Month: June 2020

Patient Advocate

by worrylessjourney, posted in answers, healing, health, help, Patient Advocate

This week has been a steady stream of doctor visits and tests. I’m afraid it will be that way until we can get answers for the leg pain that makes my husband’s life unbearable. We are making small steps forward. Xrays are on the way to the Mayo Clinic. I am afraid that it is unlikely that we will hear there is a physical problem with the implanted knee replacement. If we find that is the problem it will be related to an allergic reaction and that will take longer to prove.

If it is not that we will continue on the search for answers to make his life bearable.

This is so needed in medicine today!

When I left my job as a Parish Nurse I thought about becoming a “patient advocate” as a free service for those who need help. Now I am using those skills for my own husband. We will prevail!

She lived!

by worrylessjourney, posted in belief, celebrate, fun!, God, joy, love, perspective

In the last week a dear dear person I knew died. Her life was everything we are called to be. She had a loving family and loved and cared for them every day of her life. She loved God and often wrote wonderful posts about his love and his care for her. She never lost this nearness to God even in the darkest of times.

Her name was Elaine. I first met Elaine as a Parish Nurse and her health journey would have crushed most of us early on. She was determined to live every moment of her life in spite of all the doctors who couldn’t see her going on for long. She not only went on but went on with joy. She traveled, boated, spent time with family and friends. She shared her joy with everyone and each day was one to be explored and lived. She lived! Each and every day she lived!

welcome home

Now she is gone but never forgotten. Her example will remain with all of those who knew her and spur us on to live fully every moment. She has transitioned to be with the God she loved and who she knew with her whole being loved her. While those of us here are saying goodbye others are welcoming her home. Good journey Elaine.

Persistence

by worrylessjourney, posted in aggravations, caring, commitment, persistence, search

I hate mysterious illnesses. There are many things that happen to people that may never be solved. There are some that you have to keep pushing and pushing and pushing through many layers of doctors and tests to find out what is wrong.

solving the puzzle

My husband has something wrong with his legs. The picture has been clouded by all the other things that have gone wrong. Now that many things are being taken care of we can concentrate on solving this issue. Fortunately today I was able to connect with the right person at the Mayo Clinic and I hope we are on the way to unearthing the problem. There is one thing for sure. I will not quit until we have answers even if the answers mean that things can’t be fixed.

I will not give up!

Mayo Clinic is considered one of the primary places in the country to solve mysteries and I am praying that they can solve this one. A 2 1/2 hour drives means nothing if it helps. The nurse I connected with has even asked to be kept up so that she can hear the answer also. She cares. You can’t ask much more than that.

What life do you wish for?

by worrylessjourney, posted in appreciate, balance, compassion, giving, little things, perspective 
The American Dream is to reach a point in your life where you don't have 
to do anything you don't want to do and 
can do everything that you want to do. Jerry Reinsdorf

People have had bumper stickers that said “whoever dies with the most toys wins.” The focus for a long time has been “me first.” We idolize the rich, the famous and those whose life seems perfect to us. We think “just how I want to live.” The sad truth is that the majority of those who have that life are not living the life we think. So many of them have died of drug overdoses, committed suicide, had multiple divorces and aren’t really happy.

The people who are happy are living a different kind of life. Most of them care more about people than they do money or things. They give freely of themselves and their bounty. It doesn’t matter how much they have they will share even if it leaves them little.

Our vision of how we think we want to live is so very skewed. Wishing always to want things we don’t need, stepping on people to get what we want does not bring joy. Living a life of caring and compassion does.

Something to share

by worrylessjourney, posted in appreciate, beauty, belief, connections, learn, nature, powerful 
                           The Way of the Three Steps:
               A Native American Way to Begin the Day

Stand on Mother Earth. Face any direction you choose.
(Take one step forward, as you look about, up and down:)
O Great, Holy Spirit, I take this step into the day you have given.
      I embrace all I see----the season, the wind, the fragrances, the weather. 
       Let  me always accept the day given with a grateful heart.
(Take another step forward.)
O Spirit of Life, I put my arms around myself, all that I am, all that I can be. 
        I stand here in my own history, with all my mistakes and victories. 
        I hold all those I will meet today, in my journeying and in my work. 
        I try to walk gently on this earth. 
        Let me walk gently through the lives of my work companions and friends. 
        Though they make way for my passing, may they spring back, neither broken 
        nor bruised.
(Take another step forward.)
O glorious Spirit of Mystery, I put my arms around you. 
       I do not know what will happen to me today, but I accept it. 
      Give me a heart of courage and believing, so I may put my trust in you, 
      and fear nothing.

From the Plains tribes; Native American Recorded by Jose Hobday. Found in the Book "Woman Prayers" by Mary Ford-Grabowsky

I found this beautiful and compelling. I plan to use it. Hope you enjoyed!

Blame it on the pandemic

by worrylessjourney, posted in aggravations, feelings, frustration, health, persistence

Why is it that sometimes it seems as if the universe is against you? Nothing earth shaking but little things that require multiple details and it all goes crazy.

This is how I feel

I have been trying to get my husband in to an orthopedist to find out why his knee is hurting. He had surgery at the Mayo Clinic over a year ago and we don’t know why there is pain now. I’ve called the orthos that we see here for other issues and they can’t see him without the records from Mayo. He had two procedures there and Mayo sent the records from his last visit instead of the surgery notes. Now we have to start over. The whole process had to be done again so that I can get him seen.

Why does something so simple have to go awry? Is it karma? This is just one of the things that has been so frustrating recently. I am keeping my sense of humor but it is getting harder. Hopefully some things will start to work out and life will at least be a little easier. I can blame it all on the pandemic!

Nurture those you care about

by worrylessjourney, posted in aging, blessings, caring, connections, family, friends, love, unconditional love

Today my son and daughter-in-law came over to help. She cleaned the bathroom like it had never been cleaned. WOW it is so amazing. My son mowed the lawn (which I had cut too long) edged and blew off the porches and walks.

This is so incredible and wonderful of them. They both work extremely long and difficult hours and have little spare time. I am so grateful for them taking their time to do this. How wonderful to have family and I love them so much.

It is a blessing to have family that cares. I know that all families have the kind of relationships that we have and I am so grateful. Many suffer from bad family relationships or abusive childhoods. Life is not great for everyone. I hope that they are able to find new friends who become family for them.

Friendships and family must be nurtured to grow. You can’t let the grass grow between you and your loved ones.. It doesn’t matter if you live next door or miles apart connections matter. Take the time to call, write, email, text, whatever. It pays off in the long run.

The always tasks

by worrylessjourney, posted in acceptance, commitment, coping, mowing

Today I had to cut the lawn. For my lawn this is a two hour job on a riding lawnmower. the weather was great but the mosquitoes about carried me off. I came in reeking of OFF and headed right to the shower.

Normally I like cutting the lawn as it is one of those jobs that you can see results as you go. Usually my husband like to do it but his health has halted that for now. I had waited too long to mow and the grass was really long. I had to mow some areas more than once to mulch the cut grass. Nevertheless it is done.

Not me but it could easily be.

This time of needing to do everything has been a challenge. One that I have met sort of. There are boxes that need to go to the dump piled up in the garage and that will hold for another day. I guess I didn’t realize all the things Hap was doing. I’m getting a dose of real appreciation for the things he did.

The good new is that I can look out at a beautifully cut lawn and enjoy the view. That is until it jumps out of the ground again. Some things never go away.