Posted in September 2010 …

Pay It Forward Friday

If there’s one thing that I’ve come to understand more clearly on my journey with this piece of shit brain tumor, it’s that you often never know what someone’s dealing with. Too often when no outward appearance of challenge, disability or emotion is evident we fail to recognize that they exist under the surface. Finally … Continue reading →

Revisiting

I had the opportunity today to tour what had been my home for a little over a day. Unit 31, the Neuro-ICU at Emory Hospital Midtown. Beginning my tenure this morning as a member of the UPC (Unit Practice Council) of Unit 31 as a Patient and Family Advisor, I knew I was going to revisit and … Continue reading →

What Doesn’t Kill You Might Make You Insane

I called my mother a few hours ago. I knew she could offer me no assistance being that she lives out-of-state, but I needed her to answer one question and I needed some sort of perspective if possible. Right after she picked up the phone I blurted out… “Is it worse to have a smoldering pumpkin fire … Continue reading →

Wrecking Balls

The journey we’ve been on has been interesting to say the least. There is however, an aspect of our journey that’s been difficult to articulate and more importantly, difficult to carry. Deeply personal, these interactions have framed my perspective as a patient and influenced my point of view as an advocate. The absolute worst part of our … Continue reading →

The Tank Revisited

Growing up, I always admired a piece of art that hung in a hallway off our kitchen titled, “The Tank”.   A watercolor of a collection of rural mailboxes; some filled with mail and newspapers, others empty or with doors closed to the contents. Among all of them was a doorless mailbox with a military tank sitting in … Continue reading →

Good Times Were Had By All…

Guess who made an appearance for the long weekend?        Yipee!!!!      The kiddos are tucked into bed (finally) and I’m cleaning up and settling back into my single momma routine after a jam-packed weekend of adventures.   I’m desperately trying to keep the weekend fun in the forefront of my mind, but the dread of re-entry and the daily grind that begins at 6AM sharp tomorrow morning is creeping in. Ugh!   Our … Continue reading →

The Nest II

The four Robin’s Eggs from The Nest Of Blue did not survive. The mommy Robin disappeared one day and never came back. Her fate unknown. The eggs never had a chance after that. I waited and checked everyday for her hoping that somehow she’d fly in from the trees and the ending would’ve been a happy one. It was not meant to be. The … Continue reading →

The 590 Independent Study Revisited

In digging through files a few days ago, I came across a bulging folder with all my History papers from college; a collection of gems and duds. I spent hours pouring over them bringing me back to what feels like a lifetime ago in college. It brought me back to a time when I found myself having to take … Continue reading →