Ladies,  

Life is hard and complicated. We get busy with the hustle and bustle. We stress about things that few years from now will find totally insignificant, but are soo important today.

My daughter sent this to me this morning and told me that  we should all read at least once a week!!!!!  Even us, fabulously forty and beyond need a reminder, and Regina Brett says it best:

Written by Regina Brett, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio .

“To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 42 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I’ve ever written.

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short – enjoy it..

4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.  

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don’t have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.

7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.

8. Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.

9. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

10. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.

11. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.

12. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

13. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it...

14 Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

15. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful. Clutter weighs you down in many ways.

16. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.

17. It’s never too late to be happy. But it's all up to you and no one else.

18. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.

19. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

20. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

21. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.

22. The most important sex organ is the brain.

23. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

24. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ‘In five years, will this matter?’

25. Always choose life.

26. Forgive but don't forget.  

27. What other people think of you is none of your business.  

28. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

30. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does..

31. Believe in miracles.

32. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

33. Growing old beats the alternative—dying young.

34. Your children get only one childhood.

35. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

36. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

37. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.

38. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have not what you need.

39. The best is yet to come...

40. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

41. Yield.

42. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.”

Source 

I came across this video and found it extremely funny, but the joke was on me because I myself had fallen victim to purchasing glasses online and experiencing the problems from lack of proper measurements and poor quality.

Lesson to be learned: shop eyewear with an optician/stylist to be properly serviced and look for independent, quality eyewear brands.

CLICK ON THIS VIDEO:

Share your on line shopping experience.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Now that the hustle and bustle of the holidays is winding down, I hope
that all of you have written your New Years resolutions, and will not
only plan for them, but carry them out.

My plan for the year is to continue to do everything drug free,
meaning the less chemicals I digest through taking any kind of
medications, and the less preservatives I ingest through injections,
the healthier I will be. Having said that, I’m heading towards turning
48, and those lines called “wrinkles” are making a point to stand out.

Since I’m no longer a candidate for fillers, botox, etc. I had to find an alternative that would be healthier and less risky... and I’ve stumbled upon an amazing solution. For the past two months, two times a day, I have been using Senté Skin Products cream - and my skin is glowing.  My wrinkles are less visible and I’m still injection free.

I became rather curious about what made this cream different from the rest and with a little bit of research and time I learned about Glycoproteins. Glycoproteins are sugar molecules attached to proteins found both on the surface of skin cells and beneath deeper layers of skin. This is what helps capture moisture in the skin to maintain its plumpness. Senté synthesizes these proteins which allows skin to appear relaxed, smooth, and vibrant (I’m a glowing testimony to that)!

Despite the fact that it’s pricey (but no more than the botox and filler risky options out there), I know it works... and you know me - I can rarely say that. Within two weeks of using the cream my
girlfriends asked if I had anything done to my face, and we all know that girlfriends notice what others don’t, so this is definitely working.

Feel free to check out this product yourselves and let me know how

 

To find out more about Sente Skin Products click here and visit their website.

As you may know, for the last few years I've been battling various health challenges, and regardless of which new condition I was diagnosed with I refused to give up - doing everything possible to get back on track.  However, my new diagnosis left me baffled when my doctor announced that I just tested positive for mold.

How did this all start?

My doctor was concerned that I got sick twice in a row, and because we had a water leak in the house that resulted in a little bit of mold, he thought I should take a urine test to find out if I inhaled it by any chance. I walked out of his office with a kit and no intentions of taking the test. I figured that I'd skip the $700 dollar test my insurance would probably not cover. After all, what are the chances? Who has mold?
A few days went by and I started running a low-grade fever - and after talking again with my doctor he encouraged me to take the test. When the results came back I was shocked - I tested positive for mold.

Now What?

My doctor suggested that I start taking Activated Charcol along with Mold Chikitse. I also found Red Desert Clay that was supposed to help with getting rid of mold. Now, keep in mind that I'm practically vegan, so taking anything out of my diet wasn't even a consideration.

Fast forward three months of taking all the supplements, detoxing, etc. Now imagine my shock when the follow up test showed that my mold results doubled since the last test.

