Why I work where I do

When I first moved to St. George in 2006 I found a job working in the front office for a local dentist. I liked it there. I thought I was doing a good job, and was told I was doing a great job. And then, after 4 months, I got fired. No warning. Nada. To this day, I don't know why. So I went on unemployment and started looking for work. Again.

My vehicle of choice for job hunting is the Utah Job Service web site. One day I got a call from an employer who's ad had not interested me. Apparently at Job Service's website, employers can see who clicked on their ad and read their resumes. Who Knew?

The job was for a chiropractic office putting heat and muscle stimulation on the patients. Since they'd called me I felt that I needed to go ahead and apply to keep good faith with the state agency paying my unemployment benefits.

The manager wanted me to come down right then, if possible. I was in jeans, doing housework. Told her I needed time to clean up and she said not to worry about that, just come on down. So down I went. Had a pleasant interview. Came away pretty sure I was going to get this job and pretty dang sure I didn't want it. Yup. She called the next day and the job was mine. I figured, what the heck, I'll take the job and earn a few bucks while I look for something I actually want to do.

I've been with Gunn Chiropractic for 2 1/2 years now. Here's the thing. The people who work in this office are the best. Dr Gunn, Josh, is the kind of boss you all want, but probably don't have. He treats us well. He trusts us to do our jobs so he steps back and lets us do them. No nagging, no badgering. And he's a genuinely nice person. Treats his patients' physical needs and listens to their emotional ones. And jokes around with us. My kind of boss.

Our office manager, Nancy, is one of the kindest souls I have ever known. She would give me the shirt off her back if I needed it. And go without herself. She is a world-class listener. The patients, and those of us who work with her, know that she genuinely cares about our problems - and would fix them if it were in her power to do so.

Hannah, who now does patient care while I do insurance billing, is nothing short of amazing. She has this knack of making whichever patient she is with feel like they are the single-most important person on the planet. They adore her. Me too, Me too! I don't think Hannah knows how to complain about anything. Nice is not a nice enough word.

We four are of four different generations. And yet, somehow, it really seems to work. I think our patients recieve top-notch care on every level. We are an old-fashioned, extra-mile, type of outfit. We take our jobs seriously and try to do them well. We work hard but we have so much fun while we're doing it, it is not uncommon to laugh until we hurt.

So, officially, my job is insurance billing. Insurance companies are of the Devil. They exist to aggravate me, I know they do. I cannot say that I love the job that I do. But I can say that I love the people I do it with so much that I can't imagine working anywhere else.

Looking Within

Following the example of many others in my Blog circle, I am taking a look within. Here I am. The Good. The Bad. The Truth. The best part is at the end where I focus on the people I love!

1. I am a neat freak. Everything has a place and should be in it. I cannot stand clutter. It has taken concentrated effort to teach myself to be less obsessive about it.

2. I believe in God.

3. I listen to country music. Pretty much all of it. The new stuff. The really old stuff. The hokey stuff. All of it.

4. I believe I am a good Mom. I think it is the thing I have done best in this life. I know it is the thing that has given me the most Joy.

5. I love two year olds and teenagers. The years that most moms say are the hardest were a delightful, if challenging, romp. I am a champion of children of all ages.

6. I am a fan of the National Parks. If you want to appreciate the beauty and diversity of this grand old country of ours, visit them.

7. I always worry about money. I worry when I don't have it. I worry when I do have it. I don't know why I do it, I just do.

8. I do not have a closet full of shoes. My favorite footwear is none. Creaky bones in my feet have made it necessary to wear shoes 90% of the time. I think it's rude.

9. I love to tell a story. When I'm out and about I'm on the lookout for something funny, touching or odd. When things go wrong I comfort myself with knowing that I will have a good story to tell out of it!

10. Books. Every house should have tons of them. And they should be read. Touched. Smelled. Discussed. Books are definitely a good thing.

