Click the below article link to obtain the background information to this post:
Examiner article
This article is near and dear to my heart. With each subject I choose to write about in my column, I research the topic after my written draft is complete. This helps either validate my article or I might choose to revise it and site particular sources or even link to it so others can benefit from the extra information. I learn from every post! And, each helps me to stay on track within my own life. I'm hopeful you are getting some sort of inspiration from my writings (both the column and my book) to help you continue forward.
It is really trying to go from a role leading a department of type A personalities, receiving a high level and very concrete payroll check, multitasking business challenges 24/7 and receiving instant feedback, to this new world I have embraced. Talking to you in this virtual forum, wondering if anything I've posted is helpful to anyone and trying to keep my faith considering my instinct is moving me forward towards something bigger than me that I haven't quite put my mind around yet. I know time will eventually let me in on this grand plan but meanwhile I'm trying to "keep my faith". What challenges your faith today and what has helped you to keep moving forward with it intact?
My blog, Inspirations by Kathryn J. Raths includes posts from 2009 to 2016 that were an extension of my Healthy Living Examiner column which has been closed. However, the articles are being revamped as an extension of Kathryn J. Raths.com, which is in the making! The image is a self-portrait I drew in oil pastels; the woods gift me a deep connection with nature and safety!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
She is grateful for his final years spent at home in hospice care, continued...
Click on the below link for background information to this blog post:
Examiner
This is the first "part two" article that I have offered to my readers. I feel Naomi's story is quite worthy of it! There is so much more to share about her strength and courage its hard to limit the words to just 2 articles. For example, when she was in treatment for breast cancer, Naomi drove herself to 38 radiation treatments and then went to work after each one! How often have you heard of someone doing that? (I discussed her breast cancer in the first article I posted) She is a hard working, warm and loving person with whom I'm very lucky to know and to have in my family circle. We can all take something from her story if we take a moment to take in the words. I've learned from both her and my Mom how forgiving and loyal they were in devoting their lives and honoring their commitments to the men they loved and married; until death do they part really meant something to them! I admire this type of loyalty. It is rare today. What do you admire?
Examiner
This is the first "part two" article that I have offered to my readers. I feel Naomi's story is quite worthy of it! There is so much more to share about her strength and courage its hard to limit the words to just 2 articles. For example, when she was in treatment for breast cancer, Naomi drove herself to 38 radiation treatments and then went to work after each one! How often have you heard of someone doing that? (I discussed her breast cancer in the first article I posted) She is a hard working, warm and loving person with whom I'm very lucky to know and to have in my family circle. We can all take something from her story if we take a moment to take in the words. I've learned from both her and my Mom how forgiving and loyal they were in devoting their lives and honoring their commitments to the men they loved and married; until death do they part really meant something to them! I admire this type of loyalty. It is rare today. What do you admire?
Friday, March 26, 2010
Surviving hospice, continued...
Click on the below link for backup information on this blog post:
Examiner
My Dad passed under VA Hospice care in Ann Arbor, MI. They were wonderful and caring under such horrific circumstances. He found out he had throat cancer on Good Friday, had a massive heart attack the 1st day of kemo (days after the diagnosis) and shortly after he went into hospice care. I couldn't believe it when the team of doctors told us, during a family meeting, he had too many major concerns and he wasn't strong enough to embrace any more life saving measures such as surgery. I had such faith in modern technology but in a moment’s time, my faith was shattered. We told my Dad, who had a tube in his throat and couldn't talk, that they couldn't do anything else for him and his only concern/requests were, would my Mom be able to handle the medical bills & could he just go home to die. With a room full of people telling him the doctors couldn't do anything and you're going to die, he asked about medical expense. I always thought he was a selfish person in my early life but when his life was on the line, he cared more about the impact on my Mom; pretty powerful stuff!
My Dad made it home for a few short hours where he suddenly pulled all of his tubes out frantically and at that time, the hospice nurse (we were going to try at home hospice) called 911 and admitted him into care at their center.
He passed on May 20, 2008; not even 2 months after his diagnosis although it took such a toll on all of us, it seemed like years passed during that short time. I feel like I aged 1 decade that spring!
We survived it and like I said in the article, once I crossed the dark line, I saw the light and embraced my spirituality which guided me through the rest of the way. It is the most difficult thing I've been through and my heart aches for anyone who has to go down this path. God bless you all!
Examiner
My Dad passed under VA Hospice care in Ann Arbor, MI. They were wonderful and caring under such horrific circumstances. He found out he had throat cancer on Good Friday, had a massive heart attack the 1st day of kemo (days after the diagnosis) and shortly after he went into hospice care. I couldn't believe it when the team of doctors told us, during a family meeting, he had too many major concerns and he wasn't strong enough to embrace any more life saving measures such as surgery. I had such faith in modern technology but in a moment’s time, my faith was shattered. We told my Dad, who had a tube in his throat and couldn't talk, that they couldn't do anything else for him and his only concern/requests were, would my Mom be able to handle the medical bills & could he just go home to die. With a room full of people telling him the doctors couldn't do anything and you're going to die, he asked about medical expense. I always thought he was a selfish person in my early life but when his life was on the line, he cared more about the impact on my Mom; pretty powerful stuff!
My Dad made it home for a few short hours where he suddenly pulled all of his tubes out frantically and at that time, the hospice nurse (we were going to try at home hospice) called 911 and admitted him into care at their center.
