I've Not Abandoned My Blog!!!

I am still here--alive and well! Counting my blessings even if today was EXTREMELY challenging! I've just been very, very busy with other things---Theresa taught our groupies last week Tues. and that was the last real chance I've had to "play" with anything paper and creative of that nature! I was busy preparing for the "sermon" I gave at our church on Sunday--while I stripped-- at the 9:30 service. God has moved mountains in my life in these past few weeks since my visit to the ER and I couldn't keep still and quiet about it. If any of you ladies ever have the opportunity to get involved with a Bible Study called Moving In Faith-Taking Off the Robes (hence my "striptease"!) by Jennifer Kostyal-DO IT!!! I need to send a shout out of thanks here to Theresa--who laughed with me at our local flea market over 6 very ugly bathrobes that I had layered on all at once! For her patience, too, in helping me reach the point where I could take off the robes of fear, negative words & criticism, rejection, etc. And to all of those at my church-my pastor, the praise band--who just let me plan EVERYTHING and "bowed down" to what I needed/wanted at the last minute-these people are AWESOME! My pastor had no clue what I was going to get up there and say---he just let me let 'er rip! Greg and team bent over backwards to make it all happen with praise songs that fit my topic. And my hubby? Well--it was the 10th anniversary of our first date---and let me tell you, I felt like a brand new bride all over again between my manicure, pedicure, new outfit complete with perfumed oils---for those of you who might not know my story--I've spent a lot of years "in hiding" so to speak-when you've been abused you try to be unnoticed. Not anymore! This gal has come out of her cocoon! Thank you, JESUS! SIgh. It's newsletter week at my "real" job
(church secretary!)---and then we are going to the VA State Fair this week-end---so I will still be MIA in the crafting world for awhile. Bear with me--I promise lots of good things between my return and the end of the year! Until next time, just know that Jesus loves you---just wherever you are---no matter what. And so do I, sister! Blessings, Sharon

HOMEWORK....?!

or "SIMPLY SHAKE IT OFF, SISTA!!" ; )

What do you mean I have HOMEWORK?! Yep---my acupuncturist...gave me homework yesterday! I was told that I need to loosen up and let it go. I need to stop hanging onto stuff, reliving stuff, chewing on it like a terrier with playing tug-of-war with a chew toy! LET IT GO, SHARON! Let STuFf move on up and out and LET IT GO. Ok-so---did she know she was quoting Matthew 10:14 (actually, vs. 5-42 are pretty awesome to but I digress)---Matthew 10:14 says: If anyone will not welcome you or----LISTEN TO YOUR WORDS---shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town" Didjacatch that? IF someone does not LISTEN to your words....shake their dust off, SISTA, and MOVE IT ON!!!! Get beyond it, above it, over it, around it---WHATEVER it takes-BUT MOVE IT ON!!!! Then---Oh yeah, GOd is working on my big-time!!---THe words from Ephesians 4:25-26 ---"In your ANGER do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry" is what vs. 26 says! Before that, though, 25 says---well---read Ephesians 4:25-32. I quoted from the New International version. Ya see--one thing Page (my acupuncturist) picked up on was I am angry. And I hang on to it. I have hashed and rehashed my not-so-plesant experience with my local dr.---and the anger intensifies each time! How do I let it go. Well, duh, Sharon---GOD put it in black and white! SHake the dust off-MOVE on. GET IT OUT before the sun goes down so you can sleep-like a baby. So-last night, I did just that. I cleaned the slate. And I slept. And tonight I will check that chalkboard again and use HIS (because the power, strength and how-to comes from HIM-not me!) eraser to get the day off and behind me. I also saw a sign I want to make this week-end. It said "THE CURE FOR ANYTHING IS SALTWATER: SWEAT, TEARS OR THE SEA". Oh yeah. He talks about water a lot, too. I will save that for another day. Ladies in our church 3 years ago, did a Bible study entitled "Taking Off the Robes". We're getting ready to do it again. I am PUMPED! I am agonna be shakin that stuff off! It has no hold--unless I give it the power to! Ok-so the tears are pumpin'. God gave me an awesome friend named Theresa. SHe has put up with well, a lot of sweat and tears from me---but what amazes me the most about Theresa is---she can laugh her way through almost anything. When she told me the story (while I was driving!) about having lost her husband, falling down a flight of stairs with her darling daughter who has Downs in her arms-and two small boys at the bottom not quite sure what to do---Theresa broke not one but both of her arms in that fall. With 3 children to care for and support-on her own. She told that story and I almost had to pull the car over because she had me laughing so hard I couldn't see to drive! Laughing. I am letting it go. It felt GOOD. I am gonna laugh. I am gonna MOVE (ok-I get the flylady movement thing, too!)---and---drumroll please--the ideas for "A CROP A QUARTER" are flying fast and furious. Our groupies--please pray! We want to plan a special event for Jan. 2011--that will hopefully turn into at least well, a crop a quarter! See-I am taking all that NEGATIVE energy that was draining my battery---and using it for GOOD--! Not only can we plan this thing-we can MAKE IT HAPPEN! And it will be AWESOME. A store? Someday? No sweat! We just need $. It too, can happen! I think...I got that homework thing figured out!!! Stay tuned-stamping stuff coming up soon---gotta do some crisis cleaning of the house and then stamp! Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon

