Jane--forgot to answer you!

[Guest guest]

Oh boy, I guess my brain must still be in my ice cream dish! I

forgot to answer your questions. Yes, I do get flare-ups, most

definitely, and mostly when I've overdone. Try to tell the doctors

and therapists that no amount of exercise is going to make me feel

better! They just can't grasp the concept that there is a disease

out there that (1) makes people gain weight and (2) doesn't respond

well to exercise. They see an overweight, woman of (ahem) mature

years walk in, and figure ah, there's someone who loves to sit around

and eat cherry-chocolate ice cream. OK, so I do have an occasional

dish, but it's sugar free and fat free!

The tumors are exquisitely painful, can pulsate with pain on their

own, but especially when there are 3 two-year olds crawling around on

your lap...I try not to scream when it's them. But sometimes even

the weight of my 8-lb. cat walking across my thighs hurts. The force

of the shower spray on my back. I miss having my back scratched. Ah

but there are so many other blessings--I have learned that there are

hundreds of good people out there suffering, and suffering

unconscionable acts of unkindness at the hands of doctors and other

unfeeling people. And I have found new interests to keep my hands

and my mind busy when the rest of the body doesn't work so well. I

bake bread for communion, and feel doubly blessed watching everyone

partake of it.

sorry to babble, but I guess it was the ice cream...

Keep on smilin'

Judi