Sunday, February 27, 2011

A little bit more about me...

I would really like you to know a little bit about me. I am a married mother of 2 beautiful boys; David and Mason. I'm an RN and I've always been a very busy person, go, go, go; working on my MSN, working as a Nurse Manager in a very busy teaching hospital in a very busy critical care setting where I succeeded as a recognized RN, helping my husband manage both his businesses as a very busy Electrical Contractor and owner of a Forestry business and taking care of my family ...  of course, I always found time to read in there  :o] I have many friends, all of them dear to my heart and family that I wouldn’t trade for the world. I was very fortunate, you see?

Things changed for me drastically in the spring almost 4 years ago. I went from the Kristi you read about above to a mere shell of the vibrant beautiful woman I was, I have an illness, it's a pretty serious and fairly rare Central Nervous System disease called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome (RSDS), Generalized Dystonia, and Fibromyalgia. It happened virtually overnight. The pain can be overwhelming and medications really don't touch it since it's neurological. - I was in an extreme depression-the first 1.5 years I went through  absolute hell trying every invasive procedure, every medication (no matter the horrid side effects), physical therapy, acupuncture-let’s just say, I’ve done it all, I’ve been to 3 major teaching hospitals, pain clinics, etc… none of which could help me---One thing about me is that I've done yoga, primarily ashtanga and hatha, for years, so I’ve learned to breathe for relaxation and for yoga but it was something very difficult to grasp when in pain.  

This is where my love of Kailin Gow’s books and my adoration of her come in. Read my post on Kailin Gow, Kristi and the Phenomenon of Pain Relief.

I’m sorry I haven’t posted the full step by step yet but I have received more bad news. I have advanced Pernicious Anemia with the lowest blood level of B-12 they’ve ever seen at 152 and also a very low Folic acid level along with the requisite gastritis. I’m receiving B-12 shots but the advanced stage of the disease itself can be difficult to manage. Along with that I have also found out that my RSDS has developed into something more, I have no pulses in my feet, they are freezing cold and alternating between bluish purple and white and Wednesday, March 3 I am having 2 separate MRI’s along with a CT-Angiogram.

I have been bed ridden the past 3 months getting progressively worse; today I couldn’t even walk to the bathroom and I lost my vision. I was so scared because nothing like that has ever happened before. So, yeah, something’s up but it won’t affect my blogging or my reading. Yes, I saw black for about an hour and had to beg my family not to call an ambulance but I think it was a side effect of some new medications.

Honestly, without Book blogging, reading and reviews, my life would become meaningless again. So, I need all of you, you see? You’re all very important to me and I value your opinion. Reading and reviewing is something I will never give up. No matter what.

21 comments:

  1. My sister and I were talking about Kailin Gow just last night! :) My sister has read her Bitter Frost series!

    Something about her books becoming a tv and movie series!

    -Momo

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  2. Oh my Kristi !! My heat goes out to you and please do keep blogging ! We are here to listen to you about anything and everything !! whether it be the weather or how shitty your day has been !! or how great !!! please do keep blogging and reading Im sure someday there will be light at the end of the tunnell and we will all be waiting for you !! but for now Live every day as it comes and enjoy every heartfelt moment whether it be the book you have just read or the meal you have just eaten we will follow you :) and enjoy all you have to say !!
    love kat ;) via facebook
    stay positive , :)

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  3. Kat, all I can say is a BIG HUGS to you. I really didn't post this for pity; I don't want that, I just wanted people to understand a little bit of what I was going through and I want to help others in the same or similar position, ya know?
    I think it's in my nature---as it's obviously in yours, chica :o] to want to reach out to others.
    I just hope this doesn't turn people off. Authors and publisher or other bloggers. That would be terrible :o[

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  4. What a load of hard things. My heart goes out to you. I hope you finds some answers and help soon. Keep us posted!

    Aimee

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  5. Thank you Aimee, that's very sweet and I will.

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  6. Hi Kristi!

    Thank you so much for your sweet comment on my blog, I'm so glad you left a link to yours so I could follow you back. I'm so sorry to hear of your illness, and I'm so glad book blogging and reading is something that gets you through it:) I look forward to visiting often!

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  7. Kristi,
    I'm so sorry to hear how sick you are. Sickness can be the absolute worst thing ever. Most of are spoiled in the aspect that we catch a cold or flu and only have to deal with it a short while. My heart goes out to those that never get to shake of their sickness like the rest of us. I love reading your post and I am selfish enough to say I am so glad your able to blog and tweet because you're comments are the best.

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  8. @Jenny Hi Jenny, Oh, I meant it. Your blog is amazing! I think I'll be there a lot, LOL! There's so much fun stuff, I'm so glad I met you :o)

    @ Tiffany You could never be selfish, you're much too sweet! I love blogging and I never thought I'd say this, but tweeting, too! It gives me a sense of purpose again.

    You are definitely right. Going from a caregiver to being the one needing the care virtually overnight wasn't easy, it wouldn't be easy in any circumstance but in this case I was so healthy and active and an RN who is less then a year from my Masters---I could do a lot of ands here but it would be difficult and awful for anyone and I'm certainly not special in any sense of the word.
    Now, with these problems happening I admit I'm scared to death but I'm blessed with a loving family and many dear friends. This to shall pass and I'll deal with what comes.