ps/GOD BLESS YOU, MY FRIEND! You can tell it to me like it is-and I listen... and eventually get it! Harold sent you--I know it sure as I am stitting here!

DOUBLE Cover...

TOIL AND TROUBLE! Lol! And all that I created on my own! What the heck am I talkingabout?! Well, last week-end I decided that I had all the supplies I needed to make my own address book for all my cell phone #'s, etc. to go in my Emergency Bag. Cell phones are great-I often don't always get around to getting them and keeping them charged...hence the BOOK of numbers. So I pulled out all my supplies, decorated my chipboard covers and put my book together. For the inside, I stamped index cards with alphabet stamps to create my "dividers". I even had everything in the right order when I used the Bind-It-All (which I love!). Then, I realized...I had the cards facing the BACK of the book---the rather plain back of the book---instead of the pretty cover I had created! OOPS! So-now I have a double-cover book! Eventually, when I get 'round to it, I will take one off and redo the binding. For now, its just extremely decorative! At least I can laugh about it! Hope you enjoy it---until next time-happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon

Gone to the BIRDS...!

Ok-so, again, this is not the card I've been promising...but its good! And since my last post was well, about birds, too-well, this just fits! Enjoy!

Bird Watching...
One of the things we enjoy the most is taking our boat out on the water, anchoring in some of the calmer inlets and waterways, taking a swim, having a picnic supper and then just sitting and reading until the sun goes down. Of course, while we are doing that, being that my late mother-in-law was an avid naturist and bird watcher, that is something we do as well. It’s not unusual to see a number of sand pipers, pelicans, oyster catchers and, perhaps the most common, the egret.
They are beautiful, snow white majestic looking birds. And I was amazed at how realistic Artful Legacy’s rendering is! This is an awesome "GOTTA HAVE" stamp! The deep etching and fine details made this the perfect stamp to use on one of my new favorite techniques–embossing and etching on glass. The mirror was a Wal-Mart purchase. I used clear contact paper and laid out the square of the mirror and then cut the oval from that, overlapping the right edge off the page/mirror.. It took two tries-the first time I forgot that I needed to work with a mirrored (reversed) image of my stencil. Ok-so at least I had plenty of contact paper on hand! I first lightly laid it down (without removing the backing!) and, using a detail clear embossing powder, I stamped the egret in the center of my stencil and heat-embossed it. I then waited for the mirror to cool (the glass gets HOT! Use caution!), removed the backing on the contact stencil, and made sure it was firmly adhered. Knowing the etching creme works quickly, so did I! I smoothed a thick layer over the stencil and set my timer for the required 5 minutes and went to pet Ms. Dolly. When it rang, I rinsed off the etching creme as well as the embossed image. Where the embossing was, there was now clear mirror. The oval surrounding area was etched, creating the "frame" for my handsome egret. Total time? Maybe ½ hr. counting my cutting twice and photography! What wonderful Christmas presents these would make! : )
As Ratty told Mole in Kenneth Graham’s Wind in the Willows, "there is nothing-absolutely nothing, half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Just messing...", I think maybe we’ll go and do just that! Maybe we’ll spot a few of our feathered friends along the way. Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping.
Blessings, Sharon

Who-oooo-oooo--oooo

does she think she is, anyway?!

