FREAKY FRIDAY

I thought for FREAKY FRIDAY..I would post some 'Freaks of Nature'. I found it interesting, that when searching for photos...Neurofibromatosis came up, quite a bit. It's a shame the world views us as freaks.

Below are beautiful creations of God......

( as well as some examples of what people can do with that creation )

Aww Turtles!

Weird!

This person IS suffering from NF. They have what is known as a plexiform, neurofibroma.
This to me is not a freak of nature....Its a person who needs medical help.

This is just wrong...I guess I wouldn't be asking her to help tie my shoe laces.

Uhhh,,Is it just me, or does it look like he has balloons under his skin...

Awww, a putty tat! Or is that TWO putty tats?

This is John Merrick. He was the original "Elephant Man"...once thought to have suffered from Neurofibromatosis. He, in fact had Prodeus. John Merrick died after living a sheltered life.....he was thought to be a freak, but he wasn't...he was a brave and sweet man!

I've seen this family on the discovery channel....and they are VERY proud of who they are!!




HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE!

BLESSINGS

Thriving Thursday!

James O'Neal compares himself to the 'Elephant Man'......Neurofibromatosis, has deformed his face, but this mans heart and soul are perfectly in tact. NF commonly mistaken for 'The Elephant Man Disease' affects 1 in 3000 people world wide. People affected by this condition develop non-cancerous tumors along their nerves. The tumors are called neurofibromas. They are a mass of different types of cells that grow on and surround nerves. Neurofibromatosis can also cause skin discolorations (also called "café au lait" spots) and bone abnormalities. Men, women, and people of all racial backgrounds may develop the condition.



"I just tell people this is who I am, it's the way I am. If you don't like me, you don't like me," he said. While some may stare, laugh and point their fingers....James faces life with bravery.



James sees hundreds of people a day, during his job as a cashier at Safeway. He is not hiding. He is sharing his spirit with everyone that comes into contact with him. I love seeing this kind of story....His customers like him so much, that they started a fund raising website, to help James raise the money, for his surgery. His employer even donated the first 10,000. It's plain to see James has truly made his mark. He is an inspiration to so many!!



I am in love with James' THRIVING with NF. He teaches all a lesson. When I asked my 8 yr old daughter what she thought of James' picture...her responce was as innocent as it gets...."I bet, if I were to meet him, he would be a very nice man." I sure wish we could all view life, looking beyond physical appearances.

Thriving Thursday

I grew up in a unstable home. There's no denying that divorce traumatizes a family. Everyone involved is affected.

My brothers NF medical problems were surely a factor, in the stress my parents were under. As a parent now, I can understand how truly difficult it is to balance everything, when one of your children is chronically ill.

After the divorce, my brothers and I were split up. Mom got Mikey and I, my Dad got Jay and Kyle. As a 7 yr old, I couldn't understand why we couldn't all be together. In my mind, my mom got the "damage" kids..while my dad got the "normal" kids. Why did I have to suffer, when it was my parents who had the problem? I spent a lot of that first year, very angry at mom and dad. It wasn't fair!

Watching my mom after the divorce was very frightening. She went from a vibrant and happy woman, to a frail, angry monster. Her eyes grew dark...as did her soul. She was broken.

I have learned that my mom tried to take her own life a few times. Even with me sleeping in the bed, next to her, I had no idea. I knew my mother was sad, but I could not possibly grasp how deep her wounds really were.

It wasn't until I was an adult, divorced, with 2 kids. That I could understand the stress my mom was under. The weight of the world on my shoulders. No breaks. Over tired. Working 3 jobs. I wasn't suicidal, but I was pushed to the brink of desperation....

I don't know what exactly "saved" me....maybe it was remembering my mom...and how I never wanted my kids to catch a glimpse of anything close to what I saw. I would cry out to God, to keep me from that dark place. To give me strength to get through another day.

It wasn't long after my divorce, that I met and married my best friend.


I connected with another 'NFer' today. He posted on a message board, and I responded immediately. His post was that of a very depressed and broken soul. Talk of suicide laced his words. I recognized it right away, and felt drawn to him. He felt that NF was ruling his life....keeping him from a normal existence. As much as I relate to the NF, and the problems it causes...I have never once felt that me being here was a mistake or that I wasn't normal. I have always felt, that if someone couldn't accept ME for ME...then THEY were the ones who weren't normal.

