Hard Times?

[BarbieH]

I've noticed that a few folks here have been going through hard times. I've noticed, because I've been going through some myself -- nothing life shattering, it's like a lot of "life" has been happening. Parents, sickness, death, weddings, job, etc.

"Life" started ramping up in this household last year, when my MIL got sicker and sicker and died in March 2006. Then my Mom fell down her stairs and tore her rotator cuff getting helped back up. She's been housebound ever since November. Then I got sick. Then Betty passed to the Rainbow Bridge. Now two weddings are coming, etc. I know it could be worse, much worse. I'm letting it all go here ... and NOW.

For anyone else going through a lot of living these days, I wish you the sincerest best wishes for the very near future. Please feel free to let go of some of the load here.

Hugs,

[Buy A Paper Doll]

Barb, I hope things start to settle down soon, for you and everyone else!

My mom is sick and in the hospital, the dog has something wrong with her pancreas, my husband is voluntarily unemployed, and Milo is once again bald as can be. But things could be worse, I guess.

[linda040899]

I'm right there with both of you. Thankfully, I've not lost a family member and I seem to be leading a charmed life in the health department! However, I'm recovering from a corneal transplant in my right eye. The surgery was done March 6th and I'm finally beginning to see a little bit with that eye. Recovery time is about a yr but the prognosis is very good. The right lens in my glasses was changed today so that I can now see with both eyes open. The new lens corrects the astigmatism created by the stitches holding everything together.

[Ilovelovies]

[QUOTE=Barbie]
For anyone else going through a lot of living these days, I wish you the sincerest best wishes for the very near future. Please feel free to let go of some of the load here.

I won't even go there, i could fill up the whole page :lol .
((( hugs))) back to ya.

Sharon

[sdgilley]

Barb, you always have great empathy!
I've been unemployed twice in the past few years, so without saving or retirement savings left to lean on, I'm losing my house. I moved into a small apartment in a poor neighborhood.

My mom is in very ill health and I'm hoping much to visit her soon.

I can't work full time because both my kids are now home-schooled due to their mental illnesses. I can barely keep my 16 year old daughter home, day or night.

As bad as that all sounds, I have a very strong faith and have put all of this in the hands of the Lord. I guess everyone has problems, don't they? I try to remember that when I'm dealing with someone that acts bizzare. Sometimes it's just me.

[p3rr4n]

:grouphug:

[graushill]

:grouphug1

Gloria

[Cathy]

I haven't been on this site in quite a while because I have been feeling so guilty. I am separating from my husband of 34 years and moving to a small apartment north of Atlanta. It is 3 hours from my home and should give me some much needed "space." I have had to find a new home for my 2 lovebirds. Shawn, who posts as millerman bought them. He already had one lovebird from Jackie, and he has given my other 2 a great home. He even bought some cages from me. It helped, financially. My son has taken one of my yorkies, my husband is keeping the old dog, and I am taking my youngest. I am also taking Jasmine my p'let who hates everyone but me and my caique. Where I will put their cages is a mystery!

The good news is that I found another teaching job this week in a wonderful school. I am really excited about that.

[butterfly1061]

Well, let's see. I had car accident in November that I survived due to airbags & seatbelt. If his car had been larger, I would've been decapitated. I went through physical therapy for my right hand that was injured. I had surgery in March to remove my Gallbladder. Three weeks later I ended up in the emergency room and then admitted to the hospital for a non-surgery ailment. I think things are settling down now - thank goodness :) I'm just really glad to be alive.

[michael]

