My word for New Year 2020

Annually I ask for a word for my New Year, usually on New Year's Day. I follow this prompt from Abbey of the Arts: “give me a word” we ask – something to nourish me, challenge me, a word I can wrestle with and grow into.  The word which chooses us has the potential to transform …

Do you ever feel sad around your birthday? I do.

Even though I typically feel some sadness or melancholy around my birthday, that feeling caught me unprepared this morning. After all, it's a clear-blue-sky sunny day after a night of thunderstorms. Everything feels clearer, sharper. More alive. Except me. It's my birthday week. A reminder that I'm aging quickly, that life has gotten harder in …

Double Knee Replacement: 9 weeks out

Finally, a breakthrough! I could have written that last week, but my superstitious side didn't want to jinx the progress. And my logical side said to wait to be sure it was lasting. So far I'm not jinxed and the breakthrough does seem to be lasting. I'm at nine weeks and a few days after …

Double Knee Replacement: 7 weeks out

I expected to be writing about how independent I feel at seven weeks out - driving, able to stand and walk enough to do chores around the house, adding more strength and agility exercises to my physical therapy. But the reality is that I'm not driving because I still need the high-powered pain meds, that …

Double Knee Replacement: 5 weeks out

I'm going to be honest. I didn't know that this double knee replacement would be quite this tough. When I was planning it, I thought about my other surgeries. I had a lumpectomy to remove a breast cancer tumor, and just this spring I had a hysterectomy. In both cases, pain meds controlled the pain …

How to use a Facebook comment to change someone’s opinion

After reading many, many Facebook posts lately - especially in the last week or so - I've figured out the algorithm of how to use a mere comment on Facebook to change someone's mind. I'll show you my answer. Yes, right here at the beginning of my blog. You won't have to read much at all. …

Knee Replacement: How was I so unaware?

I'll give the quick update first. If you read my post last week, you know I was seeing an orthopedist about my knees, anticipating that he'd say I need replacement of both knees. And that's what happened. I'm scheduled for double knee replacement - that's right, both at the same time - in the middle …