TGIFN! Not heard that one? Thank God It's Friday NIGHT?! Lol. I am so ready for a good book (since I don't have a new stamp/scrap magazine...), a rum drink and relaxing! I started my day off with Round Gazillion and 1 with my so-called "doctor" whooooo thought it was completely acceptable and realistic for me to wait until my Oct. 2nd visit to discuss the results of the nuclear stress test I had this past Wednesday. I simply kept repeating to the receptionist that I WOULD have the results TODAY. After 15 minutes of arguing, phone calls back and forth, etc. I guess I finally got through as an hour later (after I had googled my rights to my records as a patient, etc.) my phone rang and it was "Norma the Nurse" (I kid you not!)--telling me my stress test was normal! Praise God but why did I have to show my backside to get what I was entitled to in the first place?! I will be starting a blog on this new journey---as I am tapping back into holistic health approaches and modalities rather than traditional medicine. As of today---she is fired! If I took her "advice"--I'd be recovering from surgery right now--needless surgery at that. If in doubt, please don't do it just because the doctor said so. Get a second opinion--or third. That said, please don't be stupid if its a life-threatening situation but too often we take the MD's word as gospel. There's only ONE GOD in my book-and it sure ain't Dr. Todd!

That said--this beautiful wise bird is decorating the front of my health care journal. I need to start tracking my journey and I was hoarding this paper. I used it to decorate the front, side and back of a clear-covered notebook. The papers and punch outs are by My Mind's Eye. and I just love the stark black and white. I didn't want a lot of bulk under the plastic but I did add some black and white polka dot ribbon at the bottom and a CTMH white flower that I ran through the Swiss Dot embossing folder and Big Shot. The pop of red is just enough (I think!). The variety of tags say "you", "in your natural habitat" (since I am exploring natural remedies and approaches!) "not" "just a lark"! So--this is holding all my records at this point. God, the vet and I cured the cat...by tracking everything we could possibly think of in detail and talking and listening to one another we were able to put all the pieces of the puzzle together and solve his issue. So-I am researching, making my list of questions, printing notes, collecting my test results, etc. and now I have a pretty place to put it. I will add it to my library as I have the Cat Care Journal-aka Inky's Story... and the "Wedding Control Journal" from planning our wedding in 2008. It kept all my contact info, to-do lists, receipts, etc. all in one convenient place and is almost a scrapbook in and of itself! And now this one...
tOmORroW...maybe I will get the card posted that I promised to post today! Sigh.

OH! Wait! One more photo. Our "girl", Ms. Dolly...has been living in one room basically since she came to live with us in Feb. She is scared of the boys and won't come out unless I carry her and hold her. So I am trying something new. While the boys are outside, I've let her out of her room and closed the doors so she doesn't have access to it. She's sticking pretty close to me but she has explored the living room and my desk...even played a little! She's not crying-just has a chronic eye issue...anyone with any ideas, Dr. T and I would welcome some insight. Her left eye, despite a variety of medications and remedies, remains cloudy and teary. It does not bother her at all, however, so that's the good news!

Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping.
Blessings, Sharon

I (finally!) GET IT!!!

Hi all. I am back. It's been a very long week, but I think I am about to begin being able to settle back into my routines. Waiting on one more test result (which I am not concerned about) and will move on from there. I've stopped all my meds except for blood pressure and I simply cannot tell you how much better I feel! No chronic headaches, body aches, fatigue or "crunchy" shoulders. I am sleeping and feeling rested and JOYFUL in the morning-BEFORE my coffee (absolutely unheard of for me!) I am a new old me--if that makes sense!

Yesterday, as we went back and forth for my stress test and I finally made it home and saw my messy house--I got what Flylady has always said..."You are not behind...just jump in where you are!" I got it! I am doing my happy dance. See-I can see...that its not as bad as the old me would think. Yep, Mt. Washmore is piled high, the floors need sweeping, the sink shining...but I also know that one short home blessing hour will put most of it back in its place. IT WAS OK to take the time I've needed to rest and regroup. A friend told me last night (Thank you, MC!)--that they are not going to put on my tombstone that I was a good housekeeper--or not! No one really cares about that! So this afternoon--or tomorrow when I am off-I will work on blessing my home-and my DH and myself...it's ok as it is--for now. I know my routines-and part of those routines is now going to include taking time to take care of me...another Flylady message I've ignored. Go check her out-now. Please. Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon

ps/I will post the "save the date cards" I am working on tomorrow...! : )

Happy Labor Day!

