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What did you accomplish this year?

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Posted 11/12/2007 10:56 PM (GMT 0)
Thanksgiving is coming up soon, and then it's a roller coaster ride to Christmas and the end of the year.  This was a rough one for me.  I had big plans for the year, and getting sick killed a lot of them.  But over the weekend I managed to complete one of my New Year's resolutions: read 100 books I've never read before.  It may seem like a silly goal, but it made me feel really good to accomplish something this year.

What did you accomplish this year?

Posted 11/12/2007 11:10 PM (GMT 0)
Wow! 100 books? I am so jealous! I love to read and just have not had the time or inclination lately. So, what have I done...... I got a part time job! I've fallen off the wagon on a couple of things though--I don't exercise like I need or want. And I've basically stopped cooking!
Posted 11/12/2007 11:25 PM (GMT 0)
Let's see....

I survived surgery for the placement of a "temporary ileostomy". THat has enabled me to save quite a bit on toilet paper costs..hehe....

but, nonetheless, not working for a few months, helped me to continue to wrack up huge amounts of credit card debt.

I was able to find and lose a few potential girlfriends...as I am not part of the "dating scene"

I have lasted 1 year at my new job.

I have won more poker games than I have lost $$$$$$!!!!!!

I have maintained an excellent driving record!

I have made quite a few online friends, mainly as a result of this site.

I made it to 30 years old!

I have kept a Bonzai tree alive for over 9 months! (my record for a plant!)

I have kept several fish and a crayfish alive for the whole year!

I have enjoyed many hours of conversation in the company of good friends.

there are lots of things to be happy about for sure.....some more to be sad about,,, but all and all, a god year indeed. I would sure love to be able to read 100 books! that is great....
Posted 11/13/2007 1:22 AM (GMT 0)
Well I helped my mom and my sister out in a huge way actually...long story short (I'll try at least)...

Sister moved into mom's with her 4 grandkids (sis is 51) about a yr and a half ago for the 3rd time...sisters condo was a mess, then she let her useless daughter move in who turned it into a crack-house (so you can imagine how really gross it got in there), she finally got them out but was left with a huge mess of which I volunteerd to empty, she said a friend would then "fix it up for her (paint, drywall where needed, new cupboards, flooring, baseboards, ect) a whole face-lift...of course friend did not follow through, so besides me cleaning the mess (over 100 bags of garbage) out of there, myself along with the help of only my hubby re-did her entire condo from top to bottom, so she's now living back in it and I no longer have to hear my mom complain about her living with her anymore and vise-versa.

Hubby and I had to help her move back in as well...so I consider this a huge accomplishment...favour for a family member for free and of course as disgusting as much of it was I was happy to be well enough to do it that and the fact I was helping another human being was reward enough.

:)
Posted 11/13/2007 1:23 AM (GMT 0)
I've achieved no hospital admissions this year, a couple of ER visits, but no stays.
I've been able to babysit my little grandson twice a week, and not once let my son and daughter-in-law down.
Not a lot, but for me, it's a huge achievement....
Posted 11/13/2007 2:14 AM (GMT 0)
i started substitute teaching 1 or 2 days a week after not being able to work for about 2 years. thats the thing im most proud of. i still cant do a lot but i really feel like i accomplilshed something.

bunny
Posted 11/13/2007 2:41 AM (GMT 0)
Formally as of today, I have a 5 digit, brand new sewing room/office area in my house! The 5 digits came about through educating 3 children & 14 combined years of private college! Everyone has graduated! PARTY!
Even though one is still living at home! I now have my peaceful area that is my very own with NO t.v. blarring in my ear...only music (or not) of my choosing! If I choose to leave a project in the middle of it...all I have to do is shut the door until I'm ready to pick it up again!

I've had one ER visit (gall bladder) this year. Have stayed "reasonably" under control.

I haven't killed anything while on the predinsone....even though I've wanted too!

