I'm literally sick and tired. I have lupus. And the last thing I need is to hear that annoying fictitious "Doctor House" tell all of America (and Britain) that "It's not lupus. It's never lupus."
For millions of people around the globe, it *is* lupus. All day, every day, it's freakin' lupus. Pain, fatigue, even organ failure and death.
We need a successful celebrity to "come out of the closet" and "admit" to having Lupus. It has been so helpful in terms of public awareness and removing stigma from diseases such as Parkinson's (Michael J Fox, Kathryn Hepburn), Cancer (long list here, including Sheryl Crow and Lance Armstrong), Muscular Dystrophy (Jerry's kids- as in Jerry Lewis' annual telethon).
Recently, Oprah revealed she has a thyroid problem, and told folks she had been fighting fatigue and weight gain as a result. Apparently, this is a big deal in Hollywood, as celebrities keep illness a big secret. Bad for the image. And probably also makes it hard to get work.
As a "local celebrity" myself (a performing songwriter and humorist), I also have been hiding my diagnosis of lupus for most of the time since I've been diagnosed (1992). I have since discovered several other peers in the world of acoustic music who actively tour and are very secretive about their chronic illnesses.
Why? 2 reasons, i believe. 1) you don't want people to look at you and see the disease. you want them to look at you and see you, or your art, or you through your art. 2) fear of not getting hired because folks are afraid you wont' make it to the gig.
Something like a major diagnosis makes for great gossip fodder and does the equivalent of getting on the front page of The National Enquirer, even for us minor celebrities. Even if your fan base is only 100 or 100 or 10,000 people, if you're on stage, it's the same issues as if you were Oprah, just on a smaller scale.
I keep hoping some big celebrity will come out and talk about having lupus. So far here's what I've discovered:
1) Flannery O'Connor, fantastic writer, died of lupus in 1964.
2) Rapper/ Music Producer J Dilla/Jay Dee died of lupus in Feb 2006
3) Sharon Stone did an auction of fancy handbags to raise funds and awareness for lupus. her sister has lupus. This only sort of counts, because it's much easier to admit publicly to your sister's illness than your own. You just look like a healthy saint, rather than a famous sufferer.
4) James Garner (the Rockford Files) has a daughter with lupus (not Jennifer Garner). see #3.
5) Anna Nicole Smith may have had lupus. That would explain a lot. And would certainly put a very bad light on her tanning habit, worst thing you can do with lupus.
6) Michael Jackson may have lupus- but probably just the skin lupus, as opposed to systemic, which affects all organs.
7) Mary McDonough, "Erin" from "The Waltons." Ironically, she was asked to be celebrity spokesperson for the Lupus Foundation, even though she did not have Lupus. She later developed lupus.
http://www.the-waltons.com/lupus.html
8) I nearly forgot about Millie the dog, of White House fame from George HW Bush I era (1988-1992)- yes animals also get lupus (and cancer, and leukemia, and AIDs).
9) Seal (the singer) had discoid (skin) lupus (same as Michael Jackson), which explains the scars on his face and also his hair loss. Fortunately, bald is a perfectly good look on him...
10) Richard Dreyfuss' first wife
11) Mercedes Yvette, runner up on season 2 of America's Top Model
12) Backstreet Boy Howie D's sister, Caroline, died from lupus
13) Wayne Newton's sister-in-law
14) American Idol contestant (2007) Leslie Hunt, who made it to the top 20 finalists. I think it was quite a risk for her to come out and talk about having lupus before she made it to say the top 4 or 10. But then, if she had waited, she may have been voted off before she had a chance to say anything. Kudos to you, Leslie, for getting so far while living with lupus, and for not being afraid to talk about it.
