Thursday, August 9, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Have You Had Your Hug Today?
Growing up, remember having that one best friend? Remember having sleep overs and reading under the covers with a flashlight? Remember catching fire flies together? Then there was that bosom friend who was with you through thick and thin when friends couldn't come over or it was raining outside. For you, who or what was it? For me...it was my stuffed animal Snuffles by Gotta Get A Gund! This timeless stuffed polar bear has been here for me through everything. They say it is healthy especially for children who grow up with acute medical situations to have such a friend to act out and love and have when Mom and Dad weren't there or when feeling lonely. Loving the Snuffles helped express what I couldn't express because developmentally I wasn't emotionally prepared - the one thing I could do is hug my teddy bear.
My Snuffles has been here through thick and thin. He hugged me every night and ensured I felt safe. He went through every surgery growing with me growing up. He helped me while receiving shots. I use to bite his ear instead of crying. Snuffles was a wonderful supporter for me in and out of the hospital. He is absolutely filthy from many years of love. When I got married I remember thinking, "Oh no, I can't sleep with a Snuffles!" I had to "wean" myself since we had been together for all those years. First I would sleep at night with Snuffle on my pillow and then eventually the night stand then the book shelf on the other side of the room until finally, he was put in a box in the closet.
Last February our first dog, black lab mix George passed away. He was my everything like Stella is now. Because I work from home I literally spend more time with our dogs than my husband. George became a self-trained service dog. He learned when my spinal fluid would fluctuate and was at my side immediately before that happened and I became dizzy. I recall one day I fell from the spinal head ache and dizziness. George put himself under me and helped me crawl to bed. In classic George form, he helped (as only a dog could) get into bed. Then he hopped up and waited for me to get on my back. The spinal fluid and head aches lessens when lying flat; it's a neutral position for the spinal. Once I was situated George gently placed his sweet head on my belly and looked up at me, never began closing his eyes until mine did. For almost 14 years we had this wonderful relationship. After surgery he did the same thing, lying with me for hours and hours while I was in pain. He was so sensitive and I love/d him very much. We planted a cherry tree in the back yard in his memory so every spring it blooms. It is a reminder of him and lets George, gracing the back yard with beauty.
We were devastated as everyone is when losing a beloved pet. I couldn't sleep because although he was large he was able to get so close to me in bed (like a cat) to make me feel the same comfort I had with my beloved Snuffles. My friend suggested pulling Snuffles out of the closet to curl up with him for that closeness I craved. I did at age 36 sleep with my stuffed animal. Oh just seeing him made me feel kinship that only close friends have after a long separation. He slept with me and snuggled me to the point I felt peace with George being in Doggy Heaven. Of course the friend who suggested this also happens to be my best friend from childhood with whom I played endlessly and she knew of Snuffles and our "story" from the hospital. Friends always know each other and what we need.
As we have Stella now, a young yellow lab, she also loved Snuffles. She got him off the bed and pulled out all the stuffing which has been replaced and he'll have a little "surgery" to sew closed his wounds. Mark, my husband bought me a new Snuffles to comfort me during rough times when that closeness is necessary and George isn't here to provide it. Stella doesn't get on the bed and is a shorter lab. We don't want it to be hard on her joints as we learned, with George, it made his arthritis worse. You live and you learn. Stella and I have our special snuggie time. I wish during one life time the dogs could meet because Stella and George would love each other. I've been lucky to have the ultimate snuggle machine, my husband and from childhood Snuffles then George and now Stella.
It's important to feed the soul. For some it's a stuffed animal, a blanket or a special photo. For others it's a memory. I think what's nice is to have that bossom friend or item which makes you feel safe along with family and friends. Snuffles, I love you. To George, our first puppy love we will always love you. My cousin put it very well. No animal will replace George but they will make your heart bigger - Stella has definitely enlarged our heart to know more and different love! I wish love to warm your hearts and give you a "hug" each day! Have you had your hug today?
My Snuffles has been here through thick and thin. He hugged me every night and ensured I felt safe. He went through every surgery growing with me growing up. He helped me while receiving shots. I use to bite his ear instead of crying. Snuffles was a wonderful supporter for me in and out of the hospital. He is absolutely filthy from many years of love. When I got married I remember thinking, "Oh no, I can't sleep with a Snuffles!" I had to "wean" myself since we had been together for all those years. First I would sleep at night with Snuffle on my pillow and then eventually the night stand then the book shelf on the other side of the room until finally, he was put in a box in the closet.
Snuffles!
