Why YOU should follow the blog: allthingsonelove.com AND the Levar Chase Facebook page
Yoooo, welcome to THE allthingsonelove blog! I am your host, Strange aka Levar Chase aka the MS Outlaw, the Melanin Rhino, the Gorilla Daddy and even the Caramel Oracle. 😎 I just added that one. Okay, the title may have attracted your attention. If so, I appreciate the click and interest. Maybe you’ve been supporting da lil homie because you knew him in his former life, the one where he was normal. You’ve probably BEEN rocking with me and know who I am. What I have. HECK, it’s very possible you’re going through the saaaaaame things as me. If you’re new to the blog or me, this is the low down:
What I was…
Once upon a time, I was a fiercely involved teacher of the intermediate ages. I taught ISS (in school suspension), Character Education, History and the AVID prep program. At the age of 37, I was diagnosed with Progressive Multiple Sclerosis and the fun really started. Within 3 years, the disease progressed to the point that I couldn’t stand by myself, walk or even sit up at times. To make ends meet (da lil handicapped homie is married with FOUR kids), I’ve done real estate, life insurance, property/casualty insurance, online teaching, in-home tutoring, credit repair, gift-wrapping and mailings, IG ad rater, Daddysitting Club, online store and substitute teaching. Yup, all over the first three of years of diagnosis. Why so many? I have a Master’s degree right? Because I get sick during that probationary period of three months and… terminated each and every single time. Shoot, the property/casualty insurance gig fired me three times in 7months, each a different company! Guess what? Every time I was a top 2 new agent but canned anyway.
What happened…
So, what happened was a long, continuously ongoing process of BEING better. The medicine was too expensive and I turned out to be a walking, talking, blogging example of side effects in small, fine print. I quit the DMDs (disease modifying drugs) and when it became obvious that I couldn’t work outside the home, I set my mind to writing. I started this blog in 2017 as a coping mechanism for my poor health, unemployment, etc. As my physical abilities decline, I’ve discovered that I have a true passion for writing by blogging and sharing experiences with other MS’ers. I like blogging so much that I wrote a self-help ebook. I LOVE blogging so much that I will release a bi-weekly short story beginning next month. I even have a novel in the works! I highly doubt anyone in my circle is able to say they could have seen this directional pivot in my life.
What is Multiple Sclerosis? (one of my Incurable Trinity)
I roll with the Incurable Trinity of Multiple Sclerosis, Spondylosis and Ulcerative Colitis. The first, MS, has the most profound effect and impact on my life. MS is an autoimmune disease, basically my body attacks itself, in which the myelin nerve coverings are eaten, chewed, etc. The results are the brain’s inability to communicate with the rest of the body. Want an example or two? I can’t stand or walk because my legs struggle to follow directions resulting in daily trips, falls, accidents, etc. Another usual occurrence, sometime during the day, I will have neurosis in my feet or legs. Neurosis is when the feeling of fire or crushing pain due to the nerve damage. One more? Since my lower half is just about always hurting and I can’t send the brain signals, I regularly struggle to use the RR, #1 or #2. I know; yuuuck but it gets worse. Believe me, I’m just saving you the images!
What is Spondylosis? (one of my Incurable Trinity)
Spondylosis is like arthritis of the spine. It’s pretty common in MS patients. I have several bulging discs and herniated discs which actually leads to the most consistent pain I manage daily.
Ulcerative Colitis? (one of my Incurable Trinity)
Yup, got this too. Ulcers up and down my colon resulting in stomach issues, painful bowel movements but most importantly, a serious restriction on painkillers. Waaaaaay back in the days, before the MS and Spondylosis, I took crazy medicines to manage this. Now, my diet/yoga are so good that I stopped taking medicines for this at all. I still avoid painkillers because those painful side effects are instant!
What is Levar Chase? (FB business page)
I started this FB business page for my pen name. See, I admitted my love and appreciation for writing and blogging. After I published my first book on New Year’s Eve, I needed a way to reach people like me. I worried that my former life as a regular, healthy person may affect my support, shares and general reception so I wrote under the pen name, Levar Chase. I use this page instead of my personal page for those reasons too. All my Gratitudes, blogs, writings, videos and routines for grappling depression and fighting disease are kept here. I even started my very own FB group to connect with people on a deeper, consistent level. Beginning February 2020, I will release a poem, every week, dedicated to being Black, it IS Black History Month Y’ALL. I can’t wait! *taps temple* Don’t forget earlier either. The bi-weekly short story begins and I am not leaving an archive or storage. 😉 I want it to feel like the old school newspaper stuff.
What is THIS blog about?
For real huh? Why follow me at all? Well, because I am determined to the kind of person that makes others feel better. Dead serious. That’s why you should follow me. My focus is always on BEING better. To do this, I intentionally pump Gratitudes into everything around me. I’ve taken the Gratitude Challenge for over 1.5 years. Every day, I’m posting Gratitudes, stuff I’m grateful for. I’m pushing my kids into the Gratitude Journal world because I credit so much with being grateful. I’m a former Character Ed. teacher and I miss education dearly. I enjoyed teaching and now that I can’t, I miss it even more. Number one, it’s the interactions and conversations with students. Number two, teaching gave me a sense of purpose or direction. There is nothing like knowing exactly what you’re meant to do. Heck, I sure miss the paychecks! This blog is my business and voice for speaking and sharing what I felt worked in the classroom, best teaching strategies, methods for classroom management. This blog is my release point and storing mechanism for everything ME, from marriage with MS to managing symptoms. From recipes to yoga poses, kids to storytelling, THIS blog is about passion meeting purpose. My purpose is helping others; a strength in all facets of life that I once hid. My purpose is storytelling, my preferred method of delivering information. It has taken chronic illness, unemployment and relationship issues but I know and overstand my purpose. I live in my passion. This blog is NOT a health blog, or MS blog, or teacher’s blog. THIS is a survival story, a tale of revival. This is Rudy or Rocky type stuff. 😑 Why wouldn’t you follow? 😉
Next Related Post: How da lil handicapped homie is doing with quarantine