15) Dani Miura, Actress, To Catch a Predator (she played the 11-year old "bait" on 3 episodes, where they go after sexual predators)
It's a start. But I'm not sure how much press an author who died 4 decades ago, someone's sister, someone's daughter, and the former White house dog are going to get. And having an alleged pedophile and a Penthouse drug-addicted flake on your side (God bless her soul) is not so helpful in lending legitimacy to this awful, ravaging, painful, serious disease. Most of us are treated like we're hypochondriacs for the first year or so of our illness, until they finally figure out what we have. Even Anna Nicole hid her diagnosis, and did not want it revealed, even after her death, as she "did not want to be remembered that way."
I think we need someone with credibility and direct experience with the disease to come out and say "This is real, people."
I'm not famous, but I'm trying to do my tiny part by "coming out" and talking about it.
But what if someone really charismatic, someone loved by the public like Oprah or Steven Colbert or Will Farrell or Jennifer Aniston (God forbid- I do not wish this illness on any of them!) were to come out and talk about trying to maintain a career while struggling with lupus? (probably won't happen, because I'm not sure it's possible to maintain that kind of schedule if you have lupus! but if you developed lupus *after* becoming famous- then came out publicly- like Michael J Fox did with Parkinson's- that would be amazing).
Hey maybe Dumbledor will come out and admit to having lupus!
Or how about Darth Vader? or Luke Skywalker- that would be better. Darth is too misunderstood. How about Patrick of Spongebob fame? He seems to sleep a lot... (here's wishing on a "star.")
Better yet, once the writers come off strike, they need to write in "Doctor" House as having lupus. Oh yeah, that would be poetic justice.
http://www.thesingingpatient.com
Monday, February 4, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
aspartame
some great articles on this blog about just how toxic nutrasweet (Equal, aspartame) is:
http://maintainwealth.blogspot.com/2008/08/aspartame-murders-infants.html
lupus survey
Someone on line posted some questions for a school project on lupus. Here are my answers...
1.What do you experience from this immune system
disorder that you might like to share with students
studying lupus?
Symptoms from lupus: weight loss, hair loss, very dry skin, lesions, digestive problems, loss of appetite,
menstrual irregularity (stopped for 18 months, then went heavy flow for 6 weeks before I finally went to
th eOBGYN for some provera... TMI? diarrhea too!), exhaustion, joint pain, mood swings, swelling, migraines, lack of sexual drive, depression, visual problems, peripheral neuropathy, stroke, kidney failure, pleurisy, anemia, shortness of breath, sjogren's, raynaud's, photosensitivity, intolerance to cold temperatures and loud noises, anxiety, insomnia, depression. (I have been struggling with lupus since 1992, so... long history)
symptoms from prescriptions: weight gain, moonpie face, ratty dry hair, mood swings, more insomnia, more
anxiety, sleepiness, more diarrhea. and abdominal pain and vomiting (from the chemotherapy). and poverty.
Emotions: grief, loss, anger, fear, feeling of having my youth robbed. stubbornness/ denial, resentment of "normal people," especially those who tell me "it could be worse" or try to find some way to blame me for my illness or tell me I'm imagining it (includes doctors), resolve, confusion, feeling overwhelmed, determination (trying all sorts of alternative means of getting better). relief found in using humor, journalling, talking to others who understand, thinking about something other than being sick and. or trying to get well.
financial: devastation. loss of job due to illness, mounting bills from doctors and credit cards (buying
prescriptions and paying living expenses). this happens every time i have a flare (3 so far). i did
finalyl qualify for social security but by the time that happened my benefits were down to $500 a month.
not to be ungrateful but...
reactions from the public: people staring at me, asking me invasive questions, blaming me for my own
illness (do you smoke? no... is it genetic? not really. "you're doing god's will do the devil is
attacking you." "you've got hidden sin so you're no longer under god's protection" ... pick one people
they can't both be right!). i have basically chosen not to tell people up front that i ahve lupus. there
is still too much stigma, too much fear and misunderstanding. i want people to know me first,
then, if they're trustworthy (meaning they won't judge me and ask a bunch of stupid or insulting questions) i
reveal my diagnosis. of course if i'm in a room full of lupus patients, then of course i tell them right
away. or, now, on my blog, which is not exactly secret...
spiritual growth: i have learned that lupus is basically a do-it-yourself disease. your quality of
life is largely determined by how willing you are to take control of your own well-being. being ill has
caused me to slow down, to be more judicious with my time and energy, get rid of toxic relationships (or
limit time with that person) basically i'm having to learn to quit putting my needs last. and if something
is bothering me, i can't afford to say nothing- it will literally make me sick.
