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Let's see...where was I?  Oh yes.  Soon after I finally divorced, I was looking for a job in earnest, but was hampered because by that time, I was a "displaced homemaker over 45," and I had no real professional background.

No typing skills, no computer skills, and the math skills were only available with a calculator.  By this time, it seemed that most businesses wanted people with computer skills, and I knew I would have to do something or spend my life on my feet, trying to deal with customers who were unhappy.

With spinal arthritis from a fall I took as a tot, there was no way I was going to spend the rest of my life standing on my feet for eight to ten hours a day.  Something had to be done.

My son had come to stay with me shortly after my divorce, but neither of us were employed, nor did we have transportation.  We were living in St. George, Utah, at the time, and public transportation was non-existent.

I could have gotten alimony, but all I wanted was OUT and another six months was just too long to stay married.  Stresses began piling up.  After all the years of a stressful marriage, I was hoping the divorce would put an end to the stress.  I just traded one kind for another. 

My son and I decided that it may be better if we sold what we could and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where my daughter was at the time, and that is what we did.  Adventure was my middle name:  No job, no transportation, no skills, no income at all, and we dared to move!  Of course, we both felt the job market would be better there, and we did have a little money to get an apartment.

My son had also found a VW bug that we had to push to get started, but that seemed to endear it to both of us.  For the first couple of times, of course.  It was semi-reliable, and he soon found work with day-labor/daily pay which helped.  I tried, but with no skills, I was really at an impasse.

(Although I will try to make this chronological, I may be doing a lot of back-stepping.  If I confuse you, please ask.  As long as I'm airing my laundry, I may as well make sure it's mine and that it's clean!)

I would notice once in a while, that I would have achy pains in my elbows and knees, and would run a low-grade fever, but as nothing ever really developed, I blew it off as just being tired.  Rest seemed to make it go away. 

In July or August (maybe September) I found a job at a furniture repair store that had contracts with the major department stores, taking care of minor flaws in newly purchased furniture.  Because of the circumstances, my son was also hired as the person to get the furniture and either fix it at the home or bring it into the shop.

At the time, neither of us realized this was going to be a real mess.  The person who ran the shop was from England, and it seems that he had not renewed his visa, and the INS was hot on his trail.  He was deported.  The attorney who had provided the start-up money gave me the dubious honor of making sure that everything in the shop was finished and returned to the owners.

Easier said than done.  The man who was deported was also restoring antiques in the shop, and also had an upholsterer who did side jobs for cash.  What a can of worms!

I found myself becoming confused over small things, not sleeping, more aches in my knees and elbows, blurry vision, low-grade fever and balance problems.

This was the beginning of the onset...and all within eight months of my divorce.

To be continued....