Hello Friends,

 'MAKING FRIENDS-PRICELESS & GIVE THANKS FOR PROBLEMS-PRICELESS'

Problems are inevitable on our journey.  Every problem can teach us something.
They can transform us little by little into the masterpiece that the Lord created us to be.
Or, by our choices, they can be stumbling blocks by which we fall when we react with distrust, defiance and lack of hope. 

Believing comes from the very depths of who we are.  When we believe, it comes from our heart, not our head.  As we look at our loved ones, do we want to embrace them and do we want to be with them?  Of course, we do. Do we learn from our Friends and grow with/from them?
Of course, we do.   Do we not, think and pray for them that we will grow in His Love and fellowship with our Friends for the good of everyone?  I do!  So, I feel it is fair to say that we become a better person/persons when we bond and stay close to our friends.  Would you not agree?  Why else would we want to be with them, embrace them, and give thanks for them.

Friends are gifts from our heavenly Father, our Lord, our God, a higher power and/or whomever you believe in your heart that provides all things in this world, to those that choose to accept.  This ultimate belief that we know in our hearts that friends nurtures us and allows us to be a better person for ourselves and others is truly a gift.  
MAKING FRIENDS-PRICELESS.

Have we ever thought of Thanking our Heavenly Father for OUR PROBLEMS?  NOT SO MUCH, I am sure.  Well, let me share a little of my story that gave me pause to do just that.
I Thanked God for my Problems! 

You must understand as you are reading my posts that I will repeat myself in various ways from time to time.  And, I give myself permission to do this because this is my story and it is very difficult to have everything in order over a 20 plus years.  So, bear with me.  I am just a simple person, remember me stating this in my profile? This is all relevant.

I shared with you that I had a 'near death experience' in the 1990's.  So much pain, stress and what I had thought and felt was a 'world of hurt' in my life over the past two years of my RSDS/CRPS, I had awaken from a 'near death experience'.  The first thing that went through my mind was: 'where am I and what am I doing here'.  I had been in this wonderful vibrant place of colors, light and a sense of  'awe'.  I looked around and saw a doctor standing over me, oxygen on my face, an IV tubing in my arm and I knew just one thing; I didn't want to be in this place!  After recovering from that episode and some very difficult days that followed, I truly started questioning where God was and why in the world he would bring me back to this! 

Soon afterwards,  with help from others, mostly from an awesome pastor, I searched, prayed, listened and chose to rethink and discern that God must have a reason for allowing me to go through these experiences.  Many reasons, in fact.  One, He had allowed RSD to become a part of my life.  Secondly, He allowed me to go through the 'near death experience' and thirdly, He allowed me to return back from the 'near death experience' for a reason. 

Instead of my becoming angry with God, which I did for quite a while, I chose to focus on the positive and would 'counteract' every negative thought that came into my mind with a positive thought.  I was making better choices each day and as I did this day after day, I begin to BELIEVE in my heart, not my head, that there was a mission for my life right where I was. 

I believed in my heart that 'God allowed in His Wisdom What He Could Have Easily Prevented in His Power.'  This quote is by Graham Cooke and I cannot take credit for it but when I read this, I believed/believe in my heart that this was/is my mission.

If I had never traveled this path without RSDS/CRPS, (a problem), I BELIEVE that I would have never growth into the person that I was Divinely Meant to Be.

I THANKED/THANK GOD FOR PROBLEMS-PRICELESS

I will share very soon on my post: How Problems can transform into Inconveniences.

Until next time,
God Bless!
Doris

Sunday evening

Hi Friends,

I am sharing with anybody that wants to read my posts.  Some of the things that I write is positive and some is just reality that I feel is important to reflect on and learn how to cope and accept in our life and living.

I am sure we all have heard the statement: It doesn't take long to look around us and see somebody worse off than we are.  Have you ever heard this? I have and I have felt this.

I am grateful for what RSD has taught/is teaching me.  I feel that I have learned volumes about life and living and if RSD had not crossed my path, I wouldn't be the person that I am today.
I can honestly say that I enjoy my life and living and from hence I have come.  Pain, sorrow, lessons, setbacks; yes, but I am a more rounded, deeper caring, spiritual person now. 

I read somewhere that if you walked into a place and there was a huge table with crosses all over it and each cross represented your burdens/crosses to bear in life, that you would most likely pick up the one that was your cross/burdens in the first place.  It is good that we have no control of what comes our way.  I feel and believe that there is a 'higher power' greater than ourselves that knows what is best for our journey in life. 

Now, perhaps, what we can do to make those burdens/crosses lighter would be to reflect/focus on what they might mean to have crossed our path and learn from them.  Just maybe, they were put in our path for us to slow down and listen within as to what it is that this 'cross' is trying to teach me.  Sometimes we need to refocus and go down a different path on our journey. 

I remember many years ago now when I was diagnosed with RSDS/CRPS that I was just doing my thing. I didn't think too much about what was going to be happening in the future.  Just living my life and enjoying most of it, with my ten year old daughter.  I was a single parent with a good job and enjoying my work. 

And, than one day, it all changed.  Trauma from a previous surgery started to tailspin and that is when RSDS/CRPS entered my life and living.  The only thing that I really knew that I wanted was to survive as a good mother for my daughter for I was a single parent.  I HAD TO WORK AND I HAD A PURPOSE BESIDES MYSELF.  After crying the 'why me' and started focusing through support.  The 'Why Me' changed to 'Why Not Me'. My family, neighbors, church family and my work family were awesome!