Also, med students and doctors should know that it is very hard on one's self-esteem, especially a woman's, to lose their hair, suddenly gain weight and have ruddy skin and a moon face. This is why we don't want to take prednisone. For some of us, it causes horrible mood swings. Both these can be alleviated with diuretics and something like a low dose of attivan. Prednisone is so destructive that piling a little attivan on top is going to do more good than harm. Please don't condescend and treat us like little kids "well you *have * to take it.) Most of us know that. Just acknowledge that it sucks and that as soon as a better option comes along, you'll offer it. OK?
2.Can you put into your own words what it is like to have lupus.
I think I just did. It mostly sucks. But there are ways to make lemonade out of the lemons. It just takes persistent effort, and a conscious choice not to be a victim.
3.Have you had any special hobbies or special interests that you had to drop or change due to lupus?
If so, what are they?
aerobics - too harsh, aggravates joint and muscle pain
snow skiing - can't tolerate cold anymore
full-time work. this is also hard on the self-esteem (and of course pocketbook)
4.Describe an incident dealing with lupus that really made you think about having lupus.
I went to a psychologist (so i could yell at someone for an hour a week). Finally one day, after telling her the next alternative treatment I was going to try, she told me I needed to "accept my illness." I'm still not really ready to do that in some ways. I'm not in denial, I know it's there and I have to take my meds, and rest, and all, but I still believe and even know from experience that the right mix of acupuncture and stress management and strict diet can leave me symptom-free and looking and feeling good (it's just so hard to stick with, with pizza and ice cream and junk food in your face at every turn).
5.Who or what has influenced the way you have dealt with lupus?
the book "love medicine and miracles" and
"anatomy of an illness"
and the movie "patch adams"
6.Has having lupus altered the way you perceive life and people in general? Has this adjustment changed the
way you view daily routines?
It has made me far more compassionate. When i was diagnosed, i was only 25, and of cousre
reacted like most folks initially "why me??" but you start to realize that there is so much illness
and suffering in the world, that you eventually think "why not me- the odds were pretty good something would
happen to me!"
It has made me take responsibility for my well-being, and to accept the consequences of my own actions. If I overextend myself, i pay for it right away.
It also has made me re-think everything in our culture. I don't believe that all illnesses are caused by germs and genes. I don't think everyone with "MD" after their name is a genius, or even necessarily up to date on lupus, because who ahs the time with all the stupid paperwork they have to do (not to mention all the drug reps they have to flirt with). I treat them as consultants, not Gods. The final decision on everything rests with me.
I think some - many- diseases are results of our toxic lifestyles, with not enough joy, or love, or nutritious natural food or clean air and water or exercise. We seem to be having an autoimmune epidemic right now. why is that? is it our food? maybe eating crap all day then sitting on our butts 24/7 isn't good for us? maybe being under constant mental stimulation
and stress is not healthy either? certainly the state of our emotions affects the state of our being, and our bodies.
why does our medicine only address symptoms and not the root causes?
i try to be more mindful of what i put in my body, and i take greens, fish oil, a multi vitamin, and milk
thistle every day to counterbalance some of the toxicity of the drugs I'm still on. I also allow myself to sleep more than "regular" people. I just have to.
And I have learned to keep this thing to myself so I don't have to constantly defend myself for sleeping a lot, not working full time, having to cancel social engagements, etc. People just can't understand if they haven't been there.
7.Has the medical profession been able to offer relief, aid, or service in dealing with lupus? If so,
how?
