Our life is but a vapor, and one to cherish

I realized this past week, as I cleaned out one closet after another, that I have traveled every month this year. 

Not just little trips, but big-deal trips like Paris and my month-long road trip to the redwoods and back home.

This week I hit the “I'm bone weary and can’t take another step” place. It came after a call from my Doctor reviewing some lab work I did in Cincinnati right before the big road trip began. 

In 2017, I was in the middle of menopause and, among other things, I began to suffer from chronic chest congestion and throat clearing. I was exhausted easily and had pain in my joints, especially my hips and shoulders. Also, a toenail fungus started up. 

I did lots of home remedies, elimination of foods, added vitamins and essential oils, etc. In 2021, I had Doctor’s appointments and got some blood work done, etc. 

In 2022, one doctor found the cancer, and I went through the process of treating that with success. I get checked every six months. So far, it has not returned! So grateful for that! 

When menopause hit me, I gained 30 pounds, and it is a weird 30 pounds in places I've never experienced weight before. I felt like an inner tube was around my ribs. Weird stuff. Also, so very difficult to get off.

In 1995, I lost 90 pounds in 6 months. It was a big accomplishment, and I kept it off for a long time. Fluctuating a little, but always able to lose when I wanted to. After 50, that doesn’t happen easily. 

Back to the present time, my doctor says my heart is being affected. I must lose this weight, or I will suffer the consequences of that. Plus, on one test, she found I have a very high mold count (I had suspected that it could be that for years, but couldn’t get my primary doctor to do testing) 

Her phone call was what I needed to STOP! and then I dropped for a while…totally exhausted…and started to make a plan to make some much-needed changes to life and take control of my health and wellbeing, as much as is in my realm of control- which is a lot. 

None of us knows our time here, but while we are here, we need to take care of and honor the temple we are each given to live in. Without proper care, we may shorten our time, but more importantly, we live in pain or in negative spaces that suck our energy and our joy. 

As I move into this new week, I am excited for the future. Tomorrow, November 4, my Christmas Album, Breath of Heaven, is released, and here I am, slowly and deliberately choosing how I move into this new day. I am making wise decisions on food and exercise. I am so excited to begin a program to get mold out of my body and these 30 pounds, that is weighing me down, off my body. 

Grateful that you are alongside me! The best is yet to come, my loves! Here we go into the blue November skies!