Wow! An extra day off! I love it! Let the record show that, quite uncharacteristically for me, I did not...go to work on Friday of last week since I missed Thursday due to my brief hospital stay, nor am I rushing in there today (Monday, Monday...) as I will be out on Wednesday for another test, nor have I been "buzzing" as my dh (darling husband) calls it-around the house trying to do 10,000 things at once. I have taken it slow and easy...and gotten done what NEEDED to be done just the same! GO ME!
I have several things "in process" at the moment. On the stamping and scrapbooking front I am still slowly working on my Goddaughters album to "catch it up" and I am working on some "save the date" cards of sorts for a customer. Here is a card I made for a friend of ours who took us out to dinner last week-end. He (photo not shown-please forgive my sloppy editing--I scanned and attached a photo of him when he was in active service some years ago that he had recently given us). He is a wonderful friend who served his country and who, unfortunately, is battling lung cancer. He is a crusty old curmudgeon (just what you would expect of his rank/retired military!) with the heart of a teddy bear! We love him. The small "cut above" stamp is from Artful Legacy, and the "hero" background stamp I used is from Stampin' Up. I used it on the front, on the inside top flap and on the envelope. (thank you, SIR! computer generated) This stamp would work for service personnel, police, fire, etc.--very versatile!

On another note...you've heard me "preach" about Flylady. Well, when I got sick the other evening and headed for the ER, I did have the presence of mind to take my drivers license (even though my husband was driving), insurance card and my medications. I did not, however, anticipate being admitted so I had absolutely no personal care items with me. Now for most, that wouldn't be an issue-the hospital certainly provides those things (at an exploited price I might add!)--but I am allergic to just about everything so I cannot use most of what's out there. So-since I want to be prepared (yes, I was a Girl Scout in addition to a Flylady fan!) just in case---I am going to create my own emergency bag. I'd done this before and it came in very handy. I will simply pick one of my pretty totes, put in one of my cosmetic bags filled with my personal care products, a change of clothes (nothing fancy-just a comfortable top and pants-even sweats), pj's, UNDERWARE!, flip flops, maybe a paperback or magazine, a small craft kit...and whatever else "floats my boat"! A list of contact numbers (a must if the cell phone dies!), small amount of cash for vending machines and pay phone (are there even any pay phones anymore?!)...maybe you can think of something I missed--please share if you do?! That way...if I or my dh ever need to do this again-just grab the bag and go. Or, in the event of a hurricane and evacuation..it's one less thing I have to pack!

Well, a little more coffee, a little "fly-ladying" and a lot of sun, swimming, boating and relaxing are on my agenda today! Whatever YOU do---until next time, hope you get some time for happy stamping and scrapping!

Blessings, Sharon

So--what do YOU do...

when your Primary Care Physician (aka PCP) looks at you and says (quote/unquote) "I do not have time to deal with all these issues today---I am BUSY!" Yep, boyhowhoudy--I heard those very words from my doctor, following my ER visit, today. I also heard (quote/unquote) "most people come in 3-4 days AFTER their ER visit---you are here today-what happened?"--and yet, she was "too busy" to listen nor could she insert my notes into my record without "time to review them as they are a legal document"--until---I started gathering my things to leave. And then, MIRACULOUSLY, her schedule opened up...she HAD TIME...to go to her office and read them (supposedly/she did exit the room for less than 5 minutes...). She did not, however, acquire the ability/gift of LISTENING TO HER PATIENT while she was gone. She said I still needed thus-and-so, to which I agreed but added that I WOULD NOT see a particular physician to which she responded, "Well, may interpret it". Now, you may not have noticed from my photo on the sidebar that I am an red-head. It's natural and I can prove it! lOL. I am also German/English by heritage whose late husband was an Irishman, catholic recovering member of AA. Need I say more? Just in case you didn't get the complete picture---the entire office heard "I WILL NOT SEE DR. SO-AND-SO--HE KILLED MY LATE HUSBAND (misdiagnosed which led to which led to--well, you read LATE husband...) SIGH. WHY do we have to go through these things simply to get a PHYSICIAN to LISTEN to us????????????

The problem with today's medicine, as I see it, is---that DOCTORS DO NOT LISTEN to their patients. It is the EXCEPTION to the RULE. And yet...they expect US to LISTEN to them???!!

There are, few and far between, exceptions to the rule. GOD BLESS Dr. Ameen My late-husband's pulmonologist), wherever he is--and our vet, Dr. Travis, and my dentist, Dr. Laquay, and Dr. Hashimi (ER dr.) and Dr. Reschly (hospitalist) who DO listened!!! Dr. Ameen had actually called an friend of ours and told him he was canceling his surgery as he, yes, the doctor- was not sure it was in his (our friend/his patients) best interest--he wanted to try an alternative route! That friend not only lived but thrived without the surgery! HE LISTENED to his patient!!! God please help me find those practitioners that will LISTEN.

