A short while ago I took a break from M.S. I didn’t have a choice really. Another, more powerful, force than the disease began to consume my life, filling me with grief, despair, fear, humiliation and a pain that neither cancer nor Multiple Sclerosis ever imparted upon me. “The hubby”, as he has been endearingly referred to here in so many posts, and I have separated. The very unexpected story, the pain, the details are all too private for this place and out of respect for our families I shall keep those details vaulted away from my virtual life. A pancake, no matter how thin, always has two sides, doesn’t it?
This blog is called Sunshine and Moonlight: A Journey with Multiple Sclerosis. Don Williams Jr. once wrote: “The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.”
When I read that quote once again, I realized that my path here in “The Sunshine” has ended, but my journey has really just begun. These virtual pages carry too many bittersweet memories. A crossroads has been reached. For my writing to continue to benefit myself and others, it has to come freely and be shared in a serene environment. “The Sunshine” no longer provides that for me.
However, after tens of thousands of unique hits to this site, the story is still important. The lessons learned in the first two years of a life-altering diagnosis just can’t be erased. Sunshine and Moonlight will continue to exist as a resource and I hope a help to at least one or two people every day.
Today, I invite you to continue this journey with me, just in a new place, a different place. So much of the story has yet to be told, has yet to even be designed for me. “My Sun Still Rises” is my new home and you don’t even need MapQuest to help you get there. Just click HERE or on the title above and join me as the journey continues.
Catch you on the flip side, Little Miss Sunshine, wither thou goest and wagging my tail behind me…
Take your right hand, and point four fingers downward like a holding a bug inside. Point your thumb straight up.
Take your left hand and make a cup, like the letter “C”, and place the cupped hand over the right hand.
Now, wiggle your right thumb back and forth, forward and back. A gal at WQLN taught me ASL for the word “turtle”, and that is it. It really looks like a live turtle as your right thumb comes to life.
In the race of turtle and the hare, the turtle ran and ran, but at its own speed. The hare was so far out ahead, there was no way for the turtle to catch up.
The rabbit took a nap by a tree.
The turtle plodded at the same pace as the start.
He passed a sleeping rabbit by a tree, and continued all the way to the finish line.
Your finish line has been altered, but you are still a marvelous turtle. Keep plodding along, one day at a time.
It is not the race that matters.
It is not the victory of the win that matters.
It is the journey, and the continued movement forward that matters.
Oh,…… and YOU matter too.
God be with ye!
Best regards,
Danny Lucas
Wow, I’m so sorry. Life has its surprises. I will read your new blog, to be sure.
If I’ve said it once…I’ve said it a thousand times…and I’ll continue to sing it to you and have it as your own personal ringtone when you call me……..
♫♪♫”Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming….”♫♪♫
♥♥♥love ya, Dory♥♥♥
Added the new link. Hang in there, we are still here.
Bless your heart. I will follow you to your new blog. I am so sorry and wish you the best.
Kim,
Sending virtual hugs and a new-found peace …
We differed a while back on the contrast of sunshine and moonlight … you once posted that column here for me … I, then, and now, avoided the glare of the sun’s relentless stark exposure of my weaknesses, and found peace in the quiet of the moon’s night.
Please remember, Kim, that the gentle light reflected by the moon offers peace and serenity … and it’s softened shadows are rendered less dark by your own eyes’ adjustment to the new level of light …
As your new sun rises, and more is asked of you, remember that each tasking day will close with a restful night, softly lit by all the stars, and, predictably often, and moon Remember Fivel’s song…
Prayers for you, and for us all.
I’m sure I’m not very welcome here in the “the Sunshine” world much anymore but thought I’d post just one last comment. Sunshine’s right…some things are just too private to post. However…let me just say..as Im sure you’re all aware…Sunshine is and always will be an AMAZING individual! She always seems to handle every obstical, every situation, every “bump in the road”…with style,grace and an inner wisdom that the rest of us just can’t seem to grasp. Yes…my journey has taken me in a different direction. A direction that even I didn’t see coming. A direction away from the Sunshine. We all need to follow our path. A book I read many years ago..(given to me by Kim)…compares our life journey to climbing a mountain. The author suggests that our journey up the mountain is uniquely ours and has a distinct ending in mind. He also suggests that while there may be twists and turns up this mountain…different paths if you will..the end result will always be the same…no matter which path you choose, you’re still traversing the same mountain…..LIFE. Kim is and always will be a huge part of my life. We shared ups and downs. We laughed and cried together. We raised children, dogs and even fish together.(George and Gracie r.i.p)lol. Unfortunately OUR journey together has ended but let me just say in front of God and everyone. I don’t regret one second of the life we shared and wouldn’t trade it for anything! Sunshine continues to be a source of strength to me and hopefully to ALL of you because thats just who she is…….she’s Sunshine……
Kim (and everyone),
I accidentally neglected to include an important section in my CCSVI post.
THE RISKS: Dr. Dake at Stanford is learning as he goes, so the early large, stiff stents have been replaced with smaller (in diameter), flexible stents. Some problems (anecdotally reported) are damage to the Accessory Nerve which shares the same sheath as the jugular vein — the Accessory Nerve provides for shoulder movement; hopefully, the damage is just temporary.
There is significant bruising on the body because of the required blood thinners that must be taken. There can be high levels of pain during and after the procedure with a long recovery time (> than two mos).
There can be internal bleeding if the vein becomes nicked by the catheter resulting in a variety of problems depending on exactly where the nick occurs.
This is surgery and as with all surgery, there can be risks.
~HP