Re: Teaching Marla

[Guest guest]

You should teach, you know so much, about Sarcoid, yes, but just in general. I teach at the community college level, you have so much knowledge to share. You should think about it, if your health is up to it, what I like about it, is I only do a few hours at a time, and like right now, two days a week, I can stand or sit, usually a little of both. You have so much to share. You are amazing, and I thank you for sharing all this information with us.

Thank you Marla, I so appreciate your words of confidence. I enjoy learning, and reading is a passion--and has been all my life.

The biggest challenge for me is that I only have 6 months of Junior College behind me, and that was 18 units in 1975. Then I went off and got married, and the real world of finances hit home.

I spent 7 years in retail, and was accepted into the Managers Training program with both Penneys and Kmart-- but then I lifted a case of garden hoses off a conveyor belt, had the flat bed spin away from my body, and I reached across my body to stop it. I had 70 pounds of hoses in my arms, and although my body mechanics were correct, that stretch with that weight (I only weighed 110 lbs then- and I was 25) it literally tore all the muscles and ligaments in my back. That was the beginning of my journey into chronic pain- and chronic illness.

It was this injury that created the pain pill addiction- and all that came with it.

I've often thought about putting all this information into a book, and trying to get it published. Who knows, that may be the way I go.

I do think that it's up to us to educate ourself on all this-- and I was so fortunate to eventually end up working in medicine with some incredible MD's-- 29 multiple speciality MD's in one group, then up to the ophthalmology where I worked up to being a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (never worked chairside, but taught the other 21 employees) and worked as the Office Administrator. This is where my real medical knowledge came from. It was this MD that found my sarcoidosis.

Dr. Nis is excellant, and he really, really supported me in learning about this disease. Still today, if I have a question, I can ask him and get a straight answer. (He's now semi-retired, or as he'd say, he's "tired.")

I spent just short of 10 years with his practice, and honestly, I'd probably still be there (on my 20th yr) if it hadn't been for the painpill addiction. The job required a 60 hr wk from me, and I couldn't do it after I got out of the Pain Clinic- so I moved on.

Blessing come in all kinds of packages, and if I hadn't moved on, I'd have never gotten the job with the phone company, and wouldn't have the kind of SSDI and long-term disability benefits that I have-- so it all worked out for the best.

anyway, that is a small part of my story. It's been a ride, and like all of us-- chronic illness is an "E" ticket, but you aren't sure if you have a track to stay on. (So we build it as we go. . .)

So gang, as the bumper sticker says, "Sit down, Hang on, Shut up, and Let's go!"

With a bit of crazyness today,

Tracie

NS Co-owner/moderator