HOLY COW! I couldn't pass this one up if I tried! I get excited thinking about all the crap thats been happening since last year. Or was that the year before? Well, you know, the time when you thought nothing else could possibly happen, but did. ARRGGHH! How come nothing good comes in the big piles the bad ones do? I could bore everyone to death with personal tragedy and illness. From 31 years of type one diabetes, and all its related gifts, to my wife, who's forte is rocking back and forth while smoking (outside of course) 4 hours a day, while the rest is sleep, induced by medication straight from h@%L. But, I'll take the opportunity to spare you all while the chance still exists. Ah, the joys of life. Would it be as pleasurable if we knew there weren't going to be any problems? Certainly not as challenging or interesting. Kinda like that big lottery winning where ya sit and contemplate what the bucks could be spent on. This could subject us to imagination without the creativity. Is that good? ...A recent car wreck in Feb helped in my contentment with merely being alive, still, after all these years. And, Goofy was dropped off just before due to an uncomfortable "feeling", unexplaned of course, by me anyways. This only added to my belief that "somethings out there" either poking fun at, or helping us along. I can hear them now...your getting in a car wreck today buddy, but we're dropping the bird off at home first because your not getting rid of him and all his problems that easily. If they only would have let me know ahead of time I was going to survive I probably wouldn't look as deprived of all charm from the suffering. I'm sure we can continue to be pertinacious regardless of what we look like. I think I'm going to rejoice for awhile now that a lot of things have come back to help change my sometimes rotten perspective on life. All the times when a loved one wasn't dying or ill, and tragedies were far and few, were really more wonderful than I could have ever imagined. Thats not saying a few more wonderful things aren't possible yet either. I thank you Barb for the opportunity to air out a little. Its a good way to remind us that we really are in this together, regardless of our differences, and how far apart we are physically..Anyone who wants to join in my rejoicing is welcome......hallelujah....hallelujah......Boy, am I tired...I think I'm going to bed now before I wake Goofy up....:D :) ;) .........Michael and sleeping Goofy

[Ilovelovies]

Okay, Okay, i guess i need to unload too..it does feel good to commiserate sometimes, Well let's see, ..Michael, i can certainally relate with you on your diabetes. Iv'e had the unfortunate title of being a type 1 since the age of 23, but believe i had it for a year or too before being officially diagnosed. That makes 21 years of living with this "cruel" disease.
Then there's the constant stress and worry of my two, so called, grown children. Both who are in relationships with people who are let's just say ,not the one's i would have chosen for them. Never ending drama, never taking any advice from me or anyone else that has there best interests at heart, but never hesitating to always think we are here for them to run back to when their lights are fixing to be cut off, or nothing to eat..i could go on and on.
In January, my oldest sister had a stroke (diabetic also), then in Febuary, her husband, an alcoholic, who had cancer, died.
Then there's my mother, who is 81, who is in the early stages of alzeimers. Ah,i could keep going but i'm starting to depress myself, much less everybody else :x .
My motto...Overcome and persevere!!!!

Sharon

[shylevon]

Well, I feel bad unloading my small problems when others are dealing with deaths and other hardships... But here goes...

In my life, here in Calgary, the cost of living is going crazy, and I am about to pack up and move off. Calgary has increased in population, 100 people 'A DAY', every day for the last two years. There is no place to live, so the rent is rediculous. My rent was $800 a month, a year and a half ago, and it is now $1400. It is going up to $1650 in August and will increase to $2000 a month on February 1. I thought perhaps it was time to buy a house so I went online and searched around. The cheapest house I could find in the entire city of Calgary was $365,000 and it was built in 1905, and it looked it. The tiniest tar paper shack you ever did see. You can't buy anything worth living in for less than $500,000. That would be fine if I was married, but I am single and cannot afford $3,000 a month morgage payments.

Rent isn't the only thing going up in price. Groceries are rediculous too. I went to the store to buy my guys a cob of corn or two. $1.80 for one cob of corn. I bought two chicken breasts... $16.00. Who can live like this?? and how long can it last? The wages in Calgary cannot support this cost of living, so crime will increase and since I live alone, I will inevitably be a target. It is getting frightening, stressful, and depressing.

On a brighter note, I am thankful that I am in a position to afford the changes for now. I tty not to worry and get stressed. I read, smell the flowers, and sing with the birds. I have my health, a job I love, and friends I trust. As long as I keep firm hold on those things, all should be fine in the end.

My prayers go out to all those who are having a hard time these days, and I hope things turn around for you soon.

Take care of yourselves.

[sdgilley]

:) Ironically, sharing the pain makes me think... "gee, I have some tough things to deal with, but so do others! And I wouldn't trade my life."

My prayers are with you all.

[Susan27]

I have been reading this tread as it gets added to, and feel like venting my woes as well.