12. I dislike excercise. It does not make me feel energized or uplifted. It just makes me tired.

13. Often, what I know I should do and what I do are different things. The more I know I should do something, the less I want to do it. The harder I am pushed, the slower I will go. I am more motivated by a checklist of items... I will sometimes make a list AFTER I get things done, just so I can check them off.

14. I have a rotten memory. If I forget your name, or forget that you already told me that, please forgive me. It is not that I do not care or do not listen. I just have a retention problem.

15. I am afraid of flying. Seriously. Tears. Sweats. Nausea. I refuse to let fear keep me from going to the places I want to go.

16. I really like fast food and junk food. I eat way less of them than I want to so that I will be healthy and weigh less... Okay, I love it when that happens. Way less. Weigh less. Words are magical

17. I enjoy games. Card games. Board games. Computer games. I play a killer game of scrabble: my friends and family refuse to play it with me anymore. I play online with people from all over the world. I also enjoy TV and jigsaw puzzles and other mindless wastes of time.

18. I like to write. I like the challenge of taking random words and filling a blank page with organized thoughts.

19. I am not a big pet fan. Dogs know this. They bite me.

20. I am not a multi-tasker. I want to do one thing until it is done. Then do the next thing. Interruptions are a struggle for me. I get cranky when I'm doing something and somebody needs me to stop and do something else in the middle. I've had to work on that and am better about it now than I was, but still not good.

21. I've always wished I could have a beautiful singing voice.

22.I don't wear make-up and I'm not overly concerned with how my hair looks. I don't use a hair dryer, a curling iron or a flat iron. I do, however, dye my hair. I can handle an "unpainted canvas" but I can't take the Grey Frame!

23. After having open heart surgery, I worry every time I get a tiny cough or a smidge of heartburn. It's an emotional response not a logical one.

24. I think most parents use plenty of love in raising their children but not enough logic. If a child throws a tantrum and mom gives in, the child learns that it works and will use the same trick next time. If mom lets the child know that a tantrum is an automatic NO, and then backs up the words, the child learns to use a calmer approach. Logical, right?

25. If I had it to do over, I would spend less time cleaning up after my children, and more time rocking them. But I have no real regrets. Life's experiences form who we are today. Give away the experience and you give away a piece of yourself.

26. I think people use the words "love" and "hate" too often. I am guilty of both. I'm trying to avoid that in this post. It's harder than you think.

27. Money cannot buy happiness. Happiness comes from attitude. But money can sure buy a lot of fun.

28. Promises are meant to be kept. They should not be made lightly.

29. I like to give advice. I think, generally, that the advice I give is sound, logical and helpful. Maybe I am fooling myself.

30. I am a poor sleeper. I toss and turn and wake up multiple times a night. I move from bed to couch to bed. Yet when the alarm goes off I hit the "snooze" button repeatedly and put off getting up until the last possible minute.

31. I appreciate a well-decorated home. I lack that talent so my house is a blank canvas. You might say it lacks warmth. I say it lacks decoration. The warmth is in the people who live here.

32. I talk. A lot.

33. Fresh raspberries are divine. Especially dipped in chocolate.

34. I hate my chins. All of them.

35. Mountains make me smile.

36. I talk a whole lot tougher than I really am. Maybe if I talk a tough game, people won't see how insecure I really am. Writing this down makes me feel very vulnerable.

37. I am embarassed by how poorly I handled my divorce. I collapsed emotionally and failed to support my children through one of life's hardest blows. I am very proud of how my children stood with strength and dignity while mom fell apart. They held me up while others beat me down. I still carry a lot of anger at the way I was treated during this time. Though I feel it is justifiable, overcoming this anger will probably be my greatest life's challenge.

38. I like to pretend that I really don't care what other people think of me. But I do.

39. I enjoy gambling as entertainment. The key is to have an entertainment budget and stick to it.

40. It makes me happy when my husband plays his guitars. Especially the accoustic. It makes our house feel "right" somehow.

