Tuesday! Woot! Woot!

Good evening everyone!

What a great Tuesday!
I am officially 100 days from graduation!
Yeah!

I can not believe it! Whoa! What a blessing!

In these years that I have been pursuing my Doctorate degree...I have had some "rough" days with this rheumatoid arthritis and I have had some "good" days with rheumatoid arthritis!  

It has most certainly been quite a roller coaster ride but nothing can compare to the feeling of being 100 days from graduation!

Can not wait....

Okay: Arthritis junk

My knees have been swollen and very achy...by the time I get home in the evening I am walking as if I was an old lady on some days...very slow and dragging...I take a hot bath every evening so that I can give my body the time that it needs to relax and loosen up in order to go to sleep.

My elbows, my wrist and my hands have been screaming because they are just on overdrive mode but I will not give in nor give up...I am holding fast on my faith...I know that I will be delivered from this debilitating illness because I claim my healing....In Jesus' name....

Until next time...please pray for me and I will continue to pray for you....

Absolutely the greatest thing I have ever heard!

Good afternoon everyone!

I hope you have all had a wonderful weekend!

Church service was just amazing yesterday and it was just an awesome day....even if I spent the time after church with just the girls...Mindy, Porsche, Shelby and Mercedes....
Everyone is back at school...routines are back to normal...Isaiah went to a friends house after church....and Rico was at the golf course.... Empty nest...is an understatement...hee hee hee...

But my girls kept me quite good company as I worked on my Chapter 4 and making it tell a story....

Came to work today and wouldn't you know it ....both of my assistants were absent today....Way to start the week! But my kiddos stepped up to the plate and were absolutely the greatest class today....No MELT DOWNS! Yeah!

Smooth sailing.....

Then to make a good day great I received the best text ever from my husband...
"I just had a flash of you graduating and it brought tears to my eyes! I am so proud of you!"

Can I tell you that regardless of any aches and pains related to arthritis! regardless to the medications that I am supposed to take....regardless of the amount of work that I have to continue to put into my dissertation! can I tell you that those have been the best words that I could hear!

I could not have done all that I have without God and the loving support of my husband!

Wow!

Until next time....continue to pray for me and know that I am praying for you...

Awkward or Blessing

Good Evening

Have you ever had one of those moments when you just were not sure if it was an awkward moment or a blessing?

Well, I am still trying to decide which one I have had...

I know that God is still in the business of making miracles happen so I am going to stand firm on that the moment I am referring is a Blessing.

I will not let satan take my joy because he does not have that power over me...Jesus is still in control of my life...and no matter what that moment tried to do...I am ok with the moment...

Because:

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me...
I once was lost but now I am found...was blind but now I see...

T'was Grace that taught my heart to feel,
and Grace my fears relieved...how precious that day that Grace appeared...the hour I first believed...

My chains are gone...I have been set free...My God, My Savior...has ransomed me...And like a flood, His Mercy reigns, unending love, Amazing Grace...

The Lord has promised good to me...His word my hope secures...He will my shield and portion be...
As long as life endures....

My chains are gone...I have been set free...My God, My Savior...has ransomed me...And like a flood, His Mercy reigns, unending love, Amazing Grace...My chains are gone...I have been set free...My God, My Savior...has ransomed me...And like a flood, His Mercy reigns, unending love, Amazing Grace..

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow...the sun forbear to shine...But God, who call me here below...
Will be forever mine...will be forever mine... YOU are forever mine..."

Sung by: Chris Tomlin...

These are many of the words that get me through the day no matter if it is "a moment" or arthritis...

God has saved me...He is forever mine...My Hope is secured in His word! Amen!

God's love has taught me to truly understand the difference between Awkward and a Blessing...I choose to see this moment that I speak of as a Blessing...because God is in all things...He is in control...no matter what...

Thank you Lord for getting me through this moment and so many others...that have were in the past and I am sure there are many more to come....but I will not fear for thou art with me...

