Thursday, May 10, 2007

Life

A few weeks ago I joined the Woman Challenge (Women and girls Out Moving Across the Nation). The route I chose is the Gulf and Caribbean because I love the heat and the ocean. I most likely will never be able to travel from San Antonio TX, to Spanish Town VI. so this is to be the only way I will be able to it. Any of the other routes would of been great too.
The challenge starts on Mothers Day and I am ready.

The beginning of the year I realized my health was declining, my weight gain had double over the past year, my financial outlook was not any better and I just hated each day.

I decide to tackle my health first because I have MDS (Myelodysplastic Syndrome). It is a type of cancer that affect blood, bone marrow and lymph nodes. Mine is in the blood the type of MDS I have is Refactory Anemia with Blasts. So far no medication has helped to raise my blood counts. I was taking 1 shot a day that costs about $1,800 for each shot. Insurance pays alittle. I have had 3 bone marrow biopsy and no change has been found (good and bad news) The real bad news is survival average is 4 - 5 years. I am going on 3 years. When you look at me I look as healthy as an Ox. I have low red cells, white cells, and platelets. Because of this my immune system sucks, I have shortness of breath, pale skin, severe fatigue, bruise and bleed even with minor bumps and scrapes. Mostly because of the severe fatigue and lowered innune systems I have not been able to work outside of the house. I still work on people's computers and have my crafting and quilting. I would love to go back to work full time but I am so afraid to getting sick from others. I do not go out in public much and when I do I am always at risk for getting sick. Sometime I wear a mask and gloves which helps.

I have stopped drinking diet drinks accept for 1 at dinner. I do drink 3 - 5 bottles of water a day, eat better, and walk each day. My goal is to walk 10,000 steps a day. I average 5000 steps. This past week I have done at least 10,000 steps which is about 5 miles each day. I have lost 26 pounds in 4 1/2 months and yesterday I tried on clothes I have not worn in years and they fit.

The next few weeks will be very hard for me because of mother's day my mom's birthday and on July 11th it will be 1 year since my mom passed away. I know it will get easier as the years go by but for now I am very depressed.

Last year my husband lost his job and was able to find another one within 3 months. Without an income and insurance we used all of our savings which was not much to start. Hubby had to take a very large cut in pay and it has not help. We are getting behind each month and with me not being able to work it is just not good and we are going down fast.

Over then next few weeks I will be selling all of my commercial fabric stash. When I was doing craft shows, selling table runners, place mats and napkins I had a retail licence and was able to buy fabric by the bolt at wholesale prices. I have so many great fabrics that I can not possible use in my lifetime it is time to share with others. I do have my hand dye fabrics on my DubiQuilts website. If you are looking for a theme or color let me know and I will check my fabric stash. I will be starting a new blog for my commercial fabric stash soon.

The next two days I will be working at the boys state gymnastic meet. My sons team did not qualify this years, but a few gymnasts are going as individuals. My quilting will be on hold and I look forward to getting back to working on Maritime on Monday. I have been planning my hand and machine quilting and gathering the embellishments I plan on using.

Sorry I was so long winded it is just a bad day. Everything can change in a second and I do know how lucky I am to have what I have, my family and all my great cyber friends.

Debbi
dubiquilts@dubiquilts.com (email)
©2006 - 2007 DubiQuilts

10 comments:

Granny Fran said...

Debbi, I had no idea; thank you for sharing your concerns with us. All I can say is that I care for you and will be praying for you. Your attitude of thankfulness is wonderful and I'm sure, in the final analysis, the answer to all of our problems. It might not resolve the problems but it will help us live with them.

Joanna said...

I'm sorry you are having such hardships. I wish you the best...also, I am so sorry to hear about your cancer. It must be quite a drain on you to have to stay away from places and not know what your future holds. My thoughts are with you!
Joanna

Lori (A.K.A. Elkhoundmom) said...

I had no idea you were facing such challenges. My thoughts and prayers will be with you.

Mrs. Goodneedle said...

You are courageous to share yourself and your concerns and fears here, thank you for trusting us. I am praying for strength for you to manage each day, for a peaceful and calm spirit so that you may recognize the strength when it comes and live each day to it's fullest. You have challenges, great ones, but something tell me that you can meet these and overcome them! I'm rooting for you... Happy Mother's Day, Debbi! ~Hugs~

meggie said...

Hope your Mother's Day is fabulous!
You have a difficult patch in life.
Good luck with your future.
We have been there, but my cancer was operable. My husband got another job...much less pay, & no respect.(He had been 'the boss')It was very hard, & my mother died in the midst of it all too.
We have survived, but we are altered.

Laurie Ann said...

Good luck this weekend starting your new program. I know you can do it! I pray that your counts will improve as you work on your health in ways that you can! I always love to hear from you on my blog. Thanks!

Patti said...

Sending lots of positive thoughts, hopes and prayers your way for improving health. Sounds like you are certainly moving the the right direction with the exercise and the weight loss. I truly admire your determination.

Unknown said...

sending a virtual hug! sometimes one just has to vent and voice the heartaches. I find that once the complaints are said out loud and clear I feel better for it. I hope you feel better too!

CONNIE W said...

I have you in my thoughts. I hope that you do feel better very soon and that you have a turnaround in the way things are going. Sending you a big cyber hug.

Sue said...

It's hard to know what to say except that I'll be praying for you and I hope that your new routine will help you to feel better so you can have many more good days than bad.