I’m a geeky stay at home mom who lives with fibromyalgia and hasn’t met a bread pudding I haven’t liked.
I write about life as a mom, my struggle with fibromyalgia and mental health, and whatever strikes my fancy. (Or my casual.) Beyond that, I write about my culinary triumphs and failures. A friend described it as, “Very honest observations about life with a sprinkling of food.” As an agnostic, recovering evangelical, I sometimes feel the need to write about that. I usually regret it afterward.
Mike, my husband, makes the technology go when I can’t. Rachael is my precocious 7 year old and Zoë is my 4 year old Snacken, (snack-sized Kraken.)
You can follow me on Twitter @JUnfiltered
Julie, Unfiltered 
Cute blog! I can’t wait to see future posts 🙂
Thanks! So glad you enjoyed it.
Hi Julie,
Love your blog! I came across it while looking for resources for people with fibromyalgia in the nova area. I live in alexandria. I haven’t been diagnosed yet but I’ve had a sudden onset of chronic pain issues for the past two years. First my neck due to some traumatic dental visits and then my lower back due to a very bad massage. Now I’ve been feeling generally achy for the past 5 months. My doctors have given me no diagnosis. I was wondering if you had any suggestions of good doctors or alternative therapy places you have liked.
Thanks!!
Thanks for the love!
I’m sorry you’re dealing with chronic pain. Getting the diagnosis seems to be the hardest part. You and I could probably compare notes on traumatic dental visits. Dear God, some of them are monsters!
I’m between doctors right now; I’m visiting Dr. Saba over in Reston next week. She was recommended by my primary care doctor and a friend. Another friend sees a different doctor at that same practice, Dr. Gaspodinoff. NOVA Medical Group has a fibromyalgia program, along with acupuncture and naturopathic medicine programs. I have friends there who love it. You just have to be absolutely clear that you want to see someone in the fibromyalgia program, or they’ll do what they did to me and set me up with a clueless doctor. There is also a Parents with Pain Facebook group; many members are from the NOVA area.
I hope this helps! Good luck!
Thanks for the information! Yes, I think I might have visited every one if those monster dentists in the nova area. Still suffer from bouts of tmj after all of it. I did manage to find an excellent dentist who saved me: Dr Dan kelliher. Amazing guy who treated me with such care and respect. I was also given Dr Saba’s name by my orthopedist so I might give her a try. I’m also 3 months pregnant so that complicates my situation. Pregnancy has worsened my symptoms. Thanks for the facebook suggestion. I might consider joining. I hope I’ll recover from this someday but it sure is nice to know I’m not alone.
Congratulations on your little one! Is this your first?
Thanks. I also have an almost four year old. The pain started when she was about two so I had no idea what pregnancy was going to be like with chronic pain. Almost at the end of my first trimester so hoping and praying things will ease up a bit!
Hi,
Thought I would try to speak if you would be willing. I was nearly trapped in an emergent movement in Kansas City called Jacobs well. Also nearly trapped in strange “new cool” doctrines such as contempletive prayer and artsy things that are quite ear tickling. Because that’s what the flesh wants right? But by Gods grace, he pulled me out of that. And back to a more pure, Biblical form that is about Him, and not my petty fleshly desires. I read some of your story, so I relate somewhat. And feel the pain. But the reality is, much of the emergent, as you seem to know, and other new movements, are nothing more than a possible open door to universalism, which eventually leads to the great falling away, and false Church. I know that sounds really “uncool” to say, but the road is narrow, not broad like the seekers and emergents mAke it. How do you hear what I said Julie? Shalom to you, Jim
So, I’m agnostic, so I really couldn’t care less about “false churches”, unless it involved abuse of some kind. And if I ever did return to Christianity, I would be in a Lutheran church.