41. I believe that all churches have truth and goodness in them. I believe that God has given his multitudes of children many religions to choose from because He knows how different we all are and that we cannot all walk the same path back to Him. I feel that many people live their religions so 'narrowly' that they miss the big picture, focusing too much on the letter of the law and not enough on love, faith and charity. I cannot say that I Know any one church is true. But I can say that I whole-heartedly believe that there is a God who knows ME and will accept my efforts at being a good, decent person as "enough".

42. A house without children is very quiet. I miss the sounds of life that once filled our home. I can't think of anything more happy-making than when the daughters (all 5 of them) come home and bring all that life with them.

43. Nausea is the very worst part of recovering from surgery. Anesthesia makes me sick. The rest of the recovery is relatively easy, though it's not fun. I have a low pain threshold.

44. I should have listened to my parents and gone to college.

45. Braces are worth it.

46. I believe our spirits live on after death. But I am afraid of dying.

47. I think sewing is of the devil. Therefore, a finished sewing project is particularly satisfying. I keep it simple then relish the sense of accomplishment that comes with conquering that particular beast.

48. I don't wait well. Long lines. Slow clerks. Glitchy computer connections. Tardiness. These things aggravate me.

49. People should not be judged by thier appearance. I absolutely believe this. It is somtimes a harder thing to practice than to believe.

50. I can't wait to be a Grandma.

The greatest Joy in my life is the people in it. Here they are:

1. Steve. My sweetheart, my friend, my rock, my companion, my husband. He is gently strong. Quietly outspoken. He is laid-back but not lazy. Focused but not obsessive. He always puts others before himself. He sees me honestly, with my strengths AND my flaws, and loves me for both. I trust him with my life, but more importantly, I trust him with my heart and soul.

2. I admire my daughter Stephanie for her amazing attitude towards life. I've never had to remind her to "stop and smell the roses" though I've sometimes told her "it's time to stop smelling the roses now baby". That concept didn't take. She figured out that if she put the rose in her hair, she could do what was required and still smell the rose. She works hard, serves often, gives generously and lives JOY.

3. My Katie has more integrity than any other person I've ever known. She deals with people honestly, but more importantly, she deals honestly with herself. This is a gift that I feel is sorely lacking in the world today, but my daughter embodies it. I admire her desire to seek truth in all things. Because she lives with such integrity, she is sometimes too hard on herself. I wish she could look in the mirror and see the amazing woman that I see when I look at her. She is loyal, intelligent, forgiving and when she listens, she hears.

4. My son in law is my son. Mike is his own man, and a product of his wonderful parents, but he fits in our family so perfectly that it seems like he has always been ours. He sets goals then reaches out for them until he has them in his hands. No sooner does he grab on to that achieved goal, than he sets it down and starts working on the next one. He is fiercely competitive and very intelligent so he's usually the winner at game night. (except phase 10, Steph OWNS that)

5. Step-daughters are a gift. I have three. They have been unfailingly kind and welcoming to me. Brooke is motivated, focused... and so much fun. Emily is gentle, nurturing and possessed of a tender heart. Jamie is loyal, straightforward and tough on the outide whilst being a cupcake in the middle. None of them need me to be a mom to them but all have allowed me to be a friend and, for this, I am grateful.

6. My parents. I get all misty eyed just writing that much. I love my mom and dad. They are not flashy parents. They are not the kind of whom books are written. They are steady, strong, loving and good. They are of the generation that seldom speak of their pride in their family. It is there. I see it in their eyes. They also rarely speak of their trials or hurts. They bear them quietly and stoicly. They have taught me to be independant and strong but have often carried me when I could not carry myself. I feel fiercely protective of them. Mess with me and I will live through it. Mess with my mom and dad, and NOW there's gonna be trouble.

