Hi! Welcome to my very first blog. First, let me thank my daughter, Kayla for getting it up and running. I surely want to thank God for this wonderful life I live. I am a disability retired public school teacher, wife, mother, bonus (step) mom, grandmother, sister, daughter, friend, and most importantly a Child of God.

This blog is intended to shine a light on living, laughing, and loving in a wheelchair. I was diagnosed at 19 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Not the more common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis. RA affects my whole body, not just my joints. You can read more about it here: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/home/ovc-20197388

Since RA is an auto-immune disease it likes company. I also have Lupus, Epilepsy, Sjogren's, hypothyroidism, and a host of conditions that accompany these diseases. Despite having all these conditions, I functioned well until 2006 when I had my first stroke. Yes, first, I've had 3 and many TIAs. I have bilateral failed knee replacements , which need to be re-replaced. In addition I have had my right hip replaced and need my left hip replaced. These problems work together to put me in a wheelchair. That's where a whole new life began.

In 2012 I took early retirement because I could no longer perform my job duties and I truly felt I was doing my students an injustice by missing so many days. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever made. The rheumatologist retired me as a terminal patient, having 12 months or less to live. I left work, prepared my things for my death, and went to bed......and, that's where my life took another turn. Actually it started all over because it's 2017 and I'm still here! Surely, God is not done with me.

Stay tuned and I will do my best to post weekly. Much shorter than this autobiography, but at least a few glimpses into Lisa land.

Thanks for reading!