National Walking Day!! Physical Activity = Improved Health

AHA National Walking Day 2014

"The sum of the whole is this: walk and be happy; walk and be healthy. The best way to lengthen out our days is to walk steadily and with a purpose." 

--Charles Dickens

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"Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why." --Eddie Cantor

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"The soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone." --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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AHA National Walking Day Poster Image

Red String attached to my shoe laces in support of
the AHA and National Walking Day

I owe a huge "Thank You" to my sweet husband for walking with me on April 2, 2014 at noon around our community's walking track on a beautiful, sunny, balmy Mississippi day to celebrate National Walking Day 2014! As we walked around the track in our hometown's Bruce Burney Memorial Park, we talked, we laughed, we had FUN!!

                            

             

  

Walking over 30 minutes on National Walking Day!

                                     

                                          

              

My husband posing for me after we finished our walk.

                                                          

                                                       

I deserved a little relaxation time after my walk!!

When the weather warms back up and the rain in our area dies down, my husband and I will walk at least 3 days each week in our walking park. On the other day's you can find me in my home gym, walking and running on my treadmill. When you live with Chronic Back Pain and Chronic Sinus Allergies like I do, walking inside is just the best choice for me.

AHA National Walking Day Poster Image and Resources about Walking

The AHA promotes this day to get you committed to walking for 30 minutes or more each day to reduce your health risks because their statistics show that 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women are at risk for heart disease, and research shows that poor lifestyle is a major contributor. Along with National Walking Day, you can look also visit the AHA website www.MyHeartMyLife.org to learn more about living a Healthy Heart Lifestyle. The American Heart Association’s My Heart, My Life healthy living initiative helps individuals and families understand how to get active and eat healthy—all part of the American Heart Association’s 2020 goal.

National Walking Day began as the American Heart Association’s National Start! Walking Program in 2008 and will now be celebrated on the first Wednesday of April each year. So if you missed National Walking Day this year, start walking now so that you will be really prepared for next year’s National Walking Day.

Find any way that you can to get your 30 minutes of walking in each day!

Because adults are more inactive in today’s busy world of work, along with family life, not only adults, but also children and teens are living an overly sedentary lifestyle. It’s not that we are lazy—we are simply too busy doing and going every day of our life.

National Walking Day is one of many of the American Heart Association’s recommendations to help you increase physical inactivity by encouraging everyone to take 30 minutes of their day and get up, get out and walk. Walking is so important to begin living a healthier lifestyle when we acknowledge that physical inactivity doubles the risk of heart disease.

According to Wendy Bumgardner, the AHA physical activity recommendations help:

• Cut your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes
• Extend your life expectancy
• Work toward a healthy weight (or maintain the weight you have)
• Have more energy to do the things you love
• Sleep better
• Enhance your mental well being
• Be a great role model for people in your life
• Be ready to hit the ground running in spring! (or in the case of 2014, when the weather finally warms up

Why did you walk on National Walking Day?

If you did participate in National Walking Day, 2014 (like I did), the American Heart Association encourages each person who participated in National Walking Day 2014 to take a photo of yourself enjoying walking and post it to Instagram with the hashtag #AHALaceUp.

Also remember to keep walking. If the weather is rainy and cold like it currently is, you can walk my favorite way —indoors on a treadmill.

Also, you may want to keep the following AHA information in mind on those days when you just don’t feel like walking 30 to 60 minutes a day:

1. Walkers Live Longer
2. Walking Helps Prevent Weight Gain
3. You Can Walk Off Weight
4. Walking Reduces Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke
5. Walking Reduces Cancer and Diabetes Risk
6. Walking Boosts Your Brain Power
7. Walking Improves Mood and Relieves Stress
8. It’s easy to start walking

For Other Sources of Information about the Importance of Walking and a Healthy Lifestyle see:

Happy National Walking Day walking.about.com/b/2014/04/02/its-start-walking-day-april-7.htm

AHA My Heart, My Life Initiative www.MyHeartMyLife.org


--Happy Walking
--Living Chronically Content
--Philippians 4: 11-12

Angie Russell Irvin
Mrs. Mississippi International 2014

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What a Pain in the Neck "Baptist For Women" Seminar