Last February our first dog, black lab mix George passed away. He was my everything like Stella is now. Because I work from home I literally spend more time with our dogs than my husband. George became a self-trained service dog. He learned when my spinal fluid would fluctuate and was at my side immediately before that happened and I became dizzy. I recall one day I fell from the spinal head ache and dizziness. George put himself under me and helped me crawl to bed. In classic George form, he helped (as only a dog could) get into bed. Then he hopped up and waited for me to get on my back. The spinal fluid and head aches lessens when lying flat; it's a neutral position for the spinal. Once I was situated George gently placed his sweet head on my belly and looked up at me, never began closing his eyes until mine did. For almost 14 years we had this wonderful relationship. After surgery he did the same thing, lying with me for hours and hours while I was in pain. He was so sensitive and I love/d him very much. We planted a cherry tree in the back yard in his memory so every spring it blooms. It is a reminder of him and lets George, gracing the back yard with beauty.
Georgie Boy!!
We were devastated as everyone is when losing a beloved pet. I couldn't sleep because although he was large he was able to get so close to me in bed (like a cat) to make me feel the same comfort I had with my beloved Snuffles. My friend suggested pulling Snuffles out of the closet to curl up with him for that closeness I craved. I did at age 36 sleep with my stuffed animal. Oh just seeing him made me feel kinship that only close friends have after a long separation. He slept with me and snuggled me to the point I felt peace with George being in Doggy Heaven. Of course the friend who suggested this also happens to be my best friend from childhood with whom I played endlessly and she knew of Snuffles and our "story" from the hospital. Friends always know each other and what we need.
As we have Stella now, a young yellow lab, she also loved Snuffles. She got him off the bed and pulled out all the stuffing which has been replaced and he'll have a little "surgery" to sew closed his wounds. Mark, my husband bought me a new Snuffles to comfort me during rough times when that closeness is necessary and George isn't here to provide it. Stella doesn't get on the bed and is a shorter lab. We don't want it to be hard on her joints as we learned, with George, it made his arthritis worse. You live and you learn. Stella and I have our special snuggie time. I wish during one life time the dogs could meet because Stella and George would love each other. I've been lucky to have the ultimate snuggle machine, my husband and from childhood Snuffles then George and now Stella.
It's important to feed the soul. For some it's a stuffed animal, a blanket or a special photo. For others it's a memory. I think what's nice is to have that bossom friend or item which makes you feel safe along with family and friends. Snuffles, I love you. To George, our first puppy love we will always love you. My cousin put it very well. No animal will replace George but they will make your heart bigger - Stella has definitely enlarged our heart to know more and different love! I wish love to warm your hearts and give you a "hug" each day! Have you had your hug today?
Stella Blue!!
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
The Magic of Water
When you were younger did you engage in sports? Team sports? Play kick ball with the neighborhood kids? Or line tag? Or freeze tag? Race to the end of the street to see who was the fastest? Remember the feeling of being out of breath and how full of life you felt? Imagine the feeling of training your whole life and competing in the Olympics? Wow! The magic of all the tenacity, hard work, skill, talent and passion wrapped into one athlete is amazing. It’s inspiring to watch the Olympics and imagine the feeling the athletes feel upon completion of their sport? It’s awe inspiring!
For most of us, we don’t make it to the Olympics but in our minds the thrill and exhilaration of playing or competing in our own sports is magical. For some sports isn’t as easy due to physical limitations and here enters the Paralympics. Olympiads who also push their bodies to perform and win! To overcome the odds of physical disability is challenging and to look it in the eye and physically overcome what probably so many medical professionals never thought imaginable must feel completely beyond amazing. I can’t wait to watch the Paralympics soon!
Little Julie with an Adaptive Big Wheel!
I still won!
For me, swimming was my sport of choice. I learned to swim before I walked because of being born with sacral agenesis, a rare spinal birth defect which impacts the body in many ways. To maintain all around body strength and to walk, I swam since about 9 months of age. Funny – I never knew it was technically physical therapy because I loved swimming so much. In the water, I felt free and playful like a dolphin. We had a pool in our back yard so I could swim more even beyond practice. I innately became competitive and competed at the Township level, missing the State team in the 50 meter free style by 2/10 of a second. It wasn’t until well into adult hood I didn’t see this as such a failure. I am unable to kick because of my birth defect. I’m proud of my score in trying out for the state team. I swam my best with only half my body doing the work. I take pride in making it that far.
Nothing Kept me From the Water!