7. I grew up fighting with my big brother, Steve. He is now one of my best friends and one of the finest men I know. He is generous always, fiercely loyal and always speaks the truth. Opinioniated? You could say that, yes. But you always know that he is telling you exactly what he believes. He married the perfect woman. Well, not Perfect perfect, but perfect for him and for our family. She is Gentle Tough. She speaks softly but means what she says. And fun. It's always fun to be with Barb, with or without shoelaces... (inside story, no time for that here)

8. Eddie is a quiet man. I rarely know what he's thinking. And yet, I always feel that he's got my back. He lives the life he wants instead of the life people expect from him, which shows a strength most of us lack. All the nieces and nephews love Uncle Eddie - it is with them that he cuts loose a little and the fun comes out.

9. Barbara is my sister-friend. Sisters by birth, friends by choice. If ever I need a stalwart defender, it is she I will go to. She is strong. She has dealt with much trial in her life, including the death of her son, our beloved Matty. I admire the grace and dignity with which she has faced these things in her life. She tends to get flustered easily by the small things but when the stakes are big, and hard, no one deals it with it more steadily and graciously than she. Her husband, Brian, brings a great sense of fun to our family. He is a great match for my sister - he has an inate sense of when to push and when to stop.

10. My baby sister Lisa has struggled to find her place in this world. She, too, has dealt with some tough blows and thus far has allowed them to cripple her. She is very strong-minded and shows more determination than I've ever seen in anybody. When she learns to channel that determination in to good things, she will do great things.

11. Nieces and nephews! They rock. I love them each and every one. They each bring unique gifts and talents to the table. I won't name them one by one, but they know that they are individually dearly, dearly loved by me.

12. Busia. My grandmother. 93 and still sharp, funny and strong. She raised five amazing daughters - by herself. I admire and love her. I have a great heritage in her and in my dad's parents, who are both gone. They have left me with many warm and cherished memories.

13. A lot of folks say they barely know their cousins or aunts and uncles. YIKES! I have a lot of them and though I don't see any of them often, being with them is like going home. Comfortable and secure.

14. I have been blessed with wonderful friends. Too many of them to name. But to Kathy, Kandra, Laurie and Irma I give special mention. These incredible women have each taught me, lifted me and inspired me.

15. Finally, my life has been touched by the many friends my children have brought through our home over the years. From them, much love has been recieved, and to them, much love is given

Presidents, Plantations and Palaces

We are recently returned from our summer vacation to Boston - It is rich in history - a cornerstone of the birth of our nation.


Four of us undertook this adventure together: myself, Steve, my brother Steve and his wife Barbara. The three of them are true history buffs. They know the dates. They can expostulate about the names. They know how each event relates to the other. Then there's me. I know we've had a bunch or presidents before Bush, but I'd be hard put to name more than six or seven of them and, most assuredly, not in order. I was out of my league. Way out.

The first day was a history "primer". We walked the Freedom Trail in the heart of Boston. The Freedom Trail is a red line painted on the sidewalk. Follow the red line and you can visit many places of historical significance. We walked. We saw. I don't remember any of it. See, I still have some bad days with my back after heart surgery and this day was one of them. Mid morning I took a pain pill and by lunch that pain pill was determined to turn me inside out. I was equally determined that it would not. By the time we reached Paul Revere's house (you know the guy, the British are coming, the British are coming) the battle in my belly was at full tilt. We entered Paul's house. Toured the narrow, dark, very warm ground floor. Up the stairs. Narrower. Warmer. And there, at that moment in my personal history, came the call "my breakfast is coming!, my breakfast is coming!". Back down the stairs, against the flow of tourists, out the back door and behind the building... yes, Paul's yard will always know that I visited there. Living history.

