Month: May 2019

This morning during my regular routine I was watching a motivational Video. It talked about following your dreams. This is something I’ve always been big on. I even have dream/believe ambigram tattoo.

So often we think of what we want to do, who we want to be and chalk it up to dreams. Well every successful person out there started with a dream. So if they can accomplish it, why can we?

Don’t even think you are good enough, smart enough, or whatever, cause you are. Reach for the stars, believe in your dreams and anything can happen.

Take a few moments everyday and reflect on your dreams. Think about how, when, why and then believe you can do it. Dream up your best life and make it happen.

Xoxo

Charlotte

My entire life and before people have fought for equal rights. A big fight right now is LGBQT+ and let’s hope that one day people can just be people and all have equality.

It really wasn’t that long ago when the fight was for women’s right to vote, the fight against segregation. These all seemed like huge steps forward in equality.

Now this week, Alabama passed an anti-abortion law. This takes away women’s rights. Some fight that they are protecting the babies rights, but if that’s the case you have to look at it as a baby isn’t viable until at least 24 weeks gestation. Therefore it’s not actually a baby, it’s an organism. Are we going to stop treating disease because they are living organisms and have rights? I know that’s a harsh compassion, but try and look at it scientifically instead of emotionally.

The fact is a 12 year old rape or incest victim can no longer terminate the organism growing in them. This puts their life at risk, physically and mentally. Part of the fight is how do we give more meaning to one life than another? Well that’s exactly what this law has done.

So is this a new world or are we reverting to the old world? Each of us will view this differently and no one’s feelings mean less than the other.

How can we find the positive in a situation like this? It’s hard, but we have to remember what was accomplished in the past. We have to fight for what ever we feel is right and believe it can be accomplished. We as a society are facing hard times, but it can be beaten and we can prosper.

I do believe that we will all have equal rights one day. I do believe we will all have freedom one day. It’s 2019 not 1819 we all have a voice and we can use it to bring happiness and peace to all. Life isn’t black and white or cut and dry (what ever saying you want to use). Everyone has the right to believe in what they think is right. So stop judging others and fight for everyone’s right and try to live your best life.

Xoxo

Charlotte

With various autoimmune diseases when things get worse we call it a flare. You might have heard MS warrior Selma Blair refer to it as exasperation. It doesn’t matter what we call it, the toll it takes on us is the same.

Our bodies begin to attack themselves. It could be MS, Parkinson’s, Lupus, vasculitis, fibromyalgia or diabetes, just to name a few. For many of these flares include extreme fatigue, brain fog, pain, insomnia, depression and more.

The fatigue is more than just being tired, it is sleeping 20 hours a day and barely being able to function. This was me the past few weeks.

Brain fog, for me and many others it’s not just forgetting a few things, it’s literally forgetting words. My memory draws blanks, I can’t form words or even think of the word I need. I definitely can’t remember anything.

For me pain typically starts in my feet, with a burning sensation. My feet literally feel on fire. It hurts to walk, to have anything touch them. Then various joints, tendons and even muscles start to hurt.

Now I’m in a stage of insomnia, but don’t think all the other symptoms have gone away. They are still here and increasing. All I want to do is sleep, but I can’t. Every move hurts, and I can’t get comfortable no matter what.

One thing about people with autoimmune diseases, we frequently hide how we feel. So to see us, you might just think we are moving a little slower, but you’d never guess every step is excruciating. It’s our lives and we learn to live with the ups and downs. We don’t give up and are stronger than you know. We are fighters.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, we never know what someone else is going through. So be kind, be patient, and show love. The person taking a little longer to order a coffee might be just trying to live their best life.

Xoxo

Charlotte

This weekend I experienced pure unaltered joy. Nothing particular happened, it was just a great weekend. We spent most of it at dance competition again. As usual this time of the year.

My daughter is having some shoulder issues, but still gave her all to her team. Although there were a few tears of pain (from a few dancers with injuries). They all did amazing. It’s always a treat to watch them.

Sunday was a long twelve hour day and also mother’s Day. Our dance studio held an annual BBQ during the lunch break. It was amazing to visit and relax with other parents.