I share this as well---I have a difficult time (believe it or not with what I have just shared about my "heritage"/past--) expressing my opinion/belief/feelings. You see, I am also a SURVIVOR of childhood sexual abuse. "No one listened/believed me then...why would anyone listen/believe me now?" is an EXTREMELY difficult thing for us to overcome. Finding the courage to speak out is a MAJOR step (so is dental care if anyone can connect with what I am saying...just go Google "fear of dentists and childhood sexual abuse" if you don't believe me...). So when the "powers that be" (aka doctors...) don't want to listen...well , those same tapes play and red flags go up all over the place. If I didn't have a headache, pain and/or heart issues before I went today...you can bet your sweet bippy I do now! Or as my late husband used to say (did I mention he was also from NY---) kiss my *tiara* in Macy's window! : o !!! Yep, I am a tough old bird--I've reached haven't reached the 29th anniversary of my 21st birthday without some grit and whatever that NY or Jewish word is for tough stuff--MOXY---that's it---MOXY-- is for nothing! And I certainly am not about to rush off and have surgery based on their say so (and no significant symptoms of such) just because! Stress test, yeah--I BELIEVE--my symptoms were indeed, stress-related (with a particular isolated incident that triggered it). Gall bladder-not likely. No significant symptoms to support that diagnosis!

Anyway, PLEASE READ my previous post. PLEASE find a doctor who LISTENS if you don't already haVe one. I have given up an ENTIRE YEAR of my life to so-called "modern medicine". It (my giving up) ended TODAY. I was on at least 6 rx's and they want to add another one-rather than listen to me begging to come off them?! They get no kick-back if I do, no repeat office visits, no---well, I AM NOT---advocating you cold-turkey STOP medications--just find a physician who will work WITH YOU RATHER THAN AGAINST YOU--to find the most suitable solution to YOU for your health-care issues.

Until next time, going to (happily!) STAMP and SCRAPBOOK!

Blessings, Sharon

Contrary to popular belief...I am NOT FLATLINE-ING!

PREFACE: to my ER doctor and nurse, my husband and my great friend, Theresa: THANK YOU for being a part of my life!

No, I am not! I am home, I am alive and well-ok. Our local hospital staff tried hard but they did not--kill me! Lol. Yesterday I had the fortunate/unfortunate experience of paying a visit to the ER and receiving an admission ticket to a room at our hospital. KUDOS...and thanks and praise to the ER doctor on call and the ER nurse who I happen to know personally. They were awesome. I started feeling ill around 9:30 Wed. evening and by 11:45 had most of the symptoms on the checklist of heart attacks for women. I decided it was time to go and get it checked out. These two individuals were really on the ball and by 2 AM I was in a room and pain-free. It went downhill from there...and was a not-so-funny comedy of errors--yes, including the RN rushing into my room as I was sitting up in bed, calmly reading while she was on the verge of hysteria telling me I was flat-lining. Since I had no pain whatsoever (nor was I on any pain medication at the time), I knew I was calm and coherent, I simply self-diagnosed myself and told her that I obviously was not as I was awake and speaking with her. Long story short-she had merely never come and reconnected the heart monitor (or IV as I had to remind her) after my visit to the ultrasound technician! She then proceeded to bring me lunch-complete with a tuna sandwich, a thick chowder, and pumpkin pie-none of which I could eat as I am, as I told 3 doctors and staff personnel, I am allergic to wheat. She told me I could eat the soup. No, I can't--it's thickened with wheat. So she calls the dietitian and tells her I need a new lunch tray--I am allergic to wheat and MILK! Then asks if I could eat peanut butter and CRACKERS from the snacks on the floor until she could get a new lunch tray to me. No-crackers are typically made from flour and flour is typically made from wheat (unless you are purchasing wheat-free crackers!). My lunch tray did come-complete with the same soup, the same piece of pie and a healthy salad...topped with tuna salad (tuna is another allergen for me but we hadn't and I didn't even go there!). My final diagnosis, per the 3rd and last doctor I saw was, in her words, even though my pain originated in the upper left-quadrant and the gall bladder is located in the upper right, the ultrasound showed "some sludge" (quote marks hers!) in the gall bladder and I need to rush to a surgeon for surgery...but she was going to send me home. I politely told her thank you, that I disagreed with her and yes, please, send me home! Theresa (also a nurse and my chauffeur for the day...) witnessed the conversation with the doctor and was shaking her head in disbelief as well! I am home, I am out of pain, and I am seeing my family physician today.
WHY am I sharing all of this? This unfortunate experience was FORTUNATE in that it got my thinking-really thinkin-about things I know and believe-but hadn't practiced. Three reasons-actually, four...

