Sadly, I am waking up to a house of illin' this morning. Everyone except me is sick with a stomach bug of some sort which is giving rise to this post. How exactly does an immune compromised wife [and] mom care for her sick family while protecting herself from catching it as well? Well, we … Continue reading Illness in the House
Month: January 2019
Rosemary and Remembrance
"There's rosemary; that's for remembrance: pray, love, remember." ~William Shakespeare It was Sunday morning at the hospice house. It had been 3 days since I spoke with my mom for the last time as delirium and paranoia set in, and she finally slipped into a coma. Her last words to me, “hey Stephie!” followed by the … Continue reading Rosemary and Remembrance
An Open Letter to Healthcare Providers
Although professionally, I was a pediatric oncology nurse practitioner prior to my heart transplant, I write this letter as an individual who lives with long-lasting late effects stemming from the successful treatment of Ewing's Sarcoma as a child in the late 1970's along with the daily implications of immunosuppression. Dear Healthcare Providers, I write because I … Continue reading An Open Letter to Healthcare Providers
Participating in Your Care: the Benefits
A few days ago I posted a link to a review paper looking at the benefits of individuals participating in their healthcare [and] the healthcare decision-making process. CLICK HERE to read the review piece. Up until the last decade, the practice of medicine could be described as paternalistic with blind obedience on the part of … Continue reading Participating in Your Care: the Benefits
Working Smart: Minimizing Infectious Risk
Well, cold and flu season has arrived, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to share with you steps that I take to protect my health and wellness during the winter months. The first rule of heart transplant is to avoid large crowds, especially during winter months. I, like all organ recipients, am immune compromised … Continue reading Working Smart: Minimizing Infectious Risk
Begin: Stand Up for YOU
As I posted, my one little word that I'm hoping will have a BIG impact on my heart-soul this year is 'begin'. I wanted to share an encounter I had today with a radiology group that speaks to the importance that we all begin to stand up for ourselves and stop blindly paying for services … Continue reading Begin: Stand Up for YOU
One Little Word: Begin
My one little word, #OLW, for 2019 is 'begin'. Begin is an action verb that stems from the Latin genero, gigno meaning to rise to, to commence. It is time. Time to rise to, to rise up. Time to commence. Time to take the plow to the fallow ground of my heart-soul. Time to create. … Continue reading One Little Word: Begin
Living the Cure 