Saturday, July 13, 2019

Surviving the Loss of a Partner - Life Changing on Every Level

Breast Cancer

“I have breast cancer.”  Tears were welling up in Sandy’s eyes as she shared the doctor’s diagnosis.  I felt the warmth of tears as well but with it came an instant firm resolve that we would beat this monster. 

This journey is never one we take alone.  It affects our loved ones deeply.  As we began our five-year journey of surgery, chemo, radiation, and severe pain, Sandy never complained. 

Our journey was one of hope, followed by disappointments.  An emotional roller coaster each time cancer raised its ugly head, each time more aggressively than the last.  I tried to be strong but felt helpless.  Alone, I cried and prayed that God would show me a way to help Sandy, to allow me to bear some of her burdens.  All I was able to manage was to make her as comfortable as possible and to be there for her. I watched her brave battle as cancer slowly and radically gained the upper hand.  I never lost hope; praying and believing for a miracle.


And then.....she was Gone

And then…. she was gone.  Gone.  The battle was lost encountering a new one of extreme pain from that loss.  It seemed even more unbearable.  In a trance-like state, I progressed through the arrangements finding some comfort in fulfilling her last wishes.

Friday, June 21, 2019

The Only Explanation is that it was a Miracle


When you pride yourself as being organized and knowing where everything is, imagine what it feels like when you lose something of great value.  Last month I shared that my current circumstances were overwhelming on every front and stress can play many games on your psyche to the point of losing focus.  Have you ever experienced arriving at a destination without recollection of driving there?  You may have been so intense in your thoughts that your brain automatically took over for you.  That is the mode I functioned in for ten days last month.

Battered Hope



After a four-day successful speaking tour, I was flying high on adrenalin.  On the first day, I sold out of the boxes of books I had taken for the entire week.   The response was remarkable and many people were encouraged and motivated to make changes in their lives.  






I changed into my traveling clothes, put my jewelry in my purse, got into my car for the long trek home, turned on my phone and what I read caused me to start shaking.  In a couple of words -- I was the victim of fraud, identity theft, and our online business had been shut down.

Shock comes in many different forms

For the next five hours, I sat in my car talking on the phone trying to make sense of it all.  By the time I got home, I was a wreck and my head was spinning.  For the next ten days, I barely left the office trying to salvage the loss, closing bank accounts, and figuring out what to do next.

On day eleven, I had to finally look in a mirror, get dressed and go to work at our store.  When I opened my jewelry box, I noticed that my cherished ring was missing.   Just that one, everything else was there. The last place I wore it was when I was on the tour.  I retraced my steps, called the hotel where I stayed, and searched my car but came up empty.

ring

topaz ring

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Are You Aware of the Toxins in Your Vitamins?

What is the World's Greatest Con Job - #3 - Test your Vitamins

natural vs synthetic vitamins, healthIs there a difference between types of vitamins?  Most definitely!  Is there a way to determine these differences?  Most definitely! The purpose of this series of posts is to bring some understanding to the choices we have when purchasing vitamins.  Synthetic vitamins act like drugs in the body and they are NEVER vitamins and NEVER good for you.  Yet, we blindly accept what the manufacturers tell us -- a lie.

First of all, let's recap last week's post.  There are three types of vitamins:  synthetic, natural altered and natural unaltered.

This is the very basic part of deciding what vitamins to buy and there are many other factors that come into play.  Even if the average consumer knows of the three different types there are to choose from, how do you determine which is which?  If you have not read the first post please do so here. It explains the difference.

food supplements, con job, health, natural


Friday, June 7, 2019

Does it Drive You Crazy When You Can't Fix Something?

Fixer


How would you complete this sentence?  "I am so done taking care of....?"  What immediately comes to mind?  

When asked that question, my first instinct was I want to stop trying to fix stuff.  This is extremely difficult because I am a fixer.....PERIOD.  Fixers look for problems they can solve.  When they hear someone express a dilemma, fixers' minds are searching their computer brain for an answer.  Then, to make it an even bigger challenge not only do they try to fix it but enhance it.
Winston Churchill

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Feeling Good Every Day is Actually an Option

Do you enjoy downtime when you feel sick?  Miss work because of a cold or the flu?  Lack of energy?  Imagine what it is like to wake up every morning and feel good every SINGLE day?




My daughter told me a few years ago that she has zero memory of her mom ever being sick or tired.  I hadn't really thought about it but it is true.  Every day I feel great - I work hard, am rarely tired, eat what I like and never get sick.  



As a health coach for the past 30 plus years, I have been helping people reach their health goals and build a strong immune system.  It is possible.  And not that difficult!

Friday, May 24, 2019

Why Garden? You Just Have To Do it All Over Again

Let's get one thing clear.  I ain't no gardener.  I hate gardening and when someone tells me that it is therapeutic, it makes me wonder.  What is fun about bending over all day in the hot sun, getting sweaty and filthy?  I suppose some people feel that way about housework or any number of things that we consider chores.  


The weeds grow back, the house needs cleaning......



HOWEVER...last week I looked at the flower garden and decided it was time!  It extends around the entire yard and has a million or so different plants.  Almost all of them bloom, including the weeds.

I spent four-and-a-half hours weeding one day and could hardly walk for a day or two afterward.  I found no satisfaction in it and after looking at the yard, it looked as though it hadn't been touched.  That means I have to do it soon - AGAIN.

Can You Tell the Difference?

Monday, May 20, 2019

Do You Want Health for Your Time Tomorrow?

If Your Health Matters, What Are You Doing About It?

Does your health matter to you?  Do you take time for your health today so that you have health for your time tomorrow?   I believe that most of us do the best we can as well as educate ourselves in various health-related matters. 

I started this journey when I was in my twenties and given two years to live.  That is far too young to hear the "C" word and told "Hysterectomy or death!"  Those were my choices and I didn't choose either one.  

What I did choose was LIFE and SO CAN YOU!  When I made that choice and won that battle I also made the choice to help as many people as I could for the rest of my life. I am grateful that I have been able to do that as a certified health coach.

Saturday, May 11, 2019

No Greater Love Than a Wanted Child - A Daughter


I wish I had words to describe my love and admiration for my daughter. I try -- but come up short. I have watched her survive great trauma in her young life and she never complains. She was a little girl when her father was in a serious car accident, leaving him disabled. She did everything she could to help me, encourage me and make me laugh. She was strong and a wealth of support for her mom. She has lost friends to cancer and suicide but is always the first one to console those around her.  She has lost much and endured immeasurable pain.  She is always first to offer a helping hand.  She lost her brother when he chose to walk away from our family seven years ago and broke our hearts.




Her dad and I were told we would never have children.  After 14 long, difficult years of waiting, we had our baby girl -- and now she is a mom. 
My daughter on the left.  Her daughter on the right.

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