"You Don't Look Sick" <eye roll>; "You Look Good"

I think since it's the first days back for people after a 3 day weekend with holiday and all the eating and enjoyment that came with, it's best we all just ease into the week and realize it's the last week of 2009 and maybe not expect too much from ourselves.  What do you think?  I know I thoroughly enjoyed the food for the last four days and having the opportunity to spend time with family.  I've just been reviewing what few entries we've had in the Forum area at Lumigrate.com over the holiday -- was glad to see people were occupied! I'm really inspired by what I see going on in the Forum area at Lumigrate.com -- people contributing such wonderul insights and feedback and interaction, it just is something that makes me very proud and then also reach a bit deeper and check to be sure I'm sharing as is most helpful to myself and others.  So to all who have written there, here's to YOU!

I saw some people this holiday season who hadn't seen me in over a year and it's kind of like watching a kid growing -- if you don't see them for a while you REALLY notice the growth.  Many people following Lumigrate know that I've been getting better for the last half of a decade, after five years or so of really being quite in a bad way.  I saw in one of the Forum areas a woman had written that she had seen family who frustrated her by saying 'you don't look sick' -- she figured they maybe were trying to be encouraging and it sounded as though it was frustrating to her because it is so clear to her how she feels unwell (pain/ low energy fibromyalgia).  In retrospect with my family I would guess they talked a lot to each other about how I looked, maybe didn't want to make me aware of how concerned they were or that they noticed --- but then once it was 'in the rear view mirror' it was okay to say it.  I realize that I needed to do a better job than I did in the past having the conversation and leading it perhaps, but on the other hand I didn't know all I do now, and my head was pretty fuzzy --- I recall really feeling like I just was drugged and not able to put thoughts together too well -- it just took too much energy. 

So it was REALLY nice on Christmas: I felt the best gift was just that my Dad was here this year, as he is older and has had some very significant health issues surface in the last year or ten.  He told my brother in law on Christmas that the best present he had was seeing me just BE so much better -- that he felt I was back to my old self.   I had just seen my family at Thanksgiving as well and since then had a session with a 'cranial osteopath' who I want to write more about once I have the schedule back together for writing properly, as I want to be sure that I get her information correct.  I hope that in future years there are many families talking about how much better their family member is as well, and that Lumigrate can continue to be part of that process and solution.   

Everyone is aware I have a new business and asks about it, which is nice.  It was very nice to have had such interesting and big news such as an invitation and funding for a segment in the Chronic Pain Educational Documentary Series, and then to return to nice conversation in the room about people's lives and then hear one of the older relatives say that he made a list to take to his surgeon of questions about his back surgery -- things like 'does snowblowing count as the kind of exercise such as walking you're telling me to do .. it has an electronic starter?' (which we all thought was funny!)(we're Coloradoans after all!).  And then he said the list was messy so he typed it up on the computer, printed TWO COPIES and took one to the doctor, who asked if he could keep it.  "Now, why would he want to keep that, do you suppose Mardy" his wife asked me -- and in the mean time I had felt like I'd had the best confirmation of the day that what Lumigrate.com is doing with patient education and asking patients to start taking initiatives for helping their doctors learn how to 'do health care better' was 'right on'. 

If you haven't, recently, please look at the You model on the Lumigrate.com home page.  And I was waiting for the dust (or snow) to settle in order to pass along the compliment to the artist, my friend from the real world long ago here in Colorado, Greg Mann....  One of our followers took the time to write on facebook about how perfect the drawing is -- I'd hoped Greg would see that when it was on facebook but he has a busy season with the holidays and arting up with world around him.  So, Greg -- may that be a Holiday Greeting from Lumigrate and from me, just as it was for my dad to see me like my old self again (as about 10 years ago we both thought I might not outlive him!), for me to enjoy him this year for a Colorado Christmas, and for me to hear of a family member 'doing' what I truly thought the public was ready to embrace with their health care, as evidenced by a savvy family member. 

I might add those particular people have suffered more loss than anyone else I know, and when I returned home to review the website and figure out where to start things for this last work/week of 2009, I saw one of the grandest women along for our ride since back to summer and what she revealed in the Crying Closet of the Fibromyalgia Forum --- about all the things that have happened to her yet why was it that NOW she is crying?  I don't know that I or we adequately have the answers yet on Lumigrate.com but I do hope that she and others read what I wrote in the Psychology Forum about letting go of blame/shame and to getting to 'okay'.  I was so very pleased to see someone commenting 'I'm sorry that has happened to you'... which is, if you read my piece in the psychology area, exactly what the expert I heard speak had said a person needs to hear at such a time.  So isn't that nice -- I got to be enjoying some family time and regrouping a bit and people who had time were able to come in so wonderfully and write and comment and move the discussion along for themselves and others. 

I'd like to mention that in the week before this Food Fest, I had spoken with a couple of really neat and wise women who have written books related to fibromyalgia and food/nutrition and am VERY MUCH looking forward to getting more discussions going when I review the books.  Angela Barakat and Deirdra /Dee Rawlings, ND (etc.. lots of initials after her name) -- please go to the forum area for Angela's links and I would guess Dee will get hers deposited soon as well.  Right now, I'm having to say I enjoyed the 4 day food fest and am looking forward to getting back to my normal eating ... and learning more from them.  And from Ilene Spector, DO, who provided my Dad with the best part of his Christmas. 

To ALL who study, think ,  write and communicate (and treat patients), THANK YOU.... and I look forward to a year from now and seeing what is here at Lumigrate.com and where I am.  zoom zoom