I just want to say that I would never have made it to where I am now if I would have tried to handle RSD on my own.  EVERYBODY NEEDS SUPPORT.  RSDS/CRPS persons need support when all that they feel is  PAIN.  Empathy from another is the first step in healing.  Sympathy got me nowhere.  I wanted somebody to understand me and NOT feel sorry for me. And, if they haven't experienced RSD, they can still be there in love, caring and allowing you to just 'BE in the Moment'.  That heals and comforts pain.

You know, sometimes it is hard to cope and share and even get up in the mornings but if we don't keep trying we cannot help ourselves or anybody else.

So, on those days that we find it so very hard to move, move anyways!  Yes, call somebody and share ANYTHING with somebody.  This is the first thing that I found that helped me the most from going into a depression.  And, even if you don't say a word other than, "Hi, this is ______, I am not having a good day."  And, your friend or whomever you have chosen to call will take care of the rest for awhile.  BUT, WE HAVE TO START TO MOVE AND TRY TO REACH OUT.  The rest will follow.  Believe me, I am not sharing anything that I haven't experienced myself.  I didn't/don't want to just hear stories that sound good.  I always wanted to hear the truth even when it hurt. 

If I could wish anything today that I could say or do to help any person in pain but especially, to RSDS/CRPS persons since having RSDS has inspired me to start my blog; it would be to first and foremost, search for a purpose to live for, look for a passion to fulfill and keep your focus on something that is bigger than you are and/or your pain.  Take up a hobby and/or do something that fills your head/heart and life.  And, secondly, KEEP MOVING! 
I was told if I ever sit and did not move, I would be in a wheelchair the rest of my life.  I truly believe this because if I get the flu or I am off of my feet for days, I hurt and I know and reflect on what I was told.  WE MUST KEEP MOVING.

I worked for several years after my diagnosis of RSD.  The only reason that I could do this was because I had an awesome employer and I worked with some awesome co-workers.  I will never forget their support.  They allowed me to be an equal in the midst of my struggles and treated me the same as before I was diagnosed with RSD.  If any of you are reading this post, thanks, once again.  You all know who you are.  You're the best!
I remember having a button attached to the wall of my cubicle.   The button had a picture of a penguin on it.  The reading on it read: I can't fly but I get around just fine!  And, so DID I! 

Most importantly to remember, we can't go it alone.  It's ok to ask for help and than we all win.

Until next time,
God Bless!
Doris

Searching for a Purpose in My Adversities

September 23, 2012 7:39 PM

Tonight, I want to focus on all RSDS (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) people. Persons with RSDS are not 'Patients'. Please understand that anybody with this dis-ease condition are normal people and not 'patients' that are crippled and are no use to anybody and/or ourselves/themselves.

However, if there is anybody reading this article tonight that has RSDS, "YOU" are miserable! And, that is why I want to focus tonight on 'YOU', especially. I know when I was experiencing my greater pain it was very, very difficult to listen or care what anybody else was telling me to do. People meant well in their effects of support, but all that I could center in on was 'PAIN'.

Now, please stay with me in my thoughts and feelings. I have no intent of sharing 'my story' with the intention of 'can you top my story'? And, I have no intention of sharing as to reflect how I experienced so much pain and sharing 'a pity story'.

We all have a 'story'. They are just different. Everyone of us are 'walking' some kind of 'journey'. We all have hills and valleys. I have found that any experiences that have come our way 'invited or uninvited' can be stepping stones to a fuller and richer insight for ourselves, our families and others by walking this way.

There is 'purpose' in our adversities but it is ok if you can not see that today. Hold firm and stay focused on the immediate just now. My first focus/purpose was my ten year old daughter at the time. I was a single Mother. The rest was survival and I had to search every book, tape, professional help, friends that cared and but did not understand, family and I had to dig deep within whenever I could to 'a faith' that I had difficulty trusting in my PAIN. But, little is better than none. Just crawl deep within and hold on to 'hope' for starters.

I have found it is very important to stay focused on the 'bigger picture' to, first, survive. So, from here I will share a little more of 'my story'.

This is a question that was asked of me many years ago now as I was experiencing/searching for a diagnosis as to why I was experiencing so much pain and could not walk without crutches.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WERE TOLD BY DOCTORS THAT IN MONTHS OR YEARS TO COME YOU WOULD SPEND YOUR FUTURE ON AND OFF IV pain medications, JUST TO CONTROL THE PAIN, AND THAT YOUR CONDITION WAS NOT CURABLE?

Well, of course, I had mixed emotions and was fearful. This is why I want to speak to the hurting tonight of RSDS. I want to offer you words of hope that will seems as a paradox tonight. For, I have just stated that it is very difficult to receive any encouragement in the midst of your pain but it does get better. There is hope. And, when YOU can not feel it or find it, hold on to anything and everything that you can read, hear or find to give you hope and strength just for today. Tomorrow will come soon enough to begin again. This 'moment' is all that you have. Take one moment at a time.

And, I realize that one's faith can be wounded during this time of pain, too. So, rest in others prayers and support. And, remember, YOU do not have to explain what and how you are feeling.

I was forced to quit my employment, endured over thirty pain block treatments, had a surgical procedure Implant pain device placed in my tummy and an Implant in my spine to control the pain of RSDS in my legs and went through a 'near death experience.'

I will continue another time but please know that I am a
vibrant, alive example and real evidence as to how one with
RSDS can have a full life after/with (remission) RSDS.
..... Next, we will walk through how this is possible...it is, my friend! Please do not ever give up! I will be praying for YOU tonight and every night. God Bless you!