This Christmas will be far different than any other Christmas before. There will be no gifts for the first time ever. I haven't worked in over 2 years. We went from being a 2 income family to a 1 income family inside of 4 months. We went from living the American Dream, to living the American Nightmare. Fortunately my husband makes a decent salary and we have been able to stay ahead of our bills, college tuitions and lease car payments. His health is suffering due to the stress, but we are still living in our house and able to keep ahead of it. Although I do feel my health is improving with my new LLMD, I still cannot make any commitments given I am still on heavy doses of antibiotics in order to keep the Lyme and co-infections at bay.
There are no frills here. We never go out to eat anymore. We haven't bought any new clothes for a very long time. We are probably going to have to sell our house, if this real estate market would start to turn itself around; but we might not be able to wait that long. We need a new furnace, and there is no extra money. So this year we have had to make a choice, the kind of choice that so many Americans make. There can't be Christmas gifts and a furnace. The furnace prevails.
I was raised in a home where both my parents worked. Although we didn't live lavishly, we lived pretty well. We had more than alot of people. I remember my parents telling my sister and me that if we wanted to live in the standard which we were accustomed, we should get an education and make sure we were employable. So we did. We have shared the same knowledge with our own children. Get an education, get a good job, and you will be successful. Always plan for a rainy day, however.
Joanna Kerns who played the mother on the famed show 'Growing Pains' has a daughter Ashley who graduated from Law School and was working as an entertainment lawyer. Misdiagnosed since childhood, she has given up her career due to Lyme Disease. Actress Tracey Silver, who was started her career in the 1990's simply fell into oblivion for 12 years as she battled Lyme Disease. Again, two American Dreams snuffed out by a disease that is unrecognized and misunderstood.
The thing about being successful, and planning for a rainy day, is that you really never think it will start raining, keep raining and not let up. I guess I never did. As we approach this Christmas I have to take pause. A Christmas with no gifts is a benchmark for me, in this journey called life. This is really serious and can happen to anyone. It's really happening to me.
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