Thank you all for the welcome--We greatly appreciate it!

[Guest guest]

, thanks for letting us get to know you a bit better. I'm so glad that you found us and that we can help you and Bill. One rule in the group.... PLEASE don't ever hesitate to ask a question or to vent. We are here for YOU as much as for Bill.

The shock at first is the worse, I hope both of your stress levels go down a bit and you have a wonderful rest of the weekend.

Sending you both love, hugs and prayers

[Guest guest]

Hi,

here again. Just wanted you to know that I have been passing

on your emails about RP to my husband which I think will help him

calm down a little too. Today is much better than yesterday.

Some people wanted to know more about me/us. We live in mid-Missouri

and have a 4 year old daughter. My husband is originally from MA;

I'm from MS (we met in the middle!). We met at a church in town.

Learning about his eastern 'culture' has been very interesting. So

unlike the southern culture in Mississippi. I married him because he

did not have what I call a 'Kennedy accent.' I don't mean to offend

anyone out there who does!! Of course, that's not the only reason I

married him! We will be in MA for Christmas to see his family. Once

he gets around them, though he starts talking like them. We make fun

of his brother for saying the word 'super' a lot, but saying it

like 'supa'.

My first trip to the east was right after we married in 12/95. We

were in Penn. when the '96 snow blizzard hit. We were stuck there in

a hotel for a long time because the whole state shut down (never

experienced that one). Many might think that would be fun on a

honeymoon, but when you have to go eat a meal in the hotel restaurant

which is this whole Beatles music theme (not a Beatle's fan) and

hear " Strawberry Fields Forever " over and over and over--it gets old

fast. I was terrified once we got to Wilkes Barre, PA to fly out--

snow and ice everywhere. I come from a place where everything is

shut down if it snows an inch!

My husband and I have gone through another crisis related to me and

being diagnosed with OCD and clinical depression in 1999. I have had

a site running since early 2000 (I think) to support those with these

illnesses. I take medication everyday just as someone with diabetes

does. My site address, if you want to check it out is

www.thereisocdhope.com.

This is the worst crisis, in my mind, we've gone through together. I

am doing much better today and I think it will get easier as time

goes by. I thank you all for your encouragement and positive

comments regarding living with RP. Hope is what gets us through--

hope and faith and love.

I have family here where we live. All of my husband's family is in

Mass. We are very family-oriented and Bill, my husband is very close

to my family. My dad still lives in Miss. and we see him twice a

year or so. We are both 35 and exactly 2 months to the very day

apart in age (he's older).

Bill was trained at the CIA in New York (Culinary Institute of

America). He has had various jobs as a sous chef, executive chef,

assistant manager. Right now he works at a local University in their

largest dining facility as an assist. manager. The benefits

(medical) are great. He's been there for a little over 2 years. I

quit working in 2/01 due to my illness. I receive SS Disability.

We very much want another child, despite what I've been through and

this if it is to be. We always wanted 2-3 children. We both love

kids. I did have to increase my klonopin (anti-anxiety med.)

yesterday for the time being with all the anxiety over RP. When

things calm down and we get more definitive answers about RP and

where it is limited to in his body, then we'll decide about getting

pregnant. I know that the fertility part could be a problem. I'm

not as worried about that as I am knowing Bill is going to be fine

and live a long time and that it would safe to proceed with our plans.

Sorry, this is so long. Please write me any time you like. As I

mentioned, I pass this info. along to my husband. He needs

encouragement, obviously too.

Bless you all!

P.