about me
Hi, welcome to my blog. I am grateful for this online community and the awesome people I am meeting. Blogging is a whole lot of fun. I have always liked writing, especially poems and informal essays. Camping with my family is my favorite thing to do…actually, hanging out with my family anywhere is my favorite thing to do. Hanging with a BFF is awesome too. Through this journey with illness (and before) I have had my hands in something creative (awesome therapy (and distraction:)) As my physical limits changed so did the art–these days I crochet. Almost everyone I love has a blanket. We are never short of them at our house and have a hard time finding places to store them all. I like yarn, all the gorgeous colors and menagerie of textures it comes in. I can’t follow a pattern, so I make-up my own simple ones.
I am married to a rare gem of a guy who didn’t run when I got sick. We have three kiddos…a son and two daughters (23, 19 and 18). Recently, our son and daughter-in-law turned my hubby and I into grandparents. We have an adorable granddaughter.
Before I became too ill to work, I loved being an active “mommy” and I loved my career (elementary school teacher). I had a passion for playing the guitar, singing and song-writing. I regularly swam, ran and hiked miles. I read tons (which is harder now then it used to be).
As illness set in I did my best to keep working as a teacher. When that wasn’t possible, I searched for a new career that fit into my physical limits. I became a Therapeutic Yoga instructor who worked for a short time with others challenged by chronic illness. My illness progressed fast and soon I was no longer able to teach yoga. I still love practicing it though…even the extra, extra, gentle yoga that I do when my body allows.
I love nature and getting away to where there’s more nature than people. I am grateful for our “mid-life crisis, metallic blue” truck and our old travel trailer. They get us up into the mountains in spite of my physical challenges. My hubby rows us in our canoe and we take wheelchair hikes which are a blast.
Favorite music: Coffee House, smooth jazz and seventies classics
Favorite authors: Eclectic. It changes depending on how well my brain is working. Alice Hoffman, Elizabeth Berg, Sue Grafton, Stephen King when I’m in the mood. I enjoyed the work of Herman Hesse very much a few years back. Ellie Wiesel’s “Night” is a treasure.
Favorite poets: Wendell Berry, Mary Oliver, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Rumi’, Naomi Shihab Nye, Shel Silverstein and Dr. Seuss.
Favorite poem- The Peace of Wild Things, by Wendell Berry
Favorite movies: Independent films that make me think and laugh and sometimes cry (ie. Little Miss Sunshine, Lars and the Real Girl, The Visitor, Juno). I also love the Soloist.
Favorite tav shows: Modern Family, Grey’s Anatomy, The Mentalist, The Forgotten, Criminal Minds–and as of late,”Billy the Exterminator” (yes, really, it’s tons of fun–he goes after pests, form wasps to alligators). Of course there are those “mindless” daytime tv days. It is not easy to find good daytime tv. But, here’s an example of what I manage to find and watch. Today I watched a couple espisodes of ” I should have died”. I like HGTV and Food Network’s competitive cooking shows (when Gastroparesis is doing okay). I also love finding a daytime marathons of “TAPS”-the scientific based paranormal investigation show.) Shhhhhh…sometimes I will even watch a Bravo marathon “Millionare Matchmaker” is kind of fun.
Dear Kerry,
My name is Barbara O’ Brien and my blogging at The Mahablog, Crooks and Liars, AlterNet, and elsewhere on the progressive political and health blogophere has earned me the notoriety of being a panelist at the Yearly Kos Convention and a featured guest blogger at the Take Back America Conference in Washington, DC.
I’m contacting you because I found your site in a prominent political and health site blog search and want to tell you about my newest blogging platform —the public concern of health care and its reform. Our shared concerns include health reform, public health, safe workplaces, and asbestos contamination.
To increase awareness on these important issues, my goal is to get a resource link on your site or even allow me to provide a guest posting. Please contact me back, I hope to hear from you soon. Drop by our site in the meantime—www.maacenter.org/blog.
