Friends and family don’t always “get it.” In fact, they rarely do. I have several people in my life who try and really want to understand. I am so thankful for them! Nevertheless, I still need people in my life who do. Often, we have to find that understanding in a support group or counselor and not from our loved ones.
No matter who we have or don’t have, I do find some comfort in knowing that God does know what we are going through, all our losses, all our hurdles and all our pain. This song gives me comfort.
If you need help right away, please call 911! If you want someone to talk to, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255.
Keep up the fight for your healing! Pursue joy amidst the battle! Seek ways to make a difference in the lives of others!
Sherri
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“I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire! Cuz I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar!” Cover tune, “Roar.”
Living with a chronic illness can bring out so much judgment and assumptions towards us from family, friends, doctors and even strangers. Often these things can cause us to want to retreat or avoid speaking up for ourselves.
Now, I am a “peacemaker” and I do not like negative confrontations. I would rather let what people say bounce off of me … but it doesn’t. I tend to internalize what they have said and it eats me up inside!
Therefore, I do not think we have to resort to being unkind, but we need to believe in ourselves and stand firm on the ground that we are valuable, have purpose and our illnesses do not mean we are weak, lesser, nor do they mean we are at fault.
So, let’s stand up for ourselves! Let’s stand strong! We can be heard with kindness, but let’s be heard and let’s fight for our relationships, care and lives!
Be sure to watch the video below! I love this version, because I am Safari Sherri! Enjoy!
Alex Boye, featuring the Ft Mom Bloggers United sing the Africanized version of cover tune, “Roar,” by Katy Perry.
Let’s ROAR!!!!!!
Safari Sherri
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Thank you everyone, for your prayers and well-wishes! Many are asking how my ankle is doing and sharing their fracture success stories. So I thought I would post a few more details of my situation.
I would like to explain that due to Multiple Sclerosis, I have had weak ankles and due to Lyme, joint issues. For 15 years, I have been dealing with loose ligaments in my ankles, causing multiple sprains and injuries. The last 2 sprains landed me in years of horrific pain, PT, ultrasound, lazer and Prolotherapy. Prolo is the only treatment for loose ligaments, as PT only helps the muscles and tendons.
Somewhere along the way, I must have fractured the ankle. So, after years of the tendon pulling on the joint, it broke off a chunk of the joint when I simply stood up.
Today, I see the doctor to find out if they need to screw the joint back together. This would not be good! I don’t do well with surgery nor metals in my body!
Even if this helped the bone to heal, I am still left with all the ankle issues I had before and the cause to this break. Thus, it will be another very long road of therapy, none of which will fix the ligaments (cannot do anymore Prolo).
As a result, my ankles will remain a ticking time bomb to future injuries and breaks, from just standing or walking. Therfore, I am not just up against a broken bone that will heal. My ankles haven’t healed after 15 years.
I have been unable to put any weight on my ankle for 2 weeks and have 4 more weeks to go before I can try. I cannot use crutches, so I’ve been using a knee scooter! This thing is AWESOME! I can ZOOM from the family to the kitchen in seconds!
Unfortunately, it was excruciatingly painful on my bad knee and hips! What’s more, pivoting on my other ankle has taken its toll and now I am unable to use my left foot either. So, back to my wheelchair I go. Not the best. Hard to reach things, it won’t fit through my doors and is hard on my back, neck and shoulders.
Needless to say, going to the bathroom, getting food, feeding the dog 8 times a day and taking a shower is quite the endeavor with MS, Lyme AND trying not to put weight on my ankles.
I have to say that Wayne has been a HUGE help when he is home and available! Couldn’t survive this without him! Thank you, sweetie! Also, thankful to the 3 friends who brought me food 2 weeks ago! … But I’m getting hungry again! LOL!
All in all, as you can see, this is not normal case of a broken bone that will heal and I go on. Nonetheless, I am forging ahead as best I can and trying to keep the hope I will be able to stand and walk again without continued injuries and breaks.
Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers!! I REALLY NEED THEM!!
Sherri
***UPDATES!***
UPDATE February 26:
It hurts like heck and it has taken a very long time, but I am finally taking some steps with my walker!
UPDATE February 11:
AMAZING NEWS!! No surgery!
I still have a bad sprain and tendinitis on both sides of my ankle. Doc has been concerned about the continued inflammation and lack of circulation in the past 7 weeks. But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, given all the injuries, fracture to this ankle and MS.
Anyhow, I am graduating to the walking boot and PT! Praise God!
It’s going to take a while to ease my ankle into putting weight on it in the boot, lots of PT before I can graduate out of it and more time, before I can walk outside.
I barely moved it last Saturday and I thought I was going to die for 2 days. So, I still have a long road ahead. Slow and easy!
But did I mention NO SURGERY? Wahoo!
Thank you all for your love and prayers!!!