I've learned a whole lot from you guys and met a lot of interesting people here who are genuine, giving, caring friends!

I've read several books...wish I could say 100 of them....can't stay awake long enough!
Posted 11/13/2007 3:04 AM (GMT 0)

Fun post ! I will focus on the positive..

I have survived another year of graduate school and I wil graduate in Aug 08 and not soon enough.. !!!

I also continue to  enjoy my work. I am a geriatirc social worker and work with patients with Dementia and their families. These people have touched my heart and life in countless ways.

I lost 16lbs  (old Pred weight) and added some exercise to my day and bumped up my fruit & veggie intake as tolertaed.

I did join a gym despite having setbacks because of the Pyoderma Gangrenosa.

I got a massage that I pormised myself and always wanted and boy was it worth it !

I did read more books this yr than in a long time.. certainly not 100 ... any good recs? I usually look ot Oprahs book club list just for ideas...

Gets me thinking of the upcoming things I want to accomplish ..

Posted 11/13/2007 2:00 PM (GMT 0)
Hi I got out of the hospital after spending about 9 days .Found out I had CD learning to deal with it. Put on 50 lbs. yum yum.Actually mowed the grass and loved my flower beds with lots of work and new editions. Went to a nice beach .Visited a Brother. Have meet you all and have learned caring is a great way to cope .Went to my first CCF meeting. Laughed, cried and have discovered the happiness that having so many great people in my life can bring. Bought myself a gazebo which I enjoyed .Built a birdfeeder and have loved my feather friends.Learning teen to drive .Seen racocoons in bird feeder .Did some fall cleaning. I guess after all is said and done have had a more positive year then I thought I was going to have. Wow I am happy to be able to say I am not doing too bad. lol gail
Posted 11/13/2007 2:42 PM (GMT 0)
OK...will keep it positive too!Good thread!Thank you
I've painted 2 murals for 2 different businesses in town. One was huge, the other about half that size...but it was a challenge. Had to hold my brush with both hands...up and down ladders, etc...but my girls and friends were very proud of me, as was I .

I did a painting at the annual plein air paintin,along the waterfront...that I had been promising myself to do for years. OF course, my daughter had to stay with me to keep my confidence up ( and she bribed me with a new pair of earrings...) but I stayed the course and received many wonderful compliments on my painting. Next year, I'm bringing in the big prize!

My family , whom we hadn't had any contact with for 11 years(because of safety reasons) were finally able to come visit and know that we are safe and in a beautiful, caring community.

I turned 50 gracefully, and will be a grandmother any day now!

I found this wonderful "family" of people whom I feel truly blessed to be "connected" to. You are all the highlight of my day sometimes....and have supported me through a lot this year.

I am blessed. Thank you for the reminder. We Canadians already had our Thanksgiving in Oct. but this is an exercise we should practice daily. A life of gratitude is so much fuller and happier.
Posted 11/13/2007 3:02 PM (GMT 0)
I survived 3 stays in the hospital and one more surgery.

I survived 2 months on wound management.

I'm off of prednisone (woo hoo).

I finished my pre requisites for school (with a 3.91 GPA) and am now on some waiting lists for nursing schools.

I took the class, passed the boards, and am now officially an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician).

I married off my son, and acquired a wonderful new daughter-in-law (with a great family).

Because I've been off work and had to take the semester off because of the CD, I was available and am able to help care for and be there for my father-in-law who has terminal cancer.

I guess I can look at the glass and see if half full if I try hard enough, lol. There really are things in my life to be thankful for.
Posted 11/17/2007 10:45 AM (GMT 0)
I'm recuperating from getting sick this august. =0)

I finished yet another full year of school and only have 4 more classes till I get my AA. The classes that I took were eye opening and made me want to study even more things esp on people and the environment. Due to one of my English research papers, I went and did a report on tent city and met homeless people that live in tents. Kind of interesting and makes you appreciate your life. Another class called inter cultural communications made me realize how different cultures communicate differently and learn tools on now to bridge the gap between the two ie collective and individual cultures and communicate effectively.