Today I’m very sore as well. With chronic illness you have to watch not to over do things. Unfortunately as a mom, we can’t always listen. I needed to be a cheerleader this weekend and yeah my voice is pretty horse today too.

I’m blessed with an amazing husband. The past five months he’s been working harder than ever. He had this Saturday and Sunday off and has been dealing with a a foot issue for a few weeks. Anyways he decided to stay home Sunday, get some rest and fix my car. I don’t think he got much rest though. He did all the laundry, changed the bedding, vacuumed and mopped as well as did the dishes and garbage. All so that I didn’t have to worry about it after a busy weekend.

Sometimes it’s nice to just sit back and realize all the joy we have in our lives. I’ve been truely feeling it and seeing it lately. This helps me to live my best life.

Xoxo

Charlotte

Today Shawnee and I picked up her friend for dance competition. I can’t even explain how happy it makes me that she’s found such a kind and caring friend. We are so blessed to have such a kind hearted girl in our lives. Her family is pretty great too.

See my daughter like me, is pretty introverted. She suffers from social anxiety, and although the sweetest kid, finds it difficult to let others in. She used to commonly say how she didn’t have any friends. She had a few people she talked too, but they weren’t close.

Now this year at dance she connected with another girl and she’s a totally different person. The kindness this young woman has shown Shawnee has helped her grow. The two of them go to support their team even when they don’t dance, they help teach younger students and help with props. Their kindness (like many of the dancers there) shines.

Both girls turned 16 this week, just one day apart from eachother. Later this month we are having a small get together to celebrate. This will be the first time for my daughter in years. She’s never enjoyed having attention on her, and truely never felt close enough to others to have birthday parties.

This might seem so small or like normal teenage angst, but it really is life changing. Most of all their support and kindness to others is contagious. I for one am so happy to see so many amazing young girls and boys at one dance studio. These kids spread happiness all the time and I adore them.

The point to all this is to show that we never really know what another struggles with internally. A little kindness and caring can change a person’s life. Do your best to spread and accept kindness and live your best life.

XoxoCharlotte

For those of you that don’t know, I’m blessed to live in Canada. We have universal healthcare here. What that means is doctors, urgent care, hospital visits, blood work, diagnostic imaging and such is payed for through our taxes. We don’t have to have medical insurance, we don’t have co-pays or anything like that. Frequently we complain about wait times and some services that frustrate us. Today I’m reflecting on how blessed we really are. Having a chronic illness I spend lots of time in medical facilities. I’m so glad I don’t have to pay everytime I walk through the door. This week alone between myself and my daughter we have had two walk in visits, two x-rays, three ultrasounds, and blood work. By the end of the week we can add two more PCP (primary care physician) visits. I don’t even want to think of what it would cost us if we had to pay for all that. Frequently I hear friends and family talk about the cost of health care in the USA. I can’t even comprehend this. Last night I watched New Amsterdam and this was a major focus of the episode. A patient came in and when asked when he hadn’t been seen sooner, he replied that he couldn’t afford it. Medical care in my opinion is a basic necessity to life, its not something only the wealthy deserve. So today as I sit in a medical office writing this, I will be grateful for the health care I have. Even if you are one of my readers that doesn’t have medical care like I do, please find a point in it that you are grateful for, even if it’s that your co-pay is only $25 or that their is a public clinic you can be seen at. Most of all remember to live your best life.XoxoCharlotte

Every now and then I share steps I use to living my best life, manifesting my dreams and staying positive. Each step is important and honestly, there is no real order to do them, do what’s best for you.

Today’s step for me is surrounding myself with great people. We’ve heard it since we were kids. It’s not how many friends we have, it’s the quality of friends we have. Friends that are supportive, happy and just good people help us to feel good.

Shawnee (my middle child) had dance competition this post weekend. I absolutely adore the other dance families. We don’t typically hang out away from dance, but they are such amazing people. I feel blessed to know them.

