Re: What is good in your life Today?

[Guest guest]

Gretchen

You go girl. Yes, that's the spirit. People should focus on goals, charity

work and what they can do to help make the world a better place. It uses much

less energy to smile and think positively, as opposed to getting depressed and

focusing on negativity. There is a

time and a place for pain, sorrow and suffering, but your time spent there

should be limited.

You have got to focus on tomorrow and beyond. I know it sounds easier said than

done, but at day's end you've got to thank your higher power for another day and

the blessings he or she bestowed, and ask for help, guidance and understanding

with the next. It certainly helps me deal with the physical and financial pain I

have to endure each and

every day. It doesn't make the " bad " things disappear, but helps you to cope

better and deal more effectively with the trials and challenges of everyday

life.

Mark

[Guest guest]

My sister is visiting me from Chicago, I live in Texas, 6 months ago

she had a double lung transplant. This is the first time in 7 years

she is off oxygen and could fly to visit me. She almost died 3

times waiting for a transplant. So am I going to gripe because I

have a cane, walker sometimes, AFOs and a scooter...no way...and I'm

a residential Realtor and show/sell houses. My motto....keep the

glass half full, be grateful for what you have and laugh as often as

you can. Life is too short to do otherwise :-)

Jeanne

[Guest guest]

~ What is good in your life Today?

The weather isn't too cold and the pinched nerves in my back are fairly calm.

 

~ What are your personal goals for this year?

Get leaner, eat healthier, avoid alcohol and soda, and get in a pool as much as

I can.

 

~ What are you grateful for?

The list is long, but the main things are...my husband, my daughters, my

parents, my puppy, and the Internet.  I'm also grateful that I can walk,

shower, and breathe. 

 

~ How will you help others?

Reach out to others through the message boards and offer advice and

encouragement to my adult daughters, when they ask.  Visit my parents.

 

~ How will you make this a 'better' world because of your presence?

Give love.

 

[Guest guest]

Eat, drink and be merry!!

[Guest guest]

well, i could not have read this on a better day as i am focusing hard on this

today as i am feeling down and homesick.

Personal goals for this year?

To continue physical therapy and keep trying to get stronger physically.

To make closer relationships in my new state that i moved to

To start a CMT support group in Southeast Florida as there is not one here

To help my children find their way in this world and to achieve their happiness.

Gratitude:

I have a loving husband

I have a family that loves me.

I have lots of friends that love me, although they are 900 miles away.

I have one child who has overcome some very tough circumstances.

I have a roof over my head and my husband has a job and we have food on the

table.

How to make this a better world?

To continue to reach out to those that are in pain through this group and other

message groups

To start a CMT support group.

To continue by showing others that " that which does not kill you makes you

stronger "

To continue to show people by my actions of smiling and persevering that today

may be hard, but we still have tomorrow.

Jackie

What is good in your life Today?

What is good in your life Today? What are your personal goals for this

year? What are you grateful for? How will you help others? How will you

make this a 'better' world because of your presence?

Gretchen

[Guest guest]

Jackie

Way to go! Although your troubles at the moment won't vanish, they will become

easier to navigate since you've focused on what is right, positive and

attainable.

Mark

[Guest guest]

While the three points I will offer will not make the world a better

place, they are interesting -- at least I think the are. One is

personal and two are helpful to anyone reading these posts.

1. When returning from a PT session today, things did not go exactly

as planned. The tram I was riding in stopped and everyone had to leave

the cars. One half of the Trastevre -- a main drag thru Rome -- was

blocked by police cars. Unfortunately, my way home home was in the

direction of the blocked half. So, after a strenuous session of

strength and balance exercises, I started to walk. And I walked. On

the way, I saw the reason for the blockage. A big demonstration of

unionized teachers decided the best way to be noticed was to block the

street -- not a great way to gain friends and influence people! So I

walked. No Cars, no buses. no trams. And I walked.

Eventually I came to the Tiber. Very Caesar-like, I crossed the river

and caught my normal bus home. When I arrived home -- tired but

unbowed -- I looked at a map and saw my walk was file Kilometers. For

those like me who grew up with Avoirdupois measurements, five

kilometers is about 3 miles. This time last year, I wouldn't have even

tried the walk. Today I didn't even think about how far I needed to

walk -- I just walked.