I found this site and have met really great people =0)

I am realizing that I need to weed out friendships that were dysfunctional and have done so and not regretted it. Made new friendships that are healthier. I have also made sure to tell my friendships how much I appreciate them and made the effort to spend my time with them to "show" them it's not only words with my "extra spoons."

I have paid off a lot of debt from 2004 from when I was laid off and didn't work for 6 months....

I was able to go to New York with my family in August 2 weeks after I got out of the hospital (thank god for prednisone because it masked the fatigue part so I was keeping up with them. We walked FOREVER--14 hour days everywhere) Saw the lion king on Broadway. Ate at a lovely place called serendipity. Discovered they have a $1000 sundae! LOL I would have regretted not going and am glad that I went there. It was the first real vacation that I have taken since 2002. My favorite part was the day we went to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis island and THEN went to NJ to see relatives and I went clubbing. =0p Man those Puerto Ricans and Dominicans can move their hips....

I was able to buy 4 new tires for my car, fix the timingbelt, both cv joints, get a major 180k tuneup and get the brakes done and pay all with cash. =0)

I bought a laptop with cash

I feel that I have gotten closer to my cousins because I have been taking the time to spend time with them.

I switched from working just in the ER and admitting depts to pediatric urgent care in April. Was very apprehensive cause of when the kids scream bloody murder and since I don't have kids I didn't know how to tune it out--now I do. Heh heh. I love the hands on experience that I have gotten with the patients, the doctors and the nurses. As adults, sometimes we are so jaded from everything we have experienced in our lives it makes us stagnant. They see things so differently and with possibilities. It's refreshing.
Posted 11/17/2007 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
Survived my diagnosis with Crohn's in March after being scared and nervous from not knowing what I might have.
Survived my successful treatment with prednisone and its nasty side effects and haven't had to get back on it.
Found this forum and all of you kind and knowledgable people-thank you


Happy holidays
Posted 11/17/2007 4:12 PM (GMT 0)
vastly improved my health and got to feeling the best ever (and still am improving on that)

got off all my medications

passed the national exam for the professional licensing exam for civil engineering (waiting to hear about the 2 supplementary exams california makes you take to be licensed in that state)

began laying the groundwork for health and wellness plan and possible company

strengthened my faith

bought a condo

after an almost 3 year hiatus due to surgeries and complications with crohns, now finally getting back to surfing, weight lifting, and tai chi regularly

i have a month and a half to go yet before the year is out, so that is plenty of time to add to this short list.
Posted 11/17/2007 4:45 PM (GMT 0)
I'm afraid to say, since it's not over yet. Don't want to jinx it! LOL

But this year has been better medically, then the past several. No surgeries this year. I was in the ER for vomitting in Feb, but that was it all year (very good for me!). Only had slight flares that I was able to get under control myself.

Went on two long road trips and didn't have any problems! :)

Homeschooling my son and loving it!

