Yup I finally did it, I agreed to get rid of our Dish Network! No more prime time TV. No more channel flipping. No more easy access to mindless watching. It is the best thing we’ve done all year! OK, so we are only in month 3 of this year, but seriously this is an amazing discovery.
My husband had been suggesting it for years. But as my health decreased in the last few years I was able to do little else. Until recently, I wasn’t able to read for more than a few minutes. So being able to listen and watch (even if it was blurry) was something entertaining to do. I did try to make decent TV choices.
We haven’t actually put the TV to the curb. We did get Hulu and have instant Netflix. However, our TV watching has dramatically gone down. We now spend more time in the living room reading. My son has been going through different series books like crazy. My husband and daughter have been reading through a few different books and discussing them. I have been journaling more, connecting with the huge Lyme community (which until recently I didn’t know existed) and I have been reading more.
As I mentioned some of my symptoms from Lyme have greatly improved from the last couple years. I am still very sick and cannot do much in a day, but I am not having short term memory loss, difficulty concentrating and not nearly as much blurry vision. That was awful to struggle with. Now that I free of those conditions I want to celebrate by USING my brain!! It has been so fun getting to read and retain the information! Now that I have my mind nearly back, I figured it would be great for me to start learning some of the stuff I missed out learning in college. My health kept me from completing college year after year. This year 2011, I want to learn new things, expand my mind. In future blogs I will share some of what I am gleaning from different books I am getting to read.
I just started reading Keirkagaard For Beginners. Wow, I didn’t realize existentialism isn’t a scary thing. I thought it was a lofty philosophy thing that I wouldn’t be able to understand and it would just make my head hurt. Well, maybe reading Keirkagaards writings would certainly do that. So it is good I am starting with this beginners book-it even has drawings on each page and uses humor! It is MY kind of book!
I do love the idea that subjective truth asks the question "How?" and looks to see the way a person answers by their actions not merely what they say. This has been a truth I have seen beautifully since my diagnosis with Lyme Disease. When I became more honest about the depth of my debilitating struggles due to my Lyme, friends responded. I had to become a person willing to question and look into what was going on with my body even when objectively it appeared I should stop looking for something different than what was before me. I had answers from my set of 5 doctors who were treating me for various ailments. Yet my experiences said that is NOT the truth. I am glad I was able to question, get a Lyme diagnosis and begin to heal. I can now relax into the fact that I am sick in ways that most don't understand. Now throughout each day, I am able to see small things worth smiling about. My actions show I am a grateful person. Who knew that all stems from Kierkagaards philosophy?
Chrissy, I am proud of you for taking that step to emotional, physical and spiritual balance! Josh and I have been without TV for about a year now and let me tell you, I have found a new love for cooking, baking,and painting recycled CDs and making wind chimes out of them. I have also been blogging and journaling. It has been great! It has made me look at my life and the constant pain in a different way. although i struggle daily just to walk, I have things to look forward to other than mindless junk on tv. We still have hulu and netflix as well because I cannot really do much any more with my disability, but like you said. i choose what i watch carefully. Thank you for sharing! My sister has Lyme Disease as well. I think I will pass your words her way.
ReplyDeleteWell said! Beautifully spoken!
ReplyDeleteIt took me a while to reach the Acceptance Stage of my chronic lyme disease, but once I did, I realized the importance of staying positive as I fight this disease.
I look forward to reading more of your experience.
~deb
Thank You so much for your comments! Julie, if it is ok to ask, what is it that causes you to struggle with walking? Yes, please do send your sister my way! Debra, thank you for sharing! Acceptance is a funny thing in that we seem to fight it but once we release our control it truly allows for freedom.
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love this post! This is so great for you and your family. Thanks so much for sharing your journey with us, friend. xo
ReplyDeleteHi Chrissy: Glad to read your health is improving, and good for you for getting rid of the TV! I've definitely been there, when TV was a necessity, but we need to start reading once we can, to nourish our souls! Thanks for your blog.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on this big decision and these HUGE realizations about how to spend your time so constructively! So great the kids are spending time reading too! I loved your creative ideas way back on activities I could do that were low key. The other night Clem opened a pack of glow sticks and after dinner when I'm usually beat and ready to flip on a movie so we can wind down together we turned out the lights and played charades with glow sticks with Amy too. Your creativity is contagious. Thank you for that, Chrissy!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear your symptoms have greatly improved. I look forward to hearing more about what you're able to do. Your honesty is awesome and your writing is so skillful. You are a crafty woman impacting many folks you probably don't even know about yet!