Over the past day or so, I have shared with you the struggle I have been facing lately with Mrs. Bonnie. I've told you the good, the bad, and the sad. Today as I have sat here thinking about the words in my other posts, second guessing if I should have been so honest, I decided to send in a final entry today with more of an explanation through the songs of others. A final "Feeling Sorry For Myself" entry, so maybe you will truly get what she brought to my life. I have saved video after video and watch them over and over, each one reminding me of Mrs. Bonnie in some way. I am going to share them with you now... Enjoy!
The first video is "Journey On" by Ty Herndon, featuring Kevin Turner. Mrs. Bonnie LOVED this song. As the preacher stated in her eulogy, she thought this song was written just for her. When we talked on the phone, she would tell me that whenever I had a really bad day and I felt like I just couldn't go on, listen to this song as I watch Kevin Turner in the video. This song was written for anyone who struggles, and I also claim this song as well... It hits home. (This song was the last song played at her funeral and it covers me in chills each time I hear it.)
Kevin Turner, who played eight seasons in the NFL for the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, has Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, otherwise known as ALS. Kevin and I both started this journey in the same month, May 2010, so he holds a precious place in my heart as well. Hearing his story and watching this video makes me thankful that God chose MS for me, because I don't know if I would be as strong as Kevin is.
But you know what? Think about my story and how I may appear to be so strong and tough at times, just as Kevin does, and remember that his dark nights are even darker than you could ever realize. The pain in his heart from his world being turned upside down must weigh heavier than we will ever know. Even if you haven't had the pleasure of meeting Kevin or especially if you have, head on over to his website by clicking the link below and send him a little message that he will be able to read that will brighten his day just a bit.
http://kevinturnerfoundation.org/
You never know, today could be one of those hard days for him too. I know from my own experience that knowing someone took a few seconds to send you a few words of encouragement will mean the world to him! Also, please put him front and center in your prayers, because that's always number one! When you are diagnosed with a disease and the doctor looks at you and says, "We don't know how your disease will progress, because it is different with everyone. You may or may not be in a wheelchair, but we can't predict that. We just have to wait and see." When you hear this, there is something that comes alive inside you, a desire to fight. Now you often fight yourself, but you also learn to fight hard against this invisible demon... We are all fighters. I hope this video pulls at your heart... then listen to what it tells you. This is powerful. (Don't forget to come back and watch the other videos!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HUYF8wFchI&ob=av2n
The second song is by Whitney Houston and the song is called "I Look To You." I will never forget the first time I heard this song, because I thought her voice was so powerful and smooth, and I couldn't help but stop what I was doing and listen to every sound. I think this is a very beautiful song, and this was how I felt about Mrs. Bonnie... Now, This is my song with God. Losing Mrs. Bonnie has forced me to LOOK TO GOD for guidance. This song gives me chills every time I hear it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pze_mdbOK8&ob=av3e
The next song is so so special to me for one special reason... You know when you get married and you say the "I Do" part? As in the usual, "I Do" promise to love you through sickness and in health til death do us part? Well, when my special husband said his "I Do," he also silently said every single word in this next song. He continues to say it through his actions each day as he walks in from work, just by going through this tiring journey with me. Several times, Mrs. Bonnie told me that her husband, Mr. Donald, did the same for her. Her exact words were, "When my husband said "In sickness and in health." boy he sure meant those words, and he's been right by my side from day one!" If that doesn't tell you how much she appreciated and loved him, and also how incredibly much he loves her, I don't know what will. Now you can hear those words...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fqPcnuVPR8&ob=av2n
And for the final song, a little bit more upbeat. I have told you several times that Mrs. Bonnie was a little bitty lady with a powerful presence. When I was a whiny baby to her, wimpering about how bad I felt, she gave me all she had. She gave me her support, her love, and her own personal story with MS. What she did NOT give me was Pity, nor did I ask that of her. She was the one who told me that I better get to living now, while I still can use the health I do have. This is probably the song that reminds me of her the most, and the most listened to song of mine. This song encourages me, and I cannot even tell you how "Mrs. Bonnie" this song is... Every bit of advice in this song passed through her lips at least once during our long conversations! She's STILL telling me this advice everyday in the words she left me with~! This is the song that keeps me going and I love it!! Pay attention to the second verse... It is the most accurate. ENJOY!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PZNth9UUOk
Now with an ending as positive as that, I'm gonna get to living now... First things first: Unloading the Dishwasher. Ugh.
Until Our Next Therapy Time...
I love combining old techniques with a new twist to make random unique designs. My projects often include many areas, such as Wire Wrapping, Polymer Clay, DIY, Painting, Thrifty Projects, Upcycling Items, Reinventing Jewelry, and anything handmade! I use this blog to share my ideas, learning frustrations and crazy adventures of running my Home Based Jewelry and Craft Boutique! Welcome to my comfort zone!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Cleaning House: A Godly Twist
Hello again.. I know, I know.. last night's post was a little rough. Well, last night WAS another rough night. The only thing that sets it apart from other nights is the fact that I finally told you about them. My low nights are few and far between, but they still are there, and they still hit me like a ton of bricks.
As usual, the morning comes and I get yet another new start. I think this morning makes like my 200th new start morning, but one of these days, it will stick! After Mrs. Bonnie's funeral, I didn't drive anywhere for almost 2 whole weeks. I didn't realize that I was hovering around the house, but I did. I've tried to slowly venture out of the house again, and I catch myself finding reasons not to leave the house, even after I get ready. I actually cut my hair, because I knew that couldn't be a reason for me to not get ready. Instead of my hair taking an hour, it takes about 15 minutes, and I LOVE it! The smallest things like that make the day a little better.
Some great close friends of ours, Lee and Gena Anderson drove all the way to Tallassee to take Scott and I out to dinner not too long ago. It was my first time out of the house, and they will never know how much that night meant to me. They actually drove all the way here, just to see us. Lee and Gena have been here from the very beginning, and I love them so much. Lee just "gets" me, maybe because I'm so much like him, even though I think he would beg to differ. He's extremely set in his ways and his manner is often abrasive... but I found his heart hidden inside him. And he has a HUGE giving heart, and he's not the kind of friend you have to talk to everyday to know he still cares. He's always there, and he would absolutely DIE for Scott or me, and especially Izzy and Evan. And his wife Gena, well she's my long lost grandmother I think! She's a tough little lady, but she's had her own health struggles, and she understands what I am going through. We used to go to their house quite often, but with men ot driving and Scott doing my wifey duties and his husbandly role, we don't get to go often. But, when we do go, I feel comfortable and welcome. That's rare for me. When I was in the hospital in February, Lee didn't just visit me everyday, he visited several times a day, everyday. We were actually eating dinner at their house when I started to have my attack, so I'm questioning whether I should eat his shrimp again... (Just kidding Lee).
