Independence day

Independence day

Today I proved to myself that I can take care of my son and do everything required in our daily life on my own. This is an amazing thing. And we’re just getting started. My husband is now in St. Paul, Minn. with the volleyball team for the NCAA DII Regional tournament. GO BLUES! This is … Continue reading →

Staying in balance

At therapy today I did a lot more standing on one leg. These balance exercises are good for me. In the midst of them I feel myself getting stronger. But they are my biggest challenge. When I am throwing a ball at a trampoline and catching it again I have to fight to keep my … Continue reading →

A vegan diet for infants is not dangerous

I received a comment today on my post A plant-strong life from a guest to this blog. Although the tone of the comment was neither kind nor constructive, it brings to the forefront a concern that many of our dear friends and family have expressed. I wanted to post the comment and my reply here, … Continue reading →

A plant-strong life

A plant-strong life

On Nov. 21, the day before the Little Guy turned 10-months old, our family hit its six-month anniversary of being plant strong. Since May 21, 2012 we have eaten a whole food, plant-based diet with no added oil or white sugar. In that six months, my husband lost 46 pounds. I have returned to a … Continue reading →

Two years of magical thinking?

I was talking with my co-worker and probably closest Topeka confidant today about my progress and realized something pretty profound: I am reacting to recovery from my separated pelvis much the same way I have dealt the death of my father. As we talked, I was reminded of Joan Didion’s book, The Year of Magical … Continue reading →

Moving with purpose

If success begets success, I’m on a roll! I am really beginning to believe that by the time my son turns 1 my diastasis symphysis pubis, the seven months we struggled with it before surgery and recovery will be behind us completely. As I walked into physical therapy today, I wasn’t thinking about my pelvis … Continue reading →

Every day I’m thankful

Someone said to me today: “I bet this Thanksgiving will be special for you.” It got me thinking. I’m pretty sure this was a reference both to my son’s first holiday season and to the fact I’m no longer using the wheelchair I affectionately named Blue Sunshine. But what this person didn’t know about me … Continue reading →

I’m back!

I asked my husband today if he thought it would be weird to bring Dr. Sojka a present when we see him for my follow-up appointment on Dec. 6. He said it would. And I protested: “But he gave me my life back!” I thought about that a lot today. It is so true. Nearly … Continue reading →

Still no answers

There are still no results to report on our son’s echocardiogram. It has been a week since the test was taken and with the Thanksgiving holiday coming, I’m betting we won’t hear for several days. As my dear friend, Nicole, said last night: “Don’t these people know that WAITING IS THE WORST?!?!?!?” Our primary comfort … Continue reading →

No failures here

As a kid, I often heard things like “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” and “God only gives you what he knows you can handle.” This year has been a test of both of those adages for me and for my family. And maybe my challenge is preparing me, preparing us, for challenges to … Continue reading →