Trust Your Journey Message Board

As life often does, it sent me on a journey far from what I had imagined or planned for myself. In 1998 my oldest son, who is now 17, was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (high-functioning autism), this is a journey all its own. Although there have been and will continue to be many struggles, going through life with such a special individual has allowed me the opportunity to learn and experience life in a way I otherwise wouldn't have.

Then, in 1999 I was diagnosed with systemic lupus. Due to the many serious, chronic health issues that developed as a result of this disease, I was forced to quit my career and allow myself to be labeled as disabled. This is a very hard thing to do and there is a lot of guilt that comes with that. But, as my journey continued, it became apparent how much my autistic son and family needed me here. So I am right where I am supposed to be and as you say "Trust Your Journey!"

Brenda says--"You will probably never know how many times I touch my bracelet and remind myself to "trust my journey"...funny how some things become some sort of life-line. With all hubby and I have been through in the last six months, I've been floundering my way back to solid ground and truly believe I'm winning most days! Yesterday, however, I needed to touch my bracelet to re-enforce! I have a good friend (of some 25 years?) who has become more and more negative: she labours with exhaustion from weird work hours, stress over money (in particular with her spouse, who's views are 180 degress from hers), and the loss of several key animals over the last two years. I purchased a bling-encrusted blaze-orange helmet cover (ridiculously funny to me), complete with fleece neck/ear flap and donned it prior to riding yesterday. I wore it purposely to get a rise out of her and hopefully a few giggles. What I got instead was "don't really care - you're the one who looks stupid", in a miserable, mean fashion. I was shocked, to say the least. Today I'm struggling to up-right myself....my good intentions were hammered into the dust! I keep thinking - "don't sink - there's more than meets the eye and she is struggling and you knew it. There will be another way to lift her up...trust your journey" Guess some people just don't "do" silly..."

An Inspirational Story from a new friend of TYJ, Judy:
My1st journey started in 1996 when I noticed my eyesight was becoming blurry (like looking at life through cheesecloth). I contacted my opthamolgist and after a thorough examination, it was determined that my left optic nerve was swollen and hemorrhaging. In all of his years of practice, he had never seen this before. Within weeks, I was completely blind. After months of intense testing at our local hospital, UVA and John Hopkins, it was determined that I had Optic Neuritis, a not so well known disease that often leads to MS. As is sometimes the case, my vision slowly imporoved over the next 9 months. I was able to continue to work with the aid of magnifying glasses and many of my so called "seeing eye friends". I was unable to drive for 5 years (thanks to my many, many friends who drove "Miss Daisy" pretty much everywhere). Life went on and I adjusted. In 2008 I lost my job of 20 years (right when the stock market bottomed out). Then began my 2nd journey to reinvent myself and find a new job . . but during that journey, I found myself in the hospital for a routine CAT scan that uncovered I had 2 blocked arteries in my heart . . Journey #3 . . within 2 weeks, I had 2 stents and an ICD (implanted cardiac device). Those 2 weeks were scary as I had to be revived two separate times. By the way, I never did get that CAT scan :) Now back to journey #2 . . the job. After 15 months of unemployment and recovering from the surprise of my heart attack, I found a new job! Things calmed down and I was h oping my reoccuring journeys had finally come to an end. . Revisit journey #1. One of the medications I was on for my heart caused my Optic Neuritis to flare up .. my vision started fading again. As luck (or God) would have it, I visited a new opthamologist who had written a paper on my disease. One of my heart meds was causing my ON to flare. We changed the med, but my vision is what it is today. Even so, I am blessed to have some vision and to be able to continue to work. Life is full of journeys!