Guest guest Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 beth, what school is it? Be sure to remind us so we can watch them on tv!! I was a cheerleader in high school (OK I heard that... who said it? huh????) and my daughter was on her high school dance line. There certainly is a huge amount of pride involved... ask everyone here who suffered through pictures! Even though your's is a high-involvement job, I think we all had the same feelings when we finally had to quit doing the jobs we loved. I worked at a bank exactly one mile from my front door and also at 9-11 in our county and I adored both jobs and I still (after ummmm 4 years?) miss them terribly! It's still hard for me to walk into the bank and visit with everyone without leaving in tears! Do what you can and get ready to face your limitations. Counseling may help and we're all here if you need to talk about it. Hugs Christy Re: Melinda Melinda-Wow, you certainly have a lot to handle. You sound like a very strong person.Good luck with your toe surgery and your right knee, too. So far, I have gotten some great advice here, and I am so happy that Kathy referred me to this group. Many times, I feel like maybe the doctor is missing something, and it also helps to hear all of the things everyone does for their pain, that the doctor hasn't recommended (such as gel eye compress, which sounds awesome)- I don't do well with stress either and my husband and I are evaluating my lifestyle and making some (unwanted) changes soon. I am the Varsity Coach of a highly competitive High School cheerleading squad and we practice year round- during the winter season we go 6-7 days a week, 3-4 hours a day. It pays off though- we won the NJ State Championships in Large Varsity this year and we are headed to the National Championships in Disney in February (the one that is on ESPN). There is almost nothing I love more than coaching (except my family), but it looks like this may be my last year. This past year, the week before our county championships, I had a 5 day spell where I couldn't even stand for more than a few minutes- but I made my husband bring a chair to me at practice!!(I am lucky that he is the Athletic Director at the HS I coach at!) It takes such a huge toll on me, and my little boys Caden, 5 and Kieran 3 1/2 pay the price when I can't get out of bed. The stress of thinking about quitting though is getting to me too!!!! It is almost like- it keeps me going when I don't have the strength to do anything else, because I know my team needs me. Weird, huh? Well, that's my current stuff, I hope your fall is less stressful than your summer. It's been great chatting with you!Your friend,beth---In autoimmune-ills , "Melinda Hohenberger" <melhoh@e...> wrote:> Beth,> My name is Melinda and I am a long way from you in Eugene, > Oregon. I apologize for the delay in welcoming you but I have been > knee deep in family stuff as you may have read. I am 47, married to > Bob who works for the Post Office and the mother of Sara who is 17 > and Mark who will be fourteen in three weeks. We are both from > Norman, Oklahoma originally and lived for almost ten years in San > , CA, before volunteering for a transfer to Eugene ten years ago > next month.> I have RA, OA, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (more than likely type 2), > just to name a few of the AI problems. I also fight depression and > anxiety at times but it is well controlled with meds. I don't do > well with stress. Up until about two months ago, my pain was well > controlled with Remicade, methotrexate, Bextra and Prednisone, and > Lortab as needed. I am working with my rheumatologist as it appears > that the remicade is not working as I am back to severe morning > stiffness and lots of pain. I had my left knee replaced in April of > this year and it looks like we are headed the same way with the > right one. I will know more in October. I am very pleased with the > left one. I am also a carrier of MRSA--Methycillin Resistant Staph > Aureus. I have been hospitalized twice in the last two years with > it and it is no fun.> Currently, I am under treatment for a staph infection in my > right great toe and will have the nail removed on Tuesday. I am on > Levoquin and bactroban cream. > I noticed that you suffer from migraines. I did for about > twenty years, from about 23-42 or so. They would come out of > nowhere and really be debilating. Initially before the new drugs,> I would end up in ER for the hard narcotics and then I went thru > imitrex and all that family. My internist put me on Inderal and > amazingly it has worked well and also controls an arrythmia I have > and slight hypertension. I also take a diuretic. I also found that > cool compresses helped a little and a room with no light. I also > settled on 1-2 vicodin and had phenergan on hand in case I got > nauseous and they would often pass, especially if I could sleep it > off. They usually start on my left temple. I am sure you have > tried most of the above, but I recited it just to give you > encouragement that there is always hope they will get better and in > my case they have. > This is a wonderful group of people. I have been on the list > for over three years now. They have been so supportive thru thick > and thin with me. I hope to be more available as school will be > starting next week and hopefully issues with my aging parents will > calm down for a while.> Feel free to pop in anytime and remember there is no such thing > as a "dumb" question. There are some very intelligent ladies on the > list who amaze me with their ability to direct us to resources, etc.> Take care and I look forward to getting better acquainted. > Have a nice, safe Labor Day Weekend. Welcome.> > Hugs,> Melinda HohenbergerPlease visit our website at:http://ACES_Autoimmune.tripod.