The medical profession, meaning our "official" medical profession, offers me drugs and tests to monitor and
control my condition. and i pay for it out the wazoo. and for all it costs, they are truly limited in what
they can do. they cannot cure us. Some of them make deadly mistakes and some are very rude. (and some don't wash their hands...) Some are kind. One cussed me out for not taking prednisone. Another "fired" me for "questioning her authority" (I used to bring highlighted articles in and ask her about them). I've had all flavors.
so i spend a lot of money out of pocket (or should i say on my credit card) so i can do better than just have a "remission" on paper; not just get the test numbers to improve, but to actually feel better, to feel like doing something,
and not literally be crawling up the stairs to do it.
so, yes they help me by getting the flare under control and keeping me from dying. then in order to
get from just "not dying" (but sleeping all the time, having lots of headaches and no energy) to actually
"living" i have to go get acupuncture, chelation, and do extreme diet modification and carefully controlled
exercise. either way, it makes for a full time job, maintaining my health.
the one big change lupus has made in my life is that i no longer am an employee. it is not an option for me
to work 40 hours a week. i would collapse on the 3rd day. so i work for myself. I write funny songs (some
of them about having lupus, and i call myself "the singing patient") and i perform once in a while. it's
very rewarding, being able to laugh about all this, and to help others do the same. i don't miss working
retail, or begging for a day off, or having my boss hit on me. not even for a minute... So, there's my lemonade :)
1.What do you experience from this immune system
disorder that you might like to share with students
studying lupus?
Symptoms from lupus: weight loss, hair loss, very dry skin, lesions, digestive problems, loss of appetite,
menstrual irregularity (stopped for 18 months, then went heavy flow for 6 weeks before I finally went to
th eOBGYN for some provera... TMI? diarrhea too!), exhaustion, joint pain, mood swings, swelling, migraines, lack of sexual drive, depression, visual problems, peripheral neuropathy, stroke, kidney failure, pleurisy, anemia, shortness of breath, sjogren's, raynaud's, photosensitivity, intolerance to cold temperatures and loud noises, anxiety, insomnia, depression. (I have been struggling with lupus since 1992, so... long history)
symptoms from prescriptions: weight gain, moonpie face, ratty dry hair, mood swings, more insomnia, more
anxiety, sleepiness, more diarrhea. and abdominal pain and vomiting (from the chemotherapy). and poverty.
Emotions: grief, loss, anger, fear, feeling of having my youth robbed. stubbornness/ denial, resentment of "normal people," especially those who tell me "it could be worse" or try to find some way to blame me for my illness or tell me I'm imagining it (includes doctors), resolve, confusion, feeling overwhelmed, determination (trying all sorts of alternative means of getting better). relief found in using humor, journalling, talking to others who understand, thinking about something other than being sick and. or trying to get well.
financial: devastation. loss of job due to illness, mounting bills from doctors and credit cards (buying
prescriptions and paying living expenses). this happens every time i have a flare (3 so far). i did
finalyl qualify for social security but by the time that happened my benefits were down to $500 a month.
not to be ungrateful but...
reactions from the public: people staring at me, asking me invasive questions, blaming me for my own
illness (do you smoke? no... is it genetic? not really. "you're doing god's will do the devil is
attacking you." "you've got hidden sin so you're no longer under god's protection" ... pick one people
they can't both be right!). i have basically chosen not to tell people up front that i ahve lupus. there
is still too much stigma, too much fear and misunderstanding. i want people to know me first,
then, if they're trustworthy (meaning they won't judge me and ask a bunch of stupid or insulting questions) i
reveal my diagnosis. of course if i'm in a room full of lupus patients, then of course i tell them right
away. or, now, on my blog, which is not exactly secret...
spiritual growth: i have learned that lupus is basically a do-it-yourself disease. your quality of
life is largely determined by how willing you are to take control of your own well-being. being ill has
caused me to slow down, to be more judicious with my time and energy, get rid of toxic relationships (or
limit time with that person) basically i'm having to learn to quit putting my needs last. and if something
is bothering me, i can't afford to say nothing- it will literally make me sick.
