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ME! I guess you might wonder why I think I can give you some tips on personal care. In 1964 I became a LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse) in the state or Oregon and in 1967 I obtained the same license in California. Shortly after coming to California, I became a Charge Nurse and stayed in that position most of my nursing career. In 1979 I became an RN. In 1980 I became Director of Staff Development (teaching facility staff) and about a year and a half later, Director of Nursing Services. The last position also required teaching but concentrated more on licensed staff. I found myself teaching often because I think there is no sense in knowing something if you don't share it when the opportunity arises. The same year I was diagonsed with probable MS (multiple sclerosis). The following year it was confirmed. I now have 14 different diagnoses. Some were found before MS and some after. Some of them are as a result of the MS or the heavy steroids I was given in the first 10 years after diagnosis. I now do peer counseling as a part time job. I am limited in the amount of hours I can work. But I am still teaching. Some of that is done with peers either singly or in groups and some I still do with nursing staffs in various nursing homes or caregivers in individual homes. So what the heck do I like to do in my spare time? SLEEP! And I read at least two fun books a week unless they are really thick and complicated like Mitchners stuff. Then I only read one in the week. I also preview all the books and tapes to go in our Multiple Sclerosis Society chapter library. I do advocacy work, some on paid time and a lot on volunteer time, for our chapter. Trying to get the government to make decent laws for disabled people and to spend more money on them requires the input of a lot of people. I have a black and white television that works in the canyon I live in so I don't watch television much. I do like to watch movies, someone has taped, now and then. I have a color TV for that but it doesn't work for regular programing because I am not hooked up to cable.. Sometimes I draw using pen and ink. No, not ballpoint pens, mechanical pens or the old fashioned kind with a nib I dip in ink. My drawings are very detailed and take about 2 or 3 months to complete one. I have sold some. I make jewelry from rocks. Some of them are cut and polished and some are just tumbled to polish them. Then I do what is called wire wraping. I love crystals and have different kinds and sizes and colors all over my house. When I get in the mood, it takes considerable time to play with them. Playing involves cleaning, you see. All those rocks seem to collect dust faster than tabletops! Their crags and crevases certainly make them more difficult to clean. Then there are my two dogs to play with. And the computer requires daily use so it doesn't get lonely. Until Dec. 1996, there was a 29 year marriage that required SOME input. When there is time left over, I do housework. |