So until next time...pray for me and I will continue to pray for you....

God Bless....

What a beautiful Sunrise!

Hello everyone,

I used to think the best time of the day was when you could jump into your bed and sleep! (back when I was a teenager and all I did was sleep!!!)

Now as an adult I truly believe that the best times of the day are sunrise and sunset!
This is the time of day when you can see God's artistic creativity at it's best! The colors are amazing! They are vibrant and exciting! They make you say, "Thank you God for giving me the gift of sight!"
Wow! I enjoy waking up each and every morning to see what He has painted for me!
It is so beautiful and it never ceases to amaze me!

See what I mean? The colors are beautiful! There are purples, yellows, pinks, blues, etc.

It makes you want to get up in the morning to see what will be there next!

It helps me to remember the good days are  still good days....and the not so good days are still good days!

This tells me: Tammy, Look at what God has created so that you can enjoy it! Get up! Go to work and forget the aches and pains that may come on occasion! Enjoy life for what it is worth. Don't worry about things that we can not change but work on what you can...Go out there and exercise...walk...walk and pray...walk and praise Him...walk...and see what God has done for you!..Amen...

Until next time....please keep me in prayer and I will do the same for you!

Enjoy the sunrises....Amen

Hallelujah

Thank you God! Thank you all for all of your prayers! What a great meeting today! God is so good! Amen! All the time! Outcome of meeting: 1) new committee member assigned 2) person assigned has been assigned because of their experience with biblical matters. (others not sure what to do with papers that have scriptures throughout) thank you Lord! 3) we are in track for graduation Other info: 1) friends and family calling with their flight schedules 2) so excited 3) mom and auntie always praying 4) grandmother is excited and can't wait to come 5) haven't had time to feel the issues with RA because it's been a great day even with the rainy day! 6) love my students! They are truly the most interesting bunch! God bless you all...until next time please continue to pray for me and I will continue to pray for you! Amen!

Bittersweet!

Hello everyone

God's Blessings!

It has been such a great weekend! We have been to a wedding, we danced, and
enjoyed our friends from church!
We were able to see Tajah! yeah!
But tomorrow Jazzy will go back to school to finish her Freshman year!
I can not believe that my girls are all in college!
Two are about to graduate and the third is just at the beginning of her journey!
What a blessing that is to have three girls in college and taking that journey to being leaders in this world!
Thank you God for the blessing of my girls and their wonderful gift of being strong Christian women!

Until next time...please pray for me while I continue to pray for you!
I have an appointment with my committee chair on Monday evening so please keep that in prayer and ask God to intervene with my committee! In Jesus' name...Amen!

It has been such a blessing!

Hello Everyone!

First I want to thank my aunt for reminding me not to claim the RA as MINE!
So, I hand it over to Jesus and let Him deal with the issue.
I am so blessed to be able to do the things that I do!
I can walk, run, jump, jog, exercise and work out!

It is so great to have family! It is great to have people that care surround you and pray for you!
I am so blessed to have each and everyone of you that follow my blog because I have prayer warriors on my side each and every day that pray for that Rheumatoid Arthritis to be delivered from our bodies. Amen!

So I thank you for always being in my court, on my side and on my prayer team!

It is such a blessing to have each of you on my side!

So back to writing my dissertation it is!

God Bless

Until the next time, please continue to pray for me and I will continue to pray for you!

If you hear of any new treatments for RA please let me know!
I am trying not to eat red meat so we will see how that goes...
Thanks

Thank You! Martin Luther King, Jr.

I do not say thank you for the day off but Thank You for the fight you had within you to make a change in our lives for today!
Thank you to your family for their sacrifice!
Thank you to those that marched with you!
Thank you for having a dream!

Today was one of those days in which I can just be excited to just be me!
Nothing special happened!
Nothing special occurred!
I was just free to be me!

