On the day before Thanksgiving I found one of my beloved box turtles lifeless in the middle of the aquarium. In 2008, I adopted three eastern box turtles from a friend at the zoo, whose children had "outgrown" them. My friend had hatched these three turtles eight years earlier as a way of teaching her…Read more Dionne’s Demise – Stress?
anxiety
Unanswered questions about an uncommon illness
Forgive me for whining, but lately I've been feeling alone in my struggle with my recently placed Power-Port, the grape-sized catheter in my chest, that I need for monthly IVIG infusions. The surgery was 3 months ago, and it still hasn't healed. When I showed my inflamed port to a doctor a month ago, I…Read more Unanswered questions about an uncommon illness
US Review of Books for Giving Paws
http://www.theUSreview.com/reviews/Giving-Paws-by-Martha-L-Thompson.html Giving Paws: Having a Service Dog for a Hidden Disability by Martha L. Thompson Koehler Books reviewed by Dylan Ward "What I did not anticipate were all the other challenges that came with having a four-footed assistant by my side." After her father’s death in a car crash, Martha sinks into a dark…Read more US Review of Books for Giving Paws
Thank you Joe Buck
I'm not in the habit of writing about my husband here because it's a blog about my challenges, not his, but I want to share some joyful news. If you're a Dodger fan, last night was upsetting, but something happened during the game that brought some well-deserved happiness to my dear husband, Don. Don learned…Read more Thank you Joe Buck
A Sudden Change in Plans
Last Thursday I went to my volunteer job at the hospital, but I never made it home. Two months ago I had a surgery to remove a 7 year old central line catheter from the right side of my chest that had gotten clotted. Shortly thereafter I had a second surgery to have a new…Read more A Sudden Change in Plans
“Pins and needles” and yarn and felt. My favorite anti-anxiety “meds.”
With all the excitement from my book coming out, I should be dancing little jigs and feeling content, right? Don't get me wrong, I'm ultra grateful for all the positive feedback from my kind readers, and I do feel a sense of accomplishment, but my brain chemistry has two settings: 1) totally elated - "manicky,"…Read more “Pins and needles” and yarn and felt. My favorite anti-anxiety “meds.”
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
Book News!!
Henry and I are happy to say that as of today, the paperback version of Giving Paws: Having a Service Dog for a Hidden Disability, is available on Amazon. It will be available in hardcover and on Kindle and Nook in the next few days as well. In the mood to shop? https://www.amazon.com/Giving-Paws-Having-Service-Disability/dp/1633934993 https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/giving-paws-martha-l-thompson/1126889845 https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/giving-paws We…Read more Book News!!
Gratitude
The first thing I do in the morning is feed my animals. This requires more time than you might think because my turtle, Ruby the Red-Eared Slider, has to be spoon fed. In 2002 I found her trying to cross a busy street. Before she got halfway across, she got run over by a car. Her…Read more Gratitude
Healing Henry
Henry let out an anguished screech as I tried to move him into a good position on the couch. I was hoping he'd let me apply a warm compress to the bandaged surgery incision on his tummy. “I’m sorry Henry,” I said, gently scratching him behind the ear. His crying sent a shock of empathy pain through…Read more Healing Henry
Dogged Hope 