I have given up on work because of money and job security. I would like to take up a professional qualification but I cannot afford it and my employer no longer supports people to do this. Also I would not have any guarantee of a job at the end of it since my field of work is shrinking by the day. If my employer supported me or I could get money then I might do it, but only if people recognised the value in what I do.

I have given up on having a family because of my medical condition. I do not want to pass it on to my child as my dad did to me. I struggle to manage it and worry about developing complications and dying on any children I might have as he did. If I had more support in managing my condition it would help here. Money is also a factor here.

But I have achieved a lot. I got through school and university. I have a good job for the time being and am on the road to owning my own home.

i have had to give up a lot because of my multiple disabilities, like with the numerous herniated discs in my back i will never again be able to ride a horse (something i cherish and loved doing!) my favorite way to ride was bareback and to have a horse so well trained that just by leaning a little bit he/she would turn that direction or just leaning forward a bit they would break into a gallop. i needed to use a saddle to barrel race and was very good at this, with the right mount i could round the barrels with only inches to spare between my leg and the barrel. my time wasn't too bad either. i hated to just walk on a horse, i liked the feeling of flying with the wind in my hair. THIS will not happen again. i was also heavily into dance and gymnastics. i was very good at both. and again both of these will not happen again.

i cannot hold down a job because i have to spend much of my time in bed because of pain that can't be controlled. so working is out.

HOWEVER! i have learned that there are many things i can still do and enjoy and i am learning how to adapt and it is a challenge almost a game to me to figure out how i can make things happen for me.

i am going into the wedding planning business, i love to arrange silk flowers and decorate for events and plan them. sounds like a huge amount of work and it is and without an electric wheelchair i might not be able to decorate a church or reception hall. arranging flowers is something that calms me and i am very fast at it. i am setting up a consultation room in my home in a room that has a separate entrance from the outside. most of the coordination can be done over the phone with the vendors the bride and groom choose. there will be a lot of work to get a collections of possible choices for the bride to select from, but that i can take my time with.

in the same room i will start a program i have been developing for adults who were sexually abused as children. the room is sound proof because it was once an attached garage (before we bought the house it had been converted) and this would be perfect for a meeting space. so i can do this very important work as well.

being able to help others become whole from such a horrid thing as abuse like i did is very important to me as well as finding new outlets for my creativity. another room in my house will be my craft room it is where i will do my flower arranging and other crafts. i have a helper and once a year she and i will sell some other handmade crafts at these shows.

i am also doing something else i love which is writing. (lol this is a long comment, blame on the writer in me) i have several books i am working on currently and they span the whole realm from historical fiction, to my memoirs, to books that will be needed for the program of recovery, to inspirational books that can be read daily to help people along the way.

the point of this very long comment is this:
i may have to give up some things i loved because i can't physically do them anymore, but i have found things i can do to take their place and while sometimes i can still feel the wind in my hair as i ride on a perfect spring day and this saddens me, i won't dwell on it for very long because frankly i don't have time with everything else i want and need to do to accomplish new goals i have set for myself

peace out ;)

WOW, I am so impressed at all the things that you have thought of. Seems like you have a tremendous amount of strength. Keep us advised.