Chronic illness Pain Support

HopeNotes #40 - Trying to Plan Vacation on a Budget?

A New Issue of HopeNotes has been posted
http://www.restministries.org/hopenotes/2008/05_02.htm

HopeNotes #39 - Looking for a Doc That Doesn't Accept Perks?

A New Issue of HopeNotes has been posted
http://www.restministries.org/hopenotes/2008/05_01.htm

HopeNotes #38 - Tired of Planning Dinner?

A New Issue of HopeNotes has been posted
http://www.restministries.org/hopenotes/2008/04_04.htm

Poll- Have you found a weight loss secret (despite illness)?

Have you found a weight loss program that has worked for you despite having a chronic illness and perhaps being on "weight-gaining" medications? Will you share your story and tips with us?

> Answer

FYI:

"Extraordinary Health" is a new television show featuring the ministry of Jordan Rubin, the popular Christian health and wellness expert and author of The Maker's Diet. It began airing on Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) March 24. Hosted by America's Biblical Health Coach Jordan Rubin, the series will focus on his successful weight management program Perfect Weight America (also a book) as well as highlights of his bus tour to more than 200 cities. Extraordinary Health with Jordan Rubin features interviews with guests who have succeeded with Rubin's Perfect Weight America weight-management program.

Guests share tips about how they overcame common weight control dilemmas and learned how to eat more organic, living foods to nourish their bodies. The show is called Extraordinaory Health: Change Your Diet, Change Your Life, Change Your World

PS: Although we usually avoid books that claim "Bible cures" we've found Jordan's material to be helpful and it acknowledges that we can all live "as healthy as possible despite illness." After trying more than 70 alternative nutritional therapies to treat "the worst case of Crohn's disease his doctor had ever seen" he changed his diet to whole foods consumed in Biblical times. We've found his books to be more "health-oriented" not "cure-guaranteed."

HopeNotes #37 - Can Illness Be a... Blessing?

A New Issue of HopeNotes has been posted
http://www.restministries.org/hopenotes/2008/04_03.htm

Poll Results- How do you feel when celebrities "beat" their illness?

We had 21 people respond to our question last week, "When you read that celebrities 'beat their illness' how do you feel? Inspired or disheartened?" You can still respond here!

Last week's winner for a free book is Kim R at email raleymike.... We'll ship it right out!

We loved your honest comments! (And could relate to them too!) Here are a few (in different colors).

"When you read that celebrities 'beat their illness' how do you feel? Inspired or disheartened?"

I feel annoyed. What that seems to indicate to me, when folks say that, is that everyone with an illness has a 'choice' to beat the problem, or be beaten by it.

I can choose how I'm going to respond to the feelings I have about my illness/disability, but I probably had no choice in my body getting the illness or disability. I also probably have little choice with whether my body will ever totally overcome the problem in this lifetime.

Why someone heals and others don't, has been and still is, beyond the knowledge of mankind. Only God knows. What I do know is I can choose how I live with what I have.

If healing comes, I'll praise God. If it doesn't, I hope I continue to praise God. But when I hear people say, with such 'pride' that they 'beat' an illness, it seems to insinuate others are doing something 'wrong' if they don't 'beat' theirs. And I should 'listen up' to find out what secret they did, so I can get it 'right' and 'beat' my problem.

I don't believe that for a minute anymore, though I used to.

Okay, confession time. I feel incredibly angry. Part of it is that I am sceptical that they never had the "full blown" illness and part of it is just plain anger that what worked for them has not touched my pain. I want to say "I am taking 150mg of morphine a day and still hurt so shut up" WOW I can't believe I really said that. These commercials seem to evoke negitive emotions that I don't usually feel. I much prefer turniing off the TV and getting on with my life.

Disheartened because every time someone else "beats" their illness, it reinforces the belief that my illnesses are really fake and if I just did whatever (whoever) did, then I would "beat" mine too. This is particularly bad with my husband, who doesn't believe my illnesses are real to begin with. He constantly tests me, trying to see me slip up and show that I'm faking it. I'm not faking anything.

We'd love to feature some of these comments on our newsletter blog page, but need some help with posting them. Anyone want to volunteer for this? Let us know!

Poll-How do you feel when celebrities "beat" their illness?

Headlines often say someone "beat" their illness. American Idol Judge Randy Jackson is on the cover of numerous magazines this month, some with headlines that he "beat diabetes." Other celebrities "beat cancer."

When you read this how do you feel? Inspired or disheartened?

> Answer

HopeNotes #36 - Great Christian Financial Resource

A New Issue of HopeNotes has been posted
http://www.restministries.org/hopenotes/2008/04_02.htm

Poll Results - Do you dream at night about life before illness?

Do you have dreams of running or doing things you did before your illness?

> There is still time to answer here

We had 52 people respond to our question last week, "Do you have dreams of running or doing things you did before your illness?" Wow! Last week's winner for a free book is Tina C at email tjc.... We'll ship it right out!

Tina shares, "Yes, I often dream of water-skiing and boating like my family used to do. Since being diagnosed with MS I haven't been able to do some things I used to do in the past! The fatigue is so great sometimes it's an effort to get dressed!"

We were inspired with Janice's comments, "I have tried to keep on going. I have traveled all over the world ministering to missionaries and nationals. Before every trip I become very anxious and have bad dreams about not making it through an airport. This has been so strong that I would quit if I didn't have the prayers of many supporting me. I always find that God protects me, lifts me up, gives me rest and gets me through with incredible ease. He has never let me down."

And we could all use a reminder of the lesson Mary shared, " I have decided that I need a new dream. The new dream is how I live with my illness and calm the frenzied lifestyle I have been leading. Less frenzy, means less up and down with my illness. I do NOT have to do it all anymore." Yay, Mary! Illness definitely has a way of readjusting our priorities.

We'll soon feature all of the feedback somewhere on our new web page. We'll keep you posted with a link!

Poll- Do you dream at night about life before illness?

Do you have dreams of running or doing things you did before your illness?

> Answer

"When I was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1998, I would dream at night that I was running. Then morning would approach and somewhere between sleep and awake I would realize that my stiff muscles could hardly allow me to rise from my bed. It wouldn't be a day for running--that was for sure. I don't dream of moving like my former self much anymore. Perhaps where ever dreams may start, they have caught up to the reality of the frame they are carried in. But I have often told my family that when I get to heaven I am going to run. And one of my favorite images is of running to meet my loved ones who have arrived in heaven before me, and later running to greet my loved ones who arrive in heaven after me."
- Jo Anderson, living with fibromyalgia, Chiari Malformation, and Sjogren's in Minnesota