Don't let anyone tell you that the hardest part of writing a book is actually writing the book. That was the fun part. The starting point and ending point are tangible. The marketing, because of the Internet and its vast and endless number of opportunities provides one with a never ending to do list. Write this site, contact that site, developed a web site, advertise here, advertise there and on and on it goes.

Chris Tatevosian, author of the self-help memoir Life Interrupted, It’s Not All about Me, which guides couples dealing with the stress and hardship put on a relationship as a result of life being interrupted by chronic illness or disability will be giving an interview. On Monday, September 22, award-winning talk show host, Cliff Roles, and Chris will be discussing his book, MS and the role it played in the destruction of his marriage. The interview starts at 3:25 PM and runs till 4:00 PM E ST on Monday Sept. 22 via Sarasota's radio 1220 AM WSRQ talk show, Voice of the Sun Coast. My goal is to help couples avoid making the same relationship destroying mistakes that I made and if just one relationship benefits it will have been well worth my literally making my life an open book says, Chris. Outside of the Sarasota FL area interview can be heard on the net you can listen via the LIVESTREAM here on the Net.

I hope that you can join us in September and listen to my interview. Thanks for your support.

Please visit my web site: http://www.freewebs.com/lifeinterrupted-nolonger/index.htm

Thank you and enjoy,
Chris

        The Gang’s All Here   
                By Chris Tatevosian

My marriage of ten years began dissolving when the “Monster” invited his friends to live in my house. If you have MS, I’m sure you’ve met the gang. There was the kingpin, Stress, his best friend Anger and his twin, Misdirected. Of course, Feelings of Worthlessness was there and his brother Feelings of Inadequacy who brought his best friend Low Self-esteem and his sidekick Depression, who hung out with everybody’s buddies, Worry and Anxiety. As usual, Communication was a no show, but sure enough his sister Miss-communication popped in and overstayed her welcome. They never left, but my wife did.

Sounds like the cast of a real nightmare. At that point of my life it literally was a real nightmare, and I couldn’t see myself ever waking up. MS can become a real nightmare destroying relationships between spouses, family members even friends. I wrote the book “Life Interrupted, It’s Not All About Me,“ a self-help memoir, my real life story of marriage interrupted by multiple sclerosis. It could have been any chronic illness or disability and it could have been anyone’s relationship. Still, this book is intended to help others going through a similar situation deal with the stress and hardship put on one’s relationship as a result of life being interrupted by chronic illness or disability.

I should’ve known something was up when my then wife and I went days without any real communication. I guess I did know. Call it being a dumb guy, but I was expecting a literal warning, an out right ultimatum. Something like, “Chris you need to change or Chris, you/we need counseling or I won’t stay in this marriage. Eventually the combination of this physically debilitating disease and my quick to anger poor me attitude was more than enough to make the difficult decision for my wife to leave come to fruition. This interruption to our once loving relationship had become too much for my wife to bear. Remember, it wasn’t just my then wife watching her partner struggling with his physical losses. No, it was also, and in my case likely more so my unintended compassionless and bitterly radical emotional changes and instability unbearable. Unintended or not my unacceptable behavior and complete personality change combined with my overwhelming stress, misdirected anger, feelings of worthlessness, feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, worry, miscommunication and depression, the “whole gang,“ just became too much to bear. I lost sight of what was important in life, that's why I wrote my book dealing with all the emotional turmoil that is thrown into a relationship that is interrupted by chronic illness.

I got remarried last April. My new bride, Jane, is fantastic. And even though my disease is worse off than during my first marriage I could not ask for more. So what’s changed? We truly have a wonderful relationship. Why is my marriage working so well now, even though my MS has continued to progress over the past eight years. I can attribute this to two factors. First, Jane is truly a special person, and second. I have written this book, which has afforded me the opportunity to slow down and examine my life. The obvious fact is, we have the choice to go through life dealing with whatever trials and tribulations we must, and we must deal, with either a smile or a frown. Yes, we have an affliction, but that doesn’t mean we have to go through the rest of our lives pissed off at everything and everyone, living in complete misery.

My wife Jane and I, we, laugh and laugh together and at one another all the time. Sure, I have slipped ups, get frustrated and angry. It happened just the other night. I became so frustrated with Jane during the middle of the morning. It must have been about 3 AM. No it was 3:17 AM, I have one of those giant digital alarm clocks for the legally blind. When I can’t sleep, believe me I know what time it is. You see, Jane suffers from restless leg syndrome and the other night it was kick me in the shin, among other places all night long BAD! Of course I have to deal with nocturnia, which means every time I wake up I have to empty my bladder. I take prescription Flomax so normally I can sleep through the night without having to get up to visit the bathroom. Needless to say, it was a long night and I was ready to scream at my wife, which I would have done in my previous marriage. So what’s the difference, what’s changed? The difference is that I have written, re-written, read and re-read. my book so many times that when I do begin to slip-up it’s so obvious that I can’t help but catch myself. And let’s not forget, Jane has read the book too, so when I slip up she’s quick to point out “Chris, I think you need to revisit page 76 “and we have a good chuckle. Remember life is too short, you choose whether to laugh or cry. I never thought I would get married again. After all, who would marry damaged goods? At one point prior to my marriage I said to my wife to be, why would you marry someone with MS, that is like buying a vase with a hole in the bottom. Her response was, maybe I want it to hold dried flowers. So these dried flowers are happily married and loving every minute of it.

