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Good Days...Bad Days With Maureen Pratt

When I was first diagnosed with lupus, I asked my rheumatologist if she recommended I attend a patient support group. Her answer surprised me; she said ‘no,’ and explained that the experience might frighten me or make me depressed. Eventually, I did attend a support group, and I saw what she meant; there was an…

No, it’s not a typo. I know that the book and movie are called, “Far from the Madding Crowd.” But this post is about us and groups – when we find ourselves in a crowd and it’s maddening for us because, well, if many individuals do not understand what it’s like to have chronic pain,…

More than once, I’ve heard of people to whom doctors have delivered a dire prognosis – “You have 6 months to live.”  “You have, maybe, a year.” “You have, at most, three years – the last of which will be terrible.” And, know what? I’ve also heard of people who have lived far beyond these…

There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens… Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NAB) With that simple sentence begins one of the most-quoted set of verses from the Bible. We know many of them by heart…”A time to be born…a time to die,” “A time to weep…a time to laugh,”…

Large or small, humble or palatial, our space says a lot about us, and it also does a lot for us. At its best, our own space provides us with a haven, a place to rest and somewhere where we can express ourselves visually. If we get busy, or our health is poor, sometimes our…

“I don’t even recognize myself!” If you have ever said this during your journey with chronic illness or pain, you’re in good company! I think, at one point or another, each of us will take a look in the proverbial mirror and say, “Who is that?” or “What have I become?” Physical changes can make…

We leave behind a lot when we go on vacation! Jobs, daily tasks, household chores. Alas, sometimes, too, we might leave behind an active sense of nurturing our faith, opting to skip church or gloss over our daily prayer routine. True, it can be difficult to take our regular faith practices with us on vacation.…

I remember the day when, months after I was diagnosed with lupus, I could pick up a drinking glass without feeling pain in my fingers. It wasn’t a huge, “Oh, I’m cured!” moment. After all, I still had lots and lots of other internal problems and complete baldness to deal with. But it was progress,…

When was the last time you celebrated living? Oh, not another birthday or anniversary. Not even milestones such as so many months after ending treatment or physical therapy. No, when was the last time you celebrated your God-given, blessedly wonderful life? The celebration need not be elaborate, and it can even be private. No one…

One of the most difficult things about living with chronic pain can be finding relief. Oh, yes, we work with our doctors, physical therapists, and other medical professionals to do this. But in the day-to-day, when that sharp jab makes us gasp, or the twinges take on seeming lives of their own, we can feel…
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