The Nutcracker

Those of you who have lyme or know someone who does knows the difficulty of living with this condition.  I didn't think I would have a blog (especially about something so depressing!) but I am hoping this blog won't just be about the depressing side of lyme.  I want to talk about the funny stuff, provide (and hopefully receive) information and just talk about life in general.  But first off, we should begin at the beginning....

My story starts in 1990.  I was 10 years old and playing in my front yard in the middle of suburbia when I scratched my head to find a tick attached.  Of course, being in suburbia in 1990 my parents were not particularly aware of lyme and people generally thought that was something you only had to worry about in the middle of the woods.  So my dad pulled it out and that was that....of course that wasn't that.  It started a roller coaster ride of symptoms that lasted (and continues to last) for the next 20+ years.  After being diagnosed with a laundry list of random conditions, I wasn't diagnosed with lyme until 2009. 

It's a struggle on a daily basis but makes you appreciate the small things in life!  Today I went with my fiance, Michael, to see The Nutcracker!  I love The Nutcracker.  It was the first ballet or play I had seen as a child and remains my favorite to this day.  I asked him 2 weeks ago if he wanted to get tickets.  Knowing Michael means knowing the answer to this question would be "the look" and the response of "Are you crazy?".  First of all, it's Sunday.  Sunday is a holy day in this house and has NOTHING to do with going to church.  Sunday is football and NASCAR!  I get about 3 Sundays the entire year where neither occurs so I have to make the most of those days.  He spends the entire day cooking and watching sports.  So it was much to my surprise when, without having to beg he said yes! So I hurried and bought the tickets before he came to his senses and changed his mind.  Last Thursday night when he took over the tv to watch the Steelers, I realized that was the reason he agreed.  Whatever, I was going to the ballet. 

Of course just leaving the house can become a major production now and going to see The Nutcracker proved no different.  A question I have become much more aware of since I started having to walk with a walker, is why are handicapped parking spaces never close to the door???  I had to push the walker up hill which was a struggle and around to the opposite side of the building (because, why would the handicapped spots and the ramp be on the same side of the building?!?!).  And of course, after 2 years with a walker I still can't remember to ask for accessible seating so we were stuck in the middle of a row (which I hate walker or not).  Either way the show was great and close to home.  Of course, he fidgeted the entire time but at least I was there.

By the time we got home, I was wiped.  Apparently sitting for 2 hours in a theater is very tiring!  Well this post has been long enough....until next time...
T