My oldest best friend Kristin, she also drives all the way to my house to see me too! She will come stay all day long, and I don't have to "coddle" her when she's here. If she wants a drink, she fixes it. If she wants to take a nap, she sleeps. We don't have to talk the whole time, and she just knows that I want her presence there. We make a game out of picking the movies to watch, because I always try to find one that she will love but hasn't seen... and she's seen everything! We're at the point now where when I call out a movie name, she says, "Chel, I watched that last time with YOU!" haha... She just graduated with her Masters from the University of Alabama (My little girl is growing up.. sniffle...) and we all thought she would go straight from the diploma to a new fancy job. Thank you recession for being such a pain in the butt with that. No, really, God hasn't found her perfect job yet, but maybe he knew I would need her right now, so he's made her available all the time... There's a reason for everything and when the time comes, God will give her the best job in the world. She deserves it!
Dawna, Mrs. Bonnie's daughter-in-law, is my newest best friend, and she is my other sweetheart. She is also in pain over Mrs. Bonnie, and we hurt together. Dawna had to call me and tell me about Mrs. Bonnie passing away, and that was a HUGE burden for her to bear. Dawna had shared Mrs. Bonnie with me for the past year, when she could have just held on to her for her own. After all, Dawna is in fact the daughter-in-law... but my heart melted when Dawna told me she thought one of the reasons she met Grant (Mrs. Bonnie's son), was so I could meet Mrs. Bonnie and be helped by her. I'm thankful for Dawna being so selfless and letting me have a closeness with Mrs. Bonnie when she could have been jealous... I'm thankful that we can cry together on the phone, and she has been here from day one as well.
I have other close friends, and I will write about them later when I'm not so groggy. I just wanted to give a special "shout out" to those friends that make a HUGE difference each and every day, especially when I need it the most. I need all of you, Kris, Lee, Dawna, and Gena.. I need you more than you know right now. I just need to know you're there, so just keep doing what you're doing already, because I thrive off of you. And Daddy, thank you for coming to spend the days with me, just taking me wherever we go, even if it is Hobby Lobby... I love that store, and I will teach you how to find the deals.... haha.
And Mama, she's at the beach this week. I hope she's relaxing and having a great time, because she needs it! I'm ready for her to come home though! I'm ready to see her and throw my arms around her neck and smell her familiar smell. It's been too long! I miss her more than she knows!
On to today: I am going to clean my house a little bit today. I want to clean a lot, but let's not be too optimistic. I can only tackle so much before I get distracted by the oreos in the cabinet.. ha.
The whole point of this was to tell you about my latest venture out of the house. I decided that I would start trying to get out a little bit every week, even if for an hour to give me some interaction someone other than the people who work at the gas station a mile down the road. They probably wonder why I only buy Laffy Taffy... They have no clue that I'm just finding a cheap reason to get out of the house and they are my interaction for the day... I've learned quite a bit listening to conversations from the old men who sell potatoes in there...
Anyway, I ventured out yesterday and guess what I did? I got me a LIBRARY CARD! Yay! The Tallassee Library is about three miles from the house, and I promised myself that I would go this week and get a Library card... FREE BOOKS. I think that's a YES! I checked out the max amount yesterday, which is 5 books. I checked out:
The House That Cleans Itself by Mindy Starnes Clark
http://www.mindystarnsclark.com/house.php
Drawing for Dummies
http://www.amazon.com/Drawing-Dummies-Brenda-Hoddinott/dp/076455476X
Inc. Your Dreams: For Any Woman Who Is Thinking About Her Own Business by Rebecca Maddox
http://www.amazon.com/Inc-Your-Dreams-Thinking-Business/dp/014023537X
Write It Down, Make It Happen: Knowing What You Want and Getting It by Henriette Anne Klauser
http://www.henrietteklauser.com/_books/_writeitdown/index.htm
The Business of Bliss: How To Profit From Doing What You Love by Janet
Allon
http://www.amazon.com/Business-Bliss-Profit-Doing-What/dp/0688160840
I'm going to start with the cleaning book today. Wish me luck! I rather enjoyed the whole library experience. It's wierd though, because it feels like people can look at me and tell that I haven't been out of the house much. I know that's in my head, but it feels so strange. You know, when I do get out, God always sends me people randomly that start conversations out of no where. It's almost like He says, "See Chel, you are alive and people do want to talk to you." I love those conversations, because those people have no clue that I am sick. If there is one thing you should take from this entry: You never know when the conversation you strike up at the grocery store with the random lady may be her only conversation that day. So take the time to make your words count. YOU can make a difference without even realizing. NEVER forget that.
I'm off to clean!
As usual, the morning comes and I get yet another new start. I think this morning makes like my 200th new start morning, but one of these days, it will stick! After Mrs. Bonnie's funeral, I didn't drive anywhere for almost 2 whole weeks. I didn't realize that I was hovering around the house, but I did. I've tried to slowly venture out of the house again, and I catch myself finding reasons not to leave the house, even after I get ready. I actually cut my hair, because I knew that couldn't be a reason for me to not get ready. Instead of my hair taking an hour, it takes about 15 minutes, and I LOVE it! The smallest things like that make the day a little better.
Some great close friends of ours, Lee and Gena Anderson drove all the way to Tallassee to take Scott and I out to dinner not too long ago. It was my first time out of the house, and they will never know how much that night meant to me. They actually drove all the way here, just to see us. Lee and Gena have been here from the very beginning, and I love them so much. Lee just "gets" me, maybe because I'm so much like him, even though I think he would beg to differ. He's extremely set in his ways and his manner is often abrasive... but I found his heart hidden inside him. And he has a HUGE giving heart, and he's not the kind of friend you have to talk to everyday to know he still cares. He's always there, and he would absolutely DIE for Scott or me, and especially Izzy and Evan. And his wife Gena, well she's my long lost grandmother I think! She's a tough little lady, but she's had her own health struggles, and she understands what I am going through. We used to go to their house quite often, but with men ot driving and Scott doing my wifey duties and his husbandly role, we don't get to go often. But, when we do go, I feel comfortable and welcome. That's rare for me. When I was in the hospital in February, Lee didn't just visit me everyday, he visited several times a day, everyday. We were actually eating dinner at their house when I started to have my attack, so I'm questioning whether I should eat his shrimp again... (Just kidding Lee).
