Lori, I think it would be nice if you can find another way to paraticipate which doesn't require a total commitment. My kids always wanted me to participate in their activities. It was hard for me back then - I didn't know I had Chiari, just knew I hurt and had problems. Maybe you can be involved in ways other than being President which could fulfill your daughter's wish for you to be involved. I found the Booster Club thing - my daughter was in flags and poms - to be a very informal thing, so it wasn't difficult. I never agreed to be President - it does require more of a commitment - just a helper. I didn't always make all the meetings, but I did what I could - and it seemed to make my daughter happy.
Shirley
lori said:
HI GUYS!!!!
Life outside of Chiari?? I am thinking of taking a huge risk ..for me, anyway..I am always afraid to commit to something in case I just can't do it..between my own health issues and caring for my mom....but I really think it is time to take a chance..what do you guys think???
My Victoria who is going into 10th grade and is into cheerleading and Lacrosse...she wants me to be the Booster Club president for the cheerleading.....I know zero about such things....I am good at donating baked goods ect..for fund raisers but not be 'the head' of the entire thing, ya know..I am better at being on the side lines..I think that is mainly my insecurity..those here that know me ..know that I am sensitive and insecure ...though , through this site...I can see that I am ok, I am productive, even though I do not 'work' outside the home....
So....should I tell the Coach I will do it???? Funny, pushing 50 ..and I am afraid to do such a thing.....weird , I guess...
I love to read, watch TV, play piano (well, at least I think I can still play - haven't played any for a couple of years). I enjoy going for rides in one of my huband's old cars and stopping somewhere for a walk and lunch or dinner. I'm fortunate to live near the Bay and we have a beautifuil boardwalk for going for walks. I love sitting and listening to the waves crashing on the shore - so peaceful - and feeding the ducks which hang around the beach. I've been fortunate to have done a lot of traveling over the years (which I love to do) both in my job and my personal life. Did a lot of traveling in the United States for my job and in Europe - thanks to my daughter who lived in Portugal (2 years) and Italy (3 years).....took some side trips to Africa, Spain, Sound of Music film site in Austria, Germany; gondola rides and shopping trips in Venice Italy and lots of other places. Not a hoarder either,, but I always got a cookbook whereever I traveled. A Chiari gathering would totally work for me at Disney. We have a time share in Florida - about a mile from Disney World, so go there occasionally anyway, but mostly exchange it for travel to other places. Got to visit Disney Land in California while on a business trip. I like Disney World better. My daughter moves to Alaska in June; I've never been there, so looking forward to visiting. Even though I woud love to say I created crafty things, I have just never enjoyed doing it. Just never seemed to have the right eye-hand coordination. I would rather read - and I do - every day! And.....I love having lunch with my friends - they were so kind to pick me up once or twice a month for lunch when I was going through the two years of surgeries. Before I started on the surgery journey, I did a lot of volunteer work in the emergency room at the local hospital and the crisis center answering the hot line.....I hope to get back to volunteering in the ER one of these days.....it has always been one of my favorite things to do. OH - and I LOVE staying up late and then sleeping late. When I worked at the Pentagon, I had to get up at 3:30 AM to be at the Pentagon by 6:30 AM, so anything after 3:30 AM is sleeping late! Most of all I enjoy spending time with my family.
Hi...Thanks Shirley for your suggestion...good idea!!!!! I really need think things through b4 I make a commitment !!
But , I think i can handle the cheerleading Booster thing...but i will think it through, thanks Shirley!!!!!
Hey..I made the big trip to the city today....which is a huge deal for me ...took kids bathing suit shopping at a big mall...hubby drove..i do not drive the highway...We had fun and they got their suits!!!!! Oh My goodness..not to sound cheap..but Victoria's was almost 70 dollars!!! But i am glad they both got what they wanted.
Bathing suit prices are ridiculous! Especially considering what little material you get! LOL! I'm glad you ventured out to the city and to the mall. That is a huge deal for me, too. We rarely drive into Chicago, but we do occasionally and it is fun. My husband always does the driving when we go to the city also. The mall can make me very nervous, but I have gotten over some of that anxiety and have to make myself go. When I do, I enjoy it, but it is a big ordeal. I hope you had a great weekend, and I am glad your kids got what they wanted, too:)
Alicia - I live near the Chesapeake Bay down in southern Maryland. We are actually on a penisula between the River and the Bay. Itâs beautiful here - like living in a park. We have four acres - most of it wooded, so we have a beautiful view out every windowâŚvery peaceful. A lot of deer hang out here and sun themselves in our yard. The most we have seen at one time is l7. I put a picture of a couple of them on my page. They donât act too afraid of us, but we donât approach them. Iâm about an hour and a half from Ocean City. We do go there sometimes; the ocean water is so much nicer than the Bay water.
Alicia Roden said:
It seems like we all have the Disney thing in common ;)
What sort of books does everyone read? I saw a lot of you do enjoy reading.
I love to read a variety of books and magazinesâŚlove stories about people overcoming adversity, medical stuff, forensic science fascinates me, and of course âhappyâ ending stories. I have a subscription to about 35 magazines like Readers Digest, Newsweek, Time, U.S. News, Good old Days, Country Woman (Iâm definitely not), and a variety of others like People, US, and health magazines. I get a professional rate, so they usually are inexpensive. I had accumulated a lot of frequent flyer miles and I used a lot of them to buy magazines. Now I realize that 35 subscriptions is way too many and Iâm letting my least favorite ones exxpire. But they have provided an endless supply of things to read. At the time, it seemed liked a good idea because I didnât anticipate doing much flying after I retired. I should have kept them - because now I will need to be making âfrequentâ trips to Alaska when my daughter moves there next month!
