Welcome to my first participation in a link-up party!
Every month, Sheryl from A Chronic Voice hosts a blog linkup party with great prompts for chronic illness bloggers to share.
This month’s prompts are traveling, bonding, warming, coping, and ending.
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Traveling to the end of the year
I prefer to stay close to home during the holiday season. After years of trying and failing at forcing my body into keeping up with an impossible schedule, I started listening to it. Now I visit family off season. Visiting family during months where no major holiday takes place is much easier on my body and more enjoyable for everyone.
One of the perks of living where most people travel to is not having to travel to enjoy everything that southern California has to offer.
My end of year travel plans include a few more visits to the Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, and wherever our holiday guests want to visit during their stay.
Bonding
I hit the ground running in June after my ribs had finally healed. There was no slowing down as I was on a mission to make up for the months spent in bed waiting for all the breaks to mend. With my current costochondritis flare-up, I have been enjoying this time with my husband. .
Warming
Between my bad knees and the costochondritis flare around the lower half of my rib cage, walking at Disneyland or for long periods of time is currently not an option. With old man winter paying a visit on Thanksgiving day, I had to make sure that I would be warm while being pushed in a wheelchair for our traditional dinner at Disneyland. Hence, my new plaid onesie!! Best money spent all year!! So comfortable and warm, especially with long underwear underneath and my fuzzy vest over it. The only bummer about that day was not being able to bring my new Santa Mickey backpack. It was a perfect match for what I was wearing, but I just couldn’t risk ruining it in the rain.
Coping until the end of the year
With more rain in the forecast, I have been challenged to find new ways to cope with it. But I still want to enjoy my favorite pastimes, like visiting Disneyland. Part of how I am coping with it is finding ways to stay warm and dry while outdoors. My rain-cover did the trick on Thanksgiving day!
Ending
As 2019 comes to an end, I am reminded of how important it is to follow my body’s lead. To remember to make adjustments as needed. This was the year of feast and famine. I was either stuck in bed or running around like Speedy Gonzales. My goal for 2020 is to find a better balance in hopes of limiting injuries and time down.
Read more submissions and/or join the party!
I think you are very resourceful finding ways of doing the things that bring you joy without causing you further pain. I really must get a rain cover for my wheelchair.
I try! And trust me, there’s a lot of trial and error, but totally worth it. I totally recommend a rain cover!
Welcome to the link-up party, Cynthia! It’s great to see you here and hope you enjoyed participating as we have reading your wonderful post!
I love the Christmas tradition of visiting Disney Land, it must be so great living so close and where you can visit whenever the desire hits! It must also provide some great distraction from the effects of chronic pain and illness.
Oh, how being in a wheelchair for long periods makes the cold and rain unbearable! I am glad at least you have found ways to help and make it a little more comfortable when in need of it!
I hope you enjoy your Christmas and all the plans that you have for the season ahead, and I hope that the new year holds the promise of good things for you.
Take care
Rhiann x
Living near Disneyland and no longer having to worry about feeling well enough to go once a year is a dream come true. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and best wishes for the new year!!
Welcome to the linkup party! It was so lovely to read your take on the prompts Sheryl gave us. That was some downpour you managed to stay dry through. I would love to have Disney Land on my door step it sounds like a lovely tradition you have going on there!
Thanks! I am looking forward to reading everyone else’s responses. I never dreamed I would get to live so close to Disneyland, so 9 years ago when my husband asked me what I thought about a job opportunity he was given in southern California, it was a no brainer..Without hesitation I said, make it so!! LOL
That it is top notch lifestyle manifesting right there <3
Congrats on joining the Linkup for the first time! I love the idea of celebrating the holidays at Disney. I’m glad you are able to use your wheelchair and still be able to participate in the things you love and enjoy. Happy Holidays!
I love the holidays at Disney, I probably wouldn’t enjoy them at other theme parks or crowded events, but Disney is different. Wishing you the happiest of holidays!
Thanks for joining us this month, it was great to read your take on the writing prompts! I’m not sure what it is with 2019, but it’s also the same for me and many others – the feast and famine bit was so spot on. I was either dying in the hospital, or having a blast of a time (before crashing again). It really sped by, too, with the unpredictability and downtime. Let’s hope 2020 is better for us all! x
It has been a strange year! Cheers to experiencing some balance in 2020!