January Newsletter
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Welcome to the January 2023 Newsletter for the Live with ME/CFS blog.
Let me know what you think, what you'd like to see in the next newsletter, or if you have any comments or questions at [email protected].
My Life
My three-month long relapse that started in mid-August finally ended in late November, thanks to some medication changes and a lot of rest and patience. Fortunately, I got rid of the flu-like aches and saw my energy begin to return just in time for our trip to my hometown for Thanksgiving. I was able to manage a couple of small family gatherings and spend time with my step-mom--none of which I could have done a month earlier! That's what I was grateful for this Thanksgiving.
December was a flurry of the usual activity: online shopping, making lists and preparing for the holidays, creating photo gifts online, a bit of cleaning and cooking, writing and sending cards, and putting up our tree and other decorations. Whew! I got behind on everything else, including my blogs, so I am trying to catch up now. I'm planning new posts in the coming weeks on this latest relapse and what helped me come out of it and a look back at 2022. I'm definitely ready for a new year! Between my two relapses and caring for my father-in-law in a nursing home his last months, it was a rough year for us.
We enjoyed a nice Christmas day with both of our sons home, plus their girlfriends, and my mother and her husband.
Quote of the Month
"We're never ready for the things that happen. When the big stuff happens, we're always looking in the other direction."
-- from Lift by Kelly Corrigan, a collection of essays that are mostly about parenting and family, but this quote reminded me of when I first got sick. You can read my full review of Lift here.
Blog of the Month
I always enjoy the informative and uplifting posts on My Medical Musings: A Story of Love, Laughter, Faith, and Hope; Living with a Rare Disease, written by Sam, who has multiple chronic health conditions. Sam writes about ways of managing chronic illness, practical tips to make things easier, and inspiration for enjoying life. Her latest post is A Chronic Christmas Celebration ... (A Few Tips to Create Your Own Unique Festive Holiday Traditions). Visit her blog, leave a comment, and let her know I sent you!
From My Book
"All around us, we are constantly inundated with stories of resolutions, aspirations, and amazing achievements--from the media as well as family and friends. It is easy to feel left out when you are chronically ill and unable to lose 20 pounds, run a marathon, travel around the world, or do any of the other exciting things you hear others talking about. Being sick doesn't mean you have to ditch the improvement process, though; it just means you have to adjust your expectations and learn how to set goals that are right for you, at this point in your life."
-- Introduction to a chapter on How to Set Goals When You Are Chronically Ill, providing guidance on taking tiny steps toward improving your life, from my book, Finding a New Normal: Living Your Best Life with Chronic Illness, available everywhere (links here).
My Videos
Outdoor Vlog and Friday Reads - videos and photos from a lovely fall camping weekend
Chronic Illness Vlog 11-21-22 - Treatment changes, feeling better & some fun!
Chronic Illness Vlog 12-12-22 - Mostly good, a few down days & a dose of nature
Chronic Illness Vlog 12-27-22 - Holiday Preparations
Blog Posts
My blog posts from the past two months (except the video shares):
TV Tuesday: So Help Me Todd - a fun crime show with a mother-son team that combines suspense & humor
New Diagnostic Codes for ME/CFS & Long-COVID Now Active! - exciting news to share with your doctors!
Giving Tuesday 2022 - Help ME/CFS and Long-COVID Patients - Easy ways to help anytime, even without money
Gifts Created By and For Spoonies - wide variety of great products to give or get!
Movie Monday: Licorice Pizza - fun, quirky movie set in the '70's
TV Tuesday: Kindred - my new favorite TV show, based on a great novel
Holiday Help for the Chronically Ill - practical tips, support, and fun for any celebratory season
Exciting New ME/CFS and Long-COVID Research - short, easy-to-understand summaries of new studies
Connect with me on:
My blog: http://livewithcfs.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/livewithmecfs
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livewithmecfs
This message was published Monday, January 2nd 2023 at 11:35AM Eastern Standard Time (US)
Live with ME/CFS Blog