Baptist For Women Logo and Registration Information

Front Entrance to Baptist Health Systems "Baptist For Women" Hospital Annex

Chronic pain can make us feel isolated and helpless, especially if its cause is an illness or physical condition for which there's no cure or effective medical treatment. At times of deepest despair, finding ways to nurture our spirits can help us not only cope with the pain, but also discover nuggets of grace, comfort, and productivity that can move us through and beyond the helplessness and hopelessness we feel.
Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/Health/Physical-Health/10-Spiritual-Tools-for-Coping-with-Chronic-Pain.aspx#d2u5AmTGvtUhzHtr.99

"Chronic Pain can make us feel isolated and helpless, especially if its cause is an illness or physical condition for which there's no cure or effective medical treatment. At times of deepest despair, finding ways to nurture our spirit can help us not only cope with the pain, but also discover nuggets of grace, comfort, and productivity that can move us through and beyond the helplessness and hopelessness we feel. [Use Spiritual tools] . . . that can help you get started toward peace in spite of and in the midst of pain."

http://www.beliefnet.com/Health/Physical-Health/10-Spiritual-Tools-for-Coping-with-Chronic-Pain.aspx

"10 Spiritual Tools for Coping with Chronic Pain" --Maureen Pratt

Chronic pain can make us feel isolated and helpless, especially if its cause is an illness or physical condition for which there's no cure or effective medical treatment. At times of deepest despair, finding ways to nurture our spirits can help us not only cope with the pain, but also discover nuggets of grace, comfort, and productivity that can move us through and beyond the helplessness and hopelessness we feel.
Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/Health/Physical-Health/10-Spiritual-Tools-for-Coping-with-Chronic-Pain.aspx#d2u5AmTGvtUhzHtr.99

On Friday, March 28^th at noon, I had the privilege of attending the Baptist Health Systems "What a Pain in the Neck" Lunch Seminar at the Baptist for Women Conference Room in Jackson, MS. I was thrilled to be having a good day in my life with Chronic Pain as I listened to my former neurosurgeon Dr. Lynn Stringer, M.D., to find out what self-help measures are safe and effective for relieving discomfort, or when it’s time to get medical attention.

Dr. Lynn Stringer, M.D.

Dr. Stringer beginning his Chronic Neck Pain Presentation

I was so happy to be able to speak with Dr. Stringer during the Seminar and to thank him for refusing to operate on my neck in 2006-2007 when I was in his office numerous times begging him to find some way to end my non-stop pain. Dr. Stringer is so wise, and he knew that cervical disc surgery would not cure my chronic neck and chronic head pain caused by spinal stenosis, degenerative arthritis, and degenerative disc disease. This day was so significant for me, as I was able to tell Dr. Stringer that I am in a "good place" with my Chronic Pain for now, after focusing on Holistic Medicine, Acupuncture, Exercise, and finding a caring General Practitioner who has taken me on as only 1 of her 2 chronic pain patients.

I found a new "little" friend who was attending the seminar with his mother. He was fascinated by my crown, so I asked him if he would take a picture with me. Our picture is one of my favorites that I have taken as I have traveled in Mississippi promoting my platform about #ChronicPainAwareness.

This Little Cutey was playing with his Mom's cell phone, until my "Sparkly" Crown stole his attention!

I also met several new friends at the seminar, including the RN Director of this Baptist for Women Seminar. Most of those attending the seminar, who live with Chronic Neck Pain, have gone through several surgeries and tried countless methods to stop their chronic pain. Listening to them as they spoke about their Chronic Neck Pain, took me back to the days when I was practically bed ridden from my pain, and I silently thanked God as I was sitting in the seminar and realized in that moment how close to wellness I am coming in my chronic pain journey. 

With the Director of the "What a Pain in the Neck" Seminar

I will always live with #ChronicPain. There will be days when I have to rest in complete darkness b/c my pain is so intense. And I don't know when or if I will have a chronic pain setback. It happens to all of us who live daily in Chronic Pain. Yet for now, I am awe-inspired that I am able to go and do for myself now, after living 20 years in chronic pain---when I was so dependent on my precious husband who has been my spouse and my caretaker for so many years and my 2 understanding daughters, who ran my errands when I could not. What a humbling and also remarkable feeling to know that a miracle is taking place in my physical and emotional life of chronic pain as I write this now.