I woke up this morning and although the Arthritis that runs through my body...keeps me on my toes and at times in pain...I am free to be me...Free to dream....Free to vote...Free to speak...Free to pray...Free to sing...Free to just be...Just free...

Thank you to all of those who have paved the path for all of us!

So until the next time, I will pray for you and continue to pray for me....
God Bless...

Great Sunday

Today was a great day!
Church was amazing!
The message was good!

My hands were swollen and joints were achy but I was able to raise my arms and praise Him!

So my message for RA today is God is good and I was there to tell Him yet another day how great He is!

Praise Him in the morning!
Praise Him in the evening!
Praise Him all the time!

Until next time...please pray for me and I will continue to pray for you!

Productive Weekend

Good Evening

This has been a good couple of days...
My students yesterday were pretty funny and had a great day!
They laughed and learned and told me to have a great weekend!
All was good! The crazy bus driver and crazy teacher from the day before were
in a different type of mood since it was a Friday and the bus driver even apologized to me...Whoo hoo!

Today, I met my buddy Judy at the library and we worked all day!
I added about 6 pages to one of my chapters and anyone who has written a dissertation understands that six pages is quite an accomplishment!

I am now currently working on a clear definition of a "Christian School"
Yeah! now that is a feat in itself! That is my next goal!

My arthritis also has a mind of its own...I still have difficulty each and every morning getting my day started due to stiffness. But I am still able to get up and get going...It takes me about 45 minutes as part of my routine.  My evening routine, takes about 30 minutes in order for me to get ready to loosen up prior to going to bed at night...

My joints have been inflamed and swollen. My feet are also swelling as well...I did notice some weird bruising that appeared and it usually comes and goes without having bumped into anything...

Anyway...I thank you all for reading my blog... and understanding that it does not always deal with my RA but at times my blog is about making it through each day with prayer and my belief in Jesus Christ.

Until the next time, keep me in prayer and I will continue to pray for you!

God Bless you all...

PS. Thank you Babe for that GREAT chicken salad!

Thursday Thursday! Tsk Tsk

Well Thursday started out with a bang! From the moment I woke up until the time I went to bed First thing in the morning I was attacked by the coffee pot! Coffee everywhere! Then driving to work, well I went to have a siP of that same coffee and wouldn't you know that since I left my favorite cup at work the one I chose has the lid that is difficult for those with arthritis to close correctly and hello attack of the coffee again over my clothes! Thank God I wore a black top yesterday! At work, well attack of the crazy jealous teacher at the bus! Maybe she did not take her happy pill and her and grouchy bus driver could not find their happy place and joined forces against a few others yesterday! Hmmmm Thursday! Thursday! Then the infamous meeting I was waiting for! Can I tel u that God is good all the time and all the time God is good! I have a few changes to work on so I will be busy which is why this was written this morning and not last evening! I will not let others take my joy! That is correct! I am a child of God! I am His faithful servant! I have been through a lot in this lifetime! More than many of you know! This is my destiny! It is my time! God has my back! Jesus is the only one who answers my door! So Satan, Good luck! Until next time please continue to pray for me and I will most certainly pray for you God Bless

Weird Wednesday!

Work was terrific! Worked out and did 2 miles! Yeah! Okay then after work a special education meeting! Then off to the university to work at typing more of Chapter 4. So much work! Stress is not great for Rheumatoid Arthritis! Ugh! So while at the library my committee Emailed me that they would not have comments to my first Three chapters until I could send them my appendices first! Really! What is that about! Ugh! Pray for me and I will pray for you! Will keep you posted on the committee information! Ugh!

Tuesday exercise!

