Lifestyle 'choices'

If you are looking for something that is just a bit of extra money I do mystery shopping and merchandising. A lot of the websites are focused on mom's who want to stay home with their kids. You can take the jobs you want when you are feeling okay and not have to worry about working when you are not. Here are some sites.
http://www.wahm.com/
http://www.workplacelikehome.com/forum/index.php ( this one you have to sign up for a user but it is a safe site)
https://criny.com/index_portal.aspx ( This is a good one to sign up for - (I do trailer checks on Friday early afternoons where you have to go to the first showing of a movie and write down all the trailers that they show)

It is only a little money but it helps my feel like I am helping out a bit with my husband....and it gives me a project to focus on.

There is something to be said about the "mental constitution" of a chronnie. I was reading somewhere that many of us tend to be "overachievers"...type A personalities if you will. Always pushing, always striving for more...and, oh yeah, worrying(we've got it down to an art, especially if you consider the ache in the pit of the stomach, that telltale sign of worry)...

It's kinda kwel the profound things that many have said...and the wisdom that age and, to an even greater degree, illness/pain has brought to our lives...I remember pushing, similar to you, Bonnie, during the summer (I am only 30 something), and working and trying to cram it all in. I remember the crazy semesters of 21 units and working 40 + hours a week (oh, and half those units included lab classes...micro, physics, calc, o-chem, and to add some spice, Sociology and a language class too...)So, I guess what I am saying, saying, is that sometimes, during the summer, though making it all you can, don't push it so hard, rest the body and the brain...the brain fog comes from using it and focusing it so much during the year, that any less seems idle, but it probably isn't. (BTW, that semester ended up disastrous!). Like Ivy said, you learn so much from watching.

Also, to keep my brain busy...besides watching some trashy TV (and some decent), I try new things that I can do that don't require too much effort. Painting (Frida started due to being immobile for over a year because of broken back...at least I can move), needlecraft, gardening.

And it's kinda weird, but the effort of keeping the mind sharp while dealing with pain, illness, isolation, has had a profound and, IMHO, pleasing, impact on my view of life, and how I view the world, my place in it, and relationships...So many things I took for granted...like being able to run...riding a bike...eating pizza, that when you can do these things, it is wondrous...

At the moment I have not been working since October, I have been stuck to the toilet until 12 noon everyday and I have to sleep like crazy.
At the moment I am getting better slowly I hope.

It is funny but since I stopped working I have never been more busy :S
I am always busy mostly doctors appointments and other treatment. But I also feel like I have to do lot of things between toilet trips

The reason I stopped working was because of the stress it was causing me and I feel so much better.

I have two dogs they are my mane hobby I take them to Show's, train them, walk them and groom.
I have been in love with dogs all my life and I finally moved away from home and can have as many as I want :)

During the days I take care of them and clean the house and run a few errands.
This fall I am going to nursing school I hope.

I try not to over do it but sometimes it happens and then I just sleep more ..

No my doc said I had to take it easy because of some liver problems and I am trying my best to stay non active but it is hard.

This is what I try to do every day:

* make bed, do dishes, do basic tidying, do cooking (like you, I am on a special diet so need to cook almost everything from scratch)
* shower and dress (sometimes doesn't happen until late afternoon because of pain and fatigue)
* do some exercise. This might be a walk (sometimes slow, sometimes long, very occasionally quick) or I might use equipment at home. I have some floor pedals that I can use, lying down, even when I'm struggling with everything else
* look after my pets
* pull 120 weeds or do 10-15 minutes of other gardening
* devotions
* take meds

Anything beyond that is a bonus. I have entirely too many appointments and am often too foggy to drive, so if I'm able to walk there I might do one errand on the way. If not, I'll catch a taxi - I have a half-price taxi card due to being disabled. I have a huge backlog of errands and appointments and don't know when I'll get them done, as some of them require having the occasional day clear to concentrate on them, and I don't have those free days :-(.

I try to read most days (10 pages is my goal) and *try* to engage in some sort of hobby as well. Again, these are things I can mark off on my weekly checklist. Being a Flybaby, I *try* to do something fun on Friday and Saturday - it doesn't always happen, but it happens sometimes. Oh, and even though I'm not Mormon, I've stolen their idea of doing a Family Home Evening on Monday night, where I try to do something a little more enriching than usual. Again, it doesn't always happen, but having it scheduled in means that I'll make the effort to at least read a few pages of non-fiction, or do a bit of craft or whatever.

btw, Bonnie, don't be afraid to read children's books if your fog is bad. There are lots of good ones that have been published since you were the right age to read them , and it's easier to concentrate if the language is simpler.

If I'm really tired and *not* foggy I'll curl up in a comfortable chair and do paperwork while watching a bad video, and snooze as necessary.

I have two voluntary roles that I do by correspondence and I have a lot of pen friends. I keep up with church as well as I can... but really find that 99% of the time even the 90 year-olds are more active and mobile and involved than I am.

As I said, you are what you do. Doing all the cooking from scratch means that I am interested in cooking, read lots of cook books and magazines, and enjoy trying new recipes. They may not be foods I can show off with - I can't eat so don't make cakes and meals filled with cream, milk and butter - but I enjoy the foods I do cook and enjoy experimenting and enjoy talking about cooking, so have developed an interest out of necessity. Ditto the garden - I'm not an expert at it, but I'm doing it most days so am engaged and interested... and may actually end up doing it well in time.

Hope this helps.

Ivy.

luna lovegood said...
I spend a lot of time reading and watching Netflix and researching on my laptop. Thank goodness for my laptop and Netflix!

Amen to that!

Ivy-I just wanted to say I got your email and will write back asap. It was really, really exciting to read...You don't know how wonderful you are.

I wonder how many of us have displayed that 'A' personality? I feel the same way in wanting to overachieve...still wanting to take language classes in addition to the science requirements, wanting some sort of double major, wishing I could go to med school etc. etc. It's just that life is so exciting and you only live once..so I want to take advantage of everything I possible can.

I love everyone's replies, by the way. It's nice to know that relaxing when you need to is okay and still possible after getting done what you need to get done. It sounds like all of you are so productive..

I started a new job as a cashier part-time a couple of months ago. Something I never thought I would do because I was worried how I would handle an urgent trip to the bathroom on the job. I discovered they weren't as uptight about bathroom breaks as I thought they might be, and so far, I haven't had to make any flying trips back to the ladies room. I did call in sick 3 days in a row, which worried me, being new and all. I just took in my doctor's notes and they were fine about it. I still haven't mentioned to them about my cd. My last job was as a hotel front desk clerk. That was great because there was 2 restrooms right nearby. I was doing better then and didn't have to take any sick days during my 2 years there.

Now I am flaring up and my docs are being way too conservative in treatment. So I am learning to live with the out of control symptoms. When not working, I homeschool my son, tinker in my garden, knit and read. I even get out on occasion for a bike ride or walk or hike. Depends on how brave I feel. Arthralgia keeps my exercise pretty limited. My life is really very stressful right now financially, which is why I'm flaring I'm sure. I'm thankful my friends and family are very understanding and I don't have to hide what I am going through. I don't worry about keeping up with housework, as I found that's not realistic for me. Hubby helps and I don't have a lot of company to worry about.

I try not to worry about what might happen and focus on what is happening today. I cut myself a lot of slack. I can only do what I can do. It's a challenge for me to live with those limits but I've learned that's the way it has to be. I "count my blessings" so that I don't get overwhelmed by all the stuff I think is going badly. And I find great comfort in the ability to connect with so many other crohnies here. Having others who understand makes this so much easier. Seeing even that others have it worse can help me keep things in perspective.