​




​One more sleep! :) 

**mild language warning**

​When it comes to the many medications that are commonly prescribed for people like us...the word "potentially" gets tossed around a lot. Could "potentially" cause heart attack or stroke...could "potentially" cause intrusive thoughts and/or suicide....could "potentially" cause high blood pressure....could "potentially" cause mental confusion...could "potentially" cause muscle aches and/or spasms...could "potentially" cause...could "potentially" cause...and so on and so on. 

It's kind of like a prediction. They...being doctors, big pharma, research and medical groups and any of the like...have identified "potential" side-effects and they've broken them down into a three groups: common side-effects...infrequent side-effects...and rare side-effects...these are again broken down into whether the observed reaction to the side-effect is mild, moderate, severe or even life threatening. And from this information they can provide the appropriate warnings to what may "potentially" happen with the use of medications...both good and bad.

I think what bothers me most about the phrase "could potentially cause" is that they don't really know. Based on many lab tests, clinical trials and research groups etc...they have an idea what will or may happen...but they don't exactly know how each person will be impacted by a medication...that is until we take it. This why our doctors keep such careful notes about how we're doing when taking medications. Our doctors report their findings and it helps to build research data. 

May you know healing on your skin. May you breathe healing in your lungs. May it rush through your blood and make even more solid your bones. May healing dance through your soul. May it develop all your many worlds inside you. May it shine it's light and show you why only in the night time do you get to see the stars.

​~~S.C. Lourie~~


I know it's not stars...but you can't see a rainbow without a storm. Picture taken by Emily.

wishing you peace, love and a little grass ;) 

When I saw this I thought WOW! it hit me pretty hard too. I can admit there were days when I wasn't doing so well...days when I didn't want to wake up and was mad at the times that I had. I certainly didn't want to feel pain each day and I hated the fact that I did. I lived in the past and all that I wanted to be again but never would.

How do you do it? How do you slay your demons time and time again? Good question. 

I've always loved the rain...the sound as it hits the window...the melody the wind makes with the tress. And when the rain stops...everything seems cleaner...a little brighter. Coming through the storm of your pain is like a good rain...it often leaves you feeling pounded by the elements around you, yet cleaner at times too.

The choice to float or to drown is an important one...and it's normal to feel like you're drowning before you float...but we can't live in our past and have our today too. 

Thank you Julie Addicott ~Heavenly Sins~

There comes a point in time when you must know that everything you have already given or done is enough. This is not something anyone else can tell you . You must know. Giving without receiving doesn't prove anything except that you know how to be taken advantage of.

​~~Iyanla Vanzant~~





Picture taken on the pond. 

When I saw this it reminded me of my medication journey. It made me think of all the reasons why I took the pills...I wanted to be pain free...I wanted my old life back. The only thing I cared about was that the pills would take my pain away. Fitting them into my schedule was no problem! I took them whenever and wherever I needed them. I carried them in my bag like a walking pharmacy. Truth be told...I didn't much care about the side-effects (at first anyway) all I cared about was being pain free and if there was a chance...I'd take it.

When you ask yourself these questions...what are your answers?

The questions are important to ask yourself and your answers are important too! When you ask yourself why you're taking them...and you hear your answers...ask yourself if what you're hoping for is actually happening. Are you pain free? Is your life better? Are you more active in your life because you take the medications? What do they do to you? Are the side-effects worth the "benefit"? Just a few of the questions I hope you'll ask yourself.

Medications are a viable option for some and for some they aren't...it's a personal choice...make yours wisely...and know what you're taking and why. 

Picture found on-line...original source unknown.

This is something I wrote a while ago when thinking of the people who said they would be there...the friends I've lost along the way...and I gave thought too to the friends that remain and new friends made.

Truth is, we will lose people along the way and we will find out who our friends really are. We will find out who we can talk to and who we can't and it's not always an easy lesson.

We will lose people, but not everyone we lose will be a loss. Sometimes we need to let go of the relationships that aren't serving us well...that could be toxic and that could even prevent us from healing and moving forward. 

We can keep calling out for those who said they would be there and being disappointed when they're not...or we can look to the ones who are still here...to the people who love us and are willing to help...the ones who will hear our call. 

take good care of you and each other please...we need one another to get through this and together we can

Instead of being ashamed of what you've been through, be proud of what you have overcome.

~~Dr. Phil~~




​
Picture taken at the Pinery.

the view out my back door....

it's the first snow fall and I'm already counting the days to the beach ;)