Something Different - Explored Creative Writing through Poetry

At our local writing group, our topic was poetry.  I haven't studied any type of poetry since high school which well over 30 years ago.  I went to the meeting anyhow to be part of the community and to try something different.

There were three of us including the facilitator so it was a small group. We discussed what poetry is and the different types of poetry.  Did you know that song lyrics are a form of poetry?

Psalm 45:1: "My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe."

After our discussion it was time to write.  Our first prompt was to write an acrostic poem which is built off a word.  Here is what I wrote.

Peace is:                                                     

Patient and it                                                

Exists if you seek it.                                   

Always sought                                            

Challenged at times and                             

Earned through prayer

Our next prompt was to write a Haiku about a picture.  Our group chose a leaping fox; the here isn't the same we had during our meeting but similar.  Here are the ones what I wrote.

Poem 1

The fox leaps

tail and feet mid-air

catch it if you dare.

Poem 2

Color is tan,

fur, soft, and fair

catch it if you can.

Poem 3

See fox leap,

Tail, fur, and feet

Soon the ground to meet.

As I said when we wrapped up our meeting, I won't quit my day job. However, I enjoyed exploring this creative opportunity.  God doesn't want us to grow stagnant so reach out and explore new things.

Resources:

Scripture from Milk & Honey Magazine

Fox Image from Vecteezy

Finding Peace in the Waiting

Waiting is hard, especially when it involves our health. Recently, I've been navigating some sinus concerns and the uncertainty that comes with medical appointments, tests, and unanswered questions. While my situation is nowhere near as serious or life-altering as the cancer journeys described in the article below, it has reminded me that waiting can stir up fear, impatience, and countless "what ifs."

What I appreciate about Resting in God's Peace While Waiting For a Diagnosis is that it speaks honestly about the emotional weight of medical uncertainty while pointing us toward faith, peace, and trust in God. The author's experience with cancer and other significant health challenges is far more difficult than anything I am facing, and I want to acknowledge that difference with humility. Yet the lesson about finding peace in the middle of uncertainty is something many of us can relate to, regardless of the severity of our circumstances.

Whether you're waiting for test results, answers from a doctor, healing, or simply clarity about the next step, I hope you'll find encouragement in these reflections. Sometimes peace doesn't come from having all the answers. Sometimes it comes from knowing we don't have to face the waiting alone.

Read the article here: Resting in God's Peace While Waiting For a Diagnosis

Sinus Update - Unexpected finding but a Path Forward

After two months of waiting, I saw the ENT.  Let me step back a moment; I got a call on the Friday before my scheduled Tuesday appointment saying my appointment needed to be changed.  ACK!! I stayed calm and learned that my original appointment was with a nurse practitioner and my case is better suited for a medical doctor (MD). I ended up seeing the ENT MD a day earlier than the appointment that had been scheduled for two months.

The ENT came in and seemed rather abrasive and abrupt.  After after talking with him for a little bit, I learned that he was coming from a place of concern. The CBCT scan I had back in July showed a untreated sinus infection. He asked about the tooth.  I told him my dentist tested the tooth and I didn't react and I was told to see an ENT. I could see frustration on his face and it appears this has become common; a disconnect between the teeth and sinuses.  The doctor explained that I didn't react because the nerve of the tooth is dead.

The ENT performed a scope of my nose, both sides.  He had hoped to extract pus from the right sinus but could not; gross, I know.  I am on a 14-day course of antibiotics and I go for a CT scan in a couple weeks.  Given that my CBCT show a deviated septum and other structural issues, sinus surgery is still a possibility but something that will be decided and discussed after my CT scan.

I went to my 4 PM Crossfit class and I was able to update my friends.  The coach said once I'm through this, I'll want to run a marathon.  I told him "let's not get crazy, I just want to breathe well."

If you're new here, thanks for stopping by.  I have linked some of my related blog posts here if you want to catch up.  If you're a regular reader, thanks for being here.  I have not walked this journey alone; aside from friends and family, God has been with me and through Him all things are possible.

Health Journey - Sinus Headaches, Crossfit, HRT, Appetite 

Living with Chronic Sinus Issues

Advocating for My Health

Where It All Started: When the Office Makes You Sick

Love Thy Neighbor: Finding Common Ground When Neighborhood Concerns Collide

 "Love your neighbor as yourself" sounds simple enough until you're dealing with real-life neighborhood challenges.

