Posts by Alana

9

DFd but still a JW

by bibledike in

jw
friends

my mom is df about a year before i was da.

you would think that this is a great time for us to bond and really get to know each other.

wrong the woman is still as much as a jdub before she was df.

Last year I found someone from one of my old congregations on FaceBook. I know she was DF'd (I am just a fader-10+ years now) and I contacted her. She was very glad to hear from me and we chatted online daily. This was her 2nd time being DF'd. She is bi-polar and said her DF'd because she couldn't stop "fornicating". But she said she was going back to meetings, as her kids wished for her to come back and her daughter was going to get married (but not now), so I assumed she was just wanting to be back in for the wedding and her family, so I said something and within my comment I said something to the effect of "..going back to the JWs.." She promptly corrected me, in that she never really left, nor wants to leave, the JWs....she just has problems that lead to lack of self-control. She went on and on how it was the "truth" and never wants to not be a JW. Boy, I had not seen that coming, with the stories I knew about her. I had already mentioned something about me not ever going back and that I found that the WTS had lied many times. She found out that I smoked. So, suddenly she felt "uncomfortable" getting into any deep conversations with me about my personal life. She was reinstated and said that she would leave me as a friend, unless she got "pressure" to dump be as bad association. Well, she dumped me, and others at that congregation who previously had open FaceBook pages (which I had mentioned to her that I liked to go to to see updated pics, etc.) suddenly set their pages to private. Guess I must be evil incarnate...... :-/

~Alana

20

I have to put my doggie to sleep today.....

by Alana in

jw
friends

.

Alana

Our little geriatric & arthritic collie is having medical and cognitive issues, so it was the decision to send her on her way over the "Rainbow Bridge" (pet 'heaven') this afternoon. She was a stray that we have had for about 2 years. We don't know much about her....like her true age, but the vet estimates at least 12. She is our little princess and will be greatly missed. This makes our 3rd dog we have lost in 3 years. I know it is the right decision, but it still is breaking my heart. Just keep me in your thoughts and prayers, ok?

2

Anyone from Kissimmee FL area?

by Alana in

i wondered if there is anyone who is currently in the kissimmee fl area and who might know a childhood jw friend of mine who has lived down there for about 10+ years and just passed away.

please pm me if you know jim or jill madison.

thank you!.

Alana

No, BonaFide. This Jim never went to Bethel. He was from IL originally. Thanks for the response, though.

2

Anyone from Kissimmee FL area?

by Alana in

i wondered if there is anyone who is currently in the kissimmee fl area and who might know a childhood jw friend of mine who has lived down there for about 10+ years and just passed away.

please pm me if you know jim or jill madison.

thank you!.

Alana

I wondered if there is anyone who is currently in the Kissimmee FL area and who might know a childhood JW friend of mine who has lived down there for about 10+ years and just passed away. Please PM me if you know Jim or Jill Madison. Thank you!

16

The Tobacco Bombshell...

by Snoozy in

back in the 70's jw smokers where given 6 to 12 months to quit... i remember one witness in particular that had come up to missouri from arkansas to try and make a living for him and his wife and daughter.

(all jw"s).

well they had previously tried to earn a living in arkansas by picking cotton and doing other farm labors.

Alana

This topic made me think about how when I was a kid, there was a break between the Ministry School and Service Meeting. We just always had it and I don't know if this was standard in the 60's/70's or not. I found out later that the reason for the break was for those who smoked to have a smoke break back in the day and it just stuck. Anyone else remember that?

6

Getting in touch with a DF'd former acquintance....puzzled at how to respond

by Alana in

jw
friends

i was wandering around facebook and spotted someone from my last congregation before i 'faded'.

i knew that she had had some problems and was at a time df'd.

i didn't know if she would respond to a message from me (as some other former "friends" wouldn't) or not.

Alana

Thank you, Troubled Mind. I do believe that you are right on target on this one. Before you responded, my mind was going in that same direction. I was hoping when we started emailing that maybe I could help her feel better about leaving or help her along that journey, but I don't think that is the way she wants to go in the long run. Thank you for validating my concerns.

6

Getting in touch with a DF'd former acquintance....puzzled at how to respond

by Alana in

jw
friends

i was wandering around facebook and spotted someone from my last congregation before i 'faded'.

i knew that she had had some problems and was at a time df'd.

i didn't know if she would respond to a message from me (as some other former "friends" wouldn't) or not.

Alana

I was wandering around FaceBook and spotted someone from my last congregation before I 'faded'. I knew that she had had some problems and was at a time DF'd. I didn't know if she would respond to a message from me (as some other former "friends" wouldn't) or not. But, she did.

