Made it through Christmas Day!

[Guest guest]

Hello All, I made it! I enjoyed helping the family cook and roll meat filled

with filling, in Italia we call it spadeni's. I was on my feet more than usual.

We got through dinner and I knew I was spent. I told my sister that I would be

bowing out of helping with dishes as my back was hurting. She said in a snotty

voice, my back hurts too! I let it go and sent her an e-mail when I got home. I

explained that I have degenerative disc disease and between Lumbar 2-3 there is

no fluid and the discs rub against a nerve which causes a neuropothy in my left

leg and thigh so when the back hurts and compresses the nerve I get tingling and

stinging like a thousand bee's and before long I cannot walk and usually fall. I

figure I owe at least a try at educating my sister when it comes to a portion of

my illness. I told her there is a lot more that I will try to explain and how it

affects my life. She has had years to ask questions or try to understnad so I'm

not sure if she'd be open to it now. I wasn't just going to let a comment like

that go past though. I was very nice about it. But, I made sure she heard that

it is not just a normal backache from over doing it. I also explained how when

someone with chronic illness suffers, family support and compassion is very

important. I wanted to say not your sarcastic remarks!! However I held my

tongue. What experiences did you all have this Christmas day? All in all it was

a good day ....now in bed with Lucy sleeping on my feet cuddling up. I'll be

hear util I'm good and ready to be functional again!! xo