About me.

[Part of an "about me" for a support group]

I do what I'm able to as a homemaker and full-time mother.  I am grateful that I am able to do this, as being a full-time mother is what I always wanted.  Now there is no way I'd be able to work outside the home.  Thankfully our kids are wonderful and between them and hubs they fill in the massive gaps I cannot manage.  They worry more about getting me well than about me accomplishing things, which is wonderful until I feel like nothing but a lump on a log!

My daily companions are: Fibromyalgia :)  Raynaud's Syndrome, chronic migraines, bursitis and tendinitis throughout joints, dequervane's syndrome, dysmotility throughout digestive system, dysphagia, hiatal hernia, schatziki's rings, eosinophilic esophagitis, reflux, chronic gastritis, periodic gastric emptying issues, interstitial cystitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, ibs-c, social / generalized anxiety disorders, hereditary and situational depression, asthma, severe muscle tension dysphonia, euthyroid hypothyroidism....  I'm sure I missed some sort of chronic hangnail condition ;)

I joined groups to find support and to understand what other people with the same / similar issues are dealing with and ways they manage it.  I've tried a lot of things over the years and found some things that help, some that don't, and a lot that didnt' seem worth the effort for my situation.  It's a daily battle, as you all know, and I needed to see people who knew the battleground.

I have enjoyed reading, crafts of all sorts (jewelry making, bow making, sewing - professionally, just about everything!), music (I play oboe in a community symphony, despite the pain), a few online computer games (none of the big ones, just a couple of simple little ones hubs and I play together), tons of photography (zoom lens has become my legs!), digital scrapbooking, I used to dance -- from the about ages 8-21 I was taking at least one dance class almost all the time: ballet, modern, jazz, tap, character, social...  fostering kittens is a wonderful hobby our family has enjoyed together.  It has been really hard to lose so many favorite hobbies to pain and loss of strength in my hands.  A couple of hobbies I stick with just to retain some sense of "self" and enjoyment.

I like a wide variety of foods, though I developed a number of allergies during my 3rd pregnancy.  I actually love fresh fruits and vegetables, though there are where my allergies showed up!  This afternoon we went to lunch at a Peruvian restaurant and I had a dish on fettucini noodles with beef, chicken, shrimp, tomato, onion, and a special soy sauce.  Yummy!  I also love Chinese foods, Mexican, French, Classic American -- all regions...... I'm quite easy to please gastronomically, lol.  My most notable loves are chocolate, Dr Pepper (yeah, I've trialed no sugar, no caffeine, made no difference to my pain, so I cling to the little comforts), and popcorn.  Hubs loves going to the movies, and I go to be with him and for the concessions!

Serious pet peeve is mouth noises!  I cannot stand saliva sounds from people randomly playing with their tongues, or especially while eating.  I have to have some background noise during meals or I go crazy!  My kids will either go insane or be the most polite stealth-eaters ever ;)  I also have some definite OCD issues that have weird triggers -- like the bed sheets not being even enough or pricking a finger on one hand but not "evenly" on the other.

I think I've already given away most of my interesting things!  We have 4 cats now and have fostered a dozen or so kittens over the last year (two of our cats are "foster failures" that we took in as kittens intending someone else to adopt them, then we gave in, lol).
I am currently on a waffle iron craze.  I've cooked tater tots, grilled sandwiches, cake and brownies, and a few other things in the last week in the Belgian waffle maker I got for Christmas.  Yes, it's totally random, but I've gotten a real kick out of it.  Besides, I can set up the waffle iron next to my comfy chair and do the work where I'm a little more comfortable!
I am currently learning more about photography and love taking pictures, particularly candids at gatherings, or pics of children.  I most often photograph my daughters, of course, and also my younger brother's kids since they're near-by, cute, and willing to submit, lol.  Also, my sister-in-law loves the pictures, so it feels rewarding.
Bonus: I LOVE books.  I probably go through 3-6 books each week.  Most of them are audiobooks I listen to throughout the day, especially while the kids are at school, though I also read a lot of ebooks while soaking in the tub or trying to relax to get to sleep.