Scrapbooking SAVED my life!
By:jBuckenmyer, Knoxville, TN
I was introduced to scrapbooking about 1 1/2 yrs. ago by my sister. It looked like a fun way to keep your family history. I have actually been doing it for more than twenty years. I have a scrapbook that I did on my senior trip in high school, including such memorabilia as napkins and match book covers, along with the pictures. Alas, I knew nothing of acid-free scrapbooks, paper and adhesives. My scrapbooks are mainly magnetic albums that are now yellowing around the edges. I have books for each of my children's birthdays including journaling directly onto the magnetic pages. I have books with the photos taped with cellophane tape directly onto the pages (Horrors!). Several months ago I decided I would begin the task of taking proper care of these precious memories along with starting to keep present history correctly.
Three years ago I became disabled with an auto-immune disorder called Sjorgren's syndrome (pronounced show-grins). I developed rheumatoid arthritis, and complications too numerous to mention. I had to quit my job as a pediatric nurse of 16 years. I was in and out of the hospital (15 times last year). I fell into a deep depression and along with my physical problems, was bed ridden. I felt I had nothing to live for, I couldn't take care of my 3 children. I was in excruciating pain every day. Through counseling, surgical implantation of a pump that delivers morphine directly into my spinal column, and lots of love and support from my family I now have something resembling a life. It's not easy, but I'm out of the pit of despair I lived in for two years and for the most part, out of bed every day .I am at home by myself every day and fairly limited in my activties and abilities. Thus the story of how scrapbooking has changed my life begins.
I love scrapbooking because it has given a purpose to my days. I can preserve my family's history properly and I have a great time doing it. Even on the days when I can't get out of bed I pile my supplies around me and start scrappin'! I look forward to each new day and the pages I'll create. I'm slowly but surely rescuing my precious photos from magnetic album "hell". I feel like I'm in Kindergarten, (giving me some common ground with my 6 yr. old) getting to use colored paper (acid-free), markers, cool scissors, punches and more. The days literally fly by now, and I go for hours without thinking about the pain. When my husband and children get home from school and work I excitedly show them the day's "work" (If you can call something this fun, work). Before I started scrapbooking I mainly read all day, but I couldn't get totally absorbed like I do with my scrapbooks. My quality of life has greatly improved and I feel like I'm accomplishing something worthwhile!
Tomorrow at dMarie Daily: Something in Common, by Shelly R.