• BLOGS...are for sharing information...and, while this post is not on how to stamp or layout a page, it does have some information I FEEL is worth sharing...if it seems like a rant, I apologize. I hope you will read through that aspect if it does and look at the WHOLE PICTURE--the PORTRAIT...of what I am trying to say...
• DO NOT be afraid to be your own health advocate!! Too many times we sit back and take a doctors advice and rx's simply because they are a doctor and "they know best"! They do not! Here's a good analogy of what I realized this morning: We have a portrait before us-we live in our bodies, we KNOW our bodies and we know BEST what our bodies have been through/are going through. We know and see the details the large picture presents. The doctors, on the other hand, have a wallet-sized snapshot. Because that snapshot, in my instance, only revealed that the heart tests were normal, and there was a blip in the the corner my gall bladder was in, that was, of course, in their opinion, the culprit. What wasn't taken into consideration was the fact that yes, I was out of pain (thanks to pain meds I, who suffer from chronic headaches and fibromyalgia was out of pain)and therefore relaxed, and had done absolutely nothing other than go from bed to bathroom, that that might possibly be the reason the blood pressure and heart tests produced a negative reading? I am sure a heart monitor connected to me as I go about my "normal" day--would have an entirely different picture! And, you would think...that the lunch prepared by the hospital dietitian would be "safe" to eat. Since I had told 3 people that I know of that I was wheat-allergic, that it was ok. NOT SO! There was a goof. It was, I hope missed and the dietitian was not told and hence the mistake made on those grounds. I can understand the populations confusion over wheat--but to think the dietician would've thought this was safe is well---scary. Had I not been my own advocate, I would now be taking massive amounts of steroids and itching profusely.
• HAVE ANOTHER HEALTH CARE ADVOCATE APPOINTED! Ok-I should know this! I worked for an attorney. Had I not been able, for whatever reason to communicate, someone needed to be able to do this for me. Legally. Two sets of ears are better than one! That's always good-but to have someone you know and trust being able to speak for you if you cannot---is a must. GET A HEALTH CARE POWER OF ATTORNEY and a LIVING WILL made.
• If you are not receiving the care and/or results you feel--in your gut--feel, are appropriate--get a SECOND (or third or fourth...) opinion. I have tried several doctors approaches. They are not relieving my symptoms or solving my problems. This scare woke me up. I do not want to have a significant heart issue-and I am VERY GLAD all the tests were negative. I want them to stay that way---so I am going to go and have a "come to Jesus" (no disrespect there!) with my physician this afternoon. I am going to relay what happened; what the doctor thinks happened; tell her what I KNOW happened...and how I want us to address my issues. We can come to an agreement both of us can live with-or I can find a new physician (as my late husband used to say, "I hired you, I can fire you!"). While doctors are highly educated-they are not God! They are not all-knowing. Ever wonder why it is said that doctors have "practices"...? Think about that? How do they know what works...they PRACTICE. On what? on PATIENTS. Ever think of the saying "practice makes perfect..." in terms of a DOCTOR? Probably not. We tend to think doctors know because well, they're doctors. THE BEST physicians I know...LISTEN. They use all their senses to diagnosis. They look at the whole picture-the PORTRAIT version. THEN they work WITH their patient to determine the best route to take.

Part of the reason I am sharing all of this is because I think we all learn through our experiences as well as hopefully, the experiences of others. We learn what to do-or not to do-in working with the tools and materials of our crafting experiences-as well as with the rest of life. That, and the fact that my quality of life--the time and energy that I have spent on what I LOVE and WANT to do-and more often than not CAN'T DO because of my health, has suffered greatly. It is not a condition that cannot be helped-its just that the physicans that have been in charge of my care feel it more medically acceptable to give me numerous rx's vs. the one that they KNOW and I KNOW would actually work--because of the POSSIBLE complications. If I, as the patient, respect those possibilities, assume the responsibility along with the physician, and am willing to take the risks, I should be allowed that chance. ENOUGH! Time to go relax!!! I pray...that something that I've said has been helpful to someone. Or at least challenged some thoughts and feelings and made you think. Oh---and please, please--go Google SYMPTOMS OF HEART ATTACKS IN WOMEN. Thank God I did not have one-now I am off to try and take some proactive action to prevent one! Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping.

Blessings, Sharon