Hello everyone! May God's blessings be upon you all! We had a great day today! Walked two miles! Staff meeting was great! Students were super great today They worked hard and were excited about exercising! We got another class that is joining us tomorrow and So it begins! Exercise is a great way to get your joints in action! It's time again to get my team together for the arthritis walk! Go team Tammy! It will be at six flags Magic Mountain! June 3,2012! Guess my grad guests will be part of my team! Yeah! Can't wait! Judy are you in? Maria are you in? Okay short and sweet today! God bless! Until next time I will pray for you! Please pray for me and don't forget to pray for each other!

Happy Monday!

Happy Monday!

It has been such a great day!

I have been Blessed with such a great day that I know that I am Blessed and highly favored by God!

My life is such a gift that I know God keeps me near His arms!

My aunt and I keep in touch daily and it is such a blessing to have that ability! We have realized how far our family has come! We have had family members that have gone on to be with Jesus but were Blessed that right before their passing were able to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Isn't God good! That right before they died, God gave them the ability to say yes! to Him and to His will! Amen!

Thank God for His mercy and grace!

I am so proud to be a Christian! I am so Blessed to have the ability of being able to know that I was able to say "Yes" to His will and His way since I was sixteen years old!

I woke up this morning rejuvenated and replenished! Being able to go to church on a Sunday gives me the ability to get the energy that I need to endure each week!

I was able to wake up this morning with a renewed strength! My joints were pain free today! I was not stiff! I was able to get up and dressed in less than 45 minutes! Yeah! Woot! Woot!

Today was a good day! I praise Him on my good days and I praise Him on my days that are not so great! Thank you for a good day Lord!

So I thank you all for your prayers because today I was able to move around today!

Until the next time...I will keep YOU in prayer and please continue to pray for me!

God Bless you!

Talk to you later Titi! Miss you

Sweet Sunday!

Hello Everyone

Sunday's are such sweet and blissful! Being able to attend church and to praise God is a blessing that I can not describe!

Having the ability to raise your hands towards the heavens in honor Of our Lord and Savior is one of the greatest things we can do.

 Having Rheumatoid Arthritis can have an effect On my daily routine but it does not stop me from lifting my hands to praise Him! Amen!

Today I have spent My time typing more on my chapter 4 and waiting for my committee to send changes regarding my chapters 1-3 but nothing yet! God tells us to be patient! To wait on His time and not our time so I am trying to follow His will and not my own. At times this is very difficult to do!

 I thank you all for reading my blog and taking the time to respon at times with prayers and comments.

I appreciate the feedback.

I appreciate the emails that I receive from each of you giving me the strength, courage and the motivation that I need to continue on this journey that God has placed me on.

Good night and thank you all for being there for me...

Until the next time...continue to pray for me and I will continue to pray for you!

God Bless

3:45 am still haunts me after all of these years

Hello everyone

I haven't thought about 3:45 am in many, many years...but last night as I struggled to get up to use the restroom I noticed the time..."Oh no! There it was again!" That horrid hour! The reason that I left Puerto Rico so many years ago to begin a new life! There it was to remind me...to bring up all of those memories! I can't believe that at the end of this month, it will be 27 years that she has been gone! Where has the years gone! I still remember her last breath! I remember my grandmother's last words! I remember it all! It never really goes away! I miss being able to talk to her. Maybe that is why my joints been hurting me so much lately! Stress is not a good thing for Rheumatoid Arthritis...In fact the doctors tell you to live a stress free life...but how do you get rid of the stress from the past? The stress of remembering that this is the anniversary month of such a horrid memory is more than my body can take. I just need to allow the memory to come and then let it go.  I need to keep the faith in Jesus Christ and allow Him to do His work in me!

You see that no matter how many years have gone by, I still feel guilty that she died and I didn't. Maybe I still struggle because my life was able to continue and her life was cut short at the young age of 18.

I need to remind myself what I tell others, "When Satan comes knocking on the door, I need to let Jesus answer the door." So, Satan, take note! I rebuke you in the name of Jesus!

In John 16:33, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

Jesus is ready to do battle for me. I know that He is! I just need to allow Him to do His work.