My oldest best friend Kristin, she also drives all the way to my house to see me too! She will come stay all day long, and I don't have to "coddle" her when she's here. If she wants a drink, she fixes it. If she wants to take a nap, she sleeps. We don't have to talk the whole time, and she just knows that I want her presence there. We make a game out of picking the movies to watch, because I always try to find one that she will love but hasn't seen... and she's seen everything! We're at the point now where when I call out a movie name, she says, "Chel, I watched that last time with YOU!" haha... She just graduated with her Masters from the University of Alabama (My little girl is growing up.. sniffle...) and we all thought she would go straight from the diploma to a new fancy job. Thank you recession for being such a pain in the butt with that. No, really, God hasn't found her perfect job yet, but maybe he knew I would need her right now, so he's made her available all the time... There's a reason for everything and when the time comes, God will give her the best job in the world. She deserves it!
Dawna, Mrs. Bonnie's daughter-in-law, is my newest best friend, and she is my other sweetheart. She is also in pain over Mrs. Bonnie, and we hurt together. Dawna had to call me and tell me about Mrs. Bonnie passing away, and that was a HUGE burden for her to bear. Dawna had shared Mrs. Bonnie with me for the past year, when she could have just held on to her for her own. After all, Dawna is in fact the daughter-in-law... but my heart melted when Dawna told me she thought one of the reasons she met Grant (Mrs. Bonnie's son), was so I could meet Mrs. Bonnie and be helped by her. I'm thankful for Dawna being so selfless and letting me have a closeness with Mrs. Bonnie when she could have been jealous... I'm thankful that we can cry together on the phone, and she has been here from day one as well.
I have other close friends, and I will write about them later when I'm not so groggy. I just wanted to give a special "shout out" to those friends that make a HUGE difference each and every day, especially when I need it the most. I need all of you, Kris, Lee, Dawna, and Gena.. I need you more than you know right now. I just need to know you're there, so just keep doing what you're doing already, because I thrive off of you. And Daddy, thank you for coming to spend the days with me, just taking me wherever we go, even if it is Hobby Lobby... I love that store, and I will teach you how to find the deals.... haha.
And Mama, she's at the beach this week. I hope she's relaxing and having a great time, because she needs it! I'm ready for her to come home though! I'm ready to see her and throw my arms around her neck and smell her familiar smell. It's been too long! I miss her more than she knows!
On to today: I am going to clean my house a little bit today. I want to clean a lot, but let's not be too optimistic. I can only tackle so much before I get distracted by the oreos in the cabinet.. ha.
The whole point of this was to tell you about my latest venture out of the house. I decided that I would start trying to get out a little bit every week, even if for an hour to give me some interaction someone other than the people who work at the gas station a mile down the road. They probably wonder why I only buy Laffy Taffy... They have no clue that I'm just finding a cheap reason to get out of the house and they are my interaction for the day... I've learned quite a bit listening to conversations from the old men who sell potatoes in there...
Anyway, I ventured out yesterday and guess what I did? I got me a LIBRARY CARD! Yay! The Tallassee Library is about three miles from the house, and I promised myself that I would go this week and get a Library card... FREE BOOKS. I think that's a YES! I checked out the max amount yesterday, which is 5 books. I checked out:
The House That Cleans Itself by Mindy Starnes Clark
http://www.mindystarnsclark.com/house.php
Drawing for Dummies
http://www.amazon.com/Drawing-Dummies-Brenda-Hoddinott/dp/076455476X
Inc. Your Dreams: For Any Woman Who Is Thinking About Her Own Business by Rebecca Maddox
http://www.amazon.com/Inc-Your-Dreams-Thinking-Business/dp/014023537X
Write It Down, Make It Happen: Knowing What You Want and Getting It by Henriette Anne Klauser
http://www.henrietteklauser.com/_books/_writeitdown/index.htm
The Business of Bliss: How To Profit From Doing What You Love by Janet
Allon
http://www.amazon.com/Business-Bliss-Profit-Doing-What/dp/0688160840
I'm going to start with the cleaning book today. Wish me luck! I rather enjoyed the whole library experience. It's wierd though, because it feels like people can look at me and tell that I haven't been out of the house much. I know that's in my head, but it feels so strange. You know, when I do get out, God always sends me people randomly that start conversations out of no where. It's almost like He says, "See Chel, you are alive and people do want to talk to you." I love those conversations, because those people have no clue that I am sick. If there is one thing you should take from this entry: You never know when the conversation you strike up at the grocery store with the random lady may be her only conversation that day. So take the time to make your words count. YOU can make a difference without even realizing. NEVER forget that.
I'm off to clean!
The Dark Days and Mrs. Bonnie
Hello Everyone... I have procrastinated writing this blog post since the end of June. Every time I sit down to write, I am overcome with so many emotions, and I fear that I will never be able to say the right words to show you what God has placed on my heart. So, before I started writing, I asked God to guide my fingers, so that my words emit love, quidance, undestanding, and peace for all who read this. He has done this for me continuously throughout this journey.
My sweet Mrs. Bonnie Robinson, my Multiple Sclerosis mentor, life lessons counselor, honest and true friend, and keeper of my secret fears unexpectedly passed away. While we do not know the exact cause of her death, we do not believe that "Multiple Sclerosis" took her life, for she was doing her most favorite activity: Swimming and getting the wonderful tan she always had. She loved to swim, because it kept her active and it gave her a good reason to get out of the house. Her awesome tan was one that any woman would envy!
I wrote a previous blog entry that included informtion about my past with Mrs. Bonnie, called, "Life... Totally Not Going As Planned" if you would like to read more about this sweet lady.
While trying to decide what angle to use to approach this post, I decided I would write about the wonderful blessing Mrs. Bonnie was and will continue to be in my life, how this tragedy has impacted my spirit, and ways I'm dealing with my own grief. I hope this will positively impact at least one person who reads it, and my wish is that everyone will truly understand what a wonderful amazing lady heaven enjoys now!
