Hi !!!!
May 10th is World Lupus Day where patients, Dr.'s, Researchers and supporters come together to educate, raise awareness and funds and pull together the lupus community in one common cause: A Cure!!! Please check out my web site's links page for several lupus organizations holding walks near you. The Butterfly Walk in Greater Detroit raises money for the research in which I am involved at the University of Michigan. My physician, Dr. J. McCune, and his department is compiling data and performing research on better treatments and possible causes and cures. They are funded by the Amster Lupus Fund and the Friends of Amster Lupus Fund, which I am on the walk committee for greater Detroit on August 19th called "The Butterfly Walk". Email me if you are interested in walking or wheel chairing with us or in making a tax deductible donation which 100% goes to research.
www.lupusadvocacy.org for more information. or www.lupus.org for what is going on globally.
Making it a great sunny day !!!! Plants are sprouting up all over. My starters are almost ready to hit the moist soil and feed us and all our neighbors for the season and beyond. Any tips on canning???? Send me pictures of your gardens.........
I would also like to ask that you hold my cousin Sally in your heart and prayers.
Love and Blessings,
Angela
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
April 24....Good day to be alive on planet earth
Hi !!!
Health is good but I learned to not let my Fentenyl pain patch prescription run out. I realized just how well it keeps the pain at bay so I can live a fuller life. Especially after Yoga on Friday I was a mess. but the my sweet husband came home after a ten day work trip and rubbed it all away. How happy I am when he comes home from projects. He and Dad are at the lake getting the cottage open and the boat in the water. The water is up maybe a foot or more which is great news. So this weekend we will be at the lake and here planting more seedlings. Last chemo two weeks and counting.
"The Annual Butterfly Walk" for the greater Detroit area is raising funds for Lupus research at University of Michigan Hospital. I am on the planning committee. The event will be Saturday August 19th. If you want to walk with us or donate please let me know and I will send you the form. Even $5.00 helps !!!! angela@lupusadvocacy.org. Wheelchairs and golf carts available. We need water bottles to be donated if you would like to help in that way?
Happy belated Earth Day !!! I have celebrated with my sweet Douglas and our gardens love us for it. Seedling are almost ready to be planted in the rich soil and the birds are flying by the dozens, ducks back to nest and more new ones coming in. I saw a doe the other day and our Chipmunk. The cat population is at five. They are so cute and wild. I feel like St Francis here feeding the animals and planting more plants. The Arbor Day Foundation is still accepting new members for $10 you will receive 10 trees to plant or donate. Go to their web site and help the earth and grow the value of your property for Arbor Day, 27th of April.
Five Things You can Do Now For The Earth...
1) Recycle, Re-use and Renovate. Even buy from consignment shops and take your old clothes there to sell as well. Almost anything can be recycled into a new life form or donated for a cause.
2) Compost all vegetable scraps, egg shells, news paper(no colored ink) and even shredded paper and coffee grounds. Learn more on various web sites for gardening and at your library, any book by Bob Flowerdew or Mel Bartholomew will guide you on the path of composting.
3) Plant more bird, butterfly and bat loving plants and trees(perennials) and set about small bird feeders and bird baths, along with bird houses, bat houses and even butterfly homes. They eat bugs to decrease the use of pesticides(hopefully you would never use them anyway) and
they help the plants grow and provide a natural habitat in which everyone will benefit.
4) Use only compact fluorescent light bulbs..Saves money and energy. Use Smart Strips power plugs or unplug unused appliances especially at night....TV, stereo, micro etc can be unplugged while at work and sleep. Get free energy kit from Duke Power http://www.dukepower.com/. They also offer free energy audits(ask your power company to do this).
5) Use cotton bags for your grocery shopping and to hold vegetables. Never use grocery bags unless you can recycle for other uses. Cotton bags can be purchased at http://www.createjoynow.com/, Oprah.com, http://www.earthbags.com/ and any health food store....They even make ones just for six bottle of wine......Now that is enough to make you want to go shopping !!!!! Oh and try to buy organic and support local farmers and purveyors. Cuts back on fuel use and supports local economy.