    I can still read, in fact, if you read the post below, Author/Mentor Kailin Gow's books opened up a whole new level of pain management for me and could possibly be a new method for people with both acute and chronic pain. My Doctor has had me write the steps down and she has already sent them out to other Specialists in state and out of state with Kailins name and a list of her books. I really want to help others.
    I'll find out more this week about what's happening with me and I'll leave a post but I really don't want to make this a Kristi's Illness Blog, I'm keeping it centered around books, authors, reviews, interviews, giveaways, hops.... you know, the fun stuff!
    I'll still be on twitter---nothings going to change if I can help it. I have a lap top so I can take it anywhere :o)
    Thanks so much for your kind words and I really yakked a lot, so sorry for that! Sheesh, I can be a blow hard sometimes! I want to hear more about what's going on with you, Tiffany!

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  9. Kristi,

    I finally am able to figure out how to log on and comment here! As a writer, I'm at a loss for words, for expressing how much it means to me for you to be able to be this brave and this strong to come out and tell everyone about RSDS and everything you are going through. You are an inspiration to many, and I know there are people out there who may be going through the same thing, but don't know what to do about it. But with your testimony, they can find hope. Kristi, I'll help your neurologist and the medical profession try to understand the connection between my books and also a treatment or therapy for pain. Just let me know how I can help. Thank you for sharing this with me and everyone. I am blessed to find how my books can play a humble part in your recovery.

    Love,
    Kailin

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  10. oh wow kristi. my heart goes out to you. please stay strong and with the love of all of us and kailin's books i know you can get thru this. i hope you have answers soon. hugs and kisses alice

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  11. Hang in there, Kristi. I hope things improve soon.

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  12. Kailin, your very dear to me and what you've done is never to be considered 'humble'. Your writing, your art, "YOU" made my life bearable. Please, never ever consider your role in my life and soon others, humble, okay? :o] My life had been complete and utter hell, not just for me but for my family and friends. When I picked up Bitter Frost in June, my life changed. I immediately fell into that world.

    There's a lot more to it and I'll be writing a step by step instruction for those that are interested in it. My Doctor already has one, she has that with your books and name.
    Biggest of Hugs to you.
    Love,
    Kristi

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  13. Alice, I think you are one of the sweetest people I've met since I started blogging. You always have a kind and compassionate word for everyone, or you're cheering them on. You're just a very very cool person and I'm so fortunate to have you as a friend.

    Thanks for your kind words and Hugs and Kisses right back atcha, Hun!
    Kristi

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  14. Sorry this is so off topic!
    Hey! I gave you the One Lovely Blog award! If you wanna check it out, here's the link:
    http://yabookloverblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/one-lovely-blog-award.html

    Congrats and great blog!

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  15. Maureen, I adore you and your books! I love your Twisted Fairy Tales and can't wait until I can post them on my blog. They gave me so much enjoyment and relaxation.
    It means a lot to me that you took the time to come to my blog and wish me well :o]
    I hope to talk to you soon and can't wait to interview you and post the wonderful reviews on your wonderful books.

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  16. That's awesome, Chloe, thank you. That's quite an honor! I'll be by to see you soon.
    Kristi

    P.S. Don't worry about it being off topic, I don't want this to be about 'Kristi, The Book Faery's Crisis" so, we're cool.

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  17. Thank you for sharing this blog with all of us. I am glad I found it. I would like to pass the Lovely Blog Award to you. To accept this award you can find the details on my blog. You rock and keep blogging!!

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  18. Hi, Kristi,

    I am ommenting to let you know that you are in my thoughts. I can't imagine enduring the pain that you do, and I think you are very courageous. Thank you for sharing so much about yourself. I pray that you will find a way to manage your pain soon.

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  19. Thank you, darlin'. My pain is a big concern but right now we're really worried about my impending diagnosis.
    Kailin Gow has really helped me, She's been my saviour.
    I kind of developed a new way of managing pain using her books; there is something about the way she writes-but I do a visualization and then read one of her books, usually a Bitter Frost book and I can go to any page and start reading, and for some reason, it absorbs my pain as I'm reading, again, it's the way she writes. Her world building her character descriptions.... it's easy to fall into her world.
    Thanks Julie you're such a sweetie!
    I love your site btw, it's fantastic!

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  20. I'm so sorry you have to go through all that, it would be scary not knowing what all is wrong. I have Fibromyalgia, so I can sympathize with some of your pain and exhaustion that comes with that. I couldn't imagine having to have all that other stuff on top of it. Hang in there and keep us posted!

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  21. I read about that on your site and I thought about you when I posted about my pain management technique. If you like, maybe I can help you out? It doesn't help yet for severe pain, I'm still working on that but for mild, mild to moderate and moderate to severe pain it has helped me tremendously.
    There are a series of steps I go through that include a certain way of breathing, visualization (yes, Kailin's books are the only ones that have worked and in the steps I'm writing you'll understand it better. It's effective and unique enough that my neurologist and specialist have taken the time to send this tech. out to other specialists in pain management etc... I'd love to be able to help you, I know this will help others, it already has. That's what makes this all worth it, I was so hesitant to tell people about my sickness and that I was going through a terrible flare up and that there were other things happening to me. I thought people would judge me and my ability to review books now I realize that it doesn't matter, I'm a good reviewer and I've been sick all along.... just like you.
    so, I'm off to do some stuff, I wish you well and please If I can help let me know....
    Big hugs,
    Kristi

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