He passed on May 20, 2008; not even 2 months after his diagnosis although it took such a toll on all of us, it seemed like years passed during that short time. I feel like I aged 1 decade that spring!
We survived it and like I said in the article, once I crossed the dark line, I saw the light and embraced my spirituality which guided me through the rest of the way. It is the most difficult thing I've been through and my heart aches for anyone who has to go down this path. God bless you all!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Life emerges in the spring season, continued
Click on the below link to get the background information to this blog posting:
Examiner
I am so ready for this time of year! Thanks to Uncle Sam I was just able to book a modest drive vacation to NC for Spring Break with the kids. I just love the feel I get from warm weather, blue skies, budding flowers (although I'm not a green thumb) and the sight of Robins in the grass again. It really does feel like the outside world takes on a life of its own. Its revigorating and it helps me tackle projects I've put off. I do push myself to stay active with "my to do list" but I don't have to push as hard once I've said good bye to winter and hello to spring. What do you like best about this time of year?
Examiner
I am so ready for this time of year! Thanks to Uncle Sam I was just able to book a modest drive vacation to NC for Spring Break with the kids. I just love the feel I get from warm weather, blue skies, budding flowers (although I'm not a green thumb) and the sight of Robins in the grass again. It really does feel like the outside world takes on a life of its own. Its revigorating and it helps me tackle projects I've put off. I do push myself to stay active with "my to do list" but I don't have to push as hard once I've said good bye to winter and hello to spring. What do you like best about this time of year?
Man Writes Poetry as Medicine for Grief
Here is my latest Open to Hope article. If you follow my Examiner articles you'll find that I actually took 2 of my articles and combined them for this post. I met Ed through a mutual acquaintance. Like me, he has found healing through his writing. I can't stress enough the importance of finding a healthy outlet like this!
Man Writes Poetry as Medicine for Grief
Man Writes Poetry as Medicine for Grief
Monday, March 22, 2010
Challenges of single parents, continued...
Click on the below article link for background information to this blog post:
Examiner article
Boy, this article really hits close to home for me! Both of my sisters and my niece are quoted in the writing. With exception to my niece, we've all been through divorce! Both of my sisters are happily remarried but although I've found a life-long partner, I have no desire to run to the altar and he is also on the same page with me. My boyfriend is a single parent too. We've been lucky to find each other and support one another's needs! I wasn't aware of National Single Parents day until my dear friend, Mary Anne Britton, told me about it. What, I could have been patting myself on the back and celebrating all of these years:) Any reason to celebrate the strength of a single parent is a worthwhile celebration. Do you know any single parents? If so, tell me about how you are helping them!
Examiner article
Boy, this article really hits close to home for me! Both of my sisters and my niece are quoted in the writing. With exception to my niece, we've all been through divorce! Both of my sisters are happily remarried but although I've found a life-long partner, I have no desire to run to the altar and he is also on the same page with me. My boyfriend is a single parent too. We've been lucky to find each other and support one another's needs! I wasn't aware of National Single Parents day until my dear friend, Mary Anne Britton, told me about it. What, I could have been patting myself on the back and celebrating all of these years:) Any reason to celebrate the strength of a single parent is a worthwhile celebration. Do you know any single parents? If so, tell me about how you are helping them!
Friday, March 19, 2010
Patience, part of a life plan, lessons learned or just plain annoyance, continued...
Click on the below link to get background information on this blog post:
Examiner
Wow, patience, what a concept, huh? I don't want to sound like I'm sitting on my perch looking down at everyone but I would GUESS that most people do not try to practice this virtue. I have not done any scientific research to support this statement but, boy, it seems like we're in a very impatient world! Most people are in such a hurry, what happened to breathing deep and just taking in the moment? If we could all just consider this from time to time it would be helpful to the world. I, for the most part, try to practice this concept. I do get irritated at times and perhaps this is part of the plan giving me the platform to continue to practice. Most of the time I give in and tell myself, "It just wasn't meant for me to get there at that time!" Most of those days, I seem to attract the slowest drivers in the state to my path.
Once when my boyfriend was caught up in a rage from delays, we we're sitting in our car in front of a store and just as he was trying to move forward, this very little, old man came creeping out in front of us and took several minutes to get across the path. It was like a Saturday night live skit. We, of course, started laughing because it was so comical it broke the tension for him! Do you have any stories of delay that ended on a positive note?
Examiner
Wow, patience, what a concept, huh? I don't want to sound like I'm sitting on my perch looking down at everyone but I would GUESS that most people do not try to practice this virtue. I have not done any scientific research to support this statement but, boy, it seems like we're in a very impatient world! Most people are in such a hurry, what happened to breathing deep and just taking in the moment? If we could all just consider this from time to time it would be helpful to the world. I, for the most part, try to practice this concept. I do get irritated at times and perhaps this is part of the plan giving me the platform to continue to practice. Most of the time I give in and tell myself, "It just wasn't meant for me to get there at that time!" Most of those days, I seem to attract the slowest drivers in the state to my path.
Once when my boyfriend was caught up in a rage from delays, we we're sitting in our car in front of a store and just as he was trying to move forward, this very little, old man came creeping out in front of us and took several minutes to get across the path. It was like a Saturday night live skit. We, of course, started laughing because it was so comical it broke the tension for him! Do you have any stories of delay that ended on a positive note?
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