Please keep in mind, especially if you were also close to Mrs. Bonnie, that my experience as her friend may differ from the relationship you had with her. God sent her to me to fulfill a purpose, and that she did. But the Mrs. Bonnie I love and trusted may cover different angles of memories than you have, so I'm truly writing about the Mrs. Bonnie I knew and what our own personal relationship was like.
Mrs. Bonnie came into my life through my dear friend Dawna Robinson. Dawna is married to Grant, Mrs. Bonnie's oldest son. I did not even meet Mrs. Bonnie until March 2010 at Dawna's bridal shower, and I briefly remember seeing her at their Luau Couples Shower in April 2010. I also remember seeing her at the wedding later that month, but as a bridesmaid, I was more worried about my high heels sinking in the soggy mud when I headed down the rainy outside "aisle" than I was about trying to make friends with Dawna's new mother-in-law.
I remember Dawna telling me around that time that Mrs. Bonnie had Multiple Sclerosis, but at that particular point in my life, the news went in one ear and out the other quickly. At that time, I knew I had a sleeping disorder, but I had no idea that my life would soon become entangled in a web of aches, Bengay, and Multiple Sclerosis. I do remember one event that happened at the Luau Party that I am now so incredibly ashamed to admit, but I will tell you about it, because if it will make you rethink your actions in the future, I'm doing my job well.
At the couples shower, Mrs. Bonnie sat at the kitchen table for most of the entire party. She talked and laughed with everyone who stopped to talk, but I remember wondering why she didn't get up and mingle as a mother-in-law should do, according to the imaginary rules written in the "Imaginary superficial Wedding Rule Book." I also remember admiring her awesome tan and eyeing her stylish whitish blond color hair with envy. I remember thinking, "Man, Grant as a pretty hot mom!"
(Here is the part I am ashamed to admit.) I remember standing there in the kitchen in my brand new pink and white dress, sporting the newest must have Victoria Secret Bombshell Bra, and prancing around in my black high heels without a care in the world. Soon, Mrs. Bonnie and her husband, Mr. Donald, started to tell everyone "Goodbye" and when she got up, I saw her first limp. Then I watched her walk slowly across the room with her cane, obviously struggling with the stiffness and pain from sitting all evening. And in my selfish mind I thought, "Oh, that's a shame. She WAS so beautiful until I saw her struggling to walk." In my mind, she no longer fit the criteria I had made up to be beautiful..... You know, the sexy swaying walk, the confident steps taken in glamorous heels... The usual.
And you know what, God definitely heard my shallow thoughts. Yes, He heard my superficial and conceited thoughts loud and clear. God decided that He would teach me to be a good person and help me to see the real meaning and values in life. He would make me see what should always be most important, and that it definitely was not the strutting around in the black stilettos I wore on my feet that night, the same shoes that are now collecting dust on the back of my closet door, because that was the last time I ever wore them.
Ironic? No, it was planned by God. God decided he would teach me how to live a Godly, Christ-like life... and He chose the random lady that I had that horrible thought about to be the teacher that would save my life in the next year. You may think that God doesn't hear your thoughts, but I am SO incredibly thankful that He heard mine that night. I now realize that the sweet lady who took those steps, my sweet Mrs. Bonnie, only became more beautiful with each step she took across the room. Because of her, I now know how to look for real beauty.
A little about Mrs. Bonnie's life:
When I was trying to find words to describe Mrs. Bonnie, I thought of the usual words you would use to describe someone you love: gentle, comforting, etc. As I looked a little closer, I realized that Mrs. Bonnie was indeed very comforting to me when it seemed that I couldn't find a soft place to land anywhere. But, Mrs. Bonnie was NOT gentle with me. haha... She spoke her mind to me, even when she knew it would hurt, and she had a tone in her voice that would make you do what she said (When she said it!) . In her approach was where I found my comfort.
The other words I thought of to describe her are below:
I'm nowhere near a computer genius, so the large size of this table is going to have to stay that way, because I can't figure out how to make it smaller. I usually click on the corners, but this was as small as it would go...
Anyway, those are Mrs. Bonnie's words for how I knew her, heard her and love her.
In late May 2010, I had a Cluster Headache that landed me in the Emergency Room, and I lost the sight in my right eye for a few weeks. The ER doctor threw around a few causes, Multiple Sclerosis being one of them. For someone addicted to GOOGLE as I am, I looked up all of the possible causes, and I saw that I fit the criteria for Multiple Sclerosis quite well. I didn't know anyone with MS, but I remembered that Dawna had told that was what Mrs. Bonnie had, so I sent her a friend request on facebook asking her for a little information.
From that moment on, she became my "Midnight Friend" and I became hers. I can't describe to you what she gave and will always continue to give me or what she brought into my life, because no words can describe it. She came swiftly, and she left swiftly.
To be honest with you, everything written above was written the week of her death. I edited certain parts tonight to be in the present tense, but I haven't had it in me to finish this entry until now. From this moment on, I'm writing for RIGHT NOW.
This has been a rough week. Truthfully, the past month has been quite "iffy." Well, it has been more of a "may be" month. I "may be" fine one minute, then I "may be" crying about Mrs. Bonnie the next. I can't even begin to describe the pain that I am in right at this very moment. My heart is broken, and I thought for sure that God would have given me peace by now. I can't blame God though, because I have continuously struggled with being leaning on Him during this time.
From the very minute I found out about Mrs. Bonnie, I have refused to be angry with God. I knew from the beginning that road was a dead end, because God does indeed have a plan for me still. One day, I was laying in the bed at about 2 p.m. and I hadn't even stepped a foot out of the bed all day, much less out of the room. I think I laid in the bed until about 7 p.m. that night, only getting up to go to the bathroom. I slept on and off throughout the day, but mostly I was in a daze, just about as low spirited as I have ever been. Scott brought my medicine in to me and I took it, but even he hadn't seen me at this point, so there wasn't really much he could do or say.
I remember sitting up in the bed, and I just told him that I was tired. Tired of fighting this disease, tired of missing out, tired of hurting each and every day, all day long, tired of the headaches and muscle pain, tired of the chronic migraine every minute of each day. I was just tired.
And for the first time I was honest with him. I will now be honest with you.