—Each Day is a Gift

—Acknowledge Chronic Pain through Compassion, Understanding, and Awareness

Jeremiah 29: 11-13

Be Brave,

Angie Russell Irvin

Mrs. Mississippi International 2014

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Sharing My Mrs. Mississippi International Platform within the Pageant Industry

“I will be grateful for this day” -Anonymous

"When the devil keeps asking you to look at your past, there must be something good in the future he doesn't want you to see." – Anonymous

“Pretending to be happy when you are in PAIN is just an example of how STRONG a person you are.” - Anonymous

            One of the most enjoyable aspects of my involvement in the pageant industry over the past 20 years is being a Pageant Judge. When I accepted my title as Mrs. Mississippi International 2014, I knew that I would have to limit the number of pageants that I judge; still, I have been able to judge several special pageants during my year’s reign thus far, have met many wonderful local, state, and national directors and contestants throughout the southeast, and have had the privilege of sharing my platform focusing on Chronic Pain Awareness with so many people.

In late 2013, I was one of the Overall Judges for an up and coming pageant system—The National Southern Miss Scholarship Pageant in Panama City Beach, Florida. My husband was able to travel with me to this pageant, and when the pageant completely wrapped up, I met up with the newly crowned queens on the beach; afterwards, my husband and I shared some fun time on the beach before heading back to Mississippi.

 

           After traveling around my great state in February, making appearances to promote American Heart Month and the Mrs. International Pageant System’s American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women charity initiative, I had the honor of judging several pageants in early March. Mississippi is known as “The Hospitality State” and each year cities and counties around my state begin having preliminary Miss Hospitality Pageants to crown their ambassadors to send to our state’s Mississippi Miss Hospitality Pageant held each summer in Hattiesburg, MS. I was thrilled this year to be asked to judge The Meridian and Lauderdale County Miss Hospitality Pageant and to meet the lovely, well-spoken, intelligent young women vying for these 2 crowns.

 

I also had the honor of judging the 2014 Jimmie Rogers Pageant in early March, and as one of 3 panel judges, we chose 3 young girls of various age groups to represent the historic “Father of Country Music,”, Jimmie Rodgers at events & concerts in Meridian and Lauderdale County, MS, during the upcoming year.

 Last weekend (judging in another sister state), I was one of 5 Overall Judges at the 2014 Miss Alabama Plus America Pageant. To know that I helped choose the Miss, Ms, and Mrs. winners of this pageant, directed by the talented and very committed, Mr. Phillip Bailey, is one of the highlights of my "judging adventures" this year. I met the 2012 and 2013 National Miss Plus America Queens, along with the local and state queens from Alabama and Georgia. I was deeply inspired by the stories these women told, the platforms they chose, and the amazingly strong, talented, intelligent women who I met. Again, I was able to share my personal platform “Bringing a Voice to the Silent Pain of Chronic Illness” with so many people who I met this past weekend, and who I now count as true pageant industry friends.

Before I put my blinders on and began to focus on my preparation for the 2014 Mrs. International Pageant this July, I have the joy of judging the 2014 Miss Catfish Pageant in Belzoni, MS. This pageant is part of the 39^th World Catfish Festival, held in the MS Delta in the NW corner of MS, near my hometown of Greenwood, MS. This will be my last pageant to judge (not to attend) until August 2014, and while I will miss being on the judge’s side of the stage, I look forward to representing Mississippi at the Mrs. International Pageant and meeting all of my International Pageant sister queens!!!!

-Bringing My Voice to the Silent World of Chronic Pain and Chronic Illness within the Pageant Industry

Jeremiah 29: 11-13

            Be Brave,

            Angie Russell Irvin

            Mrs. Mississippi International 2014

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27 Valentines Day Sidetracked a Bit by 16 Years of Chronic Pain

“Chronic Pain is just that . . . CHRONIC; it rarely cuts you a break, never goes away, and it changes EVERYTHING—IF YOU LET IT.” -Anonymous

“Worrying won’t stop the bad things from happening; it just stops you from enjoying the good.” –Anonymous

On February 14, 2104, my husband and I celebrated the first day that we met 27 years ago on Valentines Day Night, February 14, 1987. At the beginning of the week (Feb. 2014), I was feeling well – for someone who has lived with chronic illness and chronic pain for 16 years. So, my husband and I made special plans to celebrate the 27^th Anniversary of the Day we first met. He made lunch reservations at a beautiful restaurant in a nearby city, and purchased online tickets for a matinee that we would see afterwards. My husband is so considerate of me, and while he would rather watch an action adventure or a science fiction movie, he chose a movie filled with Love and Romance, because he understands (after 27 years together) that I would rather watch a love story or a romantic comedy when we go to the movies together.

