The Chronicles of Nani - Sorry Seems To Be The Easiest Word

Sometimes remaining optimistic is a challenge. Things can happen that can't be controlled and it can seem like the world is working against you. But one thing definitely is true. When things happen that are out of your control, it's not your fault and you don't how to apologize for them. But “I’m sorry” is something that we all say and it's often said about things we don't need to be sorry about.

 

The Chronicles of Nani - Surviving

I'm so far behind on everything. I really want to catch up, to get everything on my list of priorities done so that my time is mine again. I do realize there are just some things I should probably just say no to doing.

I've taken over making sure all of the household bills, including my medical bills, I get paid. Since I started doing that we haven't had one late payment and they do it all digital so we don't kill trees getting paper bills or just clutter David's table and never get paid. I know it's like a 1950s housewife horror movie but I called my life. But considering that when Social Security time comes around my degree and years of working will mean nothing and my Social Security checks will be based on the fact that I was a wife. It's humiliating, but I'm going to be the best darn simple wife that I can handle with MS.

But the biggest and most important priority if my world is my vlog. It makes me feel like I'm working again. That's a pretty big deal to a recovering workaholic. And that makes me feel like I'm doing something worthwhile. Like when I was a self-help group leader, I can try to help people with chronic illnesses be more positive. I also hope it helps caregivers and loved ones of people with chronic illnesses, like me, I understand better what their loved one is dealing with and to keep those friendships and relationships as close as they've always been.

I'm sorry I didn't put a note up here. There was no video last week (I put it on Facebook and Twitter, but if you don't follow me on those media, it kind a lefty wondering and I'm sorry.) I was moving some things so I could stretch a little bit because my legs were sore spending a whole day trying to edit in a hurry video that was supposed to go up last week. My husband left on a weeks vacation and I had just lost the agency that was applying an aide 9 hours a week, which is better than nothing. But now I did have nothing going in to seven days with no one coming in. To say that I was overwhelmed is a major understatement!

So, while I was trying to get last weeks blog done and I've managed to really get "in the zone" of that I forgot about stretching my legs at all. When I was moving things the most dropped to the floor and I had to wait until my husband got home to retrieve it. The only problem was it was broken. I can't edit or even do anything in Photoshop without my mouse. That's the skipped week. I got on Amazon and ordered TWO mice so there would always be a back up. The first mouse that I got mail was a gift for my friend and former coworker, Mary. The message was "enjoy your gift. Now get back to editing!" She knows you're a workaholic friend too well. LOL

Today's YouTube video it's about that week but I was so afraid of and how it turned out to be a very good week after all.

The Chronicles of Nani - Self-Help Groups

No matter what your chronic illness is a self-help group is an excellent opportunity to be with people that deal with the same things that you do. And let you know that you are not alone.

I was a certified self-help group leader with the national MS Society for about a year and a half and it was a wonderful experience. I met so many other people with multiple sclerosis and so many different types of MS. It gave me a greater understanding of what I'm living with but it also gave me a better understanding that I'm not the only one living with it. I discovered that a healthy combination of optimism and realism is key to making the most of existing with a chronic illness. 

This vlog talks about multiple sclerosis self-help groups, that will resume being person to person meetings eventually as we move towards a post-Covid world, because that's my personal disease and my personal experience. But I'm sure a web search will reveal many peer groups for various chronic illnesses as well as local person-to-person support groups.