under our covers felt so good this morning. It made getting up even more difficult than normal.   With the chill in the air and leaves starting to fall, I am reminded the holiday season is just around the corner. Which means it is time for me to start thinking about birthday and Christmas gifts.    I have 3 children, two are adults. (Although, I still think of them as kids.) Also, I was blessed to welcome a wonderful son-in-law into our family this past July.   My husband and I try to make our children's birthdays as special as possible. With two having birthdays right after Thanksgiving, it can be overshadowed by holiday events. As a mother with an autoimmune disease it can be a stressful few weeks. Each year I want my sons to know how special they are to me. I want to celebrate the blessing I was given when each were born.    My mind wanders back...

  As I face the day ahead I like to start out with a smile. Things seem to go better when I smile.   Therefore, I thought I'd share a little laugh with you. My life can be a bit strange and I tend to have strange experiences. An example would be my former job where I was a worm counter. Yes, you heard right I counted nightcrawlers, mealworms, etc all day for 3 years. I'll explain that further in a later post. Somehow strangeness just finds me....lol.   Today I want to tell you about my odd Walmart experience. Last winter I was at Walmart with my mom. We always have a weekly Walmart trip together. On this certain day, my mom went on over to get groceries while I went to the pharmacy. As an ankylosing spondylitis patient I spend a good deal of time at my Walmart pharmacy. That day I chat with the pharmacy employees, pick up my meds, and head over toward groceries.   I am taking my time looking at this and that. I cut down a less crowded aisle near ladies pajamas....

  Yesterday my mom called to chat. She had been to visit my sister. Mom mentioned my sister was cleaning her bathroom walls. Which got me to thinking, I haven't washed my bathroom walls in such a long time I don't even remember it.   My clean freak of a mom would croak if she knew that. However, when I was employed I just didn't have the energy to do much housework. Basically I came home, fixed my kids a quick bite to eat, took a shower, and went straight to bed. I typically was in bed by 8 pm. I know that is crazy early but I had to be up every morning at 4:55 a.m. for work. Plus as most of you with anklosing spondylitis can relate, I had some nights of rolling and turning. Hip pain, rib pain, neck pain, and burning feet are my worst nighttime AS visitors. I wish I could be one of you super woman who work a job, have a spotless house, and are moms. I applaud each of you. I have many times felt such disappointment in myself because I can't keep it all up. My family de...

Some days AS tries to get me down, but I always  remember this saying.