Saturday, November 10, 2012

Victorious Landmarks

I have so many victories to report... especially things I am grateful for. 

For starters, my book 'Love, Life, and God' was not one of the winners of that non-fiction writing contest, however, I remain in full control of HOW it is written and when it will be available for sale. Thus, I am extremely grateful. 

I succeeded in creating a beautiful website with HostBaby: (www.reneealtersatmosphere.com).

I performed on October 13 at the Herb & Art Festival with confidence... as if I've been performing my entire life. I even remembered all the words to the songs I performed in addition to remembering the chords I'm supposed to strum while I sing them. 

I have settled into my beautiful apartment & have made friends with all my neighbors. I continue to accomplish the daily tasks of living (on my own) despite days of extreme pain. I put my electric power chair up for sale, feeling confident that I won't be needing it again. It now sits in my apartment waiting for the right person to come along who wants to buy it. Every time I look at it, I am grateful that I do not need it anymore. 

Pain Specialists of Austin opened a new clinic in one of my neighboring cities. Now I can start getting trigger point injections again... just in time for the cold weather which is blowing in. I am grateful that I have arthritis & Fibromyalgia instead of Lupus & MS which was initially suspected by my doctors. 

EMPI, the company I got my TENS from, have additional items available: a carrying case for the TENS, the belt that holds it, & a lower back strap that includes 4 fabric electrodes... just in time for the cold weather that is blowing in. The woman who takes my orders at EMPI every month has become one of my friends... and I found out she wears a TENS, also, on her lower back just like I do. 

I decided to do a presentation on the topic of "HOW TO WRITE & SELF-PUBLISH A BOOK FOR PRACTICALLY NOTHING" after I met a number of people who told me they wanted to write a book, too, BUT... so I will start to give classes on how to do all the things I've learned how to do during my downtime of which I have lots. 

I hope to be able to earn some extra money to pay for the additional medical expenses I will incur to control the pain that lives in my body. 

I will feel empowered in addition to feeling like I have meaning & purpose in my life... a necessity so I can push myself through pain. 

I got the x-ray results back from films that were taken 2 weeks ago for Pain Specialists of Austin. I really hoped I'd see improvement... but the situation has gotten worse. But I won't think about it much. I refuse. For now, I will create--create--create. Then as I grow older, weaker, & less able, I will still be able to do 2 of my favorite things: write & talk to people. 

I'll have things they will want to purchase from me: my books & my music. I'll feel like I have something worthwhile to leave behind for my future grandchildren. My first will be arriving early January. A girl. She will be living 1,500 miles away. However, social media will enable me to see what her mother will post on facebook... photos & videos. Maybe I will even be able to travel & meet her in person. Maybe, they will travel to see me...