Until the next time...please know that I am praying for you and I ask that you continue to pray for me...

God Bless you...and I hope that I can sleep past... 3:45 am....

Fun Friday!

I love Fridays! Dinner with my hubby and kids is always a plus! Add a few friends in the mix and bang! Great end to a fabulous week!

I was just told this afternoon that I was placed on a committee specifically for my experience and background! Yeah!

I can tell you that today my Rheumatoid Arthritis was kicked in its butt! I walked two miles yesterday and another two miles today! My RA had to take a back seat to stiffness and pain because I have begun to get my exercise routine back! Zumba will begin as well! I am so excited to be able to walk again

The medication has stayed the same: Methotrexate and the sulfursalazine

I haven't had a change to speak to my doctor lately and I will not have an opportunity to get an appointment until my spring break because I will not take time away from my students. I hate having to share them with a substitute...

God has truly blessed me this week! Even though I have had my aches and pains He has brought me home safely each and every day!

I hope to walk two more miles tomorrow and Sunday and then I need to complete Chapter 4 of my dissertation within the next week. In other words,  I will be typing all day tomorrow and Sunday! Lots of work but 124 days and I will be graduating!

I will keep today short and sweet! Until the next time, I will pray for you and please continue to pray for me...God Bless and enjoy your weekend...

Happy Thursday~Life's little lessons

Today was a great day!

Working with students is the greatest job to have!

They allow my days to go by so much quicker than being in an office!

My days are blessed with their smiles, their energy, and their innocence! They teach me more then I can every teach them with their love of learning and their diligence to accomplish a task without getting frustrated. They give me more on a daily basis than any book can.

From the moment they come off the bus until the time they get back on the bus to go home, they are an everlasting promise that life is forever changing and nothing will ever stay the same. Working as a special education teacher gives me renewed strength every day. 

 Today, I had to smile as I was reading "Battlefield of the Mind" by Joyce Meyers! I the book, Joyce Meyers was referring to a married couple to which the husband and wife were having difficulties in their marriage. The difficulties were to such an extreme that it was causing difficulties to their child in school academically and behaviorally. Many believed that if the wife knew Christ, she would not have the issues in her marriage. But they knew Christ! Both of them did. But the wife was not willing to give up on things that she had learned in her childhood. Things such as: her father did not respect her or her mother; her brother was given more attention by her father because her was a boy; her father trained her to see that in life, men were worth more than women. This is one of the reasons that the woman could not give into many things within her marriage. She was not one that would compromise. 

I smiled because Joyce said that the wife began to pray for "Victory over anger, rebellion, unforgiveness, resentment and bitterness." Romans 12:2 was the scripture that was quoted. Really! I promise that I truly pray for the same things! I laughed because, God and I have this conversation on a daily basis! This woman prayed and would ask God against the being bossy, being rebellious and the best one yet: The  nagging! (It's me in a nut shell)

My body today was in a shut down mode! It was a little too much for me because by the time I got home from work, I had to lay down and rest and ultimately take a nap. Maybe my stomach began to hurt because I have been pushing myself too hard lately. Maybe my head began to hurt because I have lack of sleep. Maybe it's just my way of taking the time to slow down and take a moment. You see with my RA it is not just my joints that I have to worry about...it is my internal organs. Sometimes, I forget that. Sometimes, I think that I am still 100% healthy because I have God on my side. 

God has given me the strength to make it through each and every day! The strength to carry on with prayer and with diligence!  Because of God, I was able to celebrate my 6th year of not smoking! Yeah!

Well, until the next time we speak...you pray for me...and I will pray for you!

Thank you Joyce Meyer for the words of inspiration...

We need to be ready for the challenges that life brings 

School is back is session!

Hello everyone

God's blessing be upon you as they have been upon me today for the Lord again allowed me to enjoy yet another day!