Also, med students and doctors should know that it is very hard on one's self-esteem, especially a woman's, to lose their hair, suddenly gain weight and have ruddy skin and a moon face. This is why we don't want to take prednisone. For some of us, it causes horrible mood swings. Both these can be alleviated with diuretics and something like a low dose of attivan. Prednisone is so destructive that piling a little attivan on top is going to do more good than harm. Please don't condescend and treat us like little kids "well you *have * to take it.) Most of us know that. Just acknowledge that it sucks and that as soon as a better option comes along, you'll offer it. OK?
2.Can you put into your own words what it is like to have lupus.
I think I just did. It mostly sucks. But there are ways to make lemonade out of the lemons. It just takes persistent effort, and a conscious choice not to be a victim.
3.Have you had any special hobbies or special interests that you had to drop or change due to lupus?
If so, what are they?
aerobics - too harsh, aggravates joint and muscle pain
snow skiing - can't tolerate cold anymore
full-time work. this is also hard on the self-esteem (and of course pocketbook)
4.Describe an incident dealing with lupus that really made you think about having lupus.
I went to a psychologist (so i could yell at someone for an hour a week). Finally one day, after telling her the next alternative treatment I was going to try, she told me I needed to "accept my illness." I'm still not really ready to do that in some ways. I'm not in denial, I know it's there and I have to take my meds, and rest, and all, but I still believe and even know from experience that the right mix of acupuncture and stress management and strict diet can leave me symptom-free and looking and feeling good (it's just so hard to stick with, with pizza and ice cream and junk food in your face at every turn).
5.Who or what has influenced the way you have dealt with lupus?
the book "love medicine and miracles" and
"anatomy of an illness"
and the movie "patch adams"
6.Has having lupus altered the way you perceive life and people in general? Has this adjustment changed the
way you view daily routines?
It has made me far more compassionate. When i was diagnosed, i was only 25, and of cousre
reacted like most folks initially "why me??" but you start to realize that there is so much illness
and suffering in the world, that you eventually think "why not me- the odds were pretty good something would
happen to me!"
It has made me take responsibility for my well-being, and to accept the consequences of my own actions. If I overextend myself, i pay for it right away.
It also has made me re-think everything in our culture. I don't believe that all illnesses are caused by germs and genes. I don't think everyone with "MD" after their name is a genius, or even necessarily up to date on lupus, because who ahs the time with all the stupid paperwork they have to do (not to mention all the drug reps they have to flirt with). I treat them as consultants, not Gods. The final decision on everything rests with me.
I think some - many- diseases are results of our toxic lifestyles, with not enough joy, or love, or nutritious natural food or clean air and water or exercise. We seem to be having an autoimmune epidemic right now. why is that? is it our food? maybe eating crap all day then sitting on our butts 24/7 isn't good for us? maybe being under constant mental stimulation
and stress is not healthy either? certainly the state of our emotions affects the state of our being, and our bodies.
why does our medicine only address symptoms and not the root causes?
i try to be more mindful of what i put in my body, and i take greens, fish oil, a multi vitamin, and milk
thistle every day to counterbalance some of the toxicity of the drugs I'm still on. I also allow myself to sleep more than "regular" people. I just have to.
And I have learned to keep this thing to myself so I don't have to constantly defend myself for sleeping a lot, not working full time, having to cancel social engagements, etc. People just can't understand if they haven't been there.
7.Has the medical profession been able to offer relief, aid, or service in dealing with lupus? If so,
how?
The medical profession, meaning our "official" medical profession, offers me drugs and tests to monitor and
control my condition. and i pay for it out the wazoo. and for all it costs, they are truly limited in what
they can do. they cannot cure us. Some of them make deadly mistakes and some are very rude. (and some don't wash their hands...) Some are kind. One cussed me out for not taking prednisone. Another "fired" me for "questioning her authority" (I used to bring highlighted articles in and ask her about them). I've had all flavors.
so i spend a lot of money out of pocket (or should i say on my credit card) so i can do better than just have a "remission" on paper; not just get the test numbers to improve, but to actually feel better, to feel like doing something,
and not literally be crawling up the stairs to do it.