Of course I panicked - having mold in your body can't possibly be good for anyone, especially me, with all of my health challenges. I started researching molds and their effects. That's when I stumbled on Tony Marcel, MD, PhD. I found out that Tony was a member of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine in France, so I decided to email him. To be quite honest, I wasn't sure I'd hear back, but it was worth a try. I emailed Mr. Marcel to find out about ochrytoxin mold and how I could have possibly acquired it.
Imagine how happy I was when Tony responded the next day with a detailed (and I mean it when I say detailed), explanation and information from his website: Ochratoxin and Themycotoxins 

This rarely happens in our lives, that a stranger takes the time to provide insights to a random person. I'm still waiting to retest, but what Tony did help me with was to pin point that my problem might have been because I have been using a lot of ginger in my drinks, and according to his charts on the site, this may have been the cause of the problem.

Here I was again looking into my computer screen thinking to myself how powerful the internet is - how the connections we form online are not only amazing - but have changed lives. Think about it...how has the web changed your life?

I believe that everyone's paths cross for a reason. So when Heather reached out with her story, I wanted to share it with all of you. One never knows what the future holds. Maybe one day you too will share her story and and save someone's life.

Heather's Story

Heather Von St James is a 43-year-old wife and mother. Upon her diagnosis of mesothelioma, she vowed to be a source of hope for other patients who found themselves with the same diagnosis. Now, over 6 years later, her story has been helping people all over the globe. She continues her advocacy and awareness work by blogging, speaking and sharing her message of hope and healing with others.

 

A journey with mesothelioma

Raising a child is a personal thing to many, but when I was pregnant, many people reminded me that it takes a village to do so.  I understood the idea, but I took it to heart in the year following my daughter's birth.  The emergency C-section on August 4, 2005, was the only complication of the pregnancy.  This complication paled in comparison to what I was about to endure.

My return to work was challenging.  I figured my fatigue was due to being a new mother, but I became breathless as well.  This was more alarming and I made a doctor's appointment to find out what was wrong.  The myriad of tests that the doctor ordered produced an unpleasant result.  My unknown childhood exposure to asbestos was at the root of the problem; I had malignant pleural mesothelioma .  This cancer was affecting the lining of my lungs and it was not a good diagnosis.  If I did nothing, I could expect to live for another 15 months.  

As a new mom, all I could think about was my husband and Lily.  Their having to go on without me was unbearable and I knew that doing nothing wasn't an option.  We made arrangements to have Lily stay with my parents while I underwent treatment in Boston to have my left lung was removed by one of the best mesothelioma doctors available on February 2, 2005.  This treatment for mesothelioma was one of the most extreme options, but extreme measures were needed if I was going to overcome this cancer.  I spent 18 days recovering in the hospital.  It took another two months of recovery before I was ready for chemo and radiation therapy.  

Lily was in great hands in my childhood home of South Dakota.  My parents have a special bond with her to this day and while it was difficult for everyone, they had the opportunity to be there for Lily when I couldn't.  Their own village came to their aid in many ways. Children I once babysat now served as babysitters for Lily when my parents were at work. Church friends showed emotional and physical support, providing meals and companionship, as they were needed.  My own support system in the hospital consisted of a fantastic nursing staff.  My nurses admired the grainy photocopies of pictures that my parents sent so that I could see how Lily was growing.  

The impact cancer has on a life is unnerving, but amazing.  It's frightening to face the unknown, but it's amazing to experience the kind of support that our friends and family provided.  Some people became uncomfortable with the situation and were out of sight.  It's funny that cancer can have that effect on people that you thought you could rely on, but human nature is a funny thing.  Our village was amazing and I know that if I have a need, I can count on my village at any time.  

Cancer has enabled us to better grasp just how precious life is.  It's not easy, but it is wonderful.  A lot of good has resulted from our experience with this deadly disease and we don't take our days for granted. Whatever your need, be thankful when your village is there for you.  Be willing to be a part of other people's lives and villages when they face fearful circumstances. You have the ability to make a difference.

Heather Von St James is a 43-year-old wife and mother. Upon her diagnosis of mesothelioma, she vowed to be a source of hope for other patients who found themselves with the same diagnosis. Now, over 6 years later, her story has been helping people all over the globe. She continues her advocacy and awareness work by blogging, speaking and sharing her message of hope and healing with others.  

Check out her blog at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog 

Here is to all the women in my life.

Happy International Women’s Day!

You rock!!!!