Im a 56 year disabled nurse, who is SAHM to 6 cats (About Thee) and DH. I live in Stafford, Virgina, 1 hr or so from DC, just stones throw from the Potomac, an adjacent to Quantico, Marine base. I’m a 12th generation Virginian.

As far as being disabled, it is in my voice. I lost my voice after 9-11, however it had nothing to do with 9-11. To make a long story short, its due to the neuro receptors in my brain that work with the speech center, just as people who slur their speech after they have a stroke, their vocal cords are fine, their head is another matter. I have Spasmodic Dysphonia, abductor type (which is a whispery non existent voice) however I can sing normal and when I laugh its normal. Its classified as movement disorder, like ALS and Parkinson’s. For more information can read more about SD here. I have ABductor SD, the whispery voice that is becoming less and less audible.

Having SD has been a complete life change for not only me, but my husband who is a saint. It means large groups are avoided (its a strain if someone trys to talk to me, and I don’t like just sitting there). We stay pretty much to ourselves or have just one or two people over or go to their house.

I have stitched all my life it seems like, I was taught cross stitch from my grandma Dubbs my OMA, german grandmother, that’s the lady behind me in my picture above, then later about age 10 I learned Needlepoint. Then around 1980 when cross stitch really go going again, I went back to cross stitch, I have done mostly things to give away. But now I new health wrinkle has occurred (see here)

On August 24, 2008 I suffered a retinal detachment, had a repair, 3 weeks later had another, then more extensive surgery. I have basically no vision of any quality in that right eye, nor do I have any peripheral vision, so now Im completely house bound. Because of all this I have returned to Needlepoint and keep an open mind for the future