Waking up this morning @ 0530 was quite the task. I was so excited to get to see my kiddos again that I was not able to get much sleep last night! I believe I finally dozed off at 0345 this morning which did not leave me with any time to...well you know get my snoring on...

With lack of sleep comes the pain from my joints...this always occurs when I am under the weather, when I am stress and when I do not get sufficient rest.

This morning my knees were quite the pair! They treated me as if there were tiny little millimeter people squeezing and twisting every part of my knees possible! Ugh! But God is so good that He allowed me to prevail and step down off of my bed and walk! Amen!

Isaiah 54:17 says, "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thees in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." (KJV)

This is the promise that I have from God! He tells me in scripture that no matter what RA believes it will do to my body, I am going to be fine!

Scripture tell me that even when I am weak, God is there for me! When my mind is telling me to GET UP and my body is struggling to just be...I know that He is there for me! 2 Corinthians 12:9, "But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me!" Ephesians 3:16, "I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being." Colossians 1:11, "being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance." 1 Timothy 1:12, "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me faithful, appointing me to His service."

It is because of my faith that I am able to prevail when I feel that I no longer can!
Because of my faith, I can endure!
Because of His love, I can be free to be me!

God knows the amount of tears that I have shed, no matter the reason. No one else can come close to knowing. God is and always will be my best friend. I have no other. Many have come and many have gone But He remains constant! He doesn't judge me. He doesn't chastise me. He doesn't try to change me. He loves me for me!

Yesterday I spoke of trials and tribulations and the power of technology! Today, I am so truly Blessed to have a wonderful job! Blessed to have the use of my extremities! Blessed to have said, "Yes!" to Jesus Christ.

I thank you all for following my blog and for knowing that whether it is a good day or a day that I struggle to take a step I know that there are those out there like you who will pray for me as I continue to pray for you!.

Thank you for all of your prayers.

I have begun to read Joyce Meyers' book, "Battlefield of the Mind!" Wow!
Loving it!

Until tomorrow...(it's time to go back and type some more of my dissertation!) 126 days and a wake up to graduation! Yeah!

PS. Thank you Maria for all of your help today! I know the kids were glad to see you!

Tuesday, January 3_ Technology is Amazing!

Hello Everyone,

I hope that today was as Blessed a day for you as it was for me!

God woke me up this morning and allowed me to see the light of a new day!

It was wonderful to read an email from my aunt today! Thank you Titi! I miss you dearly!

Technology can be so wonderful at times, as in the instance mentioned above! It allows us to communicate with friends and family in a way that was not possible just 20 years ago. Now we can instantly send messages and know that the recipient will have the ability of reading the message shortly there after. We also have the ability of visually seeing others through the use of Skype.  Amazing! I know! I have the ability of being blessed to Skype with my mom every evening now!

I have the ability of being able to seeing her from over 3,000 miles away! Isn't that great? Where was Skype when I was stationed in Korea and did not have the ability of seeing my babies...but I guess I was still Blessed since I was able to call my babies every day!

Even though I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, I am still Blessed because I still have the use of my hands and feet! I have the ability to type to all of you and reach out and tell you how my day was...Whether my days are good or not so great...the ability to communicate is such a blessing...the ability to tell you about how I feel today and the ability of hearing how your day is going with your RA is a blessing. Being able to share information about medication is...what works and which ones do not...is so beneficial to me because in the beginning, I did not have anyone to reach out to in order to ask questions.

Sure there is the doctor but not always the easiest to speak with when they are busy with other patients especially when dealing with the VA.

I give God the Glory every day. From the time I wake up in the morning until I lay my head down at night! God has brought me through so many trials and tribulations! He holds my hands when my joints are screaming out in pain. El me da la fortaleza cuando necessito!

No matter what I have going on in life, RA, working on my dissertation, being a wife or a mom I know that God will bring me through because I have hope!

Joyce Meyer had on her daily devotional today a message of hope.

She discusses how we need to have "Trust in the Power of Hope."