Luckily, for me, swimming has and always will be where I feel at home. In the water, I feel no pain with the buoyancy of water. I was always very tiny but like a bullet when I dove into the water. My coach often swam me up with older age groups because of my speed. Preparing for a heat, the competitors stood on the diving blocks eyeing the competition. I could see the other girls look at me as if I was not a contender because I was so short and skinny. Then we started the race. I took the first 25 meters slow and easy and then kicked it into high gear to lap many of the girls. I loved the feeling of looking under the water to the left and right of me to see where the competitors were in the water. I knew when I hit the wall that I had won by a lot! The little under-dog had won. When I swam it was the one place I could win and my disabilities didn’t seem very limiting. Water is like my elixir and to be swimming in it – was magic!
In the summers, if you couldn’t find me, I was ALWAYS in our pool! We played water volley ball and water basketball and our yellow lab would jump in the water to doggy paddle with all of us. It was the best time in my life! To feel free from limitations and reality of surgeries and just be a kid was wonderful. It gave me that extra boost, out of the water, to over-come the many obstacles in my life with optimism and hope. Still water, a pond, a lake, a river, the ocean, a pool – makes me feel completely calm and at home. I don’t even have to be in it. However, I think I’m much like our lab Stella – in my heart and soul I really do want to jump right in and dunk my head.
Stella Enjoying a Pool Day!
I hope, for everyone, that you have that one place or sport that makes you feel free. Think back on what made you feel exhilarated as a child and play a little now. Engage your children in free play along with team sports if they show that’s what they want to do. My parents never pushed me to swim; I begged to swim year round. In fact, my twin brother and older sister were also natural swimmers and competitors as well – all in different strokes. We remember our childhoods filled with laughter, fun and many swim practices and meets. Mostly we remember the feeling of finishing a race, hitting the wall – looking up at the scores to see our time and smiling. The nice thing about swimming was beating our own best time but coming together as a team to win a meet or a relay. The support for each other was like that of a family. We all had our strengths and swam those events to bring the family honor. It was about coming together as well. The world could learn a lot from child hood team sports where there is healthy competition, team work and fun.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Back To The Basics
Being born with a congenital spinal birth defect, having over 40 major surgeries thus far, it seems extraordinary to others that I maintain a positive upbeat outlook on life. Well growing up in a hospital and learning the reality of life very young my perspective is different than most, as it was, my whole life. Embracing each second I got to live or each surgery after which I got to come home to my siblings was a blessing as is each day, even when in debilitating pain. It does not remove the pain, the struggle or fear, what it does is help me see life from the perspective of how full it is.
+Close+Up.jpg)
I have different ways to cope with pain and surgeries. Certainly I am not alone in the plight against chronic pain and energy conservation. I like to distract myself by listening to music (one of my favorite techniques) or by watching movies with positive, encouraging messages. Usually each surgery or challenge I watch and re-watch the same movie. There is comfort, somehow, in hearing and seeing the same movie repeatedly. Actually it became a series, Legally Blonde with Reese Witherspoon and others is one which continually makes me laugh but also has many meanings within it.
Perhaps there are some who think it's a frivolous "chick flick" about some blonde in L.A. (in the first one). However upon watching these movies, yes there is embellishment of the L.A. culture and sororities with everything being pink, fuzzy, dressing her little dog and coming across as a space cadet. Beneath the surface though the messages are clear. In the first one, Reese (Elle) wanted to get her boyfriend back by becoming a "serious" law student so with much fortitude, support from her friends and plain optimism she did get accepted into Harvard Law School.
Once there it was quite clear the cultural differences between L.A. and the East Coast. She was even called "Malibu Barbie." In an attempt to win back her boyfriend, she puts her efforts into becoming a "serious law student." Again she made friends and put her mind to accomplishing the goal (which she thought was to get her boyfriend back) and ends up graduating top of her class with prestigious offering at a law firm in Boston. Yes her boyfriend (Warner) ended up wanting her back when he saw what a power house she was and how she beat all odds. She realized that she inadvertently she found herself as a lawyer, able to use her voice and work for the common good. Some of the movie is idealistic but isn't it nice to still be idealistic? Isn't it nice to see the good in people and not jump quickly to a negative conclusion? It's nice, quite frankly, to be like Elle in this movie.
In the second movie she takes on Washington to ban cosmetic testing on animals. The irony is she is the picture of beauty and talks of makeup and fashion throughout both movies. She realizes the injustice of animal testing makeup on for her own benefit. Again when she arrives in Washington D.C. her "team" does not embrace her and finds her too "Polly Anna" and way to positive to ever succeed on The Hill. She does it her way, with style, grace, integrity and kindness and in the movie ends up winning her fight. It was not easy. Again it was through her tenacity, positivity, close friends and smarts she overcomes the obstacles associated with politics. She also makes it a point to give others credit, even if not due, to enhance team morale. This shows the team she isn't out to knock someone down at her expense.
