life, love,art. heart failure and assorted ramblings

life, love,art. heart failure and assorted ramblings

Don't Talk Like That...

I write to find out what my heart thinks....
I am here to celebrate my life, to uncover my fears, to hold on to love, to grieve my losses, to laugh long and hard, and to learn how to live a full magnificent life with heart failure. I am honoring my creativity, and exploring all of my emotions out loud ...before anyone can say....."Don't talk like that!"


.

.

Monday, February 28, 2011

my peace

my peace will come when I understand i cannot fix this and let it be.
my peace will come when I recognize the circumstances I am in and let it be.
my peace will come when I accept people for what they are and let it be.
my peace is in every moment that is free of ego, judgment and control.
my peace is now,
if I can let it be.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

The Stronger I Grow

I do not have to surrender to or fight for control;
I simply need to focus on the people and things that create positive influences.
The more positive energy I create and surround myself with, the stronger I grow.
The stronger I grow the more control I have to do away with all of my fear, hurt and chaos.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Full Moons






No doctors or pills, can do anything near as amazing as a full moon,a bottle of wine, a blazing fire and the most marvelous creative friends. I am blessed to be on this path!

Thursday, February 17, 2011

I'm Working On It....

Revelation #1

I have had a wonderfully simple and incredibly enjoyable DIY (do it yourself) life. I grew up in an extremely harsh and emotionally volatile environment but I grew up strong. For the most part, this has served me well as an adult. However, I am now realizing my definition of strong firmly incorporates the idea that asking for and accepting help is a patent sign of weakness. Combine this ingrained defense mechanism with an overpowering need to prevent this disease from consuming my independence and you have the perfect irrational inability to ask for and/or receive help.
Intellectually, I understand the problem I just do not have all the answers yet, but I am working on it!

Revelation #2
is not an all together new one, but it always bears further investigation.

There is a gigantic emotional support void between disease diagnosis and the end stages of life. There is some support at the onset and counseling available in the end but nothing for the in between. I am left out here on my own, twisting in the wind, desperately trying to make sense of this life while maintaining some meaningful purpose. The doctors are only interested in keeping me alive longer; I am only interested in being fully alive now and emotionally prepared for the end.
I know, as do most terminal patients, the gruesome details of how this will end but what I want right now and crave more than anything is some good old fashion “Slap my ass, it ain’t over yet, honey” information on how to capitalize on my existing strengths and to live fully, in the now. Not another lame relax, conserve your energy, avoid stress lecture. (Sorry, I got a little militant here. I am working on that, too)

Revelation #3
and the big finish!

I do not honor this incurable disease. I will not give it any more power over my life by extending how long it lasts.
I do want to live the rest of my life fully present with extreme purpose. I want tons of love and laughter (and no pity) regardless of the physical circumstances and/or consequences. I am stealing a quote from the movie Steel Magnolias, that says it best, “I’d rather have 10 minutes of wonderful than a whole life time of nothing special.”

You may have realized by now that I am really good at indentifying problems but not so great at immediately identifying a solution. Again, I am working on it!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Listen but Do Not Hear

They listen but do not hear.
Opinions ignored
Agreements broken
Secrets kept
Hurt disguised as a good intention still hurts
I take responsibility for allowing myself to be hurt.
I have learned a hard lesson.
Next time,
I will listen and I will hear.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Tell Your Heart

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dream.” ~ Paulo Coelho

I could not say that any better, so I won't even try. However, Me and my heart will continue searching for my dream!

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Breathe

Struggle, fight, grapple, scrap, tussle, battle……breathe....
Just breathe

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Nap

Wow...I was just VICIOUSLY attacked by a nap. Sneaky little dickens came out of nowhere and took me down before I could yell for help!
Whew! I made it through!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Filling the Well

to restore my heart…

A day with my three wonderful grandsons! They have so much energy it seeps out of them and gets into and on everything, they get close to. All I have to do is be near them to absorb some of that magnificent energy!

A perfect lunch full of the most delicious and incredibly decadent foods, celebrating our 82 year old (and still very handsome) Dad’s birthday with and my incredibly supportive sisters.

An evening in the company of the most creative women I have ever known, as we attended our dear friend’s first public poetry reading. She was magnificent!

My well is full!