Even the large discount chains carry inexpensive organic options even in cleaning supplies which is very important.
http://www.shaklee.com/
http://www.greendimes.com/
http://www.americanforrest.org/
http://www.earth911.com/
http://www.globalwarming.com/
http://www.gaiam.com/
http://www.oprah.com/
www.discoverychannel.com/planetearth
On A Sad Note: I wanted to write something last week for all those who were involved in the horrible event at Va. Tech. The memories are etched in my mind and heart, yet the faces of grace are what stands out.I remember and respect the survivors and the family of victims who so bravely handled the situation and will go on spreading the message of healing to others, just like the Father and Brother of the girl, Rachel, who died at Columbine. They now teach at schools across the country on how to avoid these things in the first place and help those in need find and seek help before their mental illness or hatred gets them to that terrible point of not return. I hold in my heart these bright young kids and the brave teachers who sacrificed their lives. I hope the rest of the country, world and the media can take the good and the graceful to focus their energy on the positive, preventative and on forgiveness. Then we can start to heal the nation of this growing hopelessness and helplessness our youth face every day and see it mirrored on TV, in music and on Internet(monitor the i-pods, Internet & TV for your sake and your kids). I also hope one day very soon we bring our young men and woman home from war so they can go on with productive lives and give peace a chance. At least stop the blood baths.......My heart still breaks.........and yet I see hope.
By the way Hang Gliding season is here..........It is truly tempting because I only have about 8 more tandem lessons and I can fly myself ???? Tandem of course. ( I know I have bone fractures and bone loss..and I might be a tad crazy but I must live) I will not have to do any lifting or landing. One of the instructors is an emergency surgeon at U of M....They have ways for us "with special needs" to do it safely and is safer than driving or even walking down a flight of stairs. Plus I remember why I love to be alive on planet earth!!!! when I am flying on a current and looking down at the land below......the rich hews of color and bright blue skies. Wow !!! What a good day to be alive and how blessed we are.
We shall see.........Maybe I will just swim and do light yoga for now? I hope my Dr. isn't looking.
Make yourself and others a wonderful day !!!!!!
Love
Angela
Health is good but I learned to not let my Fentenyl pain patch prescription run out. I realized just how well it keeps the pain at bay so I can live a fuller life. Especially after Yoga on Friday I was a mess. but the my sweet husband came home after a ten day work trip and rubbed it all away. How happy I am when he comes home from projects. He and Dad are at the lake getting the cottage open and the boat in the water. The water is up maybe a foot or more which is great news. So this weekend we will be at the lake and here planting more seedlings. Last chemo two weeks and counting.
"The Annual Butterfly Walk" for the greater Detroit area is raising funds for Lupus research at University of Michigan Hospital. I am on the planning committee. The event will be Saturday August 19th. If you want to walk with us or donate please let me know and I will send you the form. Even $5.00 helps !!!! angela@lupusadvocacy.org. Wheelchairs and golf carts available. We need water bottles to be donated if you would like to help in that way?
Happy belated Earth Day !!! I have celebrated with my sweet Douglas and our gardens love us for it. Seedling are almost ready to be planted in the rich soil and the birds are flying by the dozens, ducks back to nest and more new ones coming in. I saw a doe the other day and our Chipmunk. The cat population is at five. They are so cute and wild. I feel like St Francis here feeding the animals and planting more plants. The Arbor Day Foundation is still accepting new members for $10 you will receive 10 trees to plant or donate. Go to their web site and help the earth and grow the value of your property for Arbor Day, 27th of April.
Five Things You can Do Now For The Earth...
1) Recycle, Re-use and Renovate. Even buy from consignment shops and take your old clothes there to sell as well. Almost anything can be recycled into a new life form or donated for a cause.
2) Compost all vegetable scraps, egg shells, news paper(no colored ink) and even shredded paper and coffee grounds. Learn more on various web sites for gardening and at your library, any book by Bob Flowerdew or Mel Bartholomew will guide you on the path of composting.
3) Plant more bird, butterfly and bat loving plants and trees(perennials) and set about small bird feeders and bird baths, along with bird houses, bat houses and even butterfly homes. They eat bugs to decrease the use of pesticides(hopefully you would never use them anyway) and
they help the plants grow and provide a natural habitat in which everyone will benefit.
4) Use only compact fluorescent light bulbs..Saves money and energy. Use Smart Strips power plugs or unplug unused appliances especially at night....TV, stereo, micro etc can be unplugged while at work and sleep. Get free energy kit from Duke Power http://www.dukepower.com/. They also offer free energy audits(ask your power company to do this).
5) Use cotton bags for your grocery shopping and to hold vegetables. Never use grocery bags unless you can recycle for other uses. Cotton bags can be purchased at http://www.createjoynow.com/, Oprah.com, http://www.earthbags.com/ and any health food store....They even make ones just for six bottle of wine......Now that is enough to make you want to go shopping !!!!! Oh and try to buy organic and support local farmers and purveyors. Cuts back on fuel use and supports local economy.