Joyce uses Proverbs, 13:12 as a scriptural reference, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life."

Her message was regarding hoping for something good to happen to you if you learn how to celebrate and enjoy life!

Isn't that a great idea! Learn how to celebrate and enjoy life will allow you to hope for something good to happen.

So, if you think about it, my being diagnosed with RA is not a punishment...it is another trial/tribulation... James 1:2 tells us to "Consider it pure joy, brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds."

Knowing what type of trouble to expect is a great help in being ready to meet that trouble!

I am learning to celebrate and enjoy my life no matter what...this weekend...I was able to visits my cousin and we went to Sea World...We had a blast...I took a picture with Bert & Ernie! hahaha...I rode a roller coaster, took a picture with the cat in the hat! Hung out with a few penguins...Yeah...Life is great!

Life is what you make of it! God gives us that ability as a Christian to deal with the trials and tribulations that come our way...No matter what! I will continue to praise Him... so until the next time...Continue to pray for me and I will continue to pray for you!

It's January 2012

Seriously, I can't believe how quickly time has gone by! My last blog was last summer!

I hope you are all well! I hope you are all taking your Tylenol and exercising! (inside joke)

To catch you all up a bit, I will be graduating with my Doctorate's Degree in Educational Leadership, K-12, in 149 days!

I have been so busy typing my chapters and making revisions that I really have not had the time required to blog! I am going to work harder at it this year!

My girls are all in college now! Two are seniors and the youngest one is a freshman! Wow! My baby boy is a sophomore in high school and taller than I am!

Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis has and always will be a challenge!

I find myself with days that are extremely amazing with no pain or difficulty moving around...and then there are days like today which were extremely painful and lots of exertion on my part to just get off the bed this morning.

I find that my skin is changing and it is severely dry. My face feels as if it is burning and my cheeks are bright red and itchy. I try not to scratch but I see my face is well having issues with a spot turning brown...idk kind of like the spot on my stomach from over the summer...which by the way has still not gone away! Don't know what to make of that yet...well eventually I will see my doctor when he makes an appointment or I actually care enough to make the time to schedule an appointment in order to see what is going on.

Medicine has not quite changed much...I was placed back on Enbrel this summer and well had a few allergic reactions that occurred around the site of the injection...pretty gross! But not taking it any longer and back on the injectable methotrexate and sulfur salazine.

Have not done Zumba in quite a while because I really do not have time and even if I did I just do not have the energy! It's like the old days when I would get home from work and I would just sit there because my mind and my body were not in sync with each other...which means my mind says I could do this or that and my body just laughs!

I have also found that you should not take water pills and shortly there after take alleve! Allergic reaction yet again! Make sure you have benadryl readily available or and epi-pen! I believe that I will wait and take them with over two hours of time prior to each other! Yeah! Not the greatest of experiences.

I got really ill prior to Thanksgiving...and that turned into Bronchitis...well after taking the Z-pack which by the way is a great antibiotic! I had a relapse the week after and I am still trying to recover and it has been over 6 weeks! Not as bad but I have my inhaler with me wherever I go.

My sixth year Smober anniversary was on New Year's Eve! Yeah! Six years and no smoking!

I have maintained my regimen of a hot bath daily...this seems to assist with stiffness prior to going to bed and in the morning if I have time I will use the paraffin wax for my hands and elbows to give me some relief prior to going to work.

Well I know this has been a lot of writing after taking a break but I am trying to get a little better at this and use it as a release from writing my dissertation! Which by the way we are having a love hate relationship at the moment! I do not know who or what I have ever spent so much time with over the years but this dissertation has to be in the top 10! Some days I am writing/researching/rewriting for 12 to 15 hours a day! I have become best friends with some members of my cohort because they spend the same amount of time with me in a library or in my home. We are on the home stretch!


So until the next time...I will pray for you and if you will continue to pray for me.

T