I told Scott that I don't believe in suicide, and honestly the line between suicide and going to heaven is so foggy for me that I don't want to "think" I'm going to heaven and take a chance in doing one thing that could jeopardize that. So, I told him that he didn't have anything to worry about as far as that was concerned. Then I told him that didn't mean every single night when I climbed into bed that I didn't let God know that it was ok if He decided to take me that night. I told him I wasn't scared to die anymore, and if one day he rolls over and God answered that prayer, I wanted him to know that I was ok with it. I told him that I didn't think your heart will physically continue to beat if you feel this much pain inside it for a long period of time. At some point, I think it just stops.
His response was exactly right: All he said was, "This is the stuff you need to write in your blog. Not how great you are or how great you are dealing with ths diagnosis. If you truly want to help someone else who may be in this position too, like Mrs. Bonnie helped you, you need to tell them the truth." And he was right.
The truth is, for months I was dealing with the diagnosis okay. But, something inside me snapped when Mrs. Bonnie died, and sometimes I truly don't know how I will ever have the energy to fight this forever. I'm at the point where I am bitter and angry about it. I'm pretty much bitter and angry at everyone to tell you the truth.. I'm angry that I have to deal with this. I'm angry that I have to feel this pain that is invisible to others. I'm angry that my mom and dad can't make this better for me like everything else. And I'm angry that I have to do it without Mrs. Bonnie.
I had one single person in this entire world that felt the pain physically that I do everyday. One person that could feel what I was talking about. One person who, in some special way, made it ok for me to be sick, because if she could do it then I could too. And I'm angry that the one person I had is gone. I was so lost before she died, but she held me up. How can I not want to talk to hardly anyone in the world for days but I just want to go sit at her grave and talk to her for hours?
I know I have to keep it together, but I am really starting to let this diagnosis sink in. So, for all of those people who were so proud of me for having such a great attitude about it, I'm so sorry to let you down. I wish my heart didn't hurt so bad. It's almost a physical pain, on top of the others, a constriction in the center of my chest that just squeezes and creates a real pain. Am I depressed? Of course, who wouldn't be? Actually, the lesions on my brain also cause depression. Do I know how to deal with this? Not a clue.
I am so tired of everyone giving me advice and tips and telling me what I should do or what they would do, but where are all those people when I need them to help me carry out this advice. Scott is a husband of someone who has a chronic illness and could care less if I wake up tomorrow morning. I can't tell you how many times I've been in the middle of doing something normal, like cooking dinner, and I'll stumble and the next thing I know I'm on my knees, screaming at the top of my lungs at nothing in particular, just out of frustration and pain and Scott just silently comes in and wraps his arms around me and lets me cry and cry. And I'm angry that he has to deal with the pain too.
I know when you get married, you always look forward to spending time with your new spouse. But, we never had that newlywed phase. We've had doctor visits, HUGE medical bills, I had to resign from work, decreased income and increased prescription bills, a death of a close friend, etc... What else? So when I climb into bed at night, I always scoot over close to him, and he always wraps his arm around me. At that moment, I feel so peaceful. It is the only time when I can feel his warmth, and I know that he understands and he's in this with me forever. I'm thankful for him. More than he knows.
Now, I have poured our my heart to you. I've cried this whole entry. I miss my Mrs. Bonnie, and my heart hurts so bad right now. I know God has a plan for my life, and I guess his current plan is for me to be a wife, which I am not quite mastering I assume. I want to fulfill His purpose. I want to be able to look at old pictures from my life from before I was sick, and not feel so much anger. I want to be happy again and look forward to leaving the house. I know God hears my prayers, and I am comforted by that. But, I still wish I could go crawl in the bed with Mrs. Bonnie and snuggle up next to her while she holds me and tells me that it's going to get better in time. I know you don't understand, and it's ok. I just hope someone out there that may also be hurting can find a little comfort knowing they're not completely in the dark, because it's darker than you could ever imagine when you feel like that.
Here are some pics of Mrs. Bonnie
My sweet Mrs. Bonnie Robinson, my Multiple Sclerosis mentor, life lessons counselor, honest and true friend, and keeper of my secret fears unexpectedly passed away. While we do not know the exact cause of her death, we do not believe that "Multiple Sclerosis" took her life, for she was doing her most favorite activity: Swimming and getting the wonderful tan she always had. She loved to swim, because it kept her active and it gave her a good reason to get out of the house. Her awesome tan was one that any woman would envy!
I wrote a previous blog entry that included informtion about my past with Mrs. Bonnie, called, "Life... Totally Not Going As Planned" if you would like to read more about this sweet lady.
While trying to decide what angle to use to approach this post, I decided I would write about the wonderful blessing Mrs. Bonnie was and will continue to be in my life, how this tragedy has impacted my spirit, and ways I'm dealing with my own grief. I hope this will positively impact at least one person who reads it, and my wish is that everyone will truly understand what a wonderful amazing lady heaven enjoys now!
Please keep in mind, especially if you were also close to Mrs. Bonnie, that my experience as her friend may differ from the relationship you had with her. God sent her to me to fulfill a purpose, and that she did. But the Mrs. Bonnie I love and trusted may cover different angles of memories than you have, so I'm truly writing about the Mrs. Bonnie I knew and what our own personal relationship was like.
Mrs. Bonnie came into my life through my dear friend Dawna Robinson. Dawna is married to Grant, Mrs. Bonnie's oldest son. I did not even meet Mrs. Bonnie until March 2010 at Dawna's bridal shower, and I briefly remember seeing her at their Luau Couples Shower in April 2010. I also remember seeing her at the wedding later that month, but as a bridesmaid, I was more worried about my high heels sinking in the soggy mud when I headed down the rainy outside "aisle" than I was about trying to make friends with Dawna's new mother-in-law.
I remember Dawna telling me around that time that Mrs. Bonnie had Multiple Sclerosis, but at that particular point in my life, the news went in one ear and out the other quickly. At that time, I knew I had a sleeping disorder, but I had no idea that my life would soon become entangled in a web of aches, Bengay, and Multiple Sclerosis. I do remember one event that happened at the Luau Party that I am now so incredibly ashamed to admit, but I will tell you about it, because if it will make you rethink your actions in the future, I'm doing my job well.
At the couples shower, Mrs. Bonnie sat at the kitchen table for most of the entire party. She talked and laughed with everyone who stopped to talk, but I remember wondering why she didn't get up and mingle as a mother-in-law should do, according to the imaginary rules written in the "Imaginary superficial Wedding Rule Book." I also remember admiring her awesome tan and eyeing her stylish whitish blond color hair with envy. I remember thinking, "Man, Grant as a pretty hot mom!"