Recently, I've been thinking about situations where neighbors have very different concerns, but both believe they're looking out for what's best.

Take, for example, a street where an "Autistic Child in Area" sign has been posted. For the family, the sign serves as an important reminder that their child may wander, hide, or react differently to situations. Safety is always on their minds.

At the same time, another neighbor may own a large truck, van, or work vehicle that's legally parked on the street. To them, it's simply where they park their vehicle after a long day. They may not realize that large vehicles can create blind spots or hiding places that make some parents nervous.

Then tensions start to build.  Am I being disrespectful parking a vehicle on the street?  Is our family the next police visit? Admittedly, I know very little about autism but have been curious since the signs appeared on our street in the last couple of weeks.  The police calls started after the signs went up so I searched online to see if there is something we should have been told as residents about parking on our street.  That's how I learned about autistic children possibly viewing a large truck or SUV as a hiding spot.  

One neighbor worries about safety. Another feels targeted because of where they're parking. Someone gets frustrated. Someone calls the police. Feelings get hurt, and before long, people stop talking to each other and start talking about each other.

The thing is, most people aren't trying to be bad neighbors.

Parents of autistic children aren't trying to control the whole street. They're trying to protect a child they love.  As a mom, I understand and respect that.

Vehicle owners aren't usually trying to make life difficult for anyone. They're parking where they believe they're allowed to park.

When we stop and look at the situation that way, it becomes easier to see that everyone is carrying a valid concern.

What if, instead of immediately calling the police or assuming the worst, neighbors started with a conversation?

What if the parents explained why the vehicles make them anxious?

What if the vehicle owner listened and looked for small compromises that might help?  

What if everyone approached the situation with the goal of solving a problem together instead of winning an argument?

Not every concern has a perfect solution, but most neighborhoods work better when people talk with one another rather than about one another.

Being a good neighbor doesn't mean always getting your way. It doesn't mean giving up your rights, either. It means recognizing that the people living around you have challenges, worries, and needs that may be different from your own.

Sometimes love looks like patience.

Sometimes it looks like listening.

Sometimes it looks like moving a vehicle a few feet when you can.

Sometimes it looks like understanding that a family is carrying concerns you may never fully experience yourself.

The older I get, the more I realize that strong neighborhoods aren't built because everyone agrees. They're built because people choose respect even when they don't.

Maybe that's what loving our neighbors really looks like. Not demanding that everyone see things our way, but caring enough to see things from their perspective, too.

After all, we're all sharing the same street.

Resources:

YouVersion - Scripture Image

Health Journey Update: Sinus Headaches, CrossFit Progress, HRT Questions & Appetite Improvements

One thing I've learned through this health journey is that progress doesn't always look the way we expect it to. Sometimes it's two steps forward and one step back, but I'm continuing to trust God and keep moving forward one day at a time.

Recently, my sinus issues have evolved a bit. In addition to the congestion and pressure I've been dealing with, I've started experiencing sinus headaches. They can definitely make for challenging days, but I'm continuing to monitor my symptoms and work through them as best I can. Chronic health issues have a way of teaching patience, even when patience isn't something we particularly want to learn.  I can't wait to see the ENT in September and, hopefully, get some answers.

I've also been experiencing some itching that may be related to hormone replacement therapy (HRT). At this point, I'm still trying to determine whether there is a connection, but it's another reminder that our bodies are complex and that every change seems to bring new questions. As frustrating as that can be, I'm trying to approach it with curiosity rather than discouragement.  I am trying a soothing body wash until I see my OB in October.

One encouraging update is that my appetite continues to improve. It's something that may sound small to others, but it feels like a significant victory to me. Better nutrition helps support healing, energy, and overall well-being, so I'm grateful to see positive movement in that area.

I'm also continuing to participate in CrossFit three times a week. Not every workout looks the way it once did, and scaling movements has become an important part of my routine. I've come to realize that scaling isn't giving up; it's simply adapting. The goal is to keep moving, keep building strength, and keep showing up. Some days are better than others, but consistency has become more important than perfection.

Through all of these ups and downs, I continue to be reminded that God is faithful. While I may not have all the answers or understand every twist and turn in this journey, I know that He walks beside me through each challenge and each victory.

