​I think I'll just sleep....here 












this little furry friend lives with a friend of the Facebook page

"Maybe no one ever told you before, maybe no one ever cared, but here it is: it's tough what you went through".

I think we all need to hear that sometimes. I know I do. It's a validation of sorts, it let's us feel heard, understood, supported...and we all need this some days. Do you? 

What we've been through has been rough, it's been hard, and we've often wondered if we were ever going to make it out. Are we strong enough? Will this nightmare ever end? We've wondered. I know I have.

But you know what? We have to stop putting ourselves down for this! We have to! Life is hard...but it's also a beautiful thing! and we are doing a damn good job at keeping up with it! YES WE ARE! 

thank you to the wonderful Nausicaa Twila for such powerful words...check her out on Facebook

To be beautiful means to be yourself.
You don't need to be accepted by others.
You need to accept yourself.

~~Thich Nhat Hanh~~






picture taken by my daughter Emily

The Facebook page has hit another milestone....20,000 Friends. It hit last week and I forgot to share it here.

Once again I'm amazed...by your comments, your support, how you talk with each other on the page...it's just incredible! thank you! When I read how you support one another...I know my main goal has been achieved....to let other's know they aren't alone. 

Someone asked me this week where could they find the book I wrote. Well? you can't find it in any store and it's not on Amazon either...but you can find it here...buried in the entries I've written and shared over the past two and a half years. 

To the new friends of the page...welcome! I'm Tammy and I look forward to hearing from you. My message box is always open and although I may not have the answers you need, I do know how to listen. If you have any questions about what you read here or on the website...please feel free to ask. I can't respond to the comments left on the website but I can if you write me on Facebook. 

I wish you only the best as you move forward and I hope you will find the support you need here. Please know you're not alone and thank you for being a part of my journey and for allowing me to be a part of yours. 

Please take good care of you and always be gentle.
​                                                                                       Tammy

​ha! Yeah...and they don't like hugging either ;) 

When you're trying to motivate yourself, appreciate the fact that you're even thinking about making a change. And as you move forward, allow yourself to be good enough.

~~Alice Domar~~












​Picture taken when I ran away

The past few days have gone by in a hurting blur...but I'm smiling for it all. From a day spent at the beach on Friday, to touring a car show and the Zurich Bean Festival on Saturday, to time spent with friends laughing...it was a great weekend. 

Don't give in to the tough times if you're experiencing them right now. Don't give up on your dreams or the possibility that your situation can change in an instant. Determine for yourself...ain't no mountain high enough and ain't no valley low enough...to keep you away from your dream of a better future. Kindle the fire of hope and blow on the flames of possibility. You are bigger than any fear and stronger than any doubt about your future. Hold on...keep looking up. It's not over until you win!                                                                                                                         You have GREATNESS within you!

picture taken at Port Burwell ON                                                                                  ~~Les Brown~~

​Before we get to the medication I need to remind you...

• that what I am providing is NOT meant in any way to replace the conversation between you, your doctor, or your pharmacist
• please do not self-diagnose or make medical decisions about this drug without talking with qualified professionals

• the information provided here is the reference sheet you would find at WebMD. During my journey I found this site to be helpful in providing support. All credit for this information belongs to them. I copied it right from their website and I have removed the hyper-links. Please visit their site if you would like to read further.

For this installment, I have chosen Lidocaine Topical
COMMON BRAND NAME(S): Lidamantle, Xylocaine
GENERIC NAME(S): LIDOCAINE
​
Uses
This medication is used on the skin to stop itching and pain from certain skin conditions (e.g., scrapes, minor burns, eczema, insect bites) and to treat minor discomfort and itching caused by hemorrhoids and certain other problems of the genital/anal area (e.g., anal fissures, itching around the vagina/rectum). Some forms of this medication are also used to decrease discomfort or pain during certain medical procedures/exams (e.g., sigmoidoscopy, cystoscopy). Lidocaine is a local anesthetic that works by causing temporary numbness/loss of feeling in the skin and mucous membranes.
 
**Please read this information carefully** 
 If you have any questions about what is provided here....talk with your doctor or pharmacist please.

The fight against opioid use and addiction continues to rage on and the patients are caught in the middle. Are you one of them? 

I'd like to share some information today regarding the use and abuse of synthetic fentanyl. This information is shared for your personal entertainment only and is NOT meant to take the place of direct medical care from a qualified professional. If you have any questions about what you read here...please talk to your doctor. DO NOT make any medical decisions based on the information shared here.

( the following is just my opinion) .....

One of my concerns with the dramatic switch that is currently happening with medications, availability and the government control, is that many people are now looking for and even getting their medications from the "streets", and/or other means such as on-line pharmacies or even "black market" sites. When this happens...the concern that you are actually getting what you need, that it's safe and un-cut...rises. 

There are some people who are looking to make money from our pain and they bank on our desperate need to be pain free. They don't care that what they're selling can or may kill you. They don't care that what they're selling is laced with something else that might hurt you. They don't care! They are unaware of your special medical needs and they don't know how their medication will affect you and once again? they don't care! they just want your money. 

Please...if you choose to buy your medications from alternative places...be safe! Use a regulated pharmacy and speak to your doctor about alternative medications that you can try. We do have choices but it's up to us to make the best ones for us, our needs and our lives moving forward.