Alicia and Kajosmom, My favorites are Vivian Leigh, Natalie Wood, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Paul Neumann(one the handsomest man who ever lived!). Some of my favorite movies are Gone With the Wind( I call my daughter Melody, Melly, after Olivia DeHavilland's Melanie(Melly) Wilkes!), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Splendour in the Grass, and most musicals(West Side Story, Oklahoma, and The Music Man, etc.).
Kajosmom, we seem to have a lot in common. As I said I love my Kindle too. I too thought I might miss the actual book but I don't! I brought it to the beach this weekend and it was great there too!
Shirley, my church holds its retreats by the bay. It's called Sandy Cove. I've been to a woman's retreat there and my husband has been to several of the men's retreats. We would like to get to a married couple's retreat there also. We went to Ocean City for the first time three years ago. It was one of the most relaxing vacations I can remember. It was nice not having the rides visible from our condo. There was less pressure to head to the boardwalk everyday! We usually go to Wildwood, NJ where the kids are bouncing off the walls to go to the boardwalk! We were offered a condo for a week by friends from church and I am so glad we went. We were on the beach everyday from 9 in the morning until 7 at night! Great time!
Well, Lori, I didn't pay anything for a lot of the magazines because I used the frequent flyer miles and the others were cheap; that made it harder to say no - because I do love to read. Since I read so fast, it's hard to keep material around to read. I bought some from my grandchildren who were selling them for scouts and cheerleading.....I have a hard time ever saying no to them! Unless I get rid of them as soon as I read them, though, they do tend to accumulate. Fortunately, if I gather them up, my husband will take them to recycle.
Jennifer - I don't know where Sandy Cove is. Is it close to ocean City?
Isnât it amazing that we still have âlivesâ even battling Chiari and its devastating effects/pain. I admire each and every one of you for all you do inspite of Chiari! Keep on living everybody:)
Lemme see here...I am the youngest of four children..and the only girl. I love anything that has to do with the Arts and used to wok in that field for about 13 years. I have recently made a transition into higher education and am a Resident Coordinator for a college and am loving every...well, mostly every moment of it...LOL. I love people and have the gift of gab.
I enjoy watching NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order....anything where there is a murder to solve. I love to cook, travel, and to spend time with my family and friends. I haven't lived this close to my mother in 14 years...so I treasure every moment I have with her...that's my girl!
I am a Christian (Baptist) and I love the Lord. I am probably one of the least judgmental people you will ever meet. I have a huge heart and will do anything I can to help another person. My friends say that I am funny....and I would have to agree. I use humor as a way to cope with most things in my life....and that works for me.
Hi Alicia well this is a good idea u had, I just turned 30 had a big 3oth mad hatters tea party it was fun everyone dressed up i was chesire cat, lol i acted like the chesire cat too at my party always sneaking away hiding in the bathroom having little moments of pain taking some deep breaths then rejoining the party. I live in Adelaide SA Australia with my partner percy who is the best man ever an his 17yr old son tohrm, they both look after me lots, my family all live in Bluff NewZealand thats where Im origanly from Iv been in Australia for 3 1/2 years, before chiari i was a full time hairdresser now i hav set up a room in our house as my own little salon on my good days i still cut haif but only one client a day now, once or twice a week, i paint and draw an i love to bake an cook too the kitchen has become my bestfriend, i hav a beautiful 11month old kitten he is black grey an white half ragdoll he is the cutest thing ever, his name is Osky he spends all day with me keeping me company, i love reading too i love my ebook reader its the best, Im spiritual an love too meditate an love all my crystals an incense, traveling i l;ove too do as well, im also trying to do a documentary about chiari so in my spare time i research chiari alot and read an wsatch other peoples youtube things i want to do a weekly report on youtube in the near future i enjoy taking photos an fliming things. Im so glad we have computers so much knowleged we can learn lots. hopefully i get a new puupy soon a bullterrior a white one with a black patch its suppose to be my 30th pressie, looking forward to having another new family friend in our lives xxxooo p.s sori my story is so long
Oh wow I bet that party was a blast!! Happy belated birthday!!:)
My college graduation cake was the main disney characters like Mickey/Minnie/Goofy etc... it was a sheet cake with a group image on it. Haha my friends got a kick out of it!
Joe and I want to get married in disneyworld (gotta start saving the $$! lol) I want a mickey wedding ring :p
Post a pic of that ring! I gotta see it! I am having such a good time planning my daughterâs wedding with her! She isnât getting married until October of 2012, after she graduates from college. It is good to start early, right? We have a church, reception hall, and her dress! What more do we need? Oh yeah, a cake, food, DJ, tuxedos, photographer, flowers, etc. LOL!
Alicia Roden said:
Oh wow I bet that party was a blast!! Happy belated birthday!!:)
My college graduation cake was the main disney characters like Mickey/Minnie/Goofy etc... it was a sheet cake with a group image on it. Haha my friends got a kick out of it!
Joe and I want to get married in disneyworld (gotta start saving the $$! lol) I want a mickey wedding ring :p