Plimoth Plantation, in Plymouth MA, is a step back in time. One section is a recreation of the Wampanoag (Indian) lifestyle at the time of the colonists; the other is a full blown "pilgrim" village. The people who work there are dressed according to the time period. They are doing laundry in the river, building dwellings and using the tools and methods of the time. Each person plays the role of an actual colonist who came to America on the Mayflower. We spoke with them about conditions and motivations and politics and they spoke with us as though we were standing there at that time in history, never breaking the role of the person they portray. Telling their "personal" story. It was fascinating and fun and educational. Now this is my kind of history!

Newport, Rhode Island. Not far from Boston in miles but far removed in "tone". We're talking "lifestyles of the rich and famous" here.
Mansions. No, not "big houses". Mansions. We toured The Breakers. Summer home to the Vanderbilts. They used it 6-7 weeks out of the year. Some walls Marble. Some walls ornately carved. Some walls covered with gold leafed goo-gahs and what-nots. And the ceilings would have the marble, the carvings, the gold AND paintings of cherubs and angels. We're talking out of control spending here. The dining room was BIG. When I say big, I mean the guide told us you could fit an average 2000 square foot house INSIDE the dining room. In otherwords, MY house...and a chunk of my neighbor's house. Now I don't know about you, but even I do not eat enough to justify a dining room that big.

We spent a day in Salem, of witch trial fame, and another day in Boston touring historical sites. Our last day took us to visit Quincy, Massachusetts, birthplace and home to John Adams and John Quincy Adams, our 2nd and 6th presidents.

Quincy is THE absolute MUST SEE for history fans. We toured the homes where John and John Q. were born. They were "restored" and had furnishings that were "like those" that would have been in the home back in the 1700's. And then we toured Peacefield. The home where John and Abigail Adams lived just prior to, and after John Adam's presidency, until their deaths. Three following generations lived there. It resonates with history. Everything in the house is original to a member of the Adam's family. The bed where Abigail died. The desk John wrote letters at. The same wallpaper on the walls, peeling and fading. Above the fireplace hang portraits of George and Martha Washington, hung there by John Adams himself, and still hanging there today. This place truly stirs the soul in a way I can't explain.

Boston is a beautiful town. The weather was absolutely perfect and the company was excellent. With all that going for it, even my relative disinterest in history was kindled and stirred. But don't ask me to remember the significant dates or the sequence of our presidents. It just isn't going to happen.

My Heart likes Hiking

Fresh Air. Rippling Water. Wildflowers. Excercise for my healing body. My heart likes hiking.

This weekend my children came south to visit. As is our tradition, we got up early on Saturday and headed out to Zion. Zion is gorgeous year-round but hiking her this time of year means getting in and back out before noon. Temperatures pass 100 by early afternoon. It's also peak tourist season in the park so we pulled out our handy-dandy southern Utah hiking guide and found a hike in the park that is lesser known - Lower Pine Creek. We didn't quite have it to ourselves... but close enough!

Unfortunately (sad sigh) we had to leave Katie at home this trip. Her allergies are bullying her something fierce. So our little party consisted of four: Mike, Stephanie, Steve and I.

This was not a stroll up the trail hike. It was a scramble over boulders and balance on rocks across the river hike. In short - the fun kind.Stephanie and I had our cameras (of course) and drove the guys crazy (as usual) stopping to take pictures of anything that moved and most things that didn't.

The trail ends at a waterfall. Here in southern Utah waterfalls are a rarity and so, for us, it was a refreshing treat. For Mike it was an excuse to be 12 years old again and clamber up the little fall in order to slide back down it. Which he did and managed to come out unscathed. Which is more than Steve can say... he did not ascend the falls but somewhere along the way he managed to bloody both knees. Which seems to be a hiking 'must' with him latelyMike wears a non-stop smile when we are out hiking. Stephanie, with her amazing artist's "eye", always finds the perfect picture. The two of them are a delight to watch, together. Steve blazes a trail with his special, hand-carved, walking stick then relaxes in the shade and becomes one with the beauty of Zion. Yes, oh yes, my heart likes hiking.