We both were looking forward to our 27^th Valentines Day afternoon together; but, we have both learned that it is often difficult to make plans and to keep our plans because of my chronic health issues. AND, when I woke up at 2 am on Friday morning and could not get back to sleep; when I began to have a horrible headache, a dull pain in my right hip, and stomach pain, I began to cry and to pray. I have often asked God when I pray, “Why I am one of the millions of people in the world chosen to struggle with Chronic Illness and Chronic Pain?” I cried because I realized that my husband and I would not have our Valentines Day Celebration as we had planned. I prayed that God would take my pain away (enough) so that we would be able to enjoy our special day together. I prayed that God would give me emotional and physical strength to enjoy our day together, even though I was experiencing pain.

Since I have had 16 years to adapt my life to Chronic Pain, I am thankful for every day, but especially grateful for the days when I feel physically well; yet, I also understand that there is always a chance when some aspect of my chronic illnesses/pain may interrupt my life—and not in a way that I look forward to. My husband understands this, too. So, when I walked into his home office around 9 am Friday morning, still in my pj's, he looked into my eyes and knew that we wouldn't be celebrating the 27^th day that we met the way that we had planned earlier in the week. He also looked at me with all the love that a husband could ever have for his wife. As I saw sadness and concern come over his face, I knew that his look of empathy was not because we wouldn't be enjoying lunch and a matinee together; instead, I understood that it was he was confirming his constant compassion that he always demonstrates when I experience chronic pain flare ups. After 27 years together, we appreciate our marriage, our love, our friendship, and our family, and we welcome each day that we share together—chronic pain and all.

If you are a healthy person, have a few aches and pains that go away on their own or after you take a Tylenol, perhaps you do not understand why I am writing my 27^th Valentines Day story in this way. Two of my favorite quotes that I have found online as I have been researching the lack of understanding about Chronic Illness and Chronic Pain are “CHRONIC PAIN: Unless you get it, you don’t get it” (Anonymous) and  “The Greatest Wealth is Health” (Sarchar Leone).  I realize that many who read this may think that I am complaining and whining when I write about or speak about my pain and my health issues . . . But, those of you who are part of the hundred million people in the world today who suffer with some form of Chronic Illness or Chronic Pain—I know that you understand. As many with Chronic Illnesses choose to live their lives of chronic pain in silence, I am stepping out to break the silence and the misunderstanding about the causes, cures, and treatments of the disease known by many names, which I call “Chronic Pain.”

          I ask you to stand with me and to stand beside me as I further my Mrs. Mississippi International 2014 message to “Bring a Voice to the Silent World of Chronic Pain.” I value your support, your encouragement, and your interest in a platform that is not spoken about often enough in the world we live in.

         I also want you to know that neither my husband, nor myself are upset that we didn't get to celebrate Valentine’s Day 2014, out on the town together. We recognize that each day of our marriage is a celebration of the life that we have together and the blessings that we share together as husband and wife and as the parents of our two beautiful daughters. While we all continue to hope and pray for my freedom from chronic pain, we each accept my life as it is moment by moment—Chronic Pain may hinder me, but it will not keep me from living my life to its fullest! Some days, Chronic Pain may stop me for a time; but, I will get up and keep going. And with my husband and my girls by my side, with the support of other family members, and friends, I will continue to strive, to survive and to thrive through Chronic Pain!

—Stop Worrying about things you can’t control

—Each Day is a Gift

—Acknowledge Chronic Pain through Compassion, Understanding, and Awareness

Jeremiah 29: 11-13

Be Brave,

Angie Russell Irvin

Mrs. Mississippi International 2014

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Learn How the 2014 Jackson Heart Ball Exceeded My Expectations

“DO SOMETHING GOOD EVERY DAY: Try to do one good thing for yourself every day. You’re Heart and you Life will thank you.”

“When in doubt WEAR RED” –Bill Blass #MacysGoesRed #GoRedforWomen 

Also see the link below from the Lifestyles section of VIP Jackson Magazine online; January 29, 2013 for an article abut the organizers of the 36th annual Jackson Heart Ball:

http://www.vipjacksonmag.com/article/20140130/FEAT/301300024/Jackson-Heart-Ball-good-time-good-cause

February 2014 marks the 50^th Anniversary of American Heart Month. On, Friday, January 31^st, my husband and I attended Mississippi’s 2014 Jackson Heart Ball. The Heart Ball is Mississippi’s major fundraising event for the American Heart Association, which also kicks of the month of February and American Heart Month as Mississippians campaign for and raise funds for the American Heart Association. As Mrs. Mississippi International 2014, I was honored to have the chance to be among the patrons and sponsors at who gathered at the Jackson Country Club to promote Heart Disease Awareness and Go Red for Women. Heart Disease is still the #1 Killer among women (according to www.heart.org).  

