The History of Father's Day

Father's Day, contrary to popular misconception, was not established as a holiday in order to help greeting card manufacturers sell more cards. In fact when a "father's day" was first proposed there were no Father's Day cards! Mrs. John B. Dodd, of Washington, first proposed the idea of a "father's day" in 1909. Mrs. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. William Smart, a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife (Mrs. Dodd's mother) died in childbirth with their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington state. It was after Mrs. Dodd became an adult that she realized the strength and selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent. The first Father's Day was observed on June 19, 1910 in Spokane Washington. At about the same time in various towns and cities across American other people were beginning to celebrate a "father's day.". In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father's Day. Finally in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day. Father's Day has become a day to not only honor your father, but all men who act as a father figure. Stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, and adult male friends are all honored on Father's Day.

Ten Years With Fibromyalgia

I have had a fibromyalgia diagnosis for about ten years. I sometimes find it hard to write about it or talk about it because I really don't acknowledge that I have it openly. When I first learned that I had fibro it was a huge relief to finally know that it wasn't just me being crazy. A relief mostly that it was real. A real disease, not just me, but something actually that I could read about and get information. It didn't just choose me, there were other people out there experiencing the same thing. I think what is the biggest thing of all, is finding out the symptoms are real, not in your head, or that you are not being lazy, or looking for ways to get out of things. Which I believe a lot of non-fibro people think and in turn makes you wonder that too. I can say that I live with it, but it is a daily chore living around it. I can never make plans too far ahead, because I don't know how I will be that day. What I miss most is being able to go on long walks and trips to Chicago. I live just south of Chicago and at one time I could spend the whole day there just walking and sight seeing. Now when we ride the train, I am lucky to get 2 or 3 blocks from the train station. This really makes me sad, because I miss seeing and doing so many things that I have available to me.

My Fibromyalgia Trigger

We all have read that they don't know how people get fibromyalgia. But a lot of people seem to know when it started and it usually has to do with a very traumatic event. It could be an accident, a death, almost anything that was extremely hard to go through. My event was a nasty fall at work. It had been snowing and freezing rain and the sidewalks weren't cleared yet. I was leaving work and I was being careful, but my feet just slid and went right into the air and I came down hard on my back, neck and shoulders. And then I slid down the sidewalk, through the landscaping stones, over a curb, and almost under a car. I laid there for a few moments wondering if I would be able to get up or not. I slowly got up. I knew I broke my finger, because it hurt something awful. I didn't drop my purse or my lunch bag. I think I fell fairly gracefully as far as falls go. It wasn't the kind of fall that your friends stand there and laugh at you. It was an "oh no" kind of fall. I should have went with my first instinct and gone to the hospital and been checked out. But I did as my manager said and went to see the company doctor. And so the story goes on and on and on for over a year of the most ridiculous ideas and so many doctors that I can't remember them all. If I would have taken care of it myself, I would have been able to have the surgery on my neck right away, and been back to work in probably 6 to 8 weeks. There wouldn't have been all the trauma that went on with workman's comp and my workplace management. They made me work that whole year, which made my problem worse over time until I could no longer feel my shoulder, arm or my hand. I couldn't hold on to anything without dropping it. I may not be in the place I am now if I had went with my first instinct. I did break my finger and I had a discectomy with a fusion on my C5-C6 vertebrae. I never did get back to work. There are times to this day that I still want to put a brace on just to hold my neck up. When my neck flares up really bad, it feels like it takes all of my energy to hold it up. It is very tiring and uncomfortable.

Rotator Cuff Mishap

I have now discovered what it is like to not be able to use my right arm. I am sure that I have a rotator cuff tear. I have had problems with it before, but not to this extent. I looked on Google and the symptoms match mine to a tee. So now I have great difficulty washing and combing my hair and most anything around the house that demands trying to raise my right arm above my elbow. There are some good things about this. I have a great excuse for not getting anything done. The negatives are, that I am home all day and can't fasten my bra. This means that I can't leave the house or open the door for anyone. To put it as politely as I can, the Girls are now on a first name basis with my belly button. Their names are Hang Low, Hang Lower and Miss Button. I am quite sure that no one wants to see this or get to know them on a first name basis. I am trying to put off going to the doctor, because I know what is going to happen. There are miracles every day, and I may wake up tomorrow with no problem with my arm at all. I am going to stick with that for now:)