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 Dear beth, I agree with Christy. I was a teacher. I had to give up work because of my health 18 months ago. I still can't go near that school without cracking up. I've stopped all contact with everyone there because it is easier on me to do that than to have to face the tears again. I miss the kids. I'm hoping that when we move (soon I hope) that next school year I will be in a totally new area and I plan on volunteering to listen to little kids read and stuff like that at the nearest school to our new home. Hopefully this will help ease my pain. Hang in there. Eventually you come to accept that there is just no way you can work and continue even your "fun" activities the same way because of your health issues. You begin to find new priorities in your life. You will find support in this group through these stages. We understand. (((Hugs))) RobynChristy wrote: beth, what school is it? Be sure to remind us so we can watch them on tv!! I was a cheerleader in high school (OK I heard that... who said it? huh????) and my daughter was on her high school dance line. There certainly is a huge amount of pride involved... ask everyone here who suffered through pictures! Even though your's is a high-involvement job, I think we all had the same feelings when we finally had to quit doing the jobs we loved. I worked at a bank exactly one mile from my front door and also at 9-11 in our county and I adored both jobs and I still (after ummmm 4 years?) miss them terribly! It's still hard for me to walk into the bank and visit with everyone without leaving in tears! Do what you can and get ready to face your limitations. Counseling may help and we're all here if you need to talk about it. Hugs Christy Find local movie times and trailers on Yahoo! Movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 Thank you guys, so much. Every time I even think about not coaching, I get an upset stomach and begin welling up. I know it is a reality, but, I am fighting it so hard and sometimes I make believe that it is a bad dream- I know it is the only choice I have. I have a former cheerleader assisting me this year and the plan is to have her possibly take over next year. And although she is great (she was the captain of her college team 2 years ago when they won a UCA National Championship in small co-ed)- I am so attached that it is as though I won't know who I am anymore, if I don't coach. Even writing this, I am sitting here crying and I still have one competition season left!!!! (That is if I make it through!) I know it sounds crazy. I know many of you left careers and activities that are much more important than cheerleading. My husband begged me to give it up after we won states. He said go out on top and of course I begged MORE for him to understand that I needed one more year with my team. After Nationals I promised that it would be over.(By the way Christy, my team is Pinelands Regional Varsity and we will only be on ESPN if we place in the top 3- you never know- but I'd be happy with the top 20!!) I think the worst part is that none of us have a say in it. The decision is made for us by this unbearable pain. I want to quit on my own terms, not on the terms of this disease. I guess I am used to having more control of my life and this is really crappy for all of us. On October 16, I lost one of my cheerleaders to leukemia. We were very close and I used to travel every week (for 7 weeks) to be with her at the hospital in NYC. Every time I'd walk in that room, she'd smile and say something like, " Hi Coach, I walked 2 laps today! They said I only had to walk one, but I didn't want you to think I would settle for that and I wasn't going to give up after one. " She would call me daily to tell me how she wasn't quitting, or giving up. I was with her when she died and her father was crying and yelling, " , don't you give up, Coach is here and she knows you won't quit. " It was horrible. You know, I ask so much of these girls and I now am going to be the one who gives up. I'm sorry. I just started crying and writing and it just keeps coming out. I guess I better go now. Thank you guys for listening. I know you really understand. HUGS... beth - -- In autoimmune-ills , robyn bray <robynbray2002@y...> wrote: > Dear beth, > I agree with Christy. I was a teacher. I had to give up work because of my health 18 months ago. I still can't go near that school without cracking up. I've stopped all contact with everyone there because it is easier on me to do that than to have to face the tears again. I miss the kids. I'm hoping that when we move (soon I hope) that next school year I will be in a totally new area and I plan on volunteering to listen to little kids read and stuff like that at the nearest school to our new home. Hopefully this will help ease my pain. > Hang in there. Eventually you come to accept that there is just no way you can work and continue even your " fun " activities the same way because of your health issues. You begin to find new priorities in your life. You will find support in this group through these stages. We understand. > (((Hugs))) > Robyn > > Christy <christyd8@b...> wrote: > beth, what school is it? Be sure to remind us so we can watch them on tv!! I was a cheerleader in high school (OK I heard that... who said it? huh????) and my daughter was on her high school dance line. There certainly is a huge amount of pride involved... ask everyone here who suffered through pictures! Even though your's is a high-involvement job, I think we all had the same feelings when we finally had to quit doing the jobs we loved. I worked at a bank exactly one mile from my front door and also at 9-11 in our county and I adored both jobs and I still (after ummmm 4 years?) miss them terribly! It's still hard for me to walk into the bank and visit with everyone without leaving in tears! > > Do what you can and get ready to face your limitations. Counseling may help and we're all here if you need to talk about it. > > Hugs > Christy > > > > > > --------------------------------- > Find local movie times and trailers on Yahoo! Movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 8, 2004 Report Share Posted September 8, 2004 Maybe even helping with the cheerleaders in some other way? Some kind of administrative thing, or helping with uniforms, or even tutoring? Kathy Re: beth was Melinda I know many of you left careers and activities that are much more important than cheerleading. beth, Know that we're here & we understand. I also want you to know that ALL our activities are important. Don't feel that cheerleading is less important than anything else. I'm fortunate that I'm still able to work, but every little thing I've given up has been a cause for grief. Even cutting back on something is a loss. Try to find other ways to use your talents. It won't be the same, but it will help some. You seem to be a very loving, giving person. Maybe you can find something you can do from home that will let you continue to give of yourself. You know, just sending cards or calling shut-ins means a lot to the recipients. I wish I could make us all well, but all I can do is listen & send good thoughts your way. Hugs, Please visit our website at:http://ACES_Autoimmune.tripod.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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