Tag: Homeschooling with Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia Pain, Living Daily with Fibromyalgia

Just a Blog About Fibro

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Today I am just writing a blog about living with Fibromyalgia. 

What does that mean? 

It means that I am just a normal person whose life has ups and down same as anyone. Sad days, happy days. Emotional days and steady days. I am just your average Jolene who has a life she is trying to live each and every day. 

It just so happens that I also suffer from a multitude of  chronic pain issues.                               Like in every joint.

Today I am also suffering from eye problems. The whole time I am typing this my eyesight is blurred. I wear bifocals now and I am constantly moving my head up and down looking for a clear row to see through. Not every day is a bad eye day, but today is. 

Fibromyalgia sufferers can have problems at any time on any given body part.  From the head to the toes. Random pain. It can last for one minute or one hour…or longer. It is a part of the condition.  

How do I handle this?

Well, I was diagnosed in 2015. Click here to take you to my story. My life is busy. Unyieldingly busy. Is that even a word???

I have a husband with blood cancer, two sons in Marine Corp boot camp, one son in the Navy, and a family bluegrass band that is still kicking after the boys departure and  variety of farm animals to take care of. I home school, and have for over 22 years. I love my busy life! I have a great family! But I also have Fibromyalgia. 

Today is a wet, cold, dreary fall day. I used to love these days. I still do, to a degree, but the pains these types of days bring me is not lovable. 

On top of that, my basement began leaking (again) and the morning was spent using the shop-vac and trying to find the leak. Add that my girls are at their sisters and my hubby and I are the only ones home! 

My body aches! So does my husbands. His condition makes him tire way too easily and energy, for him, is scarce.

Let’s just say I wish the sun were out. 

Today I am living life. Today life brought me rain and a leaky basement. But, today also brought me comfort in knowing I have another day yet to live.

So, rain or shine-Here is to life!

God Bless-

~The Fibro Momma of Ten

Living Daily with Chronic Invisible Illness

Fibromyalgia, Home-schooling and Multi-tasking

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Today I am actually alone in my house.

Why is this noteworthy? Because I have a lot of children who still live at home. I have home schooled them for over 21 years and still have many more to go. I do not remember the last time I was home alone…

Now, the house was vacuumed and the dishes were done prior to their departure…by them! (They know I can relax better when things are organized and decluttered…) I am blessed!

So, here I am relaxing.…

It is quiet…except for some soft music playing in the background, which on a normal day, I would never attempt, because I would never be able to hear it.

And as I sit here and type, I can feel my back locking up…a sort of burning pain, and I know I am limited to how long I can sit here and type. My body clock has begun ticking….

Pain is a part of my life every day.

I believe it is important (especially for adults) to let your mind wander and daydream. While I do not get that opportunity often, I know it is important to let your mind decompress and wander off to some sort of La-la-Land…. multi-tasking is over-rated and I for one feel that has contributed to my demise.

I once was the queen of multi-tasking!

Multi-tasking is one thing when you are bouncing a baby in a sling while stirring a pot on the stove, or sewing a pattern while taking a moment to change a diaper, or plan dinner. But mental multi-tasking is a stress all its own.

No one can handle that for long; I should know.

But, home schooling is multi-tasking at its finest! Switching gears from 2+2=4 to reducing fractions to solving a Sigma Notation Equation and back to 5×8=56 can make anyone brain dead by nightfall. After 20+ years of elementary math and 10 years of higher math woven throughout, oral reading of Dr. Seuss to The Chronicles of Narnia to Jane Austen, teaching the fundamentals of writing basic sentences to editing a high school Thesis paper, and then back to the ABC song…all in one day times 5 days a week, times 40 weeks per year, times 20 years…well, you get the idea, and this Momma’s brain is like…wha…??

Don’t get me wrong…I love what I do!

But now that I have Fibromyalgia, multi-tasking and I are not the same. Good thing is, I now only have three children left to teach and the elementary part is almost over, so the switching of gears is not as complex.

My children all have their routine established and I (do my best) to pace myself daily. We all work together (most days!) and school is quite enjoyable!

Throw in the always in use…never can get away from…smart phone and one’s mind is slowing frying…

Yes, I have a smart phone, and yes, I hate how it has become a necessary part of this life. It makes switching gears almost impossible.

So here is to S-L-O-W-I-N-G down, stopping to smell the roses, taking one day at a time, enjoying all the little things in life, and all the other cliche’ sayings we have heard over the years. Someone wrote them for a reason…

I hope you get to take some time today to just stare out of the window and let your mind wander…

God Bless- The Fibro-Momma of Ten

Homeschooling with Fibromyalgia

Homeschooling with Fibromyalgia

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Homeschooling with Fibromyalgia can be a challenge. It’s now January of 2018 and I am trying to get back into the swing of the school schedule.

That means I have been preparing schedules for me to follow; schedules for me to adhere to when I’m having a (new normal) pain day, an “I feel like I have arthritis everywhere” day or a complete “I cannot even move today” day.

These schedules are good things to prepare when my brain is working, but if I stop before I complete a thought and then go back to finish it, I usually forget what my brain was thinking earlier. That means I need to push myself to get the thoughts out before I stop and that causes problems of its own. Oh, and if the kiddos interrupt me, it’s all over. My brain shuts off.

So when do I prepare these schedules,  you may ask?

Good question.  It can take me days to finish one because I’m trying to chase the rabbits of my thoughts from another day. It’s frustrating!

Schedules for me are an important part of our homeschool. Children need structure, routine, and schedules.

My Fibro brain needs them also to get through my days when my brain is mud. On those days I can refer to the schedule and (appear to) go on as normal.

(NORMAL??? What is normal?)

Sitting in a chair typing schedules on a PC is cumbersome and painful. Tonight I could scarcely get up from a seated position due to the computer work of the afternoon. But these schedules are vital to my success in what I have been doing for over 20 years.

I love to homeschool! It is my life. I have 9 glorious years left, too!

These schedules I create are more like guidelines than actual rules, but it helps keep my brain in check while going through my days.

(Provided my brain will stay with it long enough to get them completed.)

3 schedules down-3 to go.

After the holidays, I am looking forward to routine again.

I pray your brain works well for you this new year. I pray your pain will stay at bay while you endeavor to pace yourself and make schedules for your life,  no matter what your days may entail.

Happy New Year from a schedulized, Homeschooling, Fibro-Momma. (Or at least trying to be…)