Category: Bladder cancer

What a word for the present time on the planet Earth!  If there is one person in this world who’s life is not complicated, I would love to meet him/her.  As a resident of the United States, my life has grown more complicated throughout this election year.  I think our forefathers would be ashamed of our political candidates.  Such unrest, such violence, such spewing of hate, it is no longer an issue of who do I vote for, but why?  As a member of two minority groups, women, and the disabled, I am stumped as to the choices I am faced with.  Good luck to us all.

Via the Daily Post

dailypost@word.press.com

I approach this from a more practical position.  I am 69, in a wheelchair, in a handicapped apartment.  The lease says handicapped, but I find the shelves and cupboards are regular height.  I have a rented wheelchair, and even with a pillow, I am not tall enough to reach the cupboards.  The “reachers” that are supposed to help are fairly unreliable – nothing heavy such as a small bag of sugar, can be retrieved with one.  The kitchen sink is hard to reach into, and has no spray attachment, which would make it much more convenient.  Even the shower is a challenge, although there is a removable wand.  It’s just hard to reach it from the bench on the other end of the tub.  I’m sure disabled people did not design these apartments.  I never think of myself as disabled until I want to cook something and can’t reach all the burners.  Nevertheless, I am privileged to live where I am, and thankful for it.

Via:  The Daily Post  

dailypost@word.press.com

I never realized how important praise was until I had children of my own.  As a child, I didn’t receive praise, at least I can’t remember any.  My father was the head of the household and at dinner time, he was the speaker.  The rest of us listened.  As an adult, I think back and realize he probably was never praised either.  These unfortunate traits have a way of perpetuating.  As a mother, I read books on what I should do and in the sixties and seventies, “expert” ideas were very different.  One concept I will never forget, and saved my kids I’m sure, was not letting your own expectations cloud their work. For example, if they had a job to do, and did it well, but not exactly as you expected, praise them anyway, because they did the best they could, and deserved that praise.  As a child, and a teenager, I tried to live up to what was expected of me. Failure to do so usually led to an embarrassing action on my dad’s part.  Even as an adult, the criticism didn’t stop.  This is why praise is so important.  It affects self worth.  And when all else fails, you just have yourself, and what you think of yourself.  I’m learning a lot from my daughter and her husband about raising children.  They are exceptional parents.  It amazes me the confidence and wellbeing their children feel.  And not obnoxiously so, but in a positive self awareness.  I could brag about them and their achievements all day, as most mothers and grandmothers could.  But I think the basic premise is praise.  Praise for a job well done, a compassionate attitude, a love for each other, and others, in general.  They praise each other and take pride in each other’s accomplishments.