Okay, friends and family! I am hearing from you that you are wondering how I am. I mostly disappeared after the insertion of a pain pump for my new diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer. On June 19, I had a Medtronic pain pump inserted into a "pocket" incision made into my right upper abdomen. The …
Continue reading Adventure on Holy Ground #6 / Pancreatic Cancer
Now that I have so much to say, I have so little time. It's been a race across days to get everything and everyone scheduled. Just minutes after I fired my daughter from helping me with the scheduling, I hired her back. I thought for sure I could take it over and free her up …
First, thanks for your generous responses to my new focus on dying on my blog. I wish I could write everyday. But as every adventure should be, this one is full of surprises. What may have seemed like fun one day is a total dud the next. I hope to address a topic tonight that …
Last time I wrote, 9/24/24, I promised at the end of the reblog of my friend Marianna's account of our trip to Chicago, that I would write soon about my move and my trip for my high school reunion. Soon is now! This morning, Saturday, I woke up with sobs in my throat. As is …
Continue reading The God on the Mountain (and in my valleys and yours)
I'm happy to repost my friend Marianna's account of our recent Chicago weekend. We had to repeat last year's trip to Printers Row Lit Fest, minus my face plant on Michigan Avenue, so we'd replace the unpleasant memories of that earlier trip. We had a marvelous time! Back to Chicago: A Second Chance My friend Lois …
Continue reading Catching up! A Repeat Chicago Trip and a Move
Zonk--to fall soundly asleep or relax completely. The last day of the Blogging from A to Z in April Challenge. Ready to zonk out accurately describes my life at 82 at this time! I always want to finish something I've started, but completing A to Z has been a challenge. Each blog post takes one …
Participating in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge Early on when I started this blog (2010), I often wrote about the importance of telling your story. I said if you don’t, your words will die with you. I still feel that way, only more so. Since I retired from teaching nursing in 2000, …
I've rarely been able to understand poetry--the mystery of the meaning of the words and their fragmentary arrangements. But I've learned in several classes since I retired, that I don't have to understand every word. That sometimes reading for the feel, sounds, and rhythm is enough. For someone like me who is left-brained, logical and …
Participating in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge Diet. Such a hated word. Who wants to deprive themselves anyway? It seems like I’ve been dieting most of my life. In my thirties already, I graduated TOPS and became a KOP (keep off pounds sensibly). The meetings were so much fun. We’d joined a …
Please listen here. Spread the word about my book. Refusing chemo is an option. This podcast was sponsored by the Chicago Writers Association in concert with my book being given the Book of the Year Award for Indie Nonfiction. I am beyond grateful and will write more about that event later. (Enjoy the podcast with …
Write Along with Me 