Small list here I guess, but they are big accomplishments when you look back at the last 5 years!
Posted 11/17/2007 6:45 PM (GMT 0)
I stayed alive
Posted 11/17/2007 9:02 PM (GMT 0)
Okay good ppl, lets see here....(I love this topic)
Got a job early in the year, they let me go when I had surgery in July, now I'm blessed to spend time settling in the new home and spending days with my grown children and friends
Was severly sick for 6 months which finally led to a diagnosis of crohns, which has enabled me to meet some great ppl here, hope and looking forward to meeting more of you soon.
Was "layed up" from April to present with this disease and surgery which let me see just what a great family and group of friends I have, they took turns staying in my home with my hubby to help him take care of his mom who lived with us for a long time and she was dying. They took great care of her so he could sleep at night and work at day and be with me the evenings. Our kids moved us into the new home while I had surgery. Mom in law passed away when I home only 7 days from surgery, which let me see and experience all the love and compassion that our (very) small town could and did show. The kids, even the grandchildren, the extended family, the friends, the neighbors all did something to help. How grateful I am adn will always be. I could not even get up, they cooked, they cleaned, they (tried) to unpack some of my stuff, they found me clothes to fit (I'd lost alot of lbs), they cried with me, they made me laugh. My sis that has been severly down with many surgeries for 7 yrs is finally better, she took care of me, driving me to docs, setting up with me, making me take pain meds! I found hope. I was reminded why I married my hubby, cause simply; he's the best!! I have number 13 grandchild on the way and d. is not doing so good and I found that it is okay and good to sometimes not clean house or unpack or run errands, that it is good and fullfilling to sit together at the kitchen table and work a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle from early til late. It is good to experience someone (like her) with such a pos outlook and a great sense of humor...we found lots of laughter yesterday at the puzzle table. I didnot get to keep up my yard work or flower beds and I learned that it's ok, they'll be there another day. My accomplishments??? Lessons learned.I have learned and been reminded of many blessings this year. There is hope, there is light, there is love. thanks for this opputunity, love you all
"Remember...always take your rainbow with you" Alice
Posted 11/18/2007 5:29 AM (GMT 0)

I did a lot of things but I think I'll mention the most significant life-long thing:

I finished my university degree after being diagnosed with Crohn's in my first semester of my first year, and I did it all whilst suffering flares and hospital stays, with NO deferrals!! WOOHOOOOO!

Posted 11/18/2007 2:48 PM (GMT 0)
I grew up and became an adult. I'm still sort-of regretting this accomplishment.
Posted 11/18/2007 4:11 PM (GMT 0)
I survived another year.
Posted 11/18/2007 5:49 PM (GMT 0)
I had a healthy baby girl and stayed in remission throughout my pregnancy.  I changes jobs from a special education teacher to a full time mommy.  I kept a positive outlook despite the scariness of it all.  I found a new appreciation for my husband.   

Posted 11/18/2007 6:48 PM (GMT 0)
I found someone willing to treat me for CD
Posted 11/18/2007 8:36 PM (GMT 0)
Well...

I made it through nursing school, having a surgery every semester and still being on the Dean's list with a 3.9 GPA!

I am graduating in one month!

I have an RN job awaiting me in January on a Cardiovascular Surgical floor.

I have survived my Crohn's diagnosis in from April

I am off prednisone!

I am on remicade!

And most of all: As of 2 months ago, I AM IN REMISSION!! The first time in 7 years.

Oh and I lost 20 lb.
Posted 11/18/2007 9:13 PM (GMT 0)
In January I will celebrate a year of remission.

I have lost 16 lbs, and have increase my fruit and veggie intake as tolerated.

My son, 17, donated a 19 1/2 lb turkey that was given to him from his employer to a family that couldn't afford to buy one! (Makes me think I did something right!)

My daughter, 20, secured a car loan without needing a co signer, and is in the process of transferring her credits to get her Bachelors!

My husband, well geez, he so sweet, I'm thankful for him everyday!

I have managed to work a full time job, and have been able to put a little overtime in. Couldn't have done this 2 years ago. Wouldn't even have thought about it.
Posted 11/19/2007 5:46 AM (GMT 0)
Good topic! It's so easy to look at all the things we can't do.

Let's see.... I...

Became the parent of an adult. Where does the time go?

Conquered a 14 year old fear of flying (with the help of xanax) and took a long overdue vacation to see my family.

Got through my first year of working again after having stayed home more than 15 years.

Homeschooled my son for another year even though working part-time.

"Found" my birthmom. Ok, it was her tomb because she died many years ago, but it was something I really wanted to do. Call it closure, I guess.

Fell even more in love with my wonderful husband. Looking forward to our 25th anniversary in a couple of weeks.

Started to eat healthier and lost 14 pounds as a result.

Started a new hobby of making homemade San Francisco sourdough bread. Yummy!
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