(Here is the part I am ashamed to admit.) I remember standing there in the kitchen in my brand new pink and white dress, sporting the newest must have Victoria Secret Bombshell Bra, and prancing around in my black high heels without a care in the world. Soon, Mrs. Bonnie and her husband, Mr. Donald, started to tell everyone "Goodbye" and when she got up, I saw her first limp. Then I watched her walk slowly across the room with her cane, obviously struggling with the stiffness and pain from sitting all evening. And in my selfish mind I thought, "Oh, that's a shame. She WAS so beautiful until I saw her struggling to walk." In my mind, she no longer fit the criteria I had made up to be beautiful..... You know, the sexy swaying walk, the confident steps taken in glamorous heels... The usual.
And you know what, God definitely heard my shallow thoughts. Yes, He heard my superficial and conceited thoughts loud and clear. God decided that He would teach me to be a good person and help me to see the real meaning and values in life. He would make me see what should always be most important, and that it definitely was not the strutting around in the black stilettos I wore on my feet that night, the same shoes that are now collecting dust on the back of my closet door, because that was the last time I ever wore them.
Ironic? No, it was planned by God. God decided he would teach me how to live a Godly, Christ-like life... and He chose the random lady that I had that horrible thought about to be the teacher that would save my life in the next year. You may think that God doesn't hear your thoughts, but I am SO incredibly thankful that He heard mine that night. I now realize that the sweet lady who took those steps, my sweet Mrs. Bonnie, only became more beautiful with each step she took across the room. Because of her, I now know how to look for real beauty.
A little about Mrs. Bonnie's life:
When I was trying to find words to describe Mrs. Bonnie, I thought of the usual words you would use to describe someone you love: gentle, comforting, etc. As I looked a little closer, I realized that Mrs. Bonnie was indeed very comforting to me when it seemed that I couldn't find a soft place to land anywhere. But, Mrs. Bonnie was NOT gentle with me. haha... She spoke her mind to me, even when she knew it would hurt, and she had a tone in her voice that would make you do what she said (When she said it!) . In her approach was where I found my comfort.
The other words I thought of to describe her are below:
Words Describing | Mrs. Bonnie Robinson |
Passionate | Dainty |
Dependable | Protective |
Inspiring | Abrasive |
Determined | Sympathetic |
Poignant | Respectful |
Logical | Mentor |
Loving | Humble |
Influential | Messenger |
Priceless | Motherly |
Real | Soothing |
Invigorating | Confident |
Consistent | Refreshing |
I'm nowhere near a computer genius, so the large size of this table is going to have to stay that way, because I can't figure out how to make it smaller. I usually click on the corners, but this was as small as it would go...
Anyway, those are Mrs. Bonnie's words for how I knew her, heard her and love her.
In late May 2010, I had a Cluster Headache that landed me in the Emergency Room, and I lost the sight in my right eye for a few weeks. The ER doctor threw around a few causes, Multiple Sclerosis being one of them. For someone addicted to GOOGLE as I am, I looked up all of the possible causes, and I saw that I fit the criteria for Multiple Sclerosis quite well. I didn't know anyone with MS, but I remembered that Dawna had told that was what Mrs. Bonnie had, so I sent her a friend request on facebook asking her for a little information.
From that moment on, she became my "Midnight Friend" and I became hers. I can't describe to you what she gave and will always continue to give me or what she brought into my life, because no words can describe it. She came swiftly, and she left swiftly.
To be honest with you, everything written above was written the week of her death. I edited certain parts tonight to be in the present tense, but I haven't had it in me to finish this entry until now. From this moment on, I'm writing for RIGHT NOW.
This has been a rough week. Truthfully, the past month has been quite "iffy." Well, it has been more of a "may be" month. I "may be" fine one minute, then I "may be" crying about Mrs. Bonnie the next. I can't even begin to describe the pain that I am in right at this very moment. My heart is broken, and I thought for sure that God would have given me peace by now. I can't blame God though, because I have continuously struggled with being leaning on Him during this time.
From the very minute I found out about Mrs. Bonnie, I have refused to be angry with God. I knew from the beginning that road was a dead end, because God does indeed have a plan for me still. One day, I was laying in the bed at about 2 p.m. and I hadn't even stepped a foot out of the bed all day, much less out of the room. I think I laid in the bed until about 7 p.m. that night, only getting up to go to the bathroom. I slept on and off throughout the day, but mostly I was in a daze, just about as low spirited as I have ever been. Scott brought my medicine in to me and I took it, but even he hadn't seen me at this point, so there wasn't really much he could do or say.
I remember sitting up in the bed, and I just told him that I was tired. Tired of fighting this disease, tired of missing out, tired of hurting each and every day, all day long, tired of the headaches and muscle pain, tired of the chronic migraine every minute of each day. I was just tired.
And for the first time I was honest with him. I will now be honest with you.
I told Scott that I don't believe in suicide, and honestly the line between suicide and going to heaven is so foggy for me that I don't want to "think" I'm going to heaven and take a chance in doing one thing that could jeopardize that. So, I told him that he didn't have anything to worry about as far as that was concerned. Then I told him that didn't mean every single night when I climbed into bed that I didn't let God know that it was ok if He decided to take me that night. I told him I wasn't scared to die anymore, and if one day he rolls over and God answered that prayer, I wanted him to know that I was ok with it. I told him that I didn't think your heart will physically continue to beat if you feel this much pain inside it for a long period of time. At some point, I think it just stops.
His response was exactly right: All he said was, "This is the stuff you need to write in your blog. Not how great you are or how great you are dealing with ths diagnosis. If you truly want to help someone else who may be in this position too, like Mrs. Bonnie helped you, you need to tell them the truth." And he was right.
The truth is, for months I was dealing with the diagnosis okay. But, something inside me snapped when Mrs. Bonnie died, and sometimes I truly don't know how I will ever have the energy to fight this forever. I'm at the point where I am bitter and angry about it. I'm pretty much bitter and angry at everyone to tell you the truth.. I'm angry that I have to deal with this. I'm angry that I have to feel this pain that is invisible to others. I'm angry that my mom and dad can't make this better for me like everything else. And I'm angry that I have to do it without Mrs. Bonnie.