We were graciously welcomed by Metro Jackson Heart Association staff and volunteers, who quickly registered us inside the Jackson Country Club Lobby, gave us our lovely Heart Ball program books, and informed us about the night’s scheduled events. I enjoyed taking photos with my husband and with Heart Association Staff for the Heart Ball Facebook page, Jackson’s VIP Magazine, and other Mississippi magazines— walking the AHA “Red Carpet” as photographer after photographer took our pictures in different areas of the Country Club.

    

        I met with Liz Young, Youth Market Director for the American Heart Association in Mississippi as Liz and her husband, Brad, took my husband and me on a tour of the 15 pieces in the Art in the Heart Gallery that were sold during the Dinner Program’s Live Auction. Liz and I had an in-depth conversation about the influence her work with Mississippi’s junior high and high school students, promoting CPR training and certification, healthy eating, and physical education programs in our state’s public and private schools. We arranged to work together, with her pull from the MS Heart Association and my assistance as Mrs. Mississippi International 2014 to reach out to the schools and the MS hospitals that Liz has not yet been able to speak with in MS. My husband and I took a photo with Liz and her husband to celebrate the Heart Ball and American Heart Month that I will post on my Facebook page and blog once it is made available to me. I also enjoyed meeting Elizabeth Williams, Health Strategies Assistant for the Metro Jackson Heart Association, who I have spoken with many times over the phone leading up to the Heart Ball. Elizabeth was very interested in the Mrs. International Pageant’s patronage of the AHA Go Red for Women. Elizabeth and her husband were 2 of the 10 Mississippians who recently traveled in late January to our nation’s capitol to advocate for the AHA You’re the Cure program.

                                      

                                       A cute "selfie" of my husband Danny and me

                

        When I glanced at my cell phone as my husband and I prepared to leave the Heart Ball, I noticed that earlier in the night I had received an email from the 10 Mississippi Advocates who worked so diligently for the American Heart Association’s You’re the Cure-Take Action Advocacy Agenda in our nation’s capital. I was excited to quickly browse through the email because I attentively followed the AHA You’re the Cure Advocates in Washington D.C. and encouraged their efforts (along with 4,800 other advocates around the US) by sending personalized AHA messages urging state and federal elected officials to support the 2014 AHA You’re the Cure agenda.

       We enjoyed a delicious dinner at the Heart Ball and watched in awe as the Live Art Auction sold 15 pieces of art for over $50,000 for the AHA. My beautiful red gown sponsored by Classy Closet in Eupora, Mississippi, along with my stunning Mrs. Mississippi International 2014 sash, led to opportunities such as these to speak, not only to Metro Jackson Heart Association Staff, but also to so many other Heart Ball patrons and sponsors about the role of our International Pageant family in our support of Go Red for Women, the American Heart Association, and the Fight Against Heart Disease and Stroke.

                                                            

                                                                    Scene from the Live Auction

                     

The Heart Balls agenda included:

·         The Red Room Mini Live Auction

·         The Heart Ball Silent Auction

·         The Red Room Seated Dinner Program

·         The Richard Lee Miller Heart Saver Award-presented to the 2014 Heart Saver Award Recipient, Chloe Sumrall- a Freshman at the University of MS, who because of her CPR Certification, literally saved the life of Fred Cayia, when he suffered Sudden Cardiac Death, a condition in Mississippi that has less than a 2% chance survival rate

·         The Live Auction of an exotic vacation in Mexico, along with Watercolor Prints, Oil Paintings, Abstract Figurines, and Abstract, Landscape, and Realist Canvases that together raised approximately $60,000

·         The Open Your Heart Live Donations from attendees

     -donations ranged from $250-$5,000

·         The Coop D’ Belle After Dinner Dance and Entertainment

            

-Each Day is a Gift

-Conquer Chronic Pain with Compassion, Understanding, and Knowledge

-Continue the Fight Against Heart Disease and Stroke

Jeremiah 29: 11-13

Be Brave,

Angie Russell Irvin

Mrs. Mississippi International 2014

___________________________________________

Understanding My Chronic Pain and the Ways I Have Learned to Live Positively and Determinedly with It

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” –Dalai Lama

Each day that I wake up -whether I greet a sun rise, clouds, or a rainy day- the first thing that I wake up to is a pain in some area of my body; still, I am exceedingly, genuinely GRATEFUL that I am awake, and that I have the chance to live out my life the way that God planned it out for me. Life is an amazing gift. I am thankful that I God granted me awe-inspiring healthiness and well-being for 33 years of my life. I remember waking up each day, my feet hitting the floor, up and going, without a thought to how well I felt--never contemplating that some day my good health might quickly and conclusively disappear from the life that I led.