At 25, I was missed diagnosed by 4 doctors, who assured me they were CORRECT and I shouldn't worry. After suffering with life altering dizziness, persistence, on my part, and some very uncomfortable tests, by my 27th birthday (literally 2 days after, and only because those 2 days were the weekend), I was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma, and a large one at that. It's a tumor that develops in the inner most part of your ear and presses into the brain stem. Actually, if you are going to get a brain tumor, this is the one to get! I was told I would most definitely lose all hearing in my right ear, and have possible facial paralysis. Luckily I had a WONDERFUL neurosurgeon, face is fine, and only very very slight diminished hearing in my right ear, and he got all of the tumor, so no regrowth in 4 years...WOO HOO!!

So...I attempt a return to work 3 month after surgery, and fail because I had developed chronic hives. Went to the emergency room 7 times, because my throat would close up due to swelling. I would get out of bed and scratch my legs until I was dripping blood. Most people chronic hive sufferers can take antihistamines to control their symptoms, but of course, I am difficult and this doesn't work. Neither does immunosuppresants...so I am told I am special....LUCKY ME. Sure, prednisone works, a cortical steroid, but I can't stay on those very long...even though I have taken them MANY times through this ordeal. The weight gain...oh it's just to scary to share...lol. Finally, after 4 years of trying medications, we found one that works, side effects are actually livable, as long as I don't spend time in the sun (even my car's sunroof is a no-no).

Ok, so that's the health problems, I always told myself could be worse. I had/have wonderful medical care, so all in all, I am greatful for the success with these problems.

Before my surgery, I decided that a dog would be wonderful to have. I have 2 of them, but of course my neighbors are EVIL TROLLS!! Complaining about barking, or poop in the yard (even in -40 celcius weather) taking pictures of poop and keeping log books. Since I live in connected town houses, I had to figure out how to keep my dogs, as not annoy my neighbors (who need to GET A LIFE). Keying their cars or breaking tooth picks off in their locks were/are fantasies of mine, of course I won't do that, but OH the fun in day dreaming. They also complain about our windows being open too much in the winter (heat is included in our housing charges...)!! At least there has been no complaints about my lovies!!

There are of course the problems many have with family members suffering from later in life diseases, altziemers. My Gram is in good hands, very close my me and my parents, in a wonderful nursing home, where she seems to be fairly happy.

I have started back to work within that past few weeks and all is going wonderfully. I am thankful that my parents live about 1 minute walking distance from me.

The only other bad thing that I can think of that has happened was last week I took a corner to sharply and put a nice 2" hole in my rear tire!!! Dang, that was over $200.....the price I pay for my loving of curbs!!!

I wish everyone the best and hope all the hard times pass quickly. The one thing I say to myself, almost daily, is: It Could Be Worse, and I pretty much live by that.

Big (((HUGS))) to everyone!

[Mummieeva]

I am going to add myself here too. Two weeks ago my maternal grandmother passed away. We were very close when I was younger but when my family moved to GA we lost the connection(I was born in New York). Well today I got a call that my maternal grandfather passed away. He had Alzheimer's and I am not even sure if he remembers me. When we last saw him 2yrs ago he thought I was his daughter for a few hours then remembered me. I am so heartbroken because I could not go to my grandmothers funeral and i can not go to this one either. Just sucks growing up and having to many bills sometimes.



Steph

[dani]

I guess I won't pass this by either. My grandmother who i live with suffered a massive heart attack a few months ago and is now functioning on less than half her heart's capacity. i'm going into my final year in university and i desperately need to graduate with honours which will be barely possible because my last exams were catastrophic as her heart attack occured on the day my exams started. My father who i have not seen for near 15 years and has done some pretty near unspeakable things to our family has suddenly resurfaced with lung cancer, and is probably beyond treatment, and will soon pass away. I have forgiven him, but i am having the worst problems relating to him. My pets keep me sane in the smallest of ways, and they give life its brightness and meaning, whether from simply cleaning out the cages or sharing Evie's joy when she takes a bath. It reminds me to be happy just because, because life isnt over yet, and where there's life there's hope.I agree with Michael, this has made me feel free and somehow brighter, because people who are basically strangers from so many different places can experience things which remind us that we are all the same at some base level. Thank you Barb... this was a pretty darn good idea. .

[BarbieH]

Aha. I knew there was "stuff" going on. It was getting so quiet!

When the hard times start calming down, I find it interesting how my priorities shift. Are my family and birds more or less important? More, so much more! And little things don't bother me quite so much. They get littler.