so, yes they help me by getting the flare under control and keeping me from dying. then in order to
get from just "not dying" (but sleeping all the time, having lots of headaches and no energy) to actually
"living" i have to go get acupuncture, chelation, and do extreme diet modification and carefully controlled
exercise. either way, it makes for a full time job, maintaining my health.
the one big change lupus has made in my life is that i no longer am an employee. it is not an option for me
to work 40 hours a week. i would collapse on the 3rd day. so i work for myself. I write funny songs (some
of them about having lupus, and i call myself "the singing patient") and i perform once in a while. it's
very rewarding, being able to laugh about all this, and to help others do the same. i don't miss working
retail, or begging for a day off, or having my boss hit on me. not even for a minute... So, there's my lemonade :)
Sunday, January 13, 2008
fat clothes, skinny clothes
So i just packed up all the boxes and bags of unwanted stuff from my house- clothes, dishes, etc- and put it on the porch (it's supposed to be there by 730am for the charity truck and I'm not getting up before that, or for a while after that). The fruits- the spoils? the spoiled fruits? - of my cleaning frenzy of the last week or so.
The truack is coming tomorrow for the LFA (Lupus Foundation of America). I hope they come and take it ALL! (FYI, LFA only does pickups in like 3 states so far, but the Vietnam Vets do pickups, too).
Interesting thing happened, which hasn't happened to me in years. i cleaned out my closet before leaving town for xmas, so i could see my useful clothes instead of having that starting at the open fridge kind of experience where you can't find the good stuff for all the condiments and unidentifiable leftovers. then, over xmas, not one but TWO people gave me their castoff clothing, which was very nice stuff.
one person, because their sweaters were too heavy for South Carolina (and i really need sweaters in NJ! except today and tomorrow where we get a freak warm snap thank the lord) and another who is on a bird seed diet and a size 2 for the first time in her life. She gave me her "fat clothes" (all pants, except for 2 skirts and 2 jackets) because she is terrified of ever being so fat as a size 8 again. mmkay.
this happened to me before, 10 or so years ago, when i got about 6 giant hefty bags of clothes from 2 different sources (friend, co-worker) who had both, in this case, gained weight and gave me their "skinny" clothes. interestingly, these clothes that my friends referred to as "skinny clothes" are the same size as the "fat clothes" I just received.
well, it's nice to just be a medium size and have people give you clothes, as long as you can wash the psychic baggage off them.
I've weighed everywhere from 92 to 150 pounds with lupus. when I'm ill, I lose muscle and appetite, and when I'm on the drugs, I retain a lot of water and gain as much as 10 pounds a week. I pretty much just t-shirts and pants with either drawstrings, elastic waists, or both when I'm fluctuating more than a high school wrestler wearing a hefty bag in a sauna.
One thing you hopefully learn through when you have so little control over your appearance is "I am not my body. I live in my body, while I am on this earth, but there is more to me than my body and my physical appearance."
I am not defined my fat clothes, or my skinny clothes, or my ability or lack thereof to fit into them!
www.thesingingpatient.com - funny medical songs
The truack is coming tomorrow for the LFA (Lupus Foundation of America). I hope they come and take it ALL! (FYI, LFA only does pickups in like 3 states so far, but the Vietnam Vets do pickups, too).
Interesting thing happened, which hasn't happened to me in years. i cleaned out my closet before leaving town for xmas, so i could see my useful clothes instead of having that starting at the open fridge kind of experience where you can't find the good stuff for all the condiments and unidentifiable leftovers. then, over xmas, not one but TWO people gave me their castoff clothing, which was very nice stuff.
one person, because their sweaters were too heavy for South Carolina (and i really need sweaters in NJ! except today and tomorrow where we get a freak warm snap thank the lord) and another who is on a bird seed diet and a size 2 for the first time in her life. She gave me her "fat clothes" (all pants, except for 2 skirts and 2 jackets) because she is terrified of ever being so fat as a size 8 again. mmkay.
this happened to me before, 10 or so years ago, when i got about 6 giant hefty bags of clothes from 2 different sources (friend, co-worker) who had both, in this case, gained weight and gave me their "skinny" clothes. interestingly, these clothes that my friends referred to as "skinny clothes" are the same size as the "fat clothes" I just received.
well, it's nice to just be a medium size and have people give you clothes, as long as you can wash the psychic baggage off them.
