My eighty-seven year old dad has been talking about traveling back to his old home place. He “travels” there quite often in his mind, but hasn’t physically been there in many years. Since he no longer drives, my siblings and I take turns driving him wherever he needs to go but with this particular request, …
A Loss for Words
There’s so much to write about but I don’t know where to start. When I started my blogging journey in 2018, it was all about me. I didn’t care if anyone read my blog or not. It was merely my way of coping with pain riddled throughout my body due to the horrible effects of …
God Was Ready—We Were Not
She died in the wee hours of the morning this past Wednesday—no hospital, no doctors, no nurses. Having experienced bad health for many years, my precious mama’s little body couldn’t take anymore. She died on her own terms, and did so with dignity and grace. In the past, mom’s expressed two wishes when it came …
Snug as a Bug
One of the most difficult tasks adult children contend with concerning elderly parents is taking away their car keys. Imagine having to be the bad guy and “muscle in” on their independence. I’m the baby in the family so I definitely didn’t want to be the one to do it. That job would clearly fall …
I don’t have to go—I get to go
Going straight home from work is typically no longer an option. I love getting into my warm pj’s and curling up on my couch at the end of a long, stressful day, but there’s an important stop I usually like making before heading home. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times. …
A Double Portion
Our family meeting was held the afternoon of December 25, 2020. We’d never had a family meeting before. It was the day that forever changed our lives. Once my dad shared with us he needed extra help, he allowed full access to everything—no reservations. I can sum it up in six words: HE-MADE-IT-EASY-FOR-US. For clarity, …
A Year to Change…
I had it all planned out. My day off—the last day of 2021. After leaving work the previous day on a rainy afternoon, I went by the drugstore to pick up my mom and dad’s meds. I even decided to brave the grocery store to get a few things my mom asked me to get …
A Remarkable End and New Beginning
My husband and I married one year after I graduated high school. He was ten years older than me but he absolutely swept me off my feet. Our first date was attending his ten-year high school reunion which seemed pretty serious to me from the get-go. When I was nineteen, we took those “old fashioned” …
Feeling Stressed?
Just turn off the noise. Social media outlets and America’s (so-called) news media outlets are especially toxic these days. Just turn it all off. This alone reduces stress levels dramatically. Ah yes! The sweet sound of silence is definitely good for the soul.
A Writer has to Write, Right?
When creating my personal blog a few years ago, I never contemplated how, or when it might end. Naming my blog wasn’t difficult. For me, it was a no-brainer. My Alternate Universe was the best way to describe my ridiculous ordeal. From the summer of 2016 to mid-2018, I was living a real-life nightmare. Rheumatoid …
My Darkest Day
I know it’s been a while since I’ve written for my personal blog. Many people have asked when this particular post would be published. I appreciate your interest in my story. *** God intricately designed our bodies with sleep being a necessity. Sleep not only solidifies memories and stores vital information, it also miraculously aids …
What Does That Mean Anyway?
If you follow my personal blog, you’ve noticed two phrases I use near the end of every post. One phrase is carry on, and smile along the way, and the other is, I’m good, I’m good. (These phrases do not appear in the posts I contribute for Lexington Medical Center’s, Every Woman Blog.) In my very …
Enter…A New Dimension
During my short visit with family in Arizona before Christmas, a sense of calm and mental clarity surrounded me like I hadn’t felt in many months. The starter medications my rheumatologist prescribed in November did exactly what he expected, so the daily chronic pain was not as intense...thank God! It was refreshing to feel somewhat …
Christmas in Arizona
It was difficult living so far from our daughter and son-in-law. Tiffany and Bill lived in Sierra Vista, Arizona with their three girls, two of whom are adopted. We visited regularly the entire two years they lived there. Whether we drove or flew, it was worth every penny, every mile, every time. Sierra Vista is situated …
Fight or Flight
The gravity of my alternate universe manically yanked me from the secure and comfortable life I was effortlessly living. I was not at all prepared for the level of misery and pain it had to offer. Fixed between two worlds, my mind constantly battled the “fight or flight” mentality. In the daylight hours, I wanted …
A New ‘Alternative’ Universe
My family experienced the most amazing road trip in the summer of 2016. We headed west on Interstate 20, our goal being Sierra Vista, Arizona. A special package needed to be picked up, one which could only be attained in person. In order to make it a full-out road trip, we planned a few spectacular …
Endings and New Beginnings
“Lord, it’s me again. Please send something—anything! I desperately need help, but You know that already. In Jesus name, Amen.” My tearful prayer lacked length and eloquence, but made up for it in fervor and sincerity. God’s immediate answer smacked me right in the face. His timing is always impeccable. Unbeknownst to me, a …
No, I Haven’t Forgotten…
Other than a few edits, my next post is nearly complete. I deleted, and started from scratch more times than I care to count. It is closure for one stage of my journey, and the beginning of the next. This transformational event was easily connected in real life, as opposed to writing about it. The array …
Why Is This One So Difficult?
I am struggling to find words to convey this momentous appointment. I had a large portion of my next post written but I scrapped the entire thing! Not one word of it was copied and pasted to start a new one. More time is needed but I hope to post it soon. It …
The Birth of a Blog…A Quick Summary
I remember the moment I knew something was wrong. It was late afternoon on that fateful day, June 16, 2016. I had been home mere seconds upon our return from the most amazing road trip across the United States of America. I immediately started journaling my unfortunate symptoms and all the variables surrounding my now, very …
My Alternate Universe 