How do you still have fun with your familiy????

[Guest guest]

I need your help on something. I need ideas on how to have fun. (Yes, I know

that sounds REALLY sad and pathetic. It's embarrassing, but it's true.) I need

ideas for things that you think I might like to do 1) personally, 2) with

Charlie as a couple, and 3) with the entire family that are fun, even possibly

adventurous. In fact, I have a real desire to reintroduce some adventure into

my life. I miss it terribly, and I don't know how to do it. I know it might

have to look a lot different than before, and I'm willing to adapt, but I really

want some of that back in my life.

I have some pretty good ideas that sound appealing to me and to my family for

vacations and big things. ($$$) But I am REALLY stuck on trying to brainstorm

the every day, cheaper things. Notice that my " Adventure " category is blank…

My old definition of " fun " and " adventure " is no longer possible….hiking,

biking, waterskiing, playing ball, exploring caves, backpacking, etc. If you

can think of viable options for modification of an activity, that would be

absolutely fabulous. Or perhaps something completely different that would be

fun or adventurous in a new way that I haven't thought of.

Bottom line, I'm very tired of being a spectator in my life, and I'm

disappointed with being left out completely from the fun & adventurous things my

family does. I'm also feeling pretty tired of the rut we're in, and the stuff

we do for fun (much of what is on the " Fun " list below) feels pretty worn out to

all of us. Charlie and the kids are starting to do more new things, but I'm

left alone at home most of the time. Sometimes it's really nice to have a

break, but sometimes it just feels like loss—like I'm missing out on doing all

the things I always wanted to do with my family.

So, I've got to redefine things yet again and figure out a way to have some

fun—by myself, with my husband, and with my family. This might sound sort of

superfluous, but at this point it's a true need for my own emotional health and

for the health of my family. Charlie and I tried to brainstorm a few times, and

that didn't go so well. So, I'm requesting your help. You know what it's like

to live iwth chronic illness (mine are RA, Sjogren's with CNS involvement,lupus,

Mutliple Systems Atrophy, etc.) And just by living this life, you're creative

and fun. So, I'm hoping that even if I get a few ideas from each of you, I will

have a new vision for fun in my life. No pressure, but if you can think of any

ideas, I would be really grateful. Just let me know.

Thanks SO MUCH!

Sherri

Here's what I have so far:

VACATIONS/BIG THINGS (as a family or with Charlie--$$$):

• Snorkeling with power controller (don't know what you call that)

• Skiing with adaptive equipment

• Grand Canyon trip on a mule

• History tour of the northeast U.S. using my power chair & HCaccessible routes

• Amusement parks with my power chair

• Four-wheeling in the mountains of Colorado

• White water rafting (moderate rapids with guide so that I can basically be a

token member with a paddle)

• Cruise to Alaska (many " old people " cruises to Alaska have HCaccessible tours

and options) & fly-in to remote locations

ADVENTURE (cheaper, but adventurous things we could do on a weekly or monthly

basis without breaking the bank)

•

FUN (just cheaper, fun things I can do personally, with the whole family, or

with Charlie)

• Read books aloud at home

• Listen to audio books

• Play board or card games

• Play Wii Sports at home

• Take turns on " pick a song " with the family from our .mp3 collection

• Sing & play instruments together

• Paint or draw together

• Go to the park and watch the kids play

• Watch the kids & Charlie play baseball, football, Frisbee in the back yard

(maybe photograph them playing)

• Go to symphony on discount nights or free " Brown bag series "

• Go to plays with educator discount tickets

• Go to $1 theatre

• Go to the zoo with power chair

• Go to museums with power chair

• Bake cookies or dessert together

• Family slumber party in our bedroom