7 Fun Facts for Figuring Me Out

7 Fun Facts for Figuring Me Out

1.       Nursing was my last option for a profession. Now before you say anything, I’m now following my dreams - don’t worry. But when I was considering choosing a career, starting IVs and being responsible for life or death treatment did not sound like something that would be up my alley. In fact, it still isn’t. However, I was praying in my little prayer closet for God to show me a direction in my life. So when God told me to choose nursing my eyes were opened up to the many ways I could be an influence to other people with my nursing knowledge through the eyes of my chronic illnesses. Now I am one semester away from graduating and I am passionate about finding a career in community health.

2.          I live with a gaggle of girls. I am the oldest of five girls and a daughter to a hardworking single mom with RA, Lupus, and fibromyalgia. We love playing Exploding Kittens and Just Dance and seeing how long it takes before we get on each other’s nerves. My youngest sister was adopted after over a year of fostering her and I love sharing that because I want to encourage anyone even considering fostering or adopting to do it.

(All but one of the girls plus an honorary sister on Christmas Sunday)

3.       Mariachi bands are one of my secret joys. Music is my absolute favorite hobby and I’ve been enjoying it since my babysitter started teaching me piano in first grade. In fifth grade my inner city school had the opportunity to start a mariachi program and I had the joy of being a violin player in it. My instrumental skills are a bit rusty now and playing music is the hobby I have had the most difficulty with after fibromyalgia but it is what I am most excited to work on as I control my symptoms.

4.         I really love God and, consequently, my church. I decided to give my life to following God as a little kid. Because of that, I have had a constant guide through every difficult and joyful part of life and a purpose no matter what happens. (Feel free to ask me questions, I would love to talk about it!) My church family has also been constant and is a crazy and fun part of my life which I enjoy being a part of. Being a part of a church has also helped me to come out of my shell and talk to people when I feel passionately about something.

5.         My boyfriend is more awkward than your SO which is why he’s perfect for me. I have been dating a guy named Preston since the Summer after 9th grade. We enjoy binge watching Netflix together, drinking coffee, and are currently going through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University classes before we graduate college. (RIP late night Taco Bueno runs). We are also both extremely awkward so together we like to think we make each other normal.                                     

6.       Emotions flow out of me. If you’re into Myer Briggs you call me an INFP. If you’re a Morris you call me my mother’s child. Point is: I cry at almost every commercial, I feel bad for orange Powerades because nobody buys them, and I am super passionate about... well... almost anything. Just get me started.

7.         I was diagnosed with a freckled brain before fibromyalgia. I started showing signs of fibromyalgia in 5th grade (In case you’re keeping track, that was over 10 years ago). From then until now I have seen cardiologists, neurologists, pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, and counselors. I have had EEGs, MRIs, CT scans, blood draws, heart monitors, EKGs, and sleep studies. I have been misdiagnosed with anemia, Celiac, seizures (including from possible *nonexistent* freckles on my brain), IBS, arthritis, insomnia, and RLS. I have had Strept 36 times, gone unconscious in public 6 times, had 9 ER visits for pain, had a migraine once a day for the last 433 days and get an average of 5 hours of sleep. However, last year I was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia and I am now able to start altering my lifestyle to cater to my chronic illness. *This* is why I have started this blog. Because no one needs to go 11 years without a diagnosis. And when someone is diagnosed, I want them to have a community of support, encouragement, hope, and answers to come to.