Lately, I've needed to stay on a medication regiment so that I can have days that demonstrate I'm at my best. Sometimes the medication helps to keep us on track, as best as possible.
This is important to me, to stay on track, because my husband and I finally made a big change. We sold our house in the Greater Houston area and have moved to our acreage in Livingston, Texas...a rural community a couple of hours outside of Houston.
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| Leaving our city neighborhood for the last time, three weeks ago. |
We've owned our land since our daughters were younger, but could never move there because I was more concerned with staying close to city life, but I'm not sure that was the right path. However, my daughters have turned out to be responsible, intelligent, degreed, loving young women, so something we did was right FOR THEM. The balance of city life and country life worked for all of us.
However, now it's just me and Sgt. Dave --- so we figured it's time to move to the country because we don't have to worry about school districts or the neighborhood pool or biking trails; we are just worrying about the two of us building our new life in the country so that we can enjoy being grand-parents who have wide open spaces for the kids to enjoy!
But, the changes have been difficult. The move was very stressful, both emotionally and physically. Also, the schedule changes we are experiencing add more stress because we had grown rather inflexible, but the distance into Houston from our rural acreage is significant, so this changes our orderly schedule.
I'm in the sun more often and on those days, I must remember to be careful because HC can make your skin more sensitive and prone to burn.
And another issue with moving to the country can be the complication that comes with simply becoming distracted by all the fun I am having and forgetting to take a dose of my HC or to increase my HC to meet the higher level of physical output.
A good thing is that the week we were leaving the Houston area, there was a nasty, fast-spreading stomach bug making its rounds about the Houston area and it created projectile vomiting and sickness that lasted about three days. It was passing from person to person rather quickly. Good thing, I got out of the city limits and farther away into the depths of the country and have been in the clear, so far, of this bug that has been making its rounds. These are the times when you are grateful to be living in a rural area with your closest noisemaker being a woodpecker!
Living in a nice RV over this next year as we construct a cabin in the woods feels like an interesting adventure, but I'm up for it! I'm enjoying every moment, from the ground up! And here is Sgt. Dave's new "gameroom!"
As for my overall health, I do feel as if moving to the country suits me very well. I have the usual aches and pains that come with Addison's disease and with having a prior broken neck with cervical spine reconstruction and other major issues, but the ability to step outside and to stroll around the property seems to be good for me. I feel rejuvenated. My spirit feels renewed as I listen to the wind blowing through the trees and hear the birds singing their songs...it feels so simple, yet powerful to be tucked into the arms of nature.
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| My new view --- this is peaceful! |
So, I guess over the next couple of years, we'll see how it goes. As for my emergency services, sometime over the next month, I will be going to meet with the local EMT's to discuss my rare disease and how the emergency injection is usually not carried on the bus, but that I have it on hand with instructions, just in case. I need the local crew to understand the reality of having a patient on their route who has Addison's disease and to go over a few details, so that, in the event, a bad situation occurs, they have already reviewed my condition and will be better prepared to confront the woman with the "weird" disease that might one day need immediate intervention for continued survival.
Meanwhile, I am grateful to God that He gave us this opportunity to be in the country. We've been married for over 26 years and have had this land for more than half our marriage. Making a new life for ourselves in the country is a dream of ours. About three weeks ago, we sold our massive two-story house, near 3,000 square feet, in the city, and now we're temporarily living in an RV over the next year as we begin to build our cabin in the woods.
Everything has changed.
It's easier to do the things that are necessary because you are enjoying the best of life while in between. Being on this land is motivating to both my husband and I to keep going and to keep making a difference so that we develop a wonderful family farm for generations to enjoy.
Having Addison's seems like such a small thing to deal with right now and I like that! I love the fact that we have major tasks in front of us, every day, and those tasks keep us distracted from some of the more ugly details of life that aren't such fun to face.
My quality of life is much improved by living in the country.
Every moment I enjoy in the country is magnified by the fact that I never have to live in the congested city again.
Thank you Lord!