Even the large discount chains carry inexpensive organic options even in cleaning supplies which is very important.
http://www.shaklee.com/
http://www.greendimes.com/
http://www.americanforrest.org/
http://www.earth911.com/
http://www.globalwarming.com/
http://www.gaiam.com/
http://www.oprah.com/
www.discoverychannel.com/planetearth
On A Sad Note: I wanted to write something last week for all those who were involved in the horrible event at Va. Tech. The memories are etched in my mind and heart, yet the faces of grace are what stands out.I remember and respect the survivors and the family of victims who so bravely handled the situation and will go on spreading the message of healing to others, just like the Father and Brother of the girl, Rachel, who died at Columbine. They now teach at schools across the country on how to avoid these things in the first place and help those in need find and seek help before their mental illness or hatred gets them to that terrible point of not return. I hold in my heart these bright young kids and the brave teachers who sacrificed their lives. I hope the rest of the country, world and the media can take the good and the graceful to focus their energy on the positive, preventative and on forgiveness. Then we can start to heal the nation of this growing hopelessness and helplessness our youth face every day and see it mirrored on TV, in music and on Internet(monitor the i-pods, Internet & TV for your sake and your kids). I also hope one day very soon we bring our young men and woman home from war so they can go on with productive lives and give peace a chance. At least stop the blood baths.......My heart still breaks.........and yet I see hope.
By the way Hang Gliding season is here..........It is truly tempting because I only have about 8 more tandem lessons and I can fly myself ???? Tandem of course. ( I know I have bone fractures and bone loss..and I might be a tad crazy but I must live) I will not have to do any lifting or landing. One of the instructors is an emergency surgeon at U of M....They have ways for us "with special needs" to do it safely and is safer than driving or even walking down a flight of stairs. Plus I remember why I love to be alive on planet earth!!!! when I am flying on a current and looking down at the land below......the rich hews of color and bright blue skies. Wow !!! What a good day to be alive and how blessed we are.
We shall see.........Maybe I will just swim and do light yoga for now? I hope my Dr. isn't looking.
Make yourself and others a wonderful day !!!!!!
Love
Angela
Thursday, April 12, 2007
What I learned these past 8 months
April 12
I am feeling so blessed to be alive now. The wonders of being alive and having a joy filled heart is what keeps us going. We need this in a world of war, disease, indifference, poverty, calamity, ignorance, intolerance, greed, hunger and all the perils we face in our lives on planet earth. Our perspective and attitude, thoughts, feelings, words and actions create an energy around us as we walk this earth which attracts what we perceive as good or bad. I believe that I feel blessed and joy-filled deep within myself because I know true compassion and love. I have a husband-partner whom I deeply respect and adore mutually, a loving family, beautiful friends and a wonderful extended family. In this moment this is what my healing journey with lupus is all about !!! What a gift. That does not discount the moments of grief or despair but the inner feeling of peace always remains. Even during chemo or during surgery..........how can I feel otherwise. The glass being half full is a good perspective. Pass this inner joy along to everyone you meet today. Smile at the check-out clerk, the homeless lady, the doorman, the bank teller, the stranger passing on the street.........even let someone with whom you are having difficulties know that you see their inner beauty and this bump in relationship shall pass. Let's be friends and neighbors today. It really feels good. Spend time with someone you love and say kind words. The moment is now. Be a mentor. Or simply remind yourself just how lucky or blessed you are !!! These seeds grow and spread..........A
I am feeling so blessed to be alive now. The wonders of being alive and having a joy filled heart is what keeps us going. We need this in a world of war, disease, indifference, poverty, calamity, ignorance, intolerance, greed, hunger and all the perils we face in our lives on planet earth. Our perspective and attitude, thoughts, feelings, words and actions create an energy around us as we walk this earth which attracts what we perceive as good or bad. I believe that I feel blessed and joy-filled deep within myself because I know true compassion and love. I have a husband-partner whom I deeply respect and adore mutually, a loving family, beautiful friends and a wonderful extended family. In this moment this is what my healing journey with lupus is all about !!! What a gift. That does not discount the moments of grief or despair but the inner feeling of peace always remains. Even during chemo or during surgery..........how can I feel otherwise. The glass being half full is a good perspective. Pass this inner joy along to everyone you meet today. Smile at the check-out clerk, the homeless lady, the doorman, the bank teller, the stranger passing on the street.........even let someone with whom you are having difficulties know that you see their inner beauty and this bump in relationship shall pass. Let's be friends and neighbors today. It really feels good. Spend time with someone you love and say kind words. The moment is now. Be a mentor. Or simply remind yourself just how lucky or blessed you are !!! These seeds grow and spread..........A
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
one more down..........4/10/07
Hi,
I had my 5th chemo infusion yesterday which means one more to go for this six month round. Maybe more ahead but let's hope this did the trick. Takes time but I feel better and stronger and will envision this to grow. All is well in snowy spring. Actually the snow is melting and the sun creeping in as Douglas drove away in a limo for the airport this morning, lending a view of all the cold early spring blooms wilting in the dew. Bittersweet departure. We do not like being apart for more than a few days but the way his schedule is working out he will fly home often enough to keep up with our home and gardens and still do a knock out job on this project. It is a great job with nice folks and part of his old "crew-mates" back together.