So how can I NOT be happy with messages like these around me? I am surprised our DVDs aren't worn out from watching these movies during recovery from numerous surgeries. It shows that when we, as people, get back to the basics and focus on what is important, inherently walls are dismantled and people come together. These are ideals which help me on a daily basis, remain true to your morals and ethics, have a solid inner circle of friends and family to trust and don't give up. With such support it is easier to keep going to the finish line. It does not mean there won't be pain or loneliness or fear, it means you aren't alone. So to those who don't understand the basics of being happy, I say watch "Legally Blonde" and get beyond the stereotypes and embellishments to really see how Reese's character Elle overcomes challenges with such grace.
Humanity is about treating others the way they need to be treated and placing those around you that embrace you in good times and bad. We are truly rich if we have just one person in our life who fills those shoes. I am thankful for all these people and my dog too! Although I don't dress mine since she's a yellow lab and all dog but she brings a smile to my face. Stella helps put life in perspective as well. The messages of how and why to be positive are around all of us, just open your eyes and be open to using these tools. You'll be surprised at the positive changes in your life. Let's do it together!
A Smile Lights Up A Room
+Close+Up.jpg)
I have different ways to cope with pain and surgeries. Certainly I am not alone in the plight against chronic pain and energy conservation. I like to distract myself by listening to music (one of my favorite techniques) or by watching movies with positive, encouraging messages. Usually each surgery or challenge I watch and re-watch the same movie. There is comfort, somehow, in hearing and seeing the same movie repeatedly. Actually it became a series, Legally Blonde with Reese Witherspoon and others is one which continually makes me laugh but also has many meanings within it.
Perhaps there are some who think it's a frivolous "chick flick" about some blonde in L.A. (in the first one). However upon watching these movies, yes there is embellishment of the L.A. culture and sororities with everything being pink, fuzzy, dressing her little dog and coming across as a space cadet. Beneath the surface though the messages are clear. In the first one, Reese (Elle) wanted to get her boyfriend back by becoming a "serious" law student so with much fortitude, support from her friends and plain optimism she did get accepted into Harvard Law School.
Once there it was quite clear the cultural differences between L.A. and the East Coast. She was even called "Malibu Barbie." In an attempt to win back her boyfriend, she puts her efforts into becoming a "serious law student." Again she made friends and put her mind to accomplishing the goal (which she thought was to get her boyfriend back) and ends up graduating top of her class with prestigious offering at a law firm in Boston. Yes her boyfriend (Warner) ended up wanting her back when he saw what a power house she was and how she beat all odds. She realized that she inadvertently she found herself as a lawyer, able to use her voice and work for the common good. Some of the movie is idealistic but isn't it nice to still be idealistic? Isn't it nice to see the good in people and not jump quickly to a negative conclusion? It's nice, quite frankly, to be like Elle in this movie.
In the second movie she takes on Washington to ban cosmetic testing on animals. The irony is she is the picture of beauty and talks of makeup and fashion throughout both movies. She realizes the injustice of animal testing makeup on for her own benefit. Again when she arrives in Washington D.C. her "team" does not embrace her and finds her too "Polly Anna" and way to positive to ever succeed on The Hill. She does it her way, with style, grace, integrity and kindness and in the movie ends up winning her fight. It was not easy. Again it was through her tenacity, positivity, close friends and smarts she overcomes the obstacles associated with politics. She also makes it a point to give others credit, even if not due, to enhance team morale. This shows the team she isn't out to knock someone down at her expense.
Lean On Each Other
So how can I NOT be happy with messages like these around me? I am surprised our DVDs aren't worn out from watching these movies during recovery from numerous surgeries. It shows that when we, as people, get back to the basics and focus on what is important, inherently walls are dismantled and people come together. These are ideals which help me on a daily basis, remain true to your morals and ethics, have a solid inner circle of friends and family to trust and don't give up. With such support it is easier to keep going to the finish line. It does not mean there won't be pain or loneliness or fear, it means you aren't alone. So to those who don't understand the basics of being happy, I say watch "Legally Blonde" and get beyond the stereotypes and embellishments to really see how Reese's character Elle overcomes challenges with such grace.
Humanity is about treating others the way they need to be treated and placing those around you that embrace you in good times and bad. We are truly rich if we have just one person in our life who fills those shoes. I am thankful for all these people and my dog too! Although I don't dress mine since she's a yellow lab and all dog but she brings a smile to my face. Stella helps put life in perspective as well. The messages of how and why to be positive are around all of us, just open your eyes and be open to using these tools. You'll be surprised at the positive changes in your life. Let's do it together!
Share Joy With Your Furry Baby
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)