If you have never faced chronic pain, a chronic illness, or an autoimmune disease, I realize how difficult it is for you to identify with the life that struggles and trials that I have faced with my health issues for the past 15 years. I have been told, “Just get up, get dressed and go.” But when you live with a constant pounding, throbbing headache that begins in the lower back portion of your head and travels up and around your entire head the inside out, there are days when that is simply not a possibility. When you live with chronic muscle pain or when you wake up several nights each week with a deep, agonizing, aching cramps in your back, legs, neck, and arms that force you to groggily walk around your bedroom until you can at least lie back down in your bed--not to go back to sleep, but at least to rest with some pain relief, the next day your body tells your mind: “Just stay in bed today.” I think back to the days that I was practically bed-ridden from pain. And now, I am fortunate to "get out of bed" and to "get up and go and do"--I have learned to push through my pain and to appreciate the days when my pain has lessened. When you are fortunate to get 6-7 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night because typically you sleep around 4 hours, waking up every 30 minutes to an hour, without ever going into deep REM sleep; perhaps, a truly healthy person might at least acknowledge the chronic fatigue syndrome that I live with. If you haven’t had 5 major surgeries, including a hysterectomy that was performed to stop a 3 year long, intense, almost unbearable bladder pain (referred to by many as interstitial cystitis), or a lower back L5-S1 surgery to stop the sciatic pain running from the top of your right hip to the bottom of your numb, painfully burning right foot-- no, you probably do not grasp the fibromyalgia, the degenerative disc disease, or the degenerative arthritis that I live with each day. If you have never been diagnosed with Vitamin B12 deficiency, been hospitalized for days because your B12 level drops to 90, when it is supposed to range between 500 and 1000; if you have never felt the energy drain from your body, the brain fog resulting from the neurological effects of Vitamin B12 deficiency; and if you do not have to take a B12 shot 1-2 times each week for the remaining days of your life, please be thankful; and, if you it is still difficult for you to understand my plight, then I know that my goal to teach others about the reality of living with chronic illnesses and chronic pain is a noteworthy and far-reaching aspiration.

Please do not think that I am having a pity party for myself as I am writing about how I have learned to exist with chronic pain. I am blessed beyond measure to wake up each day. I am appreciative for the many caring doctors who have helped me discover that acupuncture, relaxation techniques, biofeedback, and yes, certain medicines can work together to bring me days when I might even forget about my chronic pain for a while. I am indebted to my immediate family members, to my two daughters, and especially to my husband who loves me with every soul of his being, is my caregiver when I need him, my greatest cheerleader, and my indescribable prayer warrior.

It is important to me to share with anyone who will listen about my everyday struggles and triumphs as I live with chronic pain. It is also my wish to be supportive to the hundreds of millions of people all around my home state, our nation, and the world who live with the pains of chronic illness, to validate their pain, and to reveal the different forums that bring the world of "Chronic Pain Survivors" together. I trust and I hope that my encouragement, my positivity, my gratitude for the life that God has allowed me to live will help others who live with chronic pain and chronic illness. My quest, ANGIE’S QUEST is to: Bring a Voice to the Silent World of Chronic Pain and Chronic Illness. As I write about my year as Mrs. Mississippi International 2014, most of my writing will focus on how privileged and honored I am to have this prestigious title, concentrating on my platform “Compassion4ChronicPain,” and revealing the many opportunities that I have to share my individual, personal platform and the national platform of the Mrs. International Pageant--the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women. 

Yes chronic pain has changed my life; yet, I realize, without a doubt, the amazing gift that my life has always been and will continue to be-without or withstanding chronic pain.

 

-Each Day is a Gift

-Conquer Chronic Pain with Compassion, Understanding, and Knowledge

Jeremiah 29: 11-13

Be Brave,

Angie Russell Irvin

Mrs. Mississippi International 2014

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