Now this weekend I joked with one family that they would be my future in-laws. Obviously I’m not arranging marriage for my sixteen year old. What I mean is that my dreams for her future is to find an amazing family and significant other like this family. Something we all want for our kids. I want all three of my kids to have a blessed life, someone that is their friend, partner and supports them in all their dreams.

The support that all the dancers get from all the other dance families at our studio amazes me. The little kids cheer on the big kids, the big kids cheer on the little kids. Mostly the parents cheer on every dancer, the parents drive the kids to cheer even if they don’t have to be there. It’s really a beautiful thing.

Surrounding ourselves with great people, help us to be great people. It makes you happy, makes your heart feel good and helps us to be happy. After all happiness is the key to a good life.

Shawnee wanted to stay and cheer on her team in the finals, even though she wasn’t dancing. Unfortunately I was not feeling my best and didn’t think I could stay longer. One of these amazing families I talk about drove her home so that I could leave earlier and go rest. A few years ago I had major surgery days before competition. I went the first day, and it wasn’t good. For the remainder of the competition, dance families took turns driving my girls to and from for me. They endured they were there, ready and had snacks or meals for the day. To top it off one family brought us dinners for the entire week. I couldn’t have made it through without these families. My husband was away at work, my family lives in another city and couldn’t come. I didn’t have to worry because our dance family took care of us. And always remember to give back to others when and where you can.

Find the amazing people in your life and together you can ask live your best life.

Xoxo

Charlotte

This weekend we’re back at dance competition. Last night a group of 10 year olds danced to Lady Gaga. One boy in the group stood out and shined. He was so into the dance, I couldn’t take my eyes off him and even had me dancing in my seat. This kid was up on stage living his best life, loving it and performing like no other. He totally stole my heart.

I like to think I’m a free spirt. I like to have fun, enjoy life and laugh. A song comes on I like and I dance in my seat. I sing badly whenever I can. Seeing this kid on stage was like seeing a piece of myself.

So often we hold back out of fear of what others may think of us. I think we should all be more like this little boy and let our inner Gaga out. Have fun, enjoy life, be a goof and laugh. Most of all have fun living your best life.

Xoxo

Charlotte

So often we take things and people for granted. When we have a bad day, it’s usually those closest to us that feel it most. There is a sense of security with those closest to us. Like we can say or act how ever and they will still love us, so does that really makes is okay to be an asshat? NO!!!

My biggest blessing is my family, more specifically, my husband. I’m pretty sure I’m the luckiest woman on the planet. He’s kind, funny, supportive and so much more. Is he perfect? Heck no… No one is, bit he’s perfect for me. Yeah sappy I know.

When we enter into a relationship, we have dreams for our future. Chronic illness typically isn’t part of that dream, unfortunately it sometimes happens. For those of us with chronic illness and supportive partners, we are beyond blessed. Many can’t handle the strain, disappointment and all the medical side effects, doctor visits, and unanswered questions.

My husband has always supported me financially, emotionally and physically. Now what I mean by physically is he picks up the slack around our home when I can’t. He works out of town. His schedule now is typically Monday to Friday and is home on weekends. It used to be 14 days away, 7 home and all different variations. Anyways when he is home he frequently tries to do things to ease my load when he’s away. Something as simple as laundry can be a week long chore for me.

Last night during our nightly call, I was telling him about the migraine I’ve been fighting (they have been increasing lately because of change in medications). I explained how I did little things like cleaned the half bath on the main floor. This man is so incredible, he praised me, saying it’s good I’m not over doing it, yet still trying to accomplish some tasks. Later in the night I scroll through Facebook and see others complain about how their spouses can’t even help with dishes or putting the kid’s to bed. It was at this moment I realized how blessed I really am.

My husband didn’t sign up to care for and support a medically disabled woman, but he’s killing it. He along with our family are my biggest blessing. On days when I can’t get out of bed and they all check on me, or make me a coffee, I know how lucky I really am. Every day we are all faced with different situations, it’s how we make the best out of them that makes our lives better. So take a look at the simple things that we commonly take for granted, count your blessings and try to live your best life.

Xoxo

Charlotte