I have mini medical school classes on Wednesday eve and Yoga on Fridays and swim in between. Two books on the table which I hope to finish this century and lots of books I want to read now that I have my grey matter back, although that is debatable. Don't ask!!!!! but let me say you can put you butter dish upright or upside down and both are equally functional.......Love and Peace A
I had my 5th chemo infusion yesterday which means one more to go for this six month round. Maybe more ahead but let's hope this did the trick. Takes time but I feel better and stronger and will envision this to grow. All is well in snowy spring. Actually the snow is melting and the sun creeping in as Douglas drove away in a limo for the airport this morning, lending a view of all the cold early spring blooms wilting in the dew. Bittersweet departure. We do not like being apart for more than a few days but the way his schedule is working out he will fly home often enough to keep up with our home and gardens and still do a knock out job on this project. It is a great job with nice folks and part of his old "crew-mates" back together.
I have mini medical school classes on Wednesday eve and Yoga on Fridays and swim in between. Two books on the table which I hope to finish this century and lots of books I want to read now that I have my grey matter back, although that is debatable. Don't ask!!!!! but let me say you can put you butter dish upright or upside down and both are equally functional.......Love and Peace A
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
April 4
Hi !! It is me Angela......
Spring appeared for a few days this past two weeks and yesterday it was 70 degrees and now it is freezing, windy and snowing. What a difference a day makes. We did manage to get our beds cleared and added new mulch to protect the new growth from frost. In Mich. we can frost till end of April and even snow storms. So we are starting seedlings in basement grow light this year....and we are planting quite a crop this year. Lots of heirloom seeds, organic don't panic !!!! Love this time of year anticipating the newness of spring, flowers in bloom, food growing in the garden, herbs smelling fresh and cooking time in the Madaras House. We might even sell some fruits of labor at the Farmers Market in Dexter and chelsea. Spring fever is real !!!!
Health wise all is getting better and the bones are the same maybe a bit worse. I will have right shoulder replaced June 28 and knees and left shoulder thereafter. This first round of 6 months chemo infusions will be done second week of May !!!!! Then we may have to do another later. I still do daily chemo orally. All the natural and lifestyle treatments and therapies help very much. Swimming and light yoga so far seem to work and will have a pain patch Friday to help me get through this PT so I am strong enough for surgery. I am writing a lot and reading. I start a mini medical school class tonight at U of M medical school on the Muskuloskeletal stystem. Very excited. Have met two strong woman who have survived lupus and we get along great. Nice to have someone with whom I can really connect at that level only we can.
Douglas is going to be working on a project in Asheville for the spring and summer so he will go back and forth. I plan to come down at the end of the job and will let you know the plans. He will have his lap top if you wish to email while there.
That is the latest and greatest news. We are blessed and we love our life !!!! and I miss you all so very much. A
Spring appeared for a few days this past two weeks and yesterday it was 70 degrees and now it is freezing, windy and snowing. What a difference a day makes. We did manage to get our beds cleared and added new mulch to protect the new growth from frost. In Mich. we can frost till end of April and even snow storms. So we are starting seedlings in basement grow light this year....and we are planting quite a crop this year. Lots of heirloom seeds, organic don't panic !!!! Love this time of year anticipating the newness of spring, flowers in bloom, food growing in the garden, herbs smelling fresh and cooking time in the Madaras House. We might even sell some fruits of labor at the Farmers Market in Dexter and chelsea. Spring fever is real !!!!
Health wise all is getting better and the bones are the same maybe a bit worse. I will have right shoulder replaced June 28 and knees and left shoulder thereafter. This first round of 6 months chemo infusions will be done second week of May !!!!! Then we may have to do another later. I still do daily chemo orally. All the natural and lifestyle treatments and therapies help very much. Swimming and light yoga so far seem to work and will have a pain patch Friday to help me get through this PT so I am strong enough for surgery. I am writing a lot and reading. I start a mini medical school class tonight at U of M medical school on the Muskuloskeletal stystem. Very excited. Have met two strong woman who have survived lupus and we get along great. Nice to have someone with whom I can really connect at that level only we can.
Douglas is going to be working on a project in Asheville for the spring and summer so he will go back and forth. I plan to come down at the end of the job and will let you know the plans. He will have his lap top if you wish to email while there.
That is the latest and greatest news. We are blessed and we love our life !!!! and I miss you all so very much. A
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