Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Loopy Is Awesome!


Loopy iPhone 6 PLUS/6s PLUS


The other day, Loopy ran a sale on phone cases in a bunch of new colors. I totally already have a green one with extra loops I ordered. I wanted one of the new colors (Matte black with the gold loops) so I jumped on the sale -- just a little too late. The sale had been over for 21 minutes by the time I opened my browser.

Friday, July 8, 2016

DETOUR

This is short and sweet.

My life is like yours -- it's a journey. We all have demons, we all have secrets and struggles. Mine aren't any more special than yours. I am just trying to make it through each day.

So I've taken a slight detour. It gets my creative juices flowing. It's still writing, but set to music (my real heart and soul).

I wish I had taken pictures last night, but I'm on my way to experimenting with a dream.

Please wish me luck.
Candace

Friday, June 17, 2016

My Book ("The Reluctant Housewife") - the intro (subtitle)

Yeah, I was thinking about writing a book. But, I don't think Anders has faith in my dedication (inside joke, kind of). So I'm blogging my book, one chapter at a time.

So, if I were to write a book (you never know), this would be my intro:

First, I have to Thank Anders for letting me introduce him to my 3 friends that care. We've already decided that Chapter 5 will be called:

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Meet the Editor

(Not terribly comfortable reading English? Try Google Translate's Swedish or Norwegian versions.)

I have a very good friend I need to introduce you to...
He will edit this because my grasp of English grammar is not up to his standards, and Swedish is his first language.


First, he is my very good friend of almost 16 years. We knew each other PK (that's pre-kids). We were both married and he worked at a Fortune 500 train company with my husband in Jacksonville (the job is why we moved here). We bonded, because:

Saturday, February 6, 2016

It's Not Just Me

I have not used this blog as I had initially intended to do. I guess I see it as another stress. I think about parts of my journey that I really want to share because it's therapeutic for me to write about it and there have been a few instances where I have helped others and that always feels good.

SO, as I learn on my own journey; I really want to share, possibly helping others and I want the feedback from fellow "Lupies" because we can only encourage each other and comfort each other. Well... I haven't done a great job. However, in the last few months I have become much closer friends with a girlfriend I met in college. Ironically, I'm fairly certain we took "Criminal Law" together at FSU (the irony should be clear later) and we were put into a study group with 2 Florida highway patrol officers. That was our only connection in college. Then thru the magic of FaceBook, we reconnected many years ago and we've become very close virtual friends. One strong bond we have is that Kelly also struggles with Lupus.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Too Tired for a cute title

So, I haven't written a blog in almost 2 years.  I had this huge goal of sharing my journey and this was to be a great outlet for me, but I lost my "mojo."  I had a few setbacks and about 18 months ago I had a hysterectomy.  Then I had a nice long period of remission.  My theory was, why wake the dragon?  If I don't talk about it, maybe it will stay "remissed." Apparently "remissed" isn't a real word, but I declare; it means to stay in remission.  But alas, my monster has reared its ugly head.

David and I went on our annual cruise without the kids in February, and I got sick.  I usually get sick (when not in remission) from the anxiety leading up to a trip, and the actual travel involved in getting to the ship (in most cases it's a cruise).

Inside the "London Eye" with David, the boys and
my parents, September 2013


Thursday, May 17, 2012

Sun Sun Sun... how I hate the Sun

Hindsight is 20/20, or so they say.  I can't say that everything has truly come into focus for me yet because I'm still learning about this disease every day.  One thing that is crystal clear for me is how much I loathe the Sun.
Obviously I appreciate the good things about the Sun, like its use as a greener-energy and photosynthesis because I like strawberries and tomatoes. Blah blah blah. Plus the fact that it'd be -459.67°F here without it.

As it turns out, when I was floating in the crystal clear waters at Half Moon Cay, I was making myself sick!  I mentioned in the previous post that David and I were floating (well I was floating, he tried).

I debated posting these pictures, but they illustrate my points: 

1. David can't float.
2. Obviously I am as pale as they come.
3. The water really is that clear!


Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The Best Worst Cruise

This month (May 20th to be exact) David and I will celebrate 12 years married.  We've been together for 15.  When we had children we made a pact to each other that we would take 1 week of vacation a year with each other and without children.  That one week has been an invaluable blessing to our relationship with each other.  We are blessed to have family that can help us accomplish that week by helping out with our boys.  In the beginning we used to head out to Las Vegas or Colorado, but in 2005 we took our first cruise and we've been hooked ever since.

One of my biggest challenges with Lupus is photosensitivity.  It is easier to tell people I'm allergic to the sun.  So it's rather ironic that I love cruising so much.  UV exposure is such a big trigger for me, I'll explain it in a separate post.  

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

I'm Coming Out!


I'm coming out and I named my Blog "The L Word."

What could this mean?  Obviously, this is me telling the world that I have Lupus -- a disease that's highly misunderstood and difficult to diagnose.  I intend to use this blog as an outlet and a tool for my own good health because being ashamed and hiding it is slowly killing me.  I have been reluctant to share my diagnosis, but I know I'm not alone and I don't want to feel like I have this giant black cloud that follows me everywhere. Everyone sees the cloud, but no one talks to me about it.  It feels very disingenuous.