My Tale of Gratitude Continued...
Last month during our monthly tale, Trevor shared his pawspective and my thoughts on gratitude. This month, I want to share my personal thoughts on the subject. T Man is getting a month off, as his paws have been all over the keyboard this year. I couldn't ask for a greater or golden helper.
This is also Arthritis and Brain Tumor Awareness Months, so I've been doing double duty, with trying to spread awareness. As you know, I have lived with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for twenty-nine years. I say live, not suffer. It's not always easy navigating this disease, but when my attitude toward it became more of gratitude, that is when things started to change. Ultimately, it took a brain tumor diagnosis and subsequent craniotomy, for something life-changing to occur.
As a result of where my brain tumor was located, the right frontal lobe, my personality took on some changes. Not all good and not all bad either. That is where gratitude comes in. I'll expound on that more in a moment. The bad part is sometimes having to deal with feelings so deep and raw, that it can cause me to strike out in anger or to cry more easily. That is what is referred to as "FRONTAL LOBE SYNDROME" It's real and was scary at first, because I had no idea that it was normal. I will continue with the other side of the coin.
My creativity was awakened in a huge way, by starting to write some pretty heavy and deep thoughts. My blog came out of that and it has continued to evolve. I had no idea where it came from, but one day I sat down and composed a blog post and suddenly was on a new journey. I had been writing in my journal every day, since I passed the 6 month mark after my craniotomy. I've been doing it ever since. I'm now on my 12th journal.
Someone once told me years ago, that if you enjoyed doing something, it was your gift. I believe that writing is a gift received as a result of having gone through the aftermath of a brain tumor. You know the whole saga, I was not even really told, that I had a brain tumor. It was referred to as a mass, lesion, or meningioma, the type that it was. Remember, I was not told that I had RA, not in so many words anyway. When the nurse handed me pamphlets, I had my answer.
So today, I'm going to get right to the essence of this gratitude post. During this global pandemic, which was something I never imagined to ever experience. I'm sure it's the same for my readers of this blog. I thank all of you, for taking the time to read and make comments. It is appreciated.
Now I would like to share the many things I'm grateful for, which have occurred during this time. I have been working full-time throughout this whole time. The type of work that I do, is impossible to perform at home. I had volunteered to help out with the State Health Department and their COVID-19 task force, but was not aware that it would be off-site and not owning a car, that made it impossible to even consider. However, I did possess the skill sets they were looking for. I know it would have been a great experience, but it was not meant to be.
I'm grateful that I can still work full-time, even after a diagnosis with RA. My biologic is what I'm most grateful for. It does come at a cost, but I manage. I'm always putting aside funds for the following year.
There are so many things that I'm grateful for at this time. One of my favorite singers in the whole wide world, Neil Sedaka, has been putting on mini concerts, 3 songs, Monday thru Friday, on his Facebook page. I usually cannot listen until I get home from work, but it's something to look forward to. Music is a healing balm, like writing is for me.
Our governor has been giving daily press briefings, going to 3 times a week, but it still adds up to over 50. He has been informing us and keeping us calm throughout this pandemic. I'm grateful for his grand leadership. I'm also grateful that he proclaimed May 2020, Brain Tumor Awareness Month in North Dakota. Their office sent me the official document last week. The National Brain Tumor Society, another great organization that I'm grateful for, contacted me and asked if I would want them to contract the governor's office on my behalf. Why not? Let's do this!
Usually on the weekends I have been utilizing a food delivery service. This is my way of helping out our restaurants who are not fully operational at this time. It's given me a chance to try out some new items and it has been enjoyable.
I've also started having my groceries delivered from Walmart. They offer unlimited delivery for a reasonable cost. The delivery people have been great. My last one was kind enough to carry all of my groceries to my door, not just the front door of the apartment building, which is all that they really have to do. Kindness has been overflowing. I received the sweetest note from another delivery person. It can make your day, with that extra touch of kindness.
We received a gift package at work, from Administration and in there was this wonderful lotion. I ended up getting some from Amazon. With washing and using hand sanitizer so much, it really feels good on your skin. I'm grateful that person was kind enough to share, where they got it.
I'm very grateful to those of you, who have reached out to me, regarding the passing of my oldest sister Sharon. Thank-you, for the cards and words of encouragement. I was unable to attend the memorial service, because I felt it was not wise due to the fact that the county it was held in, has the most positive cases and deaths. I believe in being North Dakota Smart. I had an opportunity to tell her that I loved her several times, during our last phone conversation. I am grateful she was my sister and the memory I cherish, is being flower girl at her wedding.
Living alone at this time, has also been something to be grateful for. I don't have to worry about possibly bringing this virus home to another person. I only go to work and home. If I venture out, I will wear a mask. I would be doing it for someone, I may not even know. They could have a child with an underlying health condition or perhaps be in contact with an elderly parent, in a long term care facility. We don't know what that other person is facing at home, so it's okay to be kind and wear one. Like our governor said today, "There should be no shame in wearing a mask." I agree!
I want to close this tale by sharing the thing I'm most grateful for this month, this photo says it all.