How Flat Tires Become Flat Screen TV's

Saturday is errand day. A Costco run. Gas in the car. Maybe a little window shopping at the furniture store. (Why I find this so appealing is beyond me, but alas, I do). This Saturday we were out and about doing the usual stuff and as we left Costco we noticed that the left front tire was low. Quite low. No problem. Air is free right? Well, actually, at Costco, Air costs 50 cents but I digress. Steve grabbed the pressure guage, bent to add the air and said the one thing you hate to hear when cars are involved. Yup, the dreaded "uh oh".

Nail in the tire. Now you know you can't pull that thing out right? And you know it's not a good idea to drive around with it so we have no choice but to head straight to the tire store for a repair. Free repair because that's where Steve always buys his tires. Well, it would have been a free repair if the tire guy hadn't said, you guessed it, "uh oh". Seems the tread was way too worn to repair the tire. So we have no choice but to buy 2 new tires and agree to wait the hour it will take to have them mounted.

It's hot and humid outside. Every seat in the tire shop is taken so we trundle off across the parking lot to the nearby stores, all with AC's merrily humming, to kill some time. We escape Kohl's without spending a cent. Wander through Office Max and get out FREE. Then we wander in to Best Buy. I can just hear you thinking it... "uh oh"

We look at camera lenses. Drool on a few Ipods. And end up in the TV department. We are not 'really' in the market for a TV just yet. Our Old Monster of a tube TV still works. We want a Flat Screen - one day. But they aren't cheap and we don't want a dinky one. And I am picky and I like Sony because the picture is so bright and shiny. The price tag that comes with a Sony is often bigger than the screen size. Until today. The one I want is discounted by over $500. I don't know why it is. The clerk can't .. or won't.. say how long it will be. We debate. We leave the store. Pick up the car. End up back at Best Buy. Somehow we just couldn't bring ourselves to leave that big black box with the shiny screen in that store. We hauled it home ... bouncing merrily along on the new tread.

And that is how Flat Tires become Flat Screen TV's.

4th of July Nostalgia

I miss Cherry Days.

I miss the dorky parade. I miss seeing my nephew, David, ride his unicycle down Washington Blvd in his Raggedy Ann costume. I miss seeing LouAnn, in her Cherry Days t-shirt, without fail, every year. I can almost, now, taste the tootsie rolls picked up off the sidewalk, having been flung by Gordon riding in the big fire truck.

I miss our North Ogden Carnival at the park. The kiddie rides. The burnt hamburgers. The Shupes selling Creamies. I can't even tell you how much I miss the home-town talent shows. I can almost hear Stephanie yodeling from here. The passage of years is trying to silence that song, but I hear it still. And I smile.

I miss the Pleasant View fireworks. I've seen bigger. I've seen flashier. None instill that same sense of allegiance to home and country as those displays at good old Weber High. Some years so hot the air crackled; others with umbrellas; one wearing parkas. Every one of them a bright burst of light in my heart.

Here in Saint George many of the same events take place. Somebody selling Creamies at the carnival. The kiddie train chugging around the park. The Dixie Sunbowl, peopled with grandma's and teenagers and children with bright eyes and flushed cheeks painted with flags and stars. Sweet, sticky snowcone faces, drinking in the moment. The talent competition. I watch Mikalene sing, yodel in fact, and it almost, almost, carries me back again.

I look at my husband, relaxed, listening to the music. I am so happy to be here with him this night. To know that in him I have found the other half of me. Together we are making a life of joy here in Saint George. But I miss Cherry Days.

Sometimes I Surprise Myself

Sometimes I surprise myself. I work for a chiropractor. We use moist heat therapy on our patients before they see the doctor. Some of our patients prefer to wear a gown for this treatment because they don't like it when their clothes get damp. One of our patients is rather large and we have only one gown that fits her. That gown is worn to tatters and we've been unable to locate another one. We were talking about this problem a few days ago.(here it comes, the part where I surprise myself) I picked up the gown, looked it over and --- here it comes--- said "I think I could use this old one as a pattern and make a new one". Those of you who truly know me are laughing now. STOP IT. Nobody was more surprised by those words than I.