Hi everyone,

On Tuesday July 26 the BlogTalkRadio show Winning Life Through Pain with your host RSD coach Marla Martindale, her assistant the voice of fibromyalgia Crystal Dunn and me your co-host, Chris Tatevosian, MS sufferer and author of the book Life Interrupted It's Not All About Me welcomed as our guest everybody's friend JoJo from cre8Buzz. We will be discussing reflex sympathetic dystrophy(RSD, fibromyalgia, and multiple sclerosis (Marla and JoJo sufferer from all three conditions). The show turned out to be one of the best to date and the number of downloads, which continues to grow proves it. And, now there's talk of a spinoff from that particular show by JoJo and myself. Stay tuned for details during the next month.

If you missed Tuesday's show you can listen to it at your convenience by visiting the following link:

http://blogtalkradio.com/winninglifethroughpainn

Winning life through pain can be heard every Tuesday at 2 PM Eastern on blogtalkradio at www.winningligthroughpain.com the call in number
is (347) 325-5661

I received a beautiful prayer from a friend this morning and it touched by heart in such a way that I wanted to share it with all of my friends on this awesome site. I hope that you find comfort in this prayer, as well.

Be well,
Chris

Heavenly Father, I come to you this day, asking that you would wrap your arms around the WHOLE WORLD. Your children are hurting Lord, both physically, emotionally and mentally and many spiritually, and it for each area that I lift these, my friends to you today.

I pray for physical relief and reprieve from pain - a day in which they can say "Thank you, Lord, for today has been less painful than many other days." I pray that emotionally, today will be a day of healing -- that where there is strife, you will smooth the path to that relationship, that job situation, that family arguement, that wayward child (or parent). I pray that you would give stability and clarity of mind where there seems to be none today -- for the one who is hurting mentally, I pray, turn off the voices, slow down the thoughts, stp the reminating over things in the past -- bring true healing of memories I pray.

I ask that you would touch each of us, Your precious children, with a new joy and love in our hearts -- creating in us a NEW HEART this day, causing us to become spiritual aware of your very hand in our lives, leading and guiding each decision we make. Cause our hearts to long for you 'as the deer paths for the water' -- flow over our spirits I pray. Renew us and lift us up on eagles wings -- Lord, spiritually some are so dry -- on empty, their tank is so low they cannot see Jesus in anything around them. They feel you have deserted them or that you just do not care.

I pray Lord, make today a day in which they will see you and your hand in many things around them -- the beauty of the earth - a majestic photo of your creation, a flower that has bloomed just perfectly, the cry of a new born baby, the touch of a loved one's hand upon their shoulder. Perhaps today someone will 'almost get hit by another vehicle -- let them see the angels that you have set around them to protect them! Perhaps today someone will just barely escape a serious confrontation - let them see the hand of God Who removed them from that tragedy. Perhaps today someone will find the job they have been longing for, their home will sell just before foreclosure or they will receive something in the mail that covers all of those financial worries of the weeks and months before.

Show Yourself to us, Your children I pray. If nothing more than the reminder to STOP, DROP, and PRAY -- so that in that quiet time with you, we will hear that 'still small voice' saying "My love, I am here, waiting for you to have time with Me. I love you, and I have never left you nor forsaken you. I am here, I see that you are hurting over the loss of a loved one, the estranged husband or wife, the relationship that is not getting better --- I see it all --- and I am not surprised --- I know the beginning and the end, I am the Alpha and the Omega and NOTHING that happens to you today is going to surprise me or change my plan for your life. Ask, seek, knock ... for I am here, waiting to talk with you and show you the purpose, the reason for your being here, the desire of my heart for YOUR LIFE today. Just stop and come and spend time with me today so that I can show you. Now, my child, trust me. There are some things that if I revealed to you today, would overwhelm you, so for your own protection I withhold the details of certain things for a time. But know, and rest today, knowing that I will not allow you to pass through the fires or the floods alone... I am with you always from now until the end of time. Come away, be with Me today.... rest, find peace, find joy and hope for the morrow, BE STILL and KNOW that I AM GOD."

Thank you Jesus, that we have such a blessed hope -- I pray for each one who this letter gets to this day --- give them time to read it, to wrap their arms around these words, to wrap their MINDS around these words "JESUS LOVES ME - THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO".

May you be lifted up today and may this letter find you, and cause you to CHOOSE HAPPINESS TODAY -- not the kind that the world has, but a happiness that the Children of God have -- the kind that is there, irregardless of the circumstances and says "I am happy because I know that my Redeemer lives -- that His eye is on this sparrow and I will not fall to the ground without His knowledge and care."

I pray these things for YOU today... Now, may the peace of Jesus Christ, which passes all understanding flood your heart, your soul and your mind today -- and may you rejoice in whatever circumstances you find yourself in... because YOU ARE LOVED and thought of this day. YOU are a Child of the KING of kings!!!

Amen and God bless you richly this day,
Love,
Shep ♥
www.shepherdofhope.org (christian chat room for those with chronic illness -- stop in and have a cup of tea with us!)

To reply to this message, click here: http://restministriessunroom.ning.com/profile/Shep/?xgp=messages

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