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 …
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 …
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 …
It was mid-September, 2016 and we were enjoying our short stay with our daughter and her family.  We felt like Arizona USA was our second home.  I believe my husband would move there today if we didn’t have close family in South Carolina and Georgia. Our daughter Tiffany and her husband Bill planned a day …
“I doubt that very seriously Honey, but thanks for calling to let me know...” So there I was...laying on my daughter’s living room floor nearly 2000 miles from home.  My phone was “silent” on the floor beside me.  My Apple Watch alerted me of the incoming call.  It was my doctor’s office in South Carolina. …
It was September 8, 2016, and excitement started building in my very being. It had been quite some time since I was excited about anything, so it felt strangely foreign to me. With a very important flight planned to Arizona USA just ten days away, it was difficult not to be excited. You see? My …
It was a chilly morning just a few weeks before Thanksgiving, 2004. We were standing at the ticket counter at our local metropolitan airport. There was no one beside, or behind us. My son was a junior in high school. He was flying to Washington, D.C. for a leadership conference being held in our nation’s …
Continue reading "“Love Is Not a Feeling…Love Is Action” (Part II)"
It was Monday, June 6, 2016, just a few days before my anticipated vacation. I would meet, and work with my new district manager for the first three days of the week. I literally just met the man, shook his hand, exchanged a few niceties, and advised him of my impending departure just a few days …
It was June 11, 2016, and after driving west across the United States of America, minus California, it was time to change direction and head south instead. Â We left Sedona, and about 300 miles later, after zipping through Phoenix and Tucson, we were in Sierra Vista, Arizona. Â This is a small city in Cochise County …
Brrr...There’s nothing as exhilarating as a brisk desert morning at sunrise! I was excited to face a new day on our awesome adventure. The sun was warm on my face, but the cool air all but chilled me to the bone! I'm not sure if it's the water in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, or if …
Continue reading "Road Trip Part II…The Calm Before My Storm"
It was Wednesday, June 8, 2016, and I was exactly nine days away from my world being turned on its head. I would be entering uncharted territory, but between now and then, I would have a blast! I worked all day, but our bags were already packed and ready to go. My husband was at …
I knew something was wrong.  I know my body and something didn’t feel right.  “Maybe it’s just the road trip,” I told my husband and son. Living in South Carolina, we had just arrived home from Arizona.  Maybe being in the car caused my feet and ankles to swell horribly.  They also felt like they …
My Alternate Universe 