2. For those of us with hand issues, use the handle of an ergonomic

toothbrush to create implements to help with the fine points of your

hobbies. I build rubber powered stick and paper model airplanes and

gluing small parts became very frustrating. After cutting off the

brush end, the handle can be used as as a tool handle to go where the

fingers won't go anymore. I have attached the points of pins, shafts

of a pins with points removed, and the heads of T-pins to handles. The

new tools really make a difference. Next time I build a boat with

rigging, I'll attach the end of a crochet hook to fish the threads and

strings around masts. etc.

3. For those of you that steam milk for cappuccino, try adding a few

drops of water to the milk to get better foam. Chemically, the water

lessens the surface tension on the milk allowing it to really foam. I

always use skim or partially skimmed milk anyway, and stay away from

whole milk. Whole milk is very difficult to get a good froth.

--Larry

[Guest guest]

Oh Gretchen, what a great question for us. My goal is to take care of

myself and stay healthy, eat right and continue with my every day life.

I want to help my daughter get on her feet after having some health

issues and be a positive influence with my family and friends. Yes,

life is good.

Spy

[Guest guest]

What is good in your life Today?

I went on a walk in the beautiful sunshine with my kids.

What are your personal goals for this year?

get more exercise, eat healthier and lose a few pounds

What are you grateful for?

I am greateful for my HEALTH and my children's HEALTH, yes we have CMT

but there are much worse things out there

How will you help others?

I am pretty focused right now on getting help for my children, but I

am also trying to educate my extended family about signs sympotoms and

things to help with CMT

How will you make this a 'better' world because of your presence?

I am trying to be a good example to those around me by living a full

and happy life in the face of adversity

[Guest guest]

Mark,

Thank you and today I do feel more postive. I have learned that the hard way

that on those worse days when all you can think of is to focus on that which is

wrong is more reason why you have to say outloud what is good!

The funny thing is, CMT is rarely the " wrong " in my life!

Jackie

[Guest guest]

Gretchen, you're the best. I was getting a little discouraged with a

few of the threads here that can have a heavy tendency toward the

negative, glass half-empty cast. It is so nice to see the positive

posts this little one generated. I firmly believe that life is what we make of

it.

When I have been hugely disappointed in the past (after

allowing myself a predesignated span of time to wallow and feel as bad as I want

to) I stand up, take stock of what my reality is, despite what I had hoped it

would be, and decide what I need to do to pick up and move forward. " Bloom where

you're planted " my sister calls it.

What is good in my life today is my loving husband who would rather

die than intentionally cause me pain. My children who are funny,

vibrant and full of life. My new house, which is beautiful. My small

zoo, especially Annie the cat and Lacey the dog.

My personal goal for this year is to find an excercise program that

won't exacerbate my CMT and won't cause injury so I can loose some

weight.

I'm grateful that I'm still able to do all kinds of things I

shouldn't, like lug bricks across the garden and climb ladders. I can

still do what I need to do independantly. I'm grateful to know I don't have

Multiple Sclerosis (which was entertained prior to a diagnosis with CMT). I'm

grateful my father does all the things I do so I'm hopeful that my CMT will

remain as mild as his.

I have chosen a field and a place to practice that provides for those

who don't have the means for medical insurance. I give world-class

care to the poor and homeless in our county. I and my staff treat them with

dignity that all humans deserve. I'm happy to feel that everyday I'm making the

world a better place in just one small corner.

Holli

[Guest guest]

Jackie

Nice going. And the fact that you recognize that CMT is not always the bandit,

should help greatly dealing with what is actually wrong.

Mark

[Guest guest]

Holli wrote:  " I give world-class care to the poor and homeless in our county. "

 

Kudos to you!  I thought your response to these questions was excellent and then

when I read the last paragraph, I was very touched.  That's awesome work you're

doing.  I send you warm wishes for strength to continue your work of making your

'small corner a better place' for many, many years to come.