UPDATE FEBRUARY 10:
My hubby made me scrambled eggs and bacon today and it wasn’t even Sunday! Tee hee!
He’s been working so hard to take care of me since I broke my ankle! He doesn’t like to cook … no he seriously dislikes cooking and doesn’t cook. So, I appreciate the fact he has mastered breakfast! Sure beats my green drink now and then!
BIG KUDOS! Thank you, sweetie! ♡♡♡
UPDATE February 6:
Got an MRI last night. Need to see what is going on with my ankle, before we can decide the next step (ha ha). I am at risk of it breaking again when I stand on it, because the tendon broke it. So we must be sure the right protocol is put in place. They may need to screw the bone together.
I really don’t want surgery! Already been off it 6 weeks and would have to be off it another 6-8 weeks (and other complications ).
Either way, I will be up against more years of therapy, because this ankle has not healed in 15 years, has been injured so many times (just normal walking on it) and I was in therapy for years already. Dang it!
Please keep me in our prayers! I get the results Thursday. Hoping for a miracle!
PS) Not trying to be whiney. It is just so difficult and painful to get around (knees, hips, back, neck, other ankle). Most of all, I thrive on going outside with my animals. They keep me sane! Seriously! Can barely crawl to the patio once in a while. But all of this is just another thing on top of a ton of things, like my mom’s health and finances, I lost my insurance and am fighting getting it back, I am in a 3 month battle with my oxygen company who messed up my account beyond belief, financial stress, isolation and other things I won’t share on Facebook.
Immediately, my video segment got over 119,000 views and it continued to get thousands of view on their website and AOL!
Although I mention Lyme, the interview is really about ALL living with debilitating illness and pain, no matter what their diagnosis. Most of all, it is about helping friends and family better understand.
The Huffington Post wrote:
Sherri Connell, who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis & Lyme Disease, and her husband Wayne Connell, the Founder & President of Invisible Disabilities Association, joined HuffPost Live to tell Nancy Redd Sherri’s story of contracting her illnesses through a tick bite and how they have turned it into a positive thing by founding an organization to help those with disabilities.
“When I was fourteen I was bit by a tick but at the time I didn’t know it,” Connell told Redd. “But, I started feeling chronic pain soon after.”
“I fell in love with her and we got married in ’94. And in ’96 she coined the phrase, “Invisible disabilities,” said her husband Connell.
My husband’s cousin, Brady Renshaw, recently participated in the 2012 Fight for Air Climb in Chicago, hosted by the American Lung Association.
The climb was in the Presidential Towers, which consisted of 2,340 steps, 180 floors and 4 towers! Brady finished in 7th Place with a time of 18:20. Congratulations, Brady! His brother, Cody did an excellent job filming it! Watch Cody’s video here!
In light of Brady and Cody’s adventure, I was motivated to do a challenge of my own. Watch this video if you are in the mood for a little inspiration, entertainment and humor! It’s not what you might think it is!
Buckle your seat-belts! The fun starts in 5-4-3-2-1
The Tower Climb Challenge by Sherri Connell
Brady said,
“I Love it Sherri:) The message is a great one. People with disabilities face challenges that would make the most hardcore athletes cringe. People should remember to praise and encourage those fighting disabilities just as they would an athlete overcoming difficult challenges.”
Cody said,
“Sherri, kudos! Fantastic and funny as always while still delivering a good message. We are actually in Basel, Switzerland for a race today and I watched this in the morning before the race.
What my video doesn’t show is the hundreds of stair climbers that are just doing it to finish or maybe best their previous times in support of charity. There is a CF race in Dallas in which the winner finished in 10 minutes. Another winner that day (and probably the bigger winner) was a lady named Holly. When she was born in 1979, her life expectancy was no more than 18 years. She has Cystic Fibrosis and she did all 70 stories with a time of 44:57. According to the time sheet she was in next to last place, but clearly she won and gave it everything she had within her physical limits. I find that inspiring and thought I would share. 🙂
We’ll have to come over and climb Connell tower sometime, but only if you add a water stop at the midway point!”
It makes me so mad that just trying to do a 2, 3 or 4 minute video just about kills me!
As you probably already know, I live with horrible pain, flu-like symptoms and cognitive disorders 24×7, due to Multiple Sclerosis and Lyme Disease.
I may flash a split second smile for a photo or turn on the video camera for a few minutes once in a great while. But very few people have ever seen behind the scenes of what I live with daily. They don’t see me before or after a video, phone call, visit, etc.
People may see me on a video and think, “Wow! She doesn’t LOOK sick!” But they have no idea how trying to think, talk and articulate for just a few minutes sends me into instant, unfathomable agony! I have so many ideas for videos, but they are lethal!
It just makes me so angry that I can’t do the littlest things without feeling like I am being beat by baseball bats and dragged by a truck!
Serious subject, but I tried to toss in a little humor!
