Tag: Gratitude

Seeing the light again

The brain-gut connection is real. I can attest to that. My 5th day of nausea took me to a sad, lonely place.

With a new nausea med, I can see the light again. Food still doesn’t sound good. It’s a fact that chemo/radiation changes your taste buds. Things I used to crave and eat regularly, my favorite chocolate/peanut butter bar, salads, popcorn do not appeal.

This article from the MD Anderson Cancer Center gives some suggestions on how to manage nausea. ie: eat small through out the day, ginger candies (thanks to a dear friend), and staying hydrated. I’ve always been a water drinker and have continued with that. The doctors have been impressed that my electrolytes have remained good throughout treatment.

With the nausea somewhat resolved, I can acknowledge what I am thankful for:

I am grateful to still be enjoying my morning coffee. That taste bud has remained intact. It’s a ritual for me, a cup of coffee while either reading or writing gets my day off to a better start.

In gratitude for friends who have reached out to say they are thinking of me. The Power of Casual Check-In, NYT

Thankful for my high school friend who sent me taffy from the Mississippi state fair, the best taffy ever.

Thankful for the constant companionship of our house kitty, Brenda, even when she sneaks a bite of whatever I’m eating!

Grateful for the friend and his eight year daughter who brought me plants yesterday and stayed for most of the afternoon.

Thank you to the friend and ex co-worker who encouraged me to set up a Mealtrain during treatment.


Thank you to the friend who recommended Anderson Cooper’s podcast, All There Is. Cooper begins a series of emotional and moving conversations about the people we lose, the things they leave behind, and how to live on – with loss, with laughter, and with love.
 
And most thankful next Friday will be my last day of radiation. Chemo ended last week. Woohoo!

We had our first snowfall of the season in Missoula last night. It was beautiful and peaceful.

Thank you all for reading. Enjoy your Sunday.

Appreciate the contrast

Sometimes we need contrast to appreciate what we have.
For 20 years, I have been a house/pet sitter. It just happened, those years ago, I cared for someone’s pets while they were away, they gave my name to someone else and so on and so on. Even when I’ve had full time jobs, I’ve house sat on the side.
It has allowed me to travel. A month in Baja caring for a dog and casa, a couple of weeks in Hawaii with a kitty. I’ve gone back to Eugene, OR, my previous home, where I have so many wonderful friends, to house sit. Now that I’m settled in Montana, my calendar stays booked. (but I’m still open to travel to care for pets!)
After an injury at a full time job that I loved, a few years ago, pet sitting in now my full time gig, with a few sidelines, cleaning airbnb, babysitting, selling my photo greeting cards. It works, I love it. It suits my care taking personality, my love of animals. There is variety, the companionship of pets, appreciative clients who if aren’t already friends often become friends, great places to care for. It’s going to be 100 degrees today and the house I’m in has air conditioning. (mine and many older homes in Montana do not)
Two corgis are at my feet as I write this. We will get out for a walk along the river before the heat sets in. There will be inside ball throwing this afternoon and of course, treats throughout the day. There will be reading and writing.
Caring for these corgis and my long time appreciative clients comes on the heals of pet sitting for a couple of dogs who’s owners treated me as if they owned me. I had only cared for these dogs once before, during the cold snowy, icy winter. They lived out from town. They required me to come the first day at 6AM, they demanded I snow shovel large areas, they asked for pictures each day (which I do anyway) but they often would take a day to reply to a question I may have about the house or pets.
I had already agreed to this last pet sit for them. But it will be the last. In a text, I asked their arrival time back home so I could meet with a client. They never responded, I twirled my thumbs all afternoon until they showed up.
I’m lucky, very lucky. I love “my” pets and their owners. I’m thankful many of them are friends. I apprecitate the contrast that keeps me in gratitude.

For my grandchildren

My Grandson

He named me.
Before that, the first time I saw him he had that wisdom in his eyes.
His head was strong and may it always be.
He would run, I mean run to me when I opened the door,
Eyes bright with delight and a giggle that would melt a heart.
If he spotted me through the window, before I got to the door,
The both of us could not get to the door fast enough.

I wonder, will I see that smile, hear his laugh, feel his hug.
Does he want to share that, will he want to share that?
Will there be any glimmer of remembrance?

Are books by your bed, are you outdoors quite often, walking among the trees or zooming past them as you pedal fast?
What are your interest, I’d love to know?
Do you feel protective of your sister even if she bothering you when you’d rather not be bothered?
How is school, do you enjoy learning, making friends?
Will I get to know these things about you?
I love you.

My Granddaughter

You learned pretty quick to take up for yourself when your brother tried to overpower.
In the double stroller, you were delighted to be behind your brother, able to reach up and grab at his hair to make him squeal. I have a picture to prove it.

I am proud, proud of the way you are determined, even if you have to be loud about it sometimes.

And I beamed when someone said, “she looks like you” and when I saw you dressed in the clothes I had saved from your mother’s babyhood.

So peaceful were our quiet times together, snuggling, reading, figuring out a puzzle or singing itsy bitsy spider. 

Tell me now, do you like to draw, read, do crafts or would you much rather be getting on your bike, adventuring outside or a little of  both. What do you enjoy most about school, do you want to know more about numbers or words or science?

By the way, do you remember me? I do hope to know you again someday.  
I love you. 

Voting plan and back pain

We are all reeling from the “debate” Tuesday night. I choose to listen to it on NPR, as the less I can look at the 45th the better. But really, I couldn’t listen, the banter and arguing were disturbing, so I turned it off. The good news is, I am going to vote tomorrow. Here in Montana, one can go into an election office starting tomorrow and put their vote in. I have actually had some mail that was coming not show up so this is will feel the most effective way to get my vote in and counted. I’ll mask up, stay six feet apart and wash, wash, wash my hands. Hope everybody has your plan of action of getting your vote in as soon as possible.

Hip/back pain update: it’s been a month and still hurts. Yesterday, I could hardly get out of bed. I decided to go by the Bone and Joint Urgent Care. X-rays only revealed a little degeneration in my spine. The doc prescribed physical therapy and muscle relaxers. If no improvement in a few weeks, they will do an MRI. Looking forward to physical therapy starting Monday. Muscle relaxers didn’t do much last night. Got the heating pad, ice packs and stretching going on today. Truth: I’m tired and miss my grandchildren.

Vote and strengthen your core. Thanks for reading.

Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies

I’m midway through Tara Schuster’s book, Buy Yourself the Fucking Lilies. It’s a memoir/self help book. After drunk dialing her therapist in the middle of the night without remembering, Tara sets off on a journey to change her ways. Aside from myself being past the dating world of my youth, it’s relatable, sometimes humorous and helpful.
She does start doing all the right things and it works: eating right, exercising, meditating, journaling and keeping a gratitude list.
From the advice of a friend, she reads The Artist’s Way and as suggested in the book, she begins writing morning pages. Three pages (about 20 minutes) of writing before you do anything else.
Tara recommends Tara Brach’s  meditations. She commits to 30 days of a gratitude journal. She suggest fake it til you make if you’re not feeling it!
May you glean something helpful from her suggestions.
Maybe buy yourself the lilies. I have dear friend who buys herself one white lily regularly just because it makes her happy! 😉

Thanks for reading.