Back In The Groove

I am trying to get back to my (if not daily) close to daily postings. I thought I would start by making a few cosmetic changes to my pages to get me in the seasonal frame of mind. Next on my blog to do list is to see how many of my favorite blogs are still out there. I hate to think that some of you are no longer posting, but I am pretty sure that is what I will find. So if you are still out there, be looking for me to stop by for a cup of coffee or a glass of wine in the next day or two.

The summer months were very busy ones. Filled with birthday celebrations, traveling south to Arkansas to see grandson Derick graduate, more birthday celebrations, going south again to join son Greg and his family on their vacation (more on the vacation at a later posting) and Dr. appointments. Last but by no way least, J.D. added a beautiful new deck to the house with a little help from Riley and Seth. I will be sharing pictures of the construction and end result of the deck in the next few days. For now though I need to get started on my new to do list. Check back tomorrow and I hope to surprise you with another posting.

May God's blessings rain down on you as your go about your day.

World Diabetes Day

That's right, it is World Diabetes Day once more. Seems like only yesterday the world was turning on Blue lights in recognition of World Diabetes Day. This year we will be doing the Big Blue Test to bring Diabetes into the light on World Diabetes Day. You can learn more about what the Big Blue Test is all about by visiting TuDiabetes. After visiting TuDiabetes and learning about the "Big Blue Test" initiative, you won't be baffled when you start seeing all these numbers popping up on Blogs, Twitter and Facebook.

November being Diabetes Month and also the month of offering thanks, I would like to show appreciation to the encouragement and support that I receive from family, friends and the diabetes groups that I belong to on a daily basis. There are so many web sites out there that have brought diabetes out of the darkness and into the light with answers to questions that we as diabetics struggled to find the answers to just a decade ago. I love to sing the praises of AmMed Direct every cahnce that I get. They have been a God send to me. Before AmMed Direct came into my life my test strips were costing $65.00 and up for a 1 month supply. I am sure that I was not alone when I say that I tested as little as possible to make those test strips go as far as possible. As a result, my diabetes was out of control and stayed that way. Since Am Med Direct came into my life my test strips arrive at my door in regular intervals at no cost to me. I no longer have to limit my testing and what a difference it makes in controlling my numbers. I am now better able to identify what foods I have to be careful with, as well as what activities are going to affect my numbers. I have been able to learn the good carbs from the bad ones by testing regularly and often. Thank you AmMed Direct, you are all a great bunch of caring people. Please pay them a visit and see if they can assist you too. I wouldn't leave Accu-chek out of my praises for any reason. They truly lift me up. When was the last time you went to a store and looked at the tags to see where the merchandise you are buying comes from? We do this pretty regularly. Accu-chek still make their meters and test strips right here in the USA. They make a good product that I trust and the fact that it is made right here is just frosting on the cake as far as I am concerned.

OK, here are my "Big Blue Test" results. My start reading was 129 followed by a trip to the mail box and a walk around the yard with Buddy by my side. Might not sound like a much, and you would be right about the walk to the back of the 2 1/2 acres that we have cleared, but the walk back is all uphill (and I did walk down hill even if I was tempted to roll down). I didn't get the full 14 minutes in though because my arthritis reared it's ugly head and the pain convinced me to stop. My second reading was at 125 which all things considered, I am satisfied with.

Blessings to all and keep checking those numbers......................

Dona Nobis Pacem

Who among us have not dreamed of a world of peace? It has been a dream of mine since childhood and the days of the Cold War and bomb shelters. Since the days of Howdy Doody or Captain Kangaroo being interrupted to test the signal for the Emergency Broadcast System. Flash forward 55 years and we not only still have to fear the threat of someone pushing the panic button that could destroy all of us, but we also find ourselves living in fear of another terrorist attack on our own soil. Gone are the days of not locking the doors of our homes. The doors of our house was never locked. In fact, I don't know that we ever had a key to the doors or if there was even a lock on them. I find it sad that our children and grandchildren will inherit a world in worse shape than the world we grew up in.

"World peace can be achieved, revealed, offered and manifested on earth when in each person the power of love replaces the love of power."

~ Sri Chinmoy

"Nothing can bring you peace but yourself."

~ Emerson

"This is the way of peace:

Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love."

~ Peace Pilgrim

May we all follow the path of peace.

Storms

I want to thank everyone that has offered up prayers for my friend Jackie. We learned recently that she is going for radiation treatments 5 times a week and that the cancer is now attacking every part of her body. The doctors have told her that she can expect to live another 6 months or perhaps a year.

I watched cancer steal my mother away 8 years ago. The cancer would sneak in and take a little bit of her away at a time. First it was her independence followed closely with no longer being able to control her thoughts and speak what was in her heart and on her mind. Next came her ability to walk. After many months of watching her become a shell of a body that once was my mother, I watched as the light left my mother's eyes and was replaced with an empty stare. I was at her bedside when she took her last breath before going on to her reward.

How cruel this disease is to those that it attacks. It doesn't discriminate, it doesn't matter to cancer the age, race or religion of it's victims. All the money in the world can not change your destiny if cancer has chosen you as it's next victim. I would venture to say that everyone has lost at least one loved one or someone they know to cancer.

Please continue to remember Jackie and her family in your prayers. I will continue my prayers for Jackie in the hope that there is a miracle out there with her name on it. In case there isn't a miracle for her, then I will pray that our Father will ease her pain as she waits to join Him.

The Joys And Tears Of Friendship

Have you ever had a friend that is always there exactly when you need a friend the most? How about a friend that no matter how screwed up you sometimes are, she is by your side offering unconditional love and understanding? I have such a friend and her name is Jackie. She has been the sister to me that I have always dreamed of having. When I was going through my divorce and between the stress and the Prozac, my mind was telling me I would be better off to just go to sleep and never wake up. Jackie was there to talk me in off of the ledge so to speak. Not only was she there for me at that time, but she lined up a group of friends up who loaded me down with so much love and support and gave me the strength that I needed to see me through that nightmare.


Our friendship consist of more than the stormy weather love and support. We have had our share of good times and laughs. On one of Jackie's visits to Ohio, I took her on a tour of our countryside. I pointed out the cows grazing on the hillside and told her that we grow lop-legged cows here. Two of their legs are shorter than the other two. This is necessary so they don't tumble down the side of the hill. We had a good laugh over that. To this day every time I see cows grazing on a hillside I think of Jackie. Then there was the time that she commented that I was a loyal friend much like a good dog is loyal. I told her that it was all because she handed out such good ear scratchings.


About 6 years ago she was diagnosed with colon cancer. She fought the battle of her life. Once diagnosed as being cancer free, the colon cancer did not come back. Recently she was having a problem with her knee and leg and went to the Dr. to try and find out what was causing the problem. After x-rays, MRI's and bone scans she went to the Dr. in Atlanta Thursday, the 3rd for results. She was told that she now has bone cancer. The Dr. directly admitted to Emory Hospital and Jackie went through a 3 hour surgery on Friday, the 4th. I am asking you to please offer up prayers for Jackie and to place her name on as many prayer groups as you can. She needs as much strength as she can muster to get through this. Her battle with the colon cancer took it's toll on her and she still wasn't back to 100% when she was hit with the news of the bone cancer. It would be easy to throw in the towel and give up, but I know that God answers prayer and he is in the healing business.

May your week bring you many blessings.