Here's tha deal...

[BIGI]

PROTEIN S DEFICIENCY, A CLOTTING DISORDER-DIAGNOSED SPRING 2007

HYPOTHYROIDISM-DIAGNOSED AROUND 2009

TINNITUS-DIAGNOSED AROUND 2009

HIGH CHOLESTORAL-DIAGNOSED MAY, 2010

ATRIAL FIBRULATION-DIAGNOSED MAY, 2010

OVERACTIVE BLADDER-DIAGNOSED NOV, 2010

RHUMATOID ARTHRITIS, (autoimmune disease) DIAG MARCH, 2011

LIMITED SCLERODERMA AKA CREST (autoimmune disease) - DIAG MARCH, 2011

Calcinosis - calcium deposits in the skin (not yet…hopefully not ever)

Raynaud's - spasm of blood vessels in response to cold or stress

Esophageal Dysfunction - acid reflux & decrease in motility

Sclerodactyly - thickening & tightening of the skin

Telangiectasias - dilation of capillaries causing red marks on surface

of skin

HIATEL HERNIA AND BARRETT'S ESOPHAGUS, DIAG MAY, 2011

DIVERTICULOSIS - DIAGNOSED MAY, 2011

SECONDARY SJOGREN'S SYNDROME (Autoimmune disease) DIAG JULY, 2011)

ANEURYSM BEHIND RIGHT EYE-2.5ml DIAG Sept, 2011

PLUGS IN ALL TEAR DUCTS - PUT IN JAN, 2012

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K...so here's tha' deal...there's only gonna be nice, good, happy thoughts here. None of that "woe is me" stuff! Even if there is "bad news", it's gonna be good. I will encourage myself in the Lord and maybe, just maybe you, too, will be encouraged. Over the past 4 years, I have been diagnosed with several diseases and a bunch of other medical conditions. Above is the lovely list.

I am, by nature, a pretty positive person, but after the last 2 years of diagnoses, it's been a struggle. I haven't been very depressed, at least not for more than 3 days at a stretch, and I've only cried once when it all felt so overwhelming. I thank God for my precious husband who is with me every day. Due to the fatigue and muscle and joint soreness, I am not active a lot of the time or I get tired sooner than I'd like. I find myself spending a lot of hours on the internet doing "homework" so that I can be an informed patient. That is all well and good, but so much of what is written are sad facts, negative statistics and blogs or "threads" where folks go to vent. Those things have their place and are needed sometimes to "get it off our chest", but too much can get ya down. So, I decided to "encourage myself in the Lord". The good news is that God is in control and He has blessed me with some mighty great prayer warriors and a great support system in my husband, 2 sons, their wives and kids, some great friends and an awesome church. During the past 2 years, the diagnoses kept coming and one was worse than the other. The dreaded words "disease" and "incurable" were introduced. Nevertheless, in the past, God has healed me of a couple of "incurable diseases". So, I'm believing that He will repeat himself. Even if He chooses not to manifest my healing while I am on earth, He will get me through whatever is in store for me, health-wise and otherwise. I will continue to "turn my eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace!

Oh yea, and this is where I'll share our camping experiences. We have a tiny Little Guy Teardrop Camper and as long as I can bend and get in and out of it, that's our "Chocolate Moose Haven"...our home away from home. Be blessed and tawk at ya later.