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Entering Sharons Life
Sharon's Life
"The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for."
-Allan K. Chalmers
Basic Facts

I'm Sharon.  I'm 27 years old.  I have an other half, Kevin.  We have three kids, girl, boy, girl, Alisa June, born 12-7-97, Kevin Arthur Jr, born  8-21-00, and Abigail Grace (Abbey), born 10-22-01.

You can check in with me more on my newsletter page.  It has updates on us, book reccomendations, and all sorts of random thoughts and tidbits.
My Interests
I spend most of my time taking care of my kids, but I also enjoy watching tv, West Wing, Third Watch, Boston Public, The Guardian, and the Simpsons are some of my current favorites.  I also am a huge fan of M*A*S*H.  I like to listen to music, I'll listen to lots of different kinds of things.  I love the soundtrack to Les Miserables, but I also listen to everything from Billy Joel, to Elton John, to Creed, to Train, to Aerosmith, to Bon Jovi, to Pink Floyd, to Goo Goo Dolls and The Eagles and just about everything in between.

 I like to read, I read all different kinds of books:  Tom Clancy and similar stuff, Steven King,  SciFi/Fantasy stuff, fiction and non fiction about dealing with illness, really just about anything except dopey romances.  There is a poem called Circle of The Spirit that I really like a lot that expresses a lot of what I believe about life when I'm feeling fairly good about things.

I have chronic health problems and am involved in several support groups.  I work with, participate in or would like to learn about groups for: Arnold Chiari Malformation,  Fibromyalagia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,  GI Motility Disorders, Post Partum Depression, Self Injurers, Mitocondrial Disorders, PseudoTumor Cerebri, Borderline Personality Disorder.

I  have had a very tough battle with post partum depression since the birth of my third child.  I wrote about it in this essay:

When I was able to, mainly before I had my kids, I sometimes wrote articles for various
 newsletters that dealt with living with a chronic illness.  Those essays express a lot
about how I came to become the person who I am today

Also, these essays by me friends offer great insight into living with an illness.  Please meet my friends:
The CFIDS Garden Archives  -Sandy   ..................................Sandys page
The Coping Corner Archives- Jenn  ...................................... Jenns web page          
Graduation Day - Rebecca  ............................................... Rebeccas web page
                                              Other pages from more kids and young adults

Most of my closest friends are those who I met because of my medical problems.  Having similar illnesses drew us together as a group and even though many years have passed since we first met as teenagers struggling to develop identities in the face of severe illness, I still keep these friendships that were formed so long ago as my most treasured.  No one knows me as well, and no one will ever understand me as well as these few special friends.  Even though distance makes it hard, there is still no one else that I'd rather talk to.  My life has changed emmensely and communicating can be so much harder than it was before kids and school got in our way but I still find ways to keep in touch with my old friends.  Email and phone calls are a big part of my life right now too.  I have a big interst right now in how to ease the transition from childhood to adulthood for teen and young adults with chronic illnesses.  I try to be involved where I am able to help young adults make an easier transition to being adults with illnesses.  Some of my thoughts, along with those of others, are posted the Pediatric Network for CFS/FMS/OI's forum .  And you can check out the Young Adults with Chronic Illness forum and Young Adults Home Page that I have just started.
Much of my life I have had to deal with illness.  I have found support from many sources.  All have been extremely valuable to me.  For a list of articles and groups that have helped me please see my Recommended Reading and Resources page
"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."
-John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Inaugural Address
"Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country."
-Anais Nin, The Diaries of Anaïs Nin
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death."
-Thomas Paine
I'd love to hear from you about any links you think would be good additions to my site hear any feedback that you have.  I'm also more than happy to hear from anyone who is going thru similar things and wants  to share their story.
"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves."
-William Shakespeare

 

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