~With Gratitude and Thanks!~
Holding official proclamation
This is also Arthritis and Brain Tumor Awareness Months, so I've been doing double duty, with trying to spread awareness. As you know, I have lived with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for twenty-nine years. I say live, not suffer. It's not always easy navigating this disease, but when my attitude toward it became more of gratitude, that is when things started to change. Ultimately, it took a brain tumor diagnosis and subsequent craniotomy, for something life-changing to occur.
As a result of where my brain tumor was located, the right frontal lobe, my personality took on some changes. Not all good and not all bad either. That is where gratitude comes in. I'll expound on that more in a moment. The bad part is sometimes having to deal with feelings so deep and raw, that it can cause me to strike out in anger or to cry more easily. That is what is referred to as "FRONTAL LOBE SYNDROME" It's real and was scary at first, because I had no idea that it was normal. I will continue with the other side of the coin.
My creativity was awakened in a huge way, by starting to write some pretty heavy and deep thoughts. My blog came out of that and it has continued to evolve. I had no idea where it came from, but one day I sat down and composed a blog post and suddenly was on a new journey. I had been writing in my journal every day, since I passed the 6 month mark after my craniotomy. I've been doing it ever since. I'm now on my 12th journal.
Someone once told me years ago, that if you enjoyed doing something, it was your gift. I believe that writing is a gift received as a result of having gone through the aftermath of a brain tumor. You know the whole saga, I was not even really told, that I had a brain tumor. It was referred to as a mass, lesion, or meningioma, the type that it was. Remember, I was not told that I had RA, not in so many words anyway. When the nurse handed me pamphlets, I had my answer.
So today, I'm going to get right to the essence of this gratitude post. During this global pandemic, which was something I never imagined to ever experience. I'm sure it's the same for my readers of this blog. I thank all of you, for taking the time to read and make comments. It is appreciated.
Now I would like to share the many things I'm grateful for, which have occurred during this time. I have been working full-time throughout this whole time. The type of work that I do, is impossible to perform at home. I had volunteered to help out with the State Health Department and their COVID-19 task force, but was not aware that it would be off-site and not owning a car, that made it impossible to even consider. However, I did possess the skill sets they were looking for. I know it would have been a great experience, but it was not meant to be.
I'm grateful that I can still work full-time, even after a diagnosis with RA. My biologic is what I'm most grateful for. It does come at a cost, but I manage. I'm always putting aside funds for the following year.
There are so many things that I'm grateful for at this time. One of my favorite singers in the whole wide world, Neil Sedaka, has been putting on mini concerts, 3 songs, Monday thru Friday, on his Facebook page. I usually cannot listen until I get home from work, but it's something to look forward to. Music is a healing balm, like writing is for me.
Our governor has been giving daily press briefings, going to 3 times a week, but it still adds up to over 50. He has been informing us and keeping us calm throughout this pandemic. I'm grateful for his grand leadership. I'm also grateful that he proclaimed May 2020, Brain Tumor Awareness Month in North Dakota. Their office sent me the official document last week. The National Brain Tumor Society, another great organization that I'm grateful for, contacted me and asked if I would want them to contract the governor's office on my behalf. Why not? Let's do this!
Usually on the weekends I have been utilizing a food delivery service. This is my way of helping out our restaurants who are not fully operational at this time. It's given me a chance to try out some new items and it has been enjoyable.
I've also started having my groceries delivered from Walmart. They offer unlimited delivery for a reasonable cost. The delivery people have been great. My last one was kind enough to carry all of my groceries to my door, not just the front door of the apartment building, which is all that they really have to do. Kindness has been overflowing. I received the sweetest note from another delivery person. It can make your day, with that extra touch of kindness.
We received a gift package at work, from Administration and in there was this wonderful lotion. I ended up getting some from Amazon. With washing and using hand sanitizer so much, it really feels good on your skin. I'm grateful that person was kind enough to share, where they got it.
I'm very grateful to those of you, who have reached out to me, regarding the passing of my oldest sister Sharon. Thank-you, for the cards and words of encouragement. I was unable to attend the memorial service, because I felt it was not wise due to the fact that the county it was held in, has the most positive cases and deaths. I believe in being North Dakota Smart. I had an opportunity to tell her that I loved her several times, during our last phone conversation. I am grateful she was my sister and the memory I cherish, is being flower girl at her wedding.
Living alone at this time, has also been something to be grateful for. I don't have to worry about possibly bringing this virus home to another person. I only go to work and home. If I venture out, I will wear a mask. I would be doing it for someone, I may not even know. They could have a child with an underlying health condition or perhaps be in contact with an elderly parent, in a long term care facility. We don't know what that other person is facing at home, so it's okay to be kind and wear one. Like our governor said today, "There should be no shame in wearing a mask." I agree!
I want to close this tale by sharing the thing I'm most grateful for this month, this photo says it all.
~With Gratitude and Thanks!~
Holding official proclamation
Bravo Brenda! I know this has been a tough year. SO happy to hear you had such an encouraging week. Hugs across the miles.
ReplyDeleteThanks Renee!
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