HOLIDAY SEASON AND CHRONIC ILLNESS

HOLIDAY SEASON AND CHRONIC ILLNESS

This time of year sees the malls and parking lots jammed full. Tempers flaring, anxiety growing, bank accounts emptying and stress higher than Santa's reindeer in full flight. 

For people with Chronic Illnesses, this time of year is a nightmare at best. The constant agony of trying to shop, carry bags (yeah right) and deal with the demands of family and friends is quite overwhelming.  In the seventeen days of December, I think I can count on one hand the non-flare up days. The closer it gets to Christmas, the worse it seems to be getting.

Yes, the added stress is certainly contributing and likely so is the wet damp weather (that is the West Coast). Of course, the bad news from the Specialist with regards to my Meniere's Disease and it's progression isn't really helping much either. 

The attempt has been made a couple of times to go out and do some shopping and other holiday related activities. Each time, the pain has been unbearable but I keep a 'brave' face on and keep going. 

Being someone who is a total 'foodie' and loves to cook and bake. This time of year is now extremely depressing. Gone are the days that I could bake and cook for hours on end and collapse around New Year's. Now, it's a struggle just to stand in one spot long enough to make a batch of cookies. I can no longer work dough with my hands because they cramp up too much. 

Wrapping presents is a challenge. I can remember sitting on the floor, surrounded by bows, wrapping paper and tags and spending the evening making sure every gift was wrapped in elegance. Now, I'm lucky if I can make sure the wrapping paper is cut straight.

Everything about the holiday season now is troublesome and problematic. There aren't enough medications on the planet to make me feel joyous this year. I'd be perfectly content to sleep my way into 2012. Alas, I don't sleep so even that idea blows. 

Any way you slice it, Chronic Illnesses impede your daily life. Even the holidays  can't fix that. 

Enjoy the holidays, the best you can in whatever means you can. Inner strength comes in waves but it is there. 

Maybe, we can luck out and Santa will bring us all cures!

Merry Yule, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Channukah, Blessed Ramadan, Happy Unbirthday! 

Santa, Do You Remember Me?

Dear Santa Claus,


You probably don't remember me because, well I haven't believed in you since I was a kid. But, here goes nothing. 


My name is SSgt Mj Smith* and I'm 21yrs old. I am currently stationed in this god-forsaken desert country somewhere. I've never really been this far away from home before. I thought I would be rotated home for the holidays but unfortunately, that isn't going to happen. 


I'm really not sure what they are going to do for us guys over here, but I'm sure it won't be anything as good as Grandma's apple pie and Mom's homemade sugar cookies. The food here isn't bad per say, but I'd much rather be sitting at home eating with my brothers and sisters. 


What do I want for Christmas? Well, first I would ask for this fucking war to end. I'd ask for the nightmares to go away, for all my friends to stop dying around me. Most of all Santa, I'd like to come home in one piece. 


I love being a Soldier, don't get me wrong Santa, but when I signed up I didn't really understand just how hard it is. I didn't know that I would look forward to phone calls at 3am from home because it's daytime there. I didn't know that I would have to stare in the face of my best friend and watch him die while I laid helpless beside him. I never knew there was so much damn hatred in the world and that people could be so inherently cruel to one another. Most of all, I never knew how much I would miss myself. 


It's so hard to find reasons to smile or to laugh anymore Santa. Couldn't you find it in your compressed time frame and stop by here. I don't need much. A candy cane and maybe some chocolate and a phone card. OK lots and lots of phone cards. I believe in you Santa. I have to. If I don't believe in you, I won't believe in anything.


You are everything that is good and pure and wonderful on this earth. That is worth believing in. That is worth me fighting for and that is worth me dying for if that is my destiny. (kinda don't want that last one though)


So, Santa, if you can make it, please stop by Christmas Eve. Me and the guys here will do our best to make sure you land safely with the Reindeer (on the sand though the tents suck for supporting the sleigh). 


Thank you Santa, for letting me ramble on. 