We have been emailing back and forth and catching each other up on our lives. She is currently DF’d a second time, but trying to get reinstated, but only half-heartedly as she has a close male relationship and worldly friends that she hates to have to give up. She tried to give them up for a few months, but couldn’t do it. She has also been diagnosed as bi-polar and post-traumatic stress syndrome, which has been part of her ‘problems’ leading to activity that has gotten her DF’d twice. She has two kids, who want her to “do what’s right” and come back to the meetings. She is a 3 rd or 4 th generation JW, so most all her family are JW’s and in the area. Being a JW was very much ingrained into her all her life.

From her emails, I sense that she really wishes that she can have the best of both worlds……her life now and her family. But, she is aware that this is not truly possible. I feel so bad for her. I told my husband about her situation and he just can’t get over how JW’s break up families. I have tried to say things here and there to her about my status and why I cannot go back…..not in a lot of detail, as I don’t want to scare her away by appearing as the Big Bad Apostate.

However, I received an email today that stated that as far as her “…becoming a JW…I never really gave up my beliefs, just develop some habits that don’t jive.” She goes on to say that whatever I do is my business and she is not out to judge, but that she is actively trying to get back though, so perhaps it could be best if we don’t discuss our habits anymore. But then she goes on to tell me more about her life and having to learn to date and some things like that (which I think is talking about ‘habits’, but whatever.)

I am torn as to how to proceed. I would like to perhaps meet up with her, but not feeling all that comfortable about that right now. Associating with me wouldn’t help her get back and who knows if being seen with her could sic the brothers on me or something. Any suggestions?

7

Sinus Surgery

by Princess Daisy Boo in

jw
friends

so i had results back on my ct scan and the ent doc has recommended that i have surgery, he reckons it will definitly put an end to my recurrent infections and awful headaches.. i am thinking it is probably a good idea, but then again, it is surgery and that is not so cool... any experiences or comments?.

.

Alana

I'm not going to lie....post-op time was miserable. I had a deviated septum repair, reduction of my tubinites, and what I like to call a "rotor rooter' procedure to clean out my sinuses.

The post-op period was painful and I hate anything in my nose....so, what did I have but internal splint-like things in there until it healed and I had to flush out my nasal passages with saline to clear out the crud while it all healed. Words cannot describe how awful it was.

BUT.....once the packing/splint things were removed and I no longer had to flush out crud with saline....it was FANTASTIC to be able to breath well again, not have daily headache, and my chronic sinus infections were gone. And my husband said I no longer snored, which he appreciated. So, if you can made it thru the pain and post-op crap, then it's great.

The only thing I am worried about now is the long term effectiveness. At the time my ENT said that it was not a forever cure....and now, several years later, I have had several sinus infections, I'm snoring again, and my headaches are slowly coming back. So, be sure to talk to your doctor about how long the surgery will help the problem or if it may recur in the future. :-)

14

sad start to our new years.....

by Alana in

jw
friends

then if that wasn't bad enough, on new years eve, after going to the doctor as i was sick, i got home and pulled into our lane and got out to get our mail.

as i was getting back into my car, a minivan passed by and i heard a huge "thud".

i looked to see what happened and didn't see anything and the minivan kept going.

Alana

This is Gunner Aspen. This wasn't the pic I tried to embed previously, but one I had on this computer. I hope this one shows up and isn't just that red X.

I haven't back here since my post about Gunner....more drama......flooding here in Illinois resulted in my elderly mom being evacuated from her apartment and she's lost alot of her stuff, so I'm preoccupied with helping her out.

Thank you all very much for your kind responses!

14

sad start to our new years.....

by Alana in

jw
friends

then if that wasn't bad enough, on new years eve, after going to the doctor as i was sick, i got home and pulled into our lane and got out to get our mail.

as i was getting back into my car, a minivan passed by and i heard a huge "thud".

i looked to see what happened and didn't see anything and the minivan kept going.

Alana

It was a sad start to our new years. First a girl in my daughters class was killed in a housefire here in our small town. Another classmate was killed (as I think I may have posted previously) in a car wreck on Halloween...so two classmates in two months.

Then if that wasn't bad enough, on New Years Eve, after going to the doctor as I was sick, I got home and pulled into our lane and got out to get our mail. As I was getting back into my car, a minivan passed by and I heard a huge "thud". I looked to see what happened and didn't see anything and the minivan kept going. So, I drove on up to the house. My dogs didn't run to meet me. Sophie, the collie, did show up when I called her, but no Gunner. I went in the house and I told my daughter about the strange 'thud' and she grabbed my keys and said Gunner was outside and she drove like a maniac to the end of our lane. I heard her scream and knew the worst had happened.

He is now buried on the hill in our pasture, along side his furry brother, Remington, our beagle who passed away July 2006. Gunner and Remy are together again chasing squirrels, tormenting cats, and getting into the trash. :-) Please keep us in your thoughts, as it's going to be a sad New Years this year for us.