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Meet LJ Fidler (aka Lori) |
Lori & Pup |
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Email Address |
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Gender |
Female |
Age |
43 |
Profession |
I've had about 17 years experience producing a variety of printed materials in both corporate America, non-profit organizations, and in other volunteer work (churches). I also worked with a most excellent meeting planner doing corporate meeting planning for a while. Extremely fast-paced but fun all the same! After admitting that I had Fibromyalgia, I was laid off from IBM. Not a good scene. Totally messed us up financially. But, as always, God knows best! It was only then that that I stopped getting so much worse, so fast. For quite some time after that, I tried to start a computer-related business. Needless to say, with the illness it was extremely difficult, despite previously starting and successfully growing two other businesses prior to getting sick. I decided it was time to just back off a little and focus that energy into trying to get a little healthier first! Currently, I do a little writing, graphics, design, work on computers, and occasionally, some desktop publishing work. I also assists occasionally (when able!) with my partner’s landscape design business. I miss reading the most — ironically, with the work I've done for the support group! |
Personal |
I've had CFIDS and Fibromyalgia since the beginning of the year 1990. It took five years, multiple misdiagnoses, a variety of doctors, and a lot of personal research and frustration (not to mention all the money I had - savings, IRA, everything) before finally discovering a medical diagnosis that was actually useful and accurate (Fibromyalgia). Like many of you, I had (& still have) a long list of diagnoses, including: carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), central sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, reflux, gastritis, TMJ, tinnitus, toxic encephalopathy, myofascial pain syndrome, allergies (which started after getting sick with this DD), PMS, and chronic headaches which are migraines about 50% of the time. All of this started within six to eight months of moving to the DFW region of Texas (hmmm...)! With the exception of CTS, all of these physical problems started after I first got sick with some unidentified bacterial, sinus, or viral infection. This has made me believe that my particular situation was one started by CFS rather quickly after the "bug" hit me. I believe the Fibromyalgia came later or was laying in wait for the opportune moment to strike! Who knows! |
Special |
Prior to getting sick, I was very active, attending school fulltime and being involved in a variety of physical endeavors such as softball, body building, racquetball, volleyball, etc. My interests included woodworking, knitting and crocheting, various crafts, reading, computer work, etc. Like most of you I'd imagine, I miss those activities greatly. I moved several times and went through (almost to completion!) several degree programs including computer programming, chemistry, plastics engineering, woodworking engineering, business, and education with a reading specialization before finally completing my bachelor of science degree in liberal studies via correspondence course after getting sick and no longer being able to physically attend classes. :( Although completing my degree in this manner wasn’t part of the plan, I was thrilled to be able to just finish the degree while being sick! That was just a major accomplishment for me at that point! In retrospect, I believe the stress of juggling a job in which I worked entirely too much, the programming/math class & lab work I tried to maintain, and constantly getting sick was what made me continue to worsen in those early years. If only I could've found a doctor back then who had a clue... (sigh!) Special interests now? Hmmm... hard to say. Roses, Bromeliads, Orchids. Mostly I've been spending too much time on working for the support group! I resigned from all the Support Group volunteer positions in late August of 2005 due to health issues although I continued to help with the transition through the end of September. Maybe now I'll be able to finally set up my own website... We'll see! :D Come visit me at the zoo when you're able! ==> AzleZoo.com! If it isn't up and running when you try it the first time, check back later; I'll be getting to it pretty soon now! |
Comments |
I've been a member of this group since we've kept member records (about '98 I'm told). I've been the Co-Managing Editor and Designer of our support group's quarterly newsletter, The DFW Lighthouse since 1999. Although I wasn't able to do the layout for all the issues early on (due to illness), I did edit many of them and helped obtain appropriate articles. I happily designed the masthead for this newsletter and came up with the newsletter name. I've been working on a logo for the group but have recently decided that project will, once again, have to fall to the rear. When you have limited energy, something just has to give and that has to be it for now! I became “Co-Webmistress” to help Deborah maintain this website since the middle of 2002 at some point! Not long after that, she & her family went trekking along to foreign places (okay, really. Just outside the state of Texas! That is foreign isn't it?!) so I became the only person working on the website & that's been the status for quite some time now. I've been very glad that she's felt comfortable enough with me to trust me with her website! I've enjoyed it & would've liked to have gotten more done. I also became a Board Member of the group in December 2003. Fortunately, that is really easy and doesn't entail nearly as much work as the newsletter or the website! |
Address |
DFW Metroplex! |
Picture |
Easy search for the Amazon.com site. Check out their books and music.