I got some Wallyworld fabric, carried old and new home, and set to work. Four hours later I was finished. Okay, four hours IS a long time, but I am extremely sewing challenged. The point is, with only 2 'unpickings' I met my self-imposed challenge. The sleeves hang nicely. The tie closures line up properly. The hem is even. I am amazed. Truly amazed. I mean, we all know sewing machines are carnivorous, but I managed to come out of it relatively unscathed.

Sporting only one needle prick on my thumb and fancying myself quite the seamstress I decided it was as good a time as any to make new tablecloths for my round living room end tables. Successful Again! I'm quite giddy about it. Doing backflips. High-fiving the meter reader. Staring down the sewing machine shouting "I win! I win! I win!"

What shall she put her magic touch to next, you ask? Silly, silly you. I put that infernal devil machine back in the closet where it belongs and, with any luck, won't have to touch it again for years. One can only tempt the fates so far. And though I do, sometimes, surprise myself, I'm not a total fool!

Living this Life is a Glorious Thing

Almost a year ago I came down with pneumonia. I kept swallowing antiobiotics to clear it up. It kept coming back. Not good. After 8 months of that my doctor decided something serious was going on and sent me off for an echocardiogram. I was very sure, since I know everything, that it was my lungs and not my heart so I told Steve I wasn't going to go for the test. He said GO. I went. Imagine my surprise when the tech furrowed his brow and left the room, returning with a cardiologist. Mr. Hot Shot doctor looked at the moniter and said words that would change my view of the world forever: "Mrs. Workman, you have a tumor IN your heart". I don't know about you but when I hear "tumor", I hear "cancer". Right then and there I realized that every moment of this life is precious.

I went home shell-shocked. Got on the internet and did some serious study. Learned that cardiac tumors are RARE occurances and even more RARELY, cancer. Relief! Why couldn't the doctor have told me that? Anyway, I spent the next two weeks doing more tests like the delightful, if not delicious, swallowing of the camera for a better look at the "goober" as my surgeon called it. The beast that had been robbing me of my health was about an inch wide and filling up half of my left atrium. My heart could not disperse oxygenated blood to my system and that's why we kept chasing respiratory stuff. We'd been following the wrong ghoul. A merry masquerade!!

Two weeks after those fateful words, "you have a tumor in your heart", I was in surgery. Fear! Trepidation! I came out of surgery with more tubes attached to me than you see on the average car engine. Including an intra-JUGULAR IV. Yeah, I know, gross. More Fear! More Trepidation! And some pain, but surprisingly, less than anticipated.

A few days later, lying in my hospital bed, the most amazing thing happened. I realized my fingers were WARM. I actually took my nurse by the hand and said "feel this". She looked at me like I was stark raving bonkers. I explained that my hands and feet had been numb and cold for Months. Months!! And now, blessed warmth. It's amazing what oxygen does for your extremities. Lots of people out there are worried about air quality these days but I'm here to tell you, AIR IS GOOD!! Fantastic even!

It's now been 10 weeks since surgery and 10 months since the first bout of pneumonia. I feel like a person again! I have energy. I laugh. I stir up all sorts of nonsense at work. My boss says "looks like Kathy's BACK". I haven't decided if he thinks that's a good thing or a bad thing....

Sure, there are lingering issues like the backache that will not die. Sneezing is still not my favorite. But I have learned that this life we have been given is a joyful, if sometimes perilous, journey. Each day brings something new and delightful. The little things that used to cause me stress and worry have been relegated to their proper position: the trash can.

My life is important. It is worthwhile. Not because of what I wear or weigh. Not because of how much I clean or what size my paycheck is. It is a gift. I LIVE!! What a grand and glorious thing.