One verse that has been especially encouraging is Isaiah 40:31; scripture image is from YouVersion.

Living with Chronic Sinus Issues: Tracking Symptoms, Treatments, and Hope for Answers

If you regularly read the blog or are a friend in real life, you know I've been struggling with sinus issues since the beginning of this year.  After 23 years in a building, I began getting ill within an hour of arriving.  After a week of vacation and feeling well, I decided to document, document, and document!

A couple weeks ago, I got a cold from my husband.  Unfortunately, since that time, my compromised right sinus has been clogged then draining.  On top of it, I've started getting headaches within the last week.  

I recently shared at my women's AA meeting that I came to AA because I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.  Here I am at 11 years sober feeling sick & tired but at least it isn't from drinking.

The appointment with the ENT in September feels years away although I'm sure it will be here before I know it.  I am praying that she will be able to use the CBCT scans from my dentist and any other tests she wishes to run to find a treatment.

I'm trying to advocate and protect my health while still performing my paid job and doing things I enjoy with people that I enjoy.

I have made a few changes in the last week:

I switched from Advil to Tylenol and delay taking the Tylenol until I absolutely have to.  I've been taking 4 caplets a day since I started this a few days ago.

I bought a Nasal Fresh Sinus cleaning device.  I have experimented with the best time of day to use and midday seems to work.  Do know that the images on the Amazon product page are enhanced and your mucus doesn't show up bright green; at least mine hasn't.  

I bought Badger Balm Headache Soother to help extend the time where I need to take Tylenol.  This comes in a stick and is easy to apply and the scent is not overly strong.  The package said to apply anywhere you feel tense.  With a couple of work days I had last week, I would have needed a full body applicator!

I tried a pillow that my husband had bought which has been laying in our TV room for months.  The first night was great, the second night OK, and the third night had me changing back to my regular pillow. It was actually giving me a headache on the third night after I'd taken an evening dose of Tylenol with the hope of getting a good night's sleep.

I am documenting all of these things in the spreadsheet I've been keeping since March.  I will use Copilot to help me create a summary to take to my ENT appointment in September. I already provided the CBCT scan report and images to the ENT office which shares clinical space with the allergist that I saw in early August.  

I appreciate all of you who have been following along on this journey.

Resources:

Scripture image from YouVersion

Weathering Life's Storms: Finding Strength Through Rain and Sinus Struggles

The weather the past week has reminded me of Snoopy at his typewriter when he typed out "It was a dark and stormy night." It has been stormy morning, noon and night at times.  I was supposed to run an errand on Tuesday afternoon; it had cleared up after a morning with tornado sirens blaring only for those sirens to blare once again shortly before I planned to leave.  I moved my errand to Thursday.

I shared on socials that our yard was a mess with tree branches, leaves, and lots of weeds in our flowerbeds but I quickly said I'm blessed that's all we had to deal with.  Friends, loved ones, and strangers around Ohio have experienced storm damage and flooding.  It's Sunday and the thunder has been rumbling again.  I turned off my alarm and allowed myself to get some extra sleep instead of going to my women's AA meeting.  I enjoyed a slow morning of water, coffee, and peanut butter toast with reading and coloring after prayer.  I did go outside and removed weeds from the front flower beds and picked up branches from the back yard.  

After returning home from the National Scout Jamboree, my husband Jon got hit with a bad head cold.  He unintentionally shared it with me. While the worst of it has passed, my sinuses, especially the right one, have been very "stormy" so to speak.  I've mentioned as part of my recovery from sinus issues after being in a sick building that my dentist did a 360 scan of my head which uncovered some structural issues with my right sinus.  I will be seeing an ENT in September for diagnostics and treatment.  Meanwhile, I've gone through a million tissues and decided to buy a nasal cleaning device.  The canned saline mist I've been using isn't enough.  If you have children/grandchildren, you might have used a nasal aspirator or a "boogie sucker" during infancy to clean out noses.  What I ordered is a the adult version of a "boogie sucker" which is USB rechargeable, had good customer reviews plus a recommendation from Howie Mandel!  We'll see how well it works when it arrives later today.

My thoughts and prayers are with those who are dealing with storm damage and cleanup.  Do not forget that God is with us through all of life's storms.

Resources:

YouVersion - Scripture Image

Window Pic - my personal picture of a very weedy flower bed before I cleaned it.