Navigating life through grandparenthood, chronic illness, dream work, and other inspirations
Ric is back in hospital. The infection is – for the moment – winning, having disabled his leg. An elevated blood pressure and difficulty breathing is what sent him back. He has fluid on the lungs. Two different medical teams are now following his case. It feels as if the climb from here is monumental. […]
Read More
All the fading bitsdetract – I am still alivepassion asserting. (A quick check in. I am recovering well; still needing lots of rest. Thanks for all the good wishes. Image from my collection.)
Read More
I just want to sleep. Situational, my therapist calls this type of depression. Saw my family doctor this week, and she confirmed that the skin condition could be cancer. At best, it is a rare condition that will need specialist care. It is both itchy and painful, but there can be no treatment until the […]
Read More
Questions flood in as evening sets, the initial shock of hearing the ‘c’ word now wearing off. I sleep little, spending way too much time with Dr. Google, without any satisfaction. Ric is scheduled to go into town a bit later, so I take the car early and head to a new trail in our […]
Read More
The new year grabbed me in a choke hold and hog-tied me before I had a chance to even think about what it might bring. It started with a text that my mother was in hospital, followed by a harried searching of flights and anxious speculating about how I’ll get home. Me, who hasn’t ventured […]
Read More
4:15 a.m I am wide awake, my head full of what needs to be done before we set out on our next adventure. Ric is sleeping soundly, so I quietly close the bedroom door behind me and set about my business. Outside the wind howls and as if in response, my right hip aches. Yesterday […]
Read More
An orange flash dipped in front of the truck, with no time to veer. We arrived at our destination to find a Baltimore oriole embedded in the front grill. I was heartbroken. At any other time, the appearance of an oriole would be auspicious. Usually showing up in pairs, these birds arrive in summer and […]
Read More
She wears black slacks with a tiny white flower motif and a rose three-quarter sleeve top. The shoes on her feet glisten with rhinestone and an array of beaded bracelets on her arm rattle as she gestures while she talks. “I’m ninety-one-and-a-half, you know.” “I know Mom. It’s impressive.” She smiles and nods. Ric is […]
Read More
The prompt for this week is to consider the vulnerability of new growth and what it takes to protect it, tying it into nature. Here is the edited version, after the instructor’s suggestions. Rebirthing It came in the peak of summer that most optimistic time, when sunshine equates with health and bodies glow with exertion […]
Read More
“Was I right about the doctor?” the middle-aged receptionist asked cheerfully as I emerged from the examination room and waited for my next appointment. “He’s very good,” I agreed. I had hesitated to see one more specialist after a history of dead ends trying to get a diagnosis for what was clearly something wrong with […]
Read More