Monday, February 28, 2011

Please support me in the walk for a cure!



Good morning, today being Monday and a new day to a new week I wanted to throw out there the support that I need to help us find a cure for crohn's. I've been suffering from crohn's for over six year. Been in remission for a year until a month ago, when I not only had a flair up, but a set back. My crohn's is getting more aggressive, hitting me faster and more severely. Not only to I suffer from the good ole' standard diahreaha but also I throw up. I get so dhydrated that they can't even get fluids in me fast enough. They had a hard time find a good vein and ended up giving two bags of fluids. When I do get a flare up I take Remicade. It's an IV I have to take for three hours. It basically shuts down my immune system since that is what is making me sick. My immune system thinks there is something wrong with my body so it attacks it. That is crohn's it's an auto immune disease and it is very serious. Many folks including my own family don't understand it since they don't physically see anything wrong with me. It's a lot like your faith. If you don't see Him, you don't bellieve it. Very sad if you think about it.

For me it's been my faith that carries me through this difficult life we all live. Last week was the most depressing week for some reason. I can't even explain it. I'm painting which I love and the jobs are coming in which I"M SO THANKFUL for, and even though I thank our Saviour, I'm still unfortantley human and get frustrated and discourage with the daily challenges that Satin will put in front of me wanting me to break my trust and love for Christ.
And like always he is like a monkey on your back that won't give up. I've noticed, that when I get frustrated I sight the Lord's Prayer. It seems to give me peace and clear the air for me. I've felt like a weight on me...and I need our Lord more than ever now.

Lately our family is being challenged by our faith. You see my boys and I we believe and even though my daughter and husband say they believe the don't really. They keep trying to live their lives they want to not how God wants them too, and it breaks my heart. I keep praying that they will trust in God...but I haven't seen it yet. They sometimes even make comments about, "oh, you think you are so perfect because you think you are a better Christian than everyone else"...that my friends is Satin covering their hearts wanting to break me down. I just walk away and say...you know with Christ I am a better person, not better than anyone else, but a better person for trusting in Him"...you should try it.

It's so hard when Satin finds a loop hole in a family to tear it apart. And that is what he is doing to my husband and me. See my husband measures your life by money. Although I try hard to balance it all, I fall a lot. But I try hard not to be careless with the finanaces...but to my husband it is never good enough. Even when I was working in the cafeteria...it wasn't thank you for doing that, it was "you don't contribute to the family" - again Satin. And they don't see it.

Please pray for our family. While Satin is attaching hearts everywhere we need to say the "Lord's Prayers" and trust in Christ. Because with Christ we can smack down Satin and get rid of him. Withouth Christ our struggles will get bigger and more difficult.

"Nothing is impossible with Christ" - Luke 37:1

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Trying to get caught up...



I'm so happy to say I finished one of four murals this month. It came out so colorful, and the little girl loved it. She is so precious. This little joy of red hair said she wanted to be a painter when she grows up. Awhhhh! What a sweety! I'll be painter her little sister's room next! Garden theme. Photo below. As soon as I get photos I will post them. I'm hoping to get some photos back on another room I painter two months ago. Oh and I realized I never posted photos of the mural I did for The Goddard School in Waxhaw. (I'm never shure what the correct spelling is on that down)
Trying to get back to running, but it's been a struggle. Just don't have the energy. When I went to the eye doctor they said my white cells are getting more and more aggressive, which is not exactly what I wanted to hear. They are recommending I get Remicade treatments every four weeks instead of six weeks. So I've decided to look into other methods of treatment. First going back on MoniVie and then looking into herbal treatments too. Keep me in your prayers...along with many other folks that are suffering from Crohn's disease. It has been attacking more of our children more and more every years.
Trying to go to the walk this year, but haven't confirmed it yeat. Taryn has Nationals Indoor Track in March and trying to get all caught up with murals...just need more hours in the day.
I've noticed I'm getting a bit more behind on my magnet lids and chalk jars so I'm needing to get them done today if possible. Working on some new ideas of the magnet lids and still trying to get the note cards and calendars printed. Yikes!

Thursday, February 10, 2011

What a rough past two weeks! Crohn's kicked my hiney!

First I want to thank all my clients for being soooooo patient. My crohn's flaired up after a year in remission. It was unbelievable, how fast it hit me this time. The doctor said it will happen like that. Every time I get a flair up, it will hit faster and faster each time. This time last week I was bed ridden for four days. Received my Remicade treatment on a Wed. by Sunday/Monday I was feeling a bit better. They had a hard time find a vain this time too. That hurt. Ouch! Then gave me two bags of fluids cuz I was dry to say the least. Remicade is an IV that I receive every six weeks. Crohn's is an auto-immune disease and basically by white cells attack my body making me sick with the treatment, similar to chemo- it shuts down my immune system so my white cells will stop attacking me making me so ill. This time I was not only throwing up water...yes I could not even drink water. I had diahreaha. WOW! Let me say if you ever want to loose a lot a weight in a short period of time and can handle the pain (which is close to having someone stab you) then go for Crohn's. This disease has literally landed many in the hospital and some have died. It's very serious and yet four days being in bed...my husband says, "So, are you sick or what?" Gotta love 'em otherwise I think we would kill them. Well at least take a pillow to the face.

So my latest work for a client in Waxhaw...Waxsaw? Not sure how to spell that one, should look it up shouldn't it. Well anyways I'm very excited about it. Castle & Horse Theme and Garden Theme. Can't wait to start next week. Also for the big town of Harrisburg, NC I'm conducting it's first ARTwalk in April to help showcase us artsist that the county doesn't even know is around. I'm hoping it will be a huge success so we can have them twice a month. The businesses around here is awesome and very willing to do this. Can't wail. Well lots on my plate. Murals and finishing canvas artwork plus trying to get my notecards and calendars set up on my etsy shop. Which is kind of on the back burner right now until April.

Well hope everyone is doing great and check out my facebook page...just type in Decorative Decisions or my name Teresa Stern and check out my portfolio on there. And you can always email me with questions...questions are FREE!

Blessings-
Teresa