Usually I don’t discuss having lupus unless I simply need to make someone aware of it for one reason or another.  When I do the initial response is oh yes I have or I know someone who has fibromyalgia (or however you spell that).   I don’t know why it bugs me so much, but it does.

There is no research fibromyalgia is an auto immune disease.   They share a few but rarely major similarities.  Lupus affects joints, skin and nearly every internal organ we have.  Fibromyalia causes tender muscles and joint pain.  While they both have their issues and situations to deal with they are not the same.

I think it’s because most of these diseases used to be a catch all for the medical profession.  Tens of years ago if they couldn’t figure out why you were sick or in pain all the time they said you have lupus. Within the last ten years or so fibromyalgia was the new catch all.  Oh you’re in pain we can’t diagnose so that must be it.  I think that resulted in most people, even many medical professionals, to see these diseases as petty issues.  I would hazard a guess that not one of the medical professionals that have either one would say it’s a catch all.  I even have a doctor who claims she doesn’t believe in lupus.  Feels it’s just an excuse for medical professionals to “patronize” women who are dealing with many issues that are simply over sensitivity to pain.   Yes, I resisted the urge to slap her. I’d hate to know what she thinks of firbomyalgia.

This is why may of the auto immune diseases are not taken seriously by patients and medical personnel.   It makes me crazy.  Now you have the pain clinics that want to take daily meds away from people suffering constant pain.  I don’t take the meds but I know several friends that would suffer extreme life changes by taking away a simple anti-inflammatory.

 

 

Just thought I’d share some quilts that I finished up for Christmas.   The pastel courthouse blocks went to my groomer Sallie.  She takes such good care of my pups they ordered it for her for Christmas.  The other 2 were for my sexy sister Jill and her wonderful hubby Mark for Christmas.  I just love those 2.

Finally, I got 2 more of the quilts for Houston’s first responders quilted and the binding attached.  Both went in today’s mail to be delivered to the fire department.

 

Our ladies at Shiloh Baptist have a monthly craft meeting and poor Robert, I begged him into going and helping me with the quilt group.  Thank goodness he said yes as the ladies that signed up were not very familiar with even using a sewing machine.

This past Saturday we had a white elephant exchange that Robert and I forgot about till Thursday night so these are the wall hangings I made up for our give away’s.  Took me till midnight Thursday and Friday night to finish.    I will say they must have been liked as they were traded a number of times in the exchange.

 

I haven’t been able to do much in the line of Christmas decorations since I got the pups as they eat everything, and I mean everything.  This year my groomer colored the dogs for Christmas and Jill and I found this tree on black Friday.  We just happened to stop in a store to pass the time till our dinner reservation was ready.   It’s nothing fancy but I love it and Jill was kind enough to decorate her for me and fluff out all her branches.

Well hopefully the Hartshorn’s come back to the B&B in Zephyrhills.   I had them a lovely room picked out and finally a bed that didn’t leave Jill’s back aching then the bed frame broke and they had to spent the last night on an air mattress in the living room. Well had to is wrong.  I offered them my room and they refused.  I felt so bad.

But we did have a few laughs while they were here.  One of the ladies in the quilt group wanted to come join us for vacation and changed her mind last minute so we invented a virtual Mary and gave her a virtual vacation.  We took her everywhere then posted her travels on facebook for the real Mary to follow along.   Here’s Jill meeting Mary for for the first time and Mark having a glass of wine with her at The Melting pot.   I can’t imagine what the waiter thought.

Wow so much seems to go on that I rarely get back to my blog to update things.  We had such an awesome week with Jill and Mark.  They came from Ohio and spent the week with us for turkey and early Christmas.  They are just so sweet and loving.  They even brought gifts for the pups.       When I get time I will post a picture of the awesome bag and frame picture they gave me.    The bag is exactly what I needed to carry around my quilt class sewing machine.   It fit perfectly.

We had an awesome dinner at The Melting

Pot and Beef O’ Brady’s although Mark didn’t find they extra hot wing all that hot.  Aren’t they just the cutest couple.

 

 

Never had I struggled so much to come up with a baby quilt for the bosses 1st grand baby.    I cut 3 and hated them all.   Finally i decided on something not so baby like.  Their nursery colors are pink, white and gray so I made a quilt they can carry around when they take the baby out.   I really like the final outcome.

 

 

I made myself a quilt for the sofa with winter approaching. Well what we call winter in Florida.  Usually last a couple of days if we’re lucky.   My friend Kennetha loved it so much I was able to locate a couple more jelly rolls and make one for her, her hubby and her sister in law Linda, she’s a doll.  I had to change them a little bit so they weren’t all the same.   I love how they turned out and finally got them delivered.  Now I just need to quilt mine.

 

 

My wonderful groomer Sallie took these pics of the boys after she groomed them last month.  They look so handsome.   Hard to believe they are over 2 years old. Well baby dog will be 2 in February.