Anyway, I talked to this gentleman for over an hour using the instant messenger...and have definitely made a new friend. He is a very nice person, who feels very alone. It's true, we can allow NF to isolate us...making the world seem so large, that we are but a speck of dust. But its when you find that ONE person who totally gets you, that the walls of the world close in just a bit, and you aren't so alone.

It's so important to reach out, if you feel you are losing touch. If depression and anger consume you, you are NOT alone. I know there are things in life that seem so big, you never think you can overcome them....but all you really need, is someone to help you see another way to deal with it.

This is awesome website! www.save.org/
You can also call: Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK

Getting help, just means reaching out.

Another WACKY WEDNESDAY!!

Is it Wednesday already!? WOW!

Have you ever glanced at The Guinness Book of World Records' book? It's hilarious...Wacky.....frightening...weird and ....sad. I was flipping the pages and came across this:

This is Lucky Diamond Rich. He is in the Guinness book for being the 'MOST TATTOOED MAN'. He has 99.9% of his body covered in tattoos and seems quite proud of that fact. Uhh...What is this man trying to cover up? Or is he simply just showing off? He seems like a nice enough guy, articulate and smart. But I just don't get it.

Even with the tumors and birth marks, I feel it would be a slap in face to my Creator, to do something like this. I choose to view myself in light of Christ’s love for me..which means, I've been made perfect.

I think about this guy.....and umm well -- what if he changes his mind? Does he want to live forever like this? Sometimes those choices I wrote about yesterday...can haunt you, for the rest of your life!

I have wanted to get a tattoo....small subtle, and on my ankle. I have this picture of a Daisy (my fav flower) with each of the petals having my child's name on it...even a petal for Rich...and in the center of the flower...the word FOREVER. But I have never been able to bring myself to do it.

But....this guy is over the top. And hey, he got me blogging about him, huh?

Have a GREAT DAY!

Turn it around Tuesday

I see them all over where I live. People begging on the streets for money. I saw one today, that brought me back to a childhood memory.

I was 9 yrs old and had just gotten 20 dollars for my birthday. I put the money in my little purse and headed out one day, with my mom. We braved the streets of Reseda, California, to walk the stores and pick up a few things. I was hoping to find a few treasures for myself, as my mom did her weekly errand run. This was the real seedy part of town, so my mom held my hand tightly.

I saw this guy sitting against a building, with a sign next to him. "Will work for food"...it read. I remember feeling so sad for him. I wondered how someone could be that bad off, that they had to beg for food. As I passed him, I reached into my purse and pulled out my money. I turned to the man and walked over to him. He smelled so bad, I could hardly catch my breath. I knelt down and handed him my money. I remember his response and felt good about my decision. "Thanks Kid".

We entered the store that was across the street from where this man was. We picked up our items and walked back, the way we came. The same man I had given my birthday money to, was now celebrating, with a cold 6-pack of beer and cigarettes.

I was confused. I felt angry....I wanted to go over to him and ask him why....Why would he ask for food, and buy beer? I WANTED MY MONEY BACK! My mom quietly whisked me away...but told how proud she was of me. She told me that sometime people are so desperate for what they want, and sometimes ashamed, that they lie. She told me that doing what HE did was wrong, but doing what I did was right.

Looking back on that day, I feel I have learned that he may have not bought food with the money I gave him....but he filled his need. I made him happy.

I have never given money to strangers on the street again, but I look at them in a different way now. They may be asking for food....but truly be needing something else.

We tend to spend our lives, filling needs 'in the moment', which can create more negative results for us down the road. I was filling a need that day, of my own. An immediate gratification of doing something I thought was good. The beggar did the same thing. Filling an immediate "need" may make you feel good ...but is it the right thing to do?

Sometimes acting out of fear or desperation can lead us down a path of destruction. We end up worse off, than we were before. What I did that night wasn't wrong....I was being lead with my heart, and honestly wanted to help that man.

Do you live a life of fear and desperation? I know I do sometimes. I sometimes think that life will never get any better, so I have to do or get something RIGHT NOW. Then end up paying the double price of feeling guilty.

So today, Turn it around Tuesday asks you to think about the decisions you are making. Are you filling an immediate need...or a long term goal. There is nothing wrong with giving money to beggars on the street, if you are prepared for what could happen after that. :)

Have a great day !!