---

---

Those who suffer from ‘invisible” chronic illnesses like Fibromyalgia and Degenerative Joint Disease know the daily struggle. You cannot plan ahead for anything. You might feel perfectly fine the day you commit to an event, family dinner, bowling with friends, or girl’s night out. However, when the day rolls around and it’s time to go out the door you could be dealing with anything from extreme fatigue and migraines to inflammation and nausea. And pain. There’s always pain.

That’s been my life for nearly twenty years.

Family holidays, weekend getaways, church and school events, meals with friends…I’ve even had to cancel doctor’s appointments because I couldn’t function enough to get ready and get out the door to get to the person who was supposed to make me feel better!!!

But sometimes, lack of a plan is the way to go.

My son-in-law is currently stationed at Fort Huachuca – about an hour south of me, and this gives me the opportunity to see my daughter, Lin, 2-3 times a month, compared to the previous three years when they were at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

Lin was here last weekend, so I was pretty sure it would be another week or so before I saw her again.

Wrong.

She just pops up yesterday morning, rushes me through my closet and out the door…for an amazing birthday!

After creating havoc and bedlam all over Tucson – and getting the Mani/Pedi to end all Mani/Pedis – we ran back by the house, picked up her dad and went to dinner. That’s when I found out she’d be in constant contact with her dad by text to find out what kind of morning I was having…and explains why he kept following me around the house!

What type of morning was I having? Typical, for me. Aches? Yes. Pain? Always. But life goes on, and I was determined to get my morning two thousand words written.

I didn’t make my word count.

But, it wasn’t because of writer’s block, technical issues, or aches and pains.

It was because I have an amazing family and a daughter who went to the extra effort during her day off to make sure I had a great birthday.

And I did.

Many thanks to all for your ‘Likes” and birthday greetings!