Yours ever so truly,


SSGT Mj Smith 




p.s. If it isn't too much trouble, I could really use The Vampire Diaries on Blu-Ray and Lost Girl.  












*name and story are purely fictional and not to be confused with anyone dead or living*

DAILY TIP NOV 27 2011 HOLIDAY VERSION

DAILY TIP NOV 27 2011 HOLIDAY VERSION

If you have a die hard fan of the Discovery Channel with hit shows like 'Deadliest Catch', then the Discovery Channel Store is the perfect website!

They have show DVDs, as well as apparel, general merchandise and one-of-a-kind gifts that are sure to be a hit for anyone in the family or for a 'Secret Santa'. 

Safe and easy transactions and a fun site to visit. Take advantage of the 'Cyber Monday' savings if you can!

Santa Claus Obsolete At The Mall?

Has The Internet Made Santa Claus Obsolete At The Mall?

Santa Claus, the jolly man in the big red suit who for centuries has been the 'commercial' focal point for the holiday season seems to be falling victim to online convenience shopping.

More people are avoiding the malls and heading either to big box stores, destination shopping or the worse possible situation for Santa, online shopping.  It's the online shopping that may end Santa's reign. If parents are shopping online to avoid the line-ups, get better deals and get the convenience of home delivery. Then there is no need to drag the kiddies to the mall to wait in endless lines, push through mobs, contend with the tantrums just to sit on the jolly man's lap for a $25 picture and a broken candy cane. But wait, it's not just the convenience of shopping that is making Santa obsolete at the malls and leaving thousands of elves unemployed and Mrs Claus looking for peace and quiet. It's the ability to talk to Santa face-to-face via the Internet.

That's right parents, you can now book an appointment for your child to speak to Santa on the "Net". Several websites are offering the opportunity to speak to Santa. 'Show and Tell' is going to be hi-tech, when little Susie comes to school with her 'Tablet' and brings Santa right into the classroom to talk to everyone on his very own Podcast. Not to mention that parents and children can follow Santa on Twitter, Facebook, as well as other social media websites. Don't forget you can track Santa on Christmas Eve as he crosses the earth with the help of Norad (North American Aerospace Defence Command).  Norad has been protecting and tracking Santa on his journey since 1955.  Their website also has Santa's Workshop and activities for the kids to keep them occupied while waiting for Santa to get to their location.

With all this amazing technology, I only have one problem: how to get the candy cane from the Monitor.

http://www.santaspeaking.com/

http://www.santaspeaks.com/

http://www.twitter.com/SantaClausLive

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Santa-Claus-Live/54482019649?ref=ts

http://noradsanta.org/

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

I wanted to write you a letter to tell you I still believe in you. Everyone has tried to tell me that you don't exist but I think they have just forgotten what it is like to have the imagination of a child. 

At 44, you would think that I wouldn't still believe in you. The truth is, if I didn't believe in you then I also wouldn't believe in love, compassion, tenderness, empathy, faith and most of all humanity. You have given me so much throughout my life that you have to be real. Right? 

I mean, who could make so many people smile and feel warm and tingly inside even in the harshest of winters' nights. People are so nice this time of year. They open doors, say 'hello' and 'Happy Holidays' while bustling around with shopping bags and screaming kids in tow. That is a miracle right there in itself. Santa, if you aren't real then I have to look at the world with different eyes and I'm just not prepared to do that. 

I don't want to look at the world with hatred, disgust and contempt. I don't want to look at people and see the worst in them. I want to smell the roses not just see them for the flowers they are. I want to think that people are inherently nice and that it takes an act of anger to make them mean and hateful.

Santa, I know I have rambled on and on, and usually, you get a few choppy sentences with a giant list of toys from a wee child instead. I'm hoping you will read my letter with an open mind and open heart like I believe you possess. 


If you are able, for Christmas this year, all I want is: To have the heart of a child and the ability to look at the world with compassion, tenderness and hope.


If you can't bring me this for Christmas, I'll understand. I won't stop believing in you. I'll just keep hoping until next year.


Sincerely,


me


ps.... I really really want a Food Processor :) Come on, you are Santa after all!!