I had one single person in this entire world that felt the pain physically that I do everyday. One person that could feel what I was talking about. One person who, in some special way, made it ok for me to be sick, because if she could do it then I could too. And I'm angry that the one person I had is gone. I was so lost before she died, but she held me up. How can I not want to talk to hardly anyone in the world for days but I just want to go sit at her grave and talk to her for hours?
I know I have to keep it together, but I am really starting to let this diagnosis sink in. So, for all of those people who were so proud of me for having such a great attitude about it, I'm so sorry to let you down. I wish my heart didn't hurt so bad. It's almost a physical pain, on top of the others, a constriction in the center of my chest that just squeezes and creates a real pain. Am I depressed? Of course, who wouldn't be? Actually, the lesions on my brain also cause depression. Do I know how to deal with this? Not a clue.
I am so tired of everyone giving me advice and tips and telling me what I should do or what they would do, but where are all those people when I need them to help me carry out this advice. Scott is a husband of someone who has a chronic illness and could care less if I wake up tomorrow morning. I can't tell you how many times I've been in the middle of doing something normal, like cooking dinner, and I'll stumble and the next thing I know I'm on my knees, screaming at the top of my lungs at nothing in particular, just out of frustration and pain and Scott just silently comes in and wraps his arms around me and lets me cry and cry. And I'm angry that he has to deal with the pain too.
I know when you get married, you always look forward to spending time with your new spouse. But, we never had that newlywed phase. We've had doctor visits, HUGE medical bills, I had to resign from work, decreased income and increased prescription bills, a death of a close friend, etc... What else? So when I climb into bed at night, I always scoot over close to him, and he always wraps his arm around me. At that moment, I feel so peaceful. It is the only time when I can feel his warmth, and I know that he understands and he's in this with me forever. I'm thankful for him. More than he knows.
Now, I have poured our my heart to you. I've cried this whole entry. I miss my Mrs. Bonnie, and my heart hurts so bad right now. I know God has a plan for my life, and I guess his current plan is for me to be a wife, which I am not quite mastering I assume. I want to fulfill His purpose. I want to be able to look at old pictures from my life from before I was sick, and not feel so much anger. I want to be happy again and look forward to leaving the house. I know God hears my prayers, and I am comforted by that. But, I still wish I could go crawl in the bed with Mrs. Bonnie and snuggle up next to her while she holds me and tells me that it's going to get better in time. I know you don't understand, and it's ok. I just hope someone out there that may also be hurting can find a little comfort knowing they're not completely in the dark, because it's darker than you could ever imagine when you feel like that.
Here are some pics of Mrs. Bonnie
Friday, July 22, 2011
My Own Secret Underground House
Ok, so for weeks, well months, I have been saying I was going to get my craft room in order. Scott and I have gone back and forth about who gets the desk, what room it goes in, who needs it more, yada yada yada. Well this past week he has generously let me raid his fly fishing stash of feathers. He ties his own fly fishing flies, and he keeps all of his materials, tools, feathers, an accessories in our closet in a huge blue tub. The picture below is an example of what one might look like. As you can see, you have to be prettu creative to master those tiny things... and actually make a fish want to bite one.
When I finished sifting through the little baggies of special bear hair and rare feathers, I looked around me and sighed at the huge mess I had managed to make in less than ten minutes. That was when I realized that I hardly ever see Scott tie any flies anymore. And I think I know why!
Who would want to lug all of those supplies out of the closet, sift through gazillions of materials, grip the special vise to a table, organize everything, spend time tying, clean up the tiny scraps, organize everything back into the tiny bottles, and then try to organize all of your stuff so you can lug it back into the closet? I wouldn't want to and quite frankly, lately Scott doesn't have the time to do that. Hence the reason the tub has dust on the top from being unopened in a while.
So that got me to thinking: Out of all those back and forth conversations about the desk, I had never offered to share my craft room with him, and most of all, he selflessly has never asked for even a tiny corner. He has been at his mom's for the past two days letting her see the kids and giving my kidney stones a chance to continue to be uncooperative, but they're coming home in about an hour.
I do feel a little better maybe because my pain mediation has kicked in, so I'm going to scramble to organize the room a little (Ok, well a LOT because it is atrocious), and hopefully I can surprise him when he gets home. He deserves a little surprise every now and then. I googled the fly tying vices until I found the model he has. Then I looked on youtube and found a video to teach me how to grip the vice to a table or desk. I practiced for a little while, looking like I was lost in some foreign place, but I have finally figured out how to install it. (I guess I can check Fly Tying Vice off of my "things to learn" list)
I just feel so guilty that I have been so selfish about having the entire room, and he never even mentioned his own craft. He is actually really good at tying those little creatures.
Let's hope can pull it off without ay backtalk from this kidney stone, and that my organizational skills ourweigh my ADD tendencies to stop and color when I find a random crayon. I'm not even kidding with you about that. And I'm the type of person that would color the entire book and not even realize that I hve wasted 6 hours doing absolutely nothing.
If I could design our perfect craft room in our perfect house, the problem would start there between us. We are so different in the way we function, and I have to say that I am the most abnormal. Have you ever heard about people who have agoraphobia? Paula Deen actually had it for 20 years! Well, I swear I'm a functioning agorophobic. Agoraphobia is the fear of leaving your house and it is actually kind of prevalent with people who have lesions on their brain as I do.
Well, I don't fear going outside necessarily. I CAN go outside my house, but I feel like I am in control of this whole MS deal when I am at home. I know I have everything I need and I know that there are rarely curveballs thrusts my way when I am in the comfort of my own home or in my yard. Therefore, I sometimes go weeks without leaving the house, and honestly, I'm comfortable with that. It doesn't make for much of a socal life, though.
I literally dread going somewhere and I can't tell you the last time I set foot in a grocery store. Scott agrees to get the groceries if he can choose what he buys. And that's fine with me as long as I don't have to go get them. I didn't used to be like this, and I'm not quite sure when it happened. I guess when I left work, I became enabled to live like this.
Scott on the other hand goes stir crazy if he is home for more than a day or so. So, if I had the perfect craft room, it would be in a basement with no windows and a door that can close off the rest of the house to my chaos. I don't know why that sounds so comfortable to me, but I love the quiet peace that comes from nighttime and darkness. I joke with Scott that I wish we could have one of those underground houses with secret tunnels and secret rooms with secret compartments. He likes light and open spaces... not exactly a good mix for a joint office.