I've weighed everywhere from 92 to 150 pounds with lupus. when I'm ill, I lose muscle and appetite, and when I'm on the drugs, I retain a lot of water and gain as much as 10 pounds a week. I pretty much just t-shirts and pants with either drawstrings, elastic waists, or both when I'm fluctuating more than a high school wrestler wearing a hefty bag in a sauna.
One thing you hopefully learn through when you have so little control over your appearance is "I am not my body. I live in my body, while I am on this earth, but there is more to me than my body and my physical appearance."
I am not defined my fat clothes, or my skinny clothes, or my ability or lack thereof to fit into them!
www.thesingingpatient.com - funny medical songs
Friday, December 28, 2007
I'm not sick this Christmas
After sitting around for several hours at my parents' house enjoying
my favorite Christmas present (besides being alive), a Van Halen
Pictorial history book, I began waxing philosophical (Van Halen does
that to me- well, VH with David Lee Roth. Sammy Hagar, not so
much)... I have been reflecting upon the gifts that 2007 brought me.
Which included seeing Van Halen on tour, with Diamond Dave, at
Madison Square Garden. I screamed for 2 hours and smiled for a week.
Also, getting married to my lovemuffin (www.joegmusic.com) and going
to Hawaii on honeymoon (and surfing!). Not necessarily in order of
gratitude, but definitely in increasing order of likelihood (as in
not-a-shot-in-H-E-doubletoothpicks, whodathunkit, and maybe
someday).
It's hard to believe that just over a year ago I had canceled our
wedding due to illness (last October, my 3rd episode of kidney
failure since 1993. I got sprung from the hospital on Halloween-
hospital robe- instant costume!). I'm feeling much better now, partly
because I scaled back my concerts for 2007 and have been more
conscious of preserving my Qi (energy/ life force). For example, I no
longer sleep in the van (partly because I traded it in), and I try to
fly more and drive fewer hours. I also gave up Diet Coke and began
getting acupuncture again (it's been a while). I've felt less
zombie-esque this past month than I have in probably 18 months. So,
who knows, I may even feel human in 08! I just hope it doesn't ruin
my comedy. ;)
listen to funny songs at
http://www.thesingingpatient.com
my favorite Christmas present (besides being alive), a Van Halen
Pictorial history book, I began waxing philosophical (Van Halen does
that to me- well, VH with David Lee Roth. Sammy Hagar, not so
much)... I have been reflecting upon the gifts that 2007 brought me.
Which included seeing Van Halen on tour, with Diamond Dave, at
Madison Square Garden. I screamed for 2 hours and smiled for a week.
Also, getting married to my lovemuffin (www.joegmusic.com) and going
to Hawaii on honeymoon (and surfing!). Not necessarily in order of
gratitude, but definitely in increasing order of likelihood (as in
not-a-shot-in-H-E-doubletoothpicks, whodathunkit, and maybe
someday).
It's hard to believe that just over a year ago I had canceled our
wedding due to illness (last October, my 3rd episode of kidney
failure since 1993. I got sprung from the hospital on Halloween-
hospital robe- instant costume!). I'm feeling much better now, partly
because I scaled back my concerts for 2007 and have been more
conscious of preserving my Qi (energy/ life force). For example, I no
longer sleep in the van (partly because I traded it in), and I try to
fly more and drive fewer hours. I also gave up Diet Coke and began
getting acupuncture again (it's been a while). I've felt less
zombie-esque this past month than I have in probably 18 months. So,
who knows, I may even feel human in 08! I just hope it doesn't ruin
my comedy. ;)
listen to funny songs at
http://www.thesingingpatient.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)