Sincerely,
Barbara O’ Brien
barbaraobrien@maacenter.org
Hey, Kerry – I just noticed that you have my favorite quote at the top of your About Me page – “I will try again tomorrow”. i didn’t know who said it, but I saw it on a plaque in a catalog, printed out a picture of it, and keep it in my bathroom, where I re-read it at the end of bad days.
Sue
Hey Kerry, what an awesome site. Really neat good job! don’t worry about responding and i will just kinda stay in touch so you do not have to worry. lots of love, uncle stan
Hi Kerry,
I am a New Yorker..I have chronic Lyme disease, borderline hypercortisolism, sleep disorder (missing a phase, just dream and wake exhausted-best sleep 4am.noon), CFS, depression(lost my daughter), macrocytic anemia, borderline anemia, IBS..diminishing strength, imbalance-use a cane often, and pay for any effort made on the following days, maybe weather affected as well.
I was a phys. therapist Assistant for the disabled for many years..had the strength of an angel..now I am zapped, often exhausted, nauseas, uninspired. It has taken many years to find out my diagnosis..but still need to see someone else..my periods aree now irregular, my fight or flight comes and goes..should I see an endocrinologist…my blood pressure is now (lower) 130/90,rapid heart rate-90, my weight now 190…used to be 150, somewhat med influenced, has begun to sky rocket..though it’s not ‘food’, and no edema ..but larger gut…I see an oncologist regularly, neuroligist often ( herniated discs in t/s, and c/s)and have stopped seeing my lyme specialist after 2 years of approx 250$ in vsits, though I have lumbar pain, and fatigue often with exertion…the strength in my arms has diminished, L worse than R..I find many doctors unable to diagnose…at least reading about your situation and others gives credence to my changes. What do you think. I am also a writer, enjoy stained glass, can only walk 1/2 mile or fall on my face (10 times)..my CFS leaves me uninspired…I am 54….memory loss and inability to task/manage /confusion leave me in a daze of sorts..what do you think?
Sue, That is so cool that you read that we share a favorite quote. The bathroom is the perfect place to put it…you get to read it often.
Robin, Thank you so much for sharing. I emailed you as there was too much I wanted to respond to and say than I could here. I’m glad you found my blog and look forward to you sharing more…it is overwhelmingly tough to live with the physical losses (which you have so many) but to add the loss of you daughter….there are no words…and I know I speak for anyone who reads your comment…my heart, our hearts go out to you.
Uncle Stan, Thanks for visiting my blog, my hard working busy uncle and for you encouraging words!
Hey!!
Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving your comments. Yes dreams are fascinating and so mucg more vivid with the CFS. I think maybe you are right, there could be some weird link in our brain centre that causes the change in dream patterens.
I lOVE your choice of fav movies haha! I’d also be keen to hear more about your interest in writing music. I write and record, there is a link to som eof my stuff in one of my posts ….
Anyway, nic e to meet you! See you again
Lee Lee.
Its good to meet you too Lee. I’d love to listen your music, and will look for it. I was just starting to perform and record a bit (with a friend with a sound studio) when I got too sick. In the past (maybe 7 years) I’ve lost too much strength in my left arm and my voice so I am no longer able to play or sing. Its been one of my toughest losses as it was one of my greatest joys. I still have many of the lyrics and some recordings or my songwriting sessions (I’d record the melodies so I wouldn’t forget them). I’ve morphed my songwriting into poetry these last years–not usually the silly one’s I”ve posted as of late. Love poetry!
Are you still able to play your music and get into the recording studio…at least on “better days”? Looking forward to following your blog, you on FB and getting to know you better Lee. Kerry
Wow, we have so much in common….well besides the fact that I’m not married with kids and grandkids, however, I love/d the outdoors and then got sick with chronic illness. I also was a teacher (outdoor education) and now I work part-time on an educational PhD. We even like most the same shows, movies, and we both have a passion for reading. Thanks for stopping by my blog…I’m going to start “following” yours.