Click this link to check out the neatest underground TOWN... how cool is that?
http://chryanvii.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/underground-town/
See there are actually people who live underground, so I'm not the only wierdo in the world!
This next house is definitely my style!
http://omponk.routelink.net/blog/underground-house-at-swiss/underground-house-at-swiss9
And for all of those who know about my creepy fascination with funeral homes and morgue humor... check this out! It looks like a regular cemetery, but there is an entire house underneath that little shed! But then everyone would be like, "Let's go see her cemetery house." all the time, which would defeat the purpose of a secret house... sigh.
I am such a "Sit in the corner of the room" type or person. I like to be in my own little space. Scott says I burrow in the car and surround myself with stuff. I guess in a way I am a burrower. If that even is such a thing. Oh well, I guess the closest thing I'll ever have to an underground house will be a secret basement...
When I finished sifting through the little baggies of special bear hair and rare feathers, I looked around me and sighed at the huge mess I had managed to make in less than ten minutes. That was when I realized that I hardly ever see Scott tie any flies anymore. And I think I know why!
Who would want to lug all of those supplies out of the closet, sift through gazillions of materials, grip the special vise to a table, organize everything, spend time tying, clean up the tiny scraps, organize everything back into the tiny bottles, and then try to organize all of your stuff so you can lug it back into the closet? I wouldn't want to and quite frankly, lately Scott doesn't have the time to do that. Hence the reason the tub has dust on the top from being unopened in a while.
So that got me to thinking: Out of all those back and forth conversations about the desk, I had never offered to share my craft room with him, and most of all, he selflessly has never asked for even a tiny corner. He has been at his mom's for the past two days letting her see the kids and giving my kidney stones a chance to continue to be uncooperative, but they're coming home in about an hour.
I do feel a little better maybe because my pain mediation has kicked in, so I'm going to scramble to organize the room a little (Ok, well a LOT because it is atrocious), and hopefully I can surprise him when he gets home. He deserves a little surprise every now and then. I googled the fly tying vices until I found the model he has. Then I looked on youtube and found a video to teach me how to grip the vice to a table or desk. I practiced for a little while, looking like I was lost in some foreign place, but I have finally figured out how to install it. (I guess I can check Fly Tying Vice off of my "things to learn" list)
I just feel so guilty that I have been so selfish about having the entire room, and he never even mentioned his own craft. He is actually really good at tying those little creatures.
Let's hope can pull it off without ay backtalk from this kidney stone, and that my organizational skills ourweigh my ADD tendencies to stop and color when I find a random crayon. I'm not even kidding with you about that. And I'm the type of person that would color the entire book and not even realize that I hve wasted 6 hours doing absolutely nothing.
If I could design our perfect craft room in our perfect house, the problem would start there between us. We are so different in the way we function, and I have to say that I am the most abnormal. Have you ever heard about people who have agoraphobia? Paula Deen actually had it for 20 years! Well, I swear I'm a functioning agorophobic. Agoraphobia is the fear of leaving your house and it is actually kind of prevalent with people who have lesions on their brain as I do.
Well, I don't fear going outside necessarily. I CAN go outside my house, but I feel like I am in control of this whole MS deal when I am at home. I know I have everything I need and I know that there are rarely curveballs thrusts my way when I am in the comfort of my own home or in my yard. Therefore, I sometimes go weeks without leaving the house, and honestly, I'm comfortable with that. It doesn't make for much of a socal life, though.
I literally dread going somewhere and I can't tell you the last time I set foot in a grocery store. Scott agrees to get the groceries if he can choose what he buys. And that's fine with me as long as I don't have to go get them. I didn't used to be like this, and I'm not quite sure when it happened. I guess when I left work, I became enabled to live like this.
Scott on the other hand goes stir crazy if he is home for more than a day or so. So, if I had the perfect craft room, it would be in a basement with no windows and a door that can close off the rest of the house to my chaos. I don't know why that sounds so comfortable to me, but I love the quiet peace that comes from nighttime and darkness. I joke with Scott that I wish we could have one of those underground houses with secret tunnels and secret rooms with secret compartments. He likes light and open spaces... not exactly a good mix for a joint office.
Click this link to check out the neatest underground TOWN... how cool is that?
http://chryanvii.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/underground-town/
See there are actually people who live underground, so I'm not the only wierdo in the world!
This next house is definitely my style!
http://omponk.routelink.net/blog/underground-house-at-swiss/underground-house-at-swiss9
And for all of those who know about my creepy fascination with funeral homes and morgue humor... check this out! It looks like a regular cemetery, but there is an entire house underneath that little shed! But then everyone would be like, "Let's go see her cemetery house." all the time, which would defeat the purpose of a secret house... sigh.
I am such a "Sit in the corner of the room" type or person. I like to be in my own little space. Scott says I burrow in the car and surround myself with stuff. I guess in a way I am a burrower. If that even is such a thing. Oh well, I guess the closest thing I'll ever have to an underground house will be a secret basement...
Newly Made Items Added to Make Up and Mud Boutique!
Grrr.... If anyone can tell me how to flip the pictures uploaded to my blog, please let me know how. I know your poor necks are going to be sore after looking through 67 pictures sideways.
Here are some of the newawesome items I have recently added to Make Up and Mud Boutique. I finally feel like I'm gaining a little ground, even though sales are slow at first. I'm building my items slowly but surely, and I love what I'm doing!!
Please remember that a lot of the items I make are personalized, and I can tweak or personalize even the smallest details for you too! I often try crafting with my own last name first, obviously, as you can see. Please contact me if you have any questions, and I will be happy to work with you! Thanks for checking everything out. And if you have any ideas... I'm all ears!
E-mail: makeupandmud@yahoo.com
Here are some of the newawesome items I have recently added to Make Up and Mud Boutique. I finally feel like I'm gaining a little ground, even though sales are slow at first. I'm building my items slowly but surely, and I love what I'm doing!!
Please remember that a lot of the items I make are personalized, and I can tweak or personalize even the smallest details for you too! I often try crafting with my own last name first, obviously, as you can see. Please contact me if you have any questions, and I will be happy to work with you! Thanks for checking everything out. And if you have any ideas... I'm all ears!
E-mail: makeupandmud@yahoo.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)