QUOTES

"Live life on purpose ~ not by accident" ~ Alicia

"When it hurts to look back, and you're scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there."
-- Author Unknown

"A laugh is a smile that bursts.” ~ Mary H. Waldrip

"Set your goals high and don't be deterred by those who say it is impossible." ~ Steve Fossett

"Our Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless."
Jamie Paolinetti

"A day without laughter ~ is a day wasted"
Charlie Chaplin

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
— Martin Luther King Jr.

"Gratitude is an inner smile shared" ~ Alicia

Friday, November 12, 2010

Quality vs. Quantity

Hello my friends - me again.
What is new in your life? Getting ready for the holidays?
They are coming up quick.
Lots have been happening in my life to make me ponder...
make me think of something my mom said a while ago ~
who cares about quantity of life, if you don't have quality of life.
Whoa right?
Who knew I'd know what she means at 43.
No, I haven't been given a death sentence,
nothing like that.
However, my quality of life in the last few years
has diminished to something I didn't imagine it would.
I still struggle with what my mind says I can do,
but my body screams ~ "um, no." pretty please.... "nope."
Ok.
So, I started on the journey of discovery ~ what is wrong.
Trying this med, had surgery, different doctors ~
still working and realizing that I had to choose work or living.
For a while, I had to just work. I had to pay the bills.
Then my body totally broke down.
Quality of life going to ... you know where.
Find a new doc, and he started me on harsh meds ~
zero quality of life, in the hopes of getting better.
Changed them to injection, and whala, feeling better,
but disease is still very active. Tried to get off older,
less potent drugs ~ whoa, while I was living, my RA was
thriving. I couldn't walk, sleep, move after 3 days.
Imagine if there were no meds...even with the side effects.
So now, I face a new dilemma ~ adding a new medicine.
Real side effects ~ infections are very very likely, we are
dealing directly with the bodies immune system and white
blood cells. "C" is also a very real possibility.
But, and here is where it gets tricky ~ but important...
my friends that have taken this medicine...most said
"it has changed my life" "I got my life back" "I can play
with my kids again" "I can garden" "I can go shopping"
"I have a little social life again" and even this one
"sometimes, I forget I have RA". WHOA!
QUALITY OF LIFE. vs....
Let's just stick with Quality of life. That is what I am
planning on. Taking a risk, healing my body, getting
my life back.
Wow...won't that be great. I can't wait!
Healing hugs,
Alicia

2 comments:

Cheryl said...

Inspiring. . .Thank you for sharing

Alicia said...

Thank you for your feedback ~ keep following and I'll keep writing Cheryl! :)