On November 21st, 2011 will begin my children's change from public education to being home schooled. I am beyond excited in the opportunity that I am about to afford my children. They are going to be educated according to their strengths, passions and in ways that bring out the best of their abilities.
On November 17th the last day of school will be the day that my daughter goes off of her medications for ADHD and Anxiety/Sleep Disorders. I will teach her in a manner that allows for her unique and creative mind. Some people just need to move to think that doesn't make it wrong it just means she is different and different is WONDERFUL. She will stop comparing herself to others and feeling like a failure because she is not a traditional sheep that our school generate. She is: delightful, a day dreamer, creative, She radiates happiness, joy and is so very full of life. We are going to embrace it rather than squash it. We are going to let her be, it is not wrong it is the way she was born. It might not fit with the public education model that insisted that if she were not medicated she could not be taught. We will help her to embrace the individual that she is and to see herself in a positive light for all she will accomplish once she is free to learn her way! She will develop self confidence and self esteem. She will learn how wonderful she is and all that she has to offer the world and I cannot wait to open those doors for her and to provide the opportunities to help her to realize that what I have always told her is true. She can do or be ANYTHING that she wants!
My son on the other hand is naturally brilliant in an entirely different way. This is the child who at the tender age of three said "mommy that was a rhetorical question" and and he was right! He is quiet, introspective and quite bored with traditional methods of learning. Our answer to keeping him interested in school was to place a French immersion program. Initially he excelled and averaged off as he became bored. Homeschooling will allow for us to teach him at a level that coincides with his abilities versus his age. He is quite excited about the opportunities that he is going to have being home schooled. He will be allowed to pursue his passions and interests in balance with maths, sciences and languages. We will explore many different mediums that no different than his sister will take into account his personal learning style. He will develop a healthy self confidence and self esteem. He will feel good about all there is that he has to offer the world. He is AMAZING and my hope is that soon he too will realize it!
We are all very excited about this new path we are taking and looking forward to where it takes us. it is going to be a very different experience for all of us but one we are certainly up for. Perhaps this is the silver lining in chronic illness.
© 2011 Rhonda
Showing posts with label Sleep Issues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sleep Issues. Show all posts
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Fibromyalgia What Is It?
Before I begin today's blog I would just like to remind people. I am a patient who suffers with the diseases that I am trying to share an understanding of. The information that I am sharing is made from notes of my initial research in trying to understand my diagnosis'. I kept mostly to highly trusted sites such as the Mayo Clinic, Web MD, Cleveland Clinic, RAWarrior etc. What I am sharing is my interpretation of my research. Facts as I understand them to be.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a widely misunderstood disease. A large number of people argue that it is a catch all diagnosis. The medical community has come a long way in the past ten years in understanding Fibromyalgia. All blood tests and x-rays come back normal. Diagnosis is made my ruling out other diseases and reviewing symptoms that have been present for more than 6 months. There are also 18 tender points (seen in the picture below) that Dr's assess, a diagnosis is made if 11 or more of the tender points are positive. The cause is unknown but it is widely accepted by the medical community that there is a problem with the area of the brain that processes pain. It is also common for those who have Fibromyalgia suffer from nerve pain.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome in which a person experiences body-wide pain, tenderness and stiffness in the joints, muscles, tendons and soft tissues. It causes sleep problems and can be associated with depression and anxiety. While it is not an Auto-Immune disease it is commonly found in individuals who are diagnosed with Auto-Immune diseases. The pain from Fibromyalgia comes in many forms it can be: a dull ache, a burning sensation or shooting pain. In my case it is a combination of all three.
Fibromyalgia also causes what is coined "Fibro Fog" which is a way of describing the constant brain fog that individuals face. It impacts memory, concentration and recall. The other hallmark symptom of Fibromyalgia is chronic fatigue. You wake just as tired in the morning as you were when you went to bed the night before. Other sleep disturbances are often found along with depression.
Other symptoms of fibromyalgia may include:
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a widely misunderstood disease. A large number of people argue that it is a catch all diagnosis. The medical community has come a long way in the past ten years in understanding Fibromyalgia. All blood tests and x-rays come back normal. Diagnosis is made my ruling out other diseases and reviewing symptoms that have been present for more than 6 months. There are also 18 tender points (seen in the picture below) that Dr's assess, a diagnosis is made if 11 or more of the tender points are positive. The cause is unknown but it is widely accepted by the medical community that there is a problem with the area of the brain that processes pain. It is also common for those who have Fibromyalgia suffer from nerve pain.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome in which a person experiences body-wide pain, tenderness and stiffness in the joints, muscles, tendons and soft tissues. It causes sleep problems and can be associated with depression and anxiety. While it is not an Auto-Immune disease it is commonly found in individuals who are diagnosed with Auto-Immune diseases. The pain from Fibromyalgia comes in many forms it can be: a dull ache, a burning sensation or shooting pain. In my case it is a combination of all three.
Fibromyalgia also causes what is coined "Fibro Fog" which is a way of describing the constant brain fog that individuals face. It impacts memory, concentration and recall. The other hallmark symptom of Fibromyalgia is chronic fatigue. You wake just as tired in the morning as you were when you went to bed the night before. Other sleep disturbances are often found along with depression.
Other symptoms of fibromyalgia may include:
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Memory and concentration problems
- Numbness and tingling in hands and feet
- Palpitations
- Reduced ability to exercise
- Tension or migraine headaches
Treatment consists of : medications (muscle relaxants, pain medication, anti-depressants, sleep medications etc) , exercise, stress reduction strategies, Cognitive Behavioural Interventions
Interestingly enough I have found a large number of individuals who have been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis have also been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. In my case the two diagnosis came 3 weeks apart.
Have you been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia? Is that diagnosis in combination with an Auto-Immune Disease? Have you found anything that helps relieve your symptoms?
© 2011
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