Janet's Blog

It was at least ten years ago when I first received a rheumatologist's diagnosis of fibromyalgia. After several years of fatigue, and too many aches and pains, it was a relief to have a name for my malady. At my doctor's suggestion, I started a couple of prescriptions and some supplements, and found that my symptoms improved quite a bit. I've been able to work and care for my family, and lead a fairly normal life most of the time. Autoimmune diseases are the pits. The symptoms are often vague, but unrelenting. The fatigue can be debilitating. Without a firm diagnosis, people are often thought to be hopeless hypochondriacs. Even doctors sometimes discount symptoms when various tests show nothing conclusive. For me, a diagnosis of fibromyalgia was better than no diagnosis at all. However, fibromyalgia seems to have become the disease du jour--a popular diagnosis when doctors have ruled everything else out. Many people with fibromyalgia experience most of the forty-some of...

Since he didn't need to attend the closing assembly at Gering Junior High today, Levi's last day of seventh grade was yesterday. But, today seemed to be a typical last day of school, sunny and slightly breezy, with sidewalks full of kids walking home from school at the unusual time of 11:30 a.m. Weather aside, there's something special in the air on the last day. The routines that have been in place for the previous nine months are gone. Kids and teachers alike anticipate summer's arrival, a welcome break from the stress of school, a time to regroup and relax, maybe even take a family vacation. Winter clothes are cast aside for summer attire, even on those inevitable cool, rainy days that are sure to come during the next month or so. As kids enter their forlorn classrooms on the final day of school, the walls are empty, books have been put away, the garbage cans are overflowing with the leftovers of an eventful school year. The last day, even the last week, is a mer...

No, that title doesn't include a misspelling for "rose," even though I am anxious to see my red rose bushes burst into bloom as soon as we finally see a few sunny days. And, I have not forgotten which season it is, nor do I intend to write about a certain famous reindeer. I really do plan to write about a red nose or two, but it's probably not what you think. Like most people, I find that my nose turns rather red when I have a cold, or when my allergies get the best of me. The same is true for most people in my family, including my Uncle Lee. But, I'm not going to write about stuffy noses and the inevitable redness that follows. A few years ago, I had a rather lengthy conversation with Uncle Lee, about his red nose. I don't recall how we got around to that topic, but I'm quite sure that he started it. We were at the ranch, sitting outside at the picnic table with several other relatives, when Uncle Lee began to lament that his naturally red nose was a ...

I know several people who have been having a rough time lately--a really rough time. Some are enduring cancer treatment, while others have faced unexpected illness and surgery. Still other people are caught up in their grief after the sudden death of a loved one. Some friends have close relatives in jail because of domestic abuse and charges of fraud. Others have been blindsided by spouses who are insisting on divorce. Some job seekers can't find an appropriate job, while some business managers can't find enough reliable employees to get the job done. Some of this is inevitable. We all get sick sometimes. We will all die of something, sooner or later. We are blessed to live in a time when medical care can often prevent excessive suffering or early death. Yet, it is too easy to focus on our disrupted lives and our pain, instead of thanking God for prolonging our lives and easing our suffering. Sometimes, people make their own misery. When we insist on perfection--when we fee...