health

Keeping it Simple with Lucky Sean O’Sloth

    I feel lucky every time someone orders one of my sloths on Etsy. When a friend suggested I put some of my holiday ornaments on Etsy in December, I never expected people to buy them, especially since there are already a gazillion super cute items there. I've been giving my ornaments away for more than 10 years, and hadn't considered selling them,…Read more Keeping it Simple with Lucky Sean O’Sloth

Good-bye 2017!

When I woke up last Wednesday, I felt a little queasy, which is not unusual for me. But after 15 minutes, the queasiness escalated, and by the time I fed the dogs, there was a burning fluid rushing from my stomach to my throat. I couldn't hold it in. It splattered out of my mouth and…Read more Good-bye 2017!

Distractions from Depression During the Holidays – Do They Work?

  It may seem odd that I'm writing about my holiday "blues" this late in the game, but for me, Christmas day is the darkest. It brings inexplicable depression and despair, so I call it D-Day. All the hoopla in the weeks preceding Christmas doesn't bother me at all. In fact, that's when I have fun getting my holiday…Read more Distractions from Depression During the Holidays – Do They Work?

Sewing Stitches vs Surgery Stitches

This morning at 7 am, as I sat in the Radiology department of the hospital, all prepped for surgery to remove my port, I found myself rehearsing what I was going to say to the surgeon. "Look, it's not terribly red anymore, and it doesn't hurt. Can we skip  the surgery?" These were not the…Read more Sewing Stitches vs Surgery Stitches

Processing the week’s events

So much has happened in the past week. It was very exciting last Sunday when my book became available. Thank you to all my friends and family members for placing your orders! And thank you to all my new online friends, who, without even knowing me, bought the book and expressed their congratulations. How cool…Read more Processing the week’s events

Flight of Fancy

In my twenties and thirties, I loved flying. Going to the airport meant I was going on an adventure. It didn’t matter if I was headed to Appleton, Wisconsin or Konya, Turkey, I got the same rush of excitement. I loved the hubbub of the airports and was sure everyone else was feeling the same…Read more Flight of Fancy

Funny, but offensive

The use of fake service animals and emotional support animals exacerbates the stigma of mental illness. Not long ago I read an article in the New Yorker by Patricia Marx called “Pets Allowed: Why are so many animals now in places where they shouldn’t be?” Ms. Marx is a funny writer, but as soon as I…Read more Funny, but offensive

Cheerful chickens

Today is Day #6 for the incubation of my button quail. On Day #13 I’ll remove the eggs from the auto-rotator and put them on the flat, wire mesh bottom of the incubator. On Day #16, they could start hatching!! Yipppeee! In the meantime, I keep checking the humidity level, which should be 40-60%, and…Read more Cheerful chickens

Book news!

I'm happy to announce that Koehler Books will be publishing my book, GIVING PAWS: Having a Service Dog for a Hidden Disability. It will be available in October 2017. Like my first book, THE OXYGEN MASK RULE, (2012), GIVING PAWS is about finding hope. The recent popularity of service dogs for people with hidden or "invisible" disabilities has…Read more Book news!

Award winning finalist!!!

I am thrilled to share that my book is an Award-Winning Finalist in the Women's Issues category of the 2012 International Book Awards" The Oxygen Mask Rule: How My Battle With Anorexia Taught Me How To Survive by Martha L. Thompson I will be attending the NY Book Expo next month, yay! For more info…Read more Award winning finalist!!!