October (2006)
A three-year-old went with his dad to see a litter of kittens. On
returning home, he breathlessly informed his mother there were 2 boy
kittens & 2 girl kittens. "How did you know?" his mother asked.
"Daddy picked them up and looked underneath," he replied, "I think
it's printed on the bottom."
Like A Leaf in the Wind
Like a leaf in the wind our life takes on many journeys before coming to an end, the winds may carry us high or low as we tumble through the many fields below, like a feather the winds will blow us into the air landing us upon a brook or a stream somewhere, the water may be trickling or flowing really hard but one thing for sure the current is now in charge.
Never knowing just where our life will pause or where our next moment or two will be like a leaf in the wind our life will again be filled with sorrow, disappointments, joy, love and harmony.
Take a few minutes close your eyes ask yourself is my life where I want it to be, if it isn’t set some new goals follow your dreams, pick a new place in your mind to go travel and see. Sometimes destinations of where we think we might be going are only dreams of the present not of life’s future moments. We can’t see into the future nor do we have total control of how our lives might go, but one thing for sure we must not get to comfortable because life’s journey is going to change again once more.
Now let the wind blow you through the air, the current send you down the brook or stream, for the journey you are about to take and encounter will become life’s treasures and your dreams. We never know what tomorrow will bring or the beginning or ending of each day but with faith, determination, and love we somehow can always find our way.
Life is an adventure, something new and different each second of every hour, hold on to each experience and savior the moment, for we don’t know if there will be another tomorrow!
(This poem is dedicated to my husband, Thomas. Who tells me life is like a leaf in the wind.)
Written By: Mary D. Johnson (2003)
The Special Garage Sale
Going to garage sales is fun, but can be full of surprises too. Several months after I had my breast removed my mother asked me to go with her to a few garage sales. I didn't really want to go, but my mother insisted. She said, "Dear, we will make a day of it just you and me. It will do you good to get out." I had been taking chemo and always felt so wore out and sick, but that Saturday was going to be different we were going to just get away and forget about the last six months and all its happenings. We decided to go to a small town not too far from our home town, where not everybody knew us. I didn't feel like repeating everything over and over again to all the people who lived in our small town about my radical mastectomy. I know that most people were concerned and wanted to know about my welfare but I was wore out talking about it, and I was still having a hard time handling things myself.
It was a nice day not too hot or too cold. I was starting to enjoy myself or at least my mind wasn't always on the surgery or the chemo. Mom and I stopped at several yard sales buying several things but nothing really personal. It was now going on noon , we were deciding where to go and have a little something for lunch. I decided to turn around in the next driveway, I thought to myself what a pretty little cute forest green house. I did not notice that these people were having a small yard sale. Mom said," Sister, do you want to stop here since we are in the driveway?" “Oh, I guess we could it doesn't look like the people have very much for sale but who knows we might find something special." We parked our car and after walking up to the house and looking at the sale items there was a voice that said, "Hello miss, would you please come here to the door I want to ask you something." I looked at the elder lady standing in the doorway wondering, do I know her. The elder lady said, "You don't know me but I know you. I would like to show you something in my bedroom. I could fell my face getting hot. I smiled and politely said, “I am sorry but I don't really want to go into your bedroom." She then said, “WHY NOT?" "I just don't feel it is right going into a strange house and into someone's bedroom that I did not know." I told the elder lady, “I was not from her home town and we had to be on our way." Mom was paying for her little nick knack when all at once I felt someone tug on my arm. "Please, come into my house by the back door. I want to show you something if it fits you can have it." I could not image what this small elder lady wanted me to see, and why was she so obsessed with showing me something. Finally I said, "All right, I am at the back door what is it you want to show me?" The elder lady ran to a room at the end of the hall. She came out with what appeared to be a hat box. "Here go ahead and open it," she said. “Do you like it?" I wasn't sure what it was since it was wrapped up so nicely but I knew it was very very heavy. The elder lady grabbed me and hugged me tight and said," Try it on I want you to have this. My daughter passed away several months ago and she never had the chance to use it, I want to give it to you." My eyes filled with tears and my body shook. It was a new breast form still in the package. How did this sweet little lady know about me? I smiled, but told her I could not accept something so expensive, but it was nice of her to offer. Then looking at her face, I could see that I had hurt her deeply. I told her, "Okay I'll try it on and if it fits I will pay you for the breast form." She said, "No way, I want you to wear it in good health and get the use out of it since my daughter wasn't able to ever wear it."
I tried the breast form on and it fit just like it was made for me. I smiled and hugged the elder lady so tight and told her she was special. I then asked how she knew who I was, she told me that someone who worked for me had told her all about me and that she wanted her to meet me sometime. The gal who worked for me was her granddaughter, Angie. Then the elder lady went to the side of her refrigerator and brought back a picture of her granddaughter and myself at our company picnic. Her granddaughter was a special person just like her grandmother. I said, “but how did you know it was me?" She said, "My granddaughter told me that you were so much like my own daughter whom I lost to cancer just a few months earlier and after Angie gave me the picture I would sit and look at the picture sometimes for hours wanting to call and talk to you or just tell you to fight this disease and don't let it beat you. You see, “I needed to talk to someone and my granddaughter said, "Grandmother I want you to meet Mary, I will ask her to come see you one day." “I thought she had sent you to me today." "When I looked out the back door I knew it was you. You had on the same blouse that you were wearing in the picture, your face and hair was the same. I felt like my wishes had finally came true, and that you had come to see me." She said," I am so sorry I came on so strong Mary, but I just didn't want you to get away without giving you something special from me.
I never thought I would meet such a lovely person and get such a wonderful gift. Rose, the elder lady with the big heart thought I was helping her, but really she was helping me. We became dear friends, and shared many wonderful memories together, throughout the years. Remember, during an illness hearts and lives can be enriched and deeply touched. I will never forget, the Special Garage Sale! Thank You Rose.
Thank You
Do not ask to have your life’s load lightened,
But for courage to endure
Do not ask for fulfillment in all your life,
But for patience to accept frustration.
Do not ask for perfection in all you do,
But for the wisdom not to repeat mistakes
And finally, do not ask for more, before saying
“Thank You” for what you have already received.
By Brenda Short
Special People
When special people touch our lives, then suddenly we see,
How beautiful and wonderful our world can really be.
They show us that our special hopes and dreams, can take us far,
By helping us look inward and believe in who we are.
They bless us with their love and joy, through everything they give,
When special people touch our lives they teach us how to live.
Author Unknown
Nose prints are used to identify dogs, just like humans use fingerprints!
Most lipstick contains fish scales!
Human thigh bones are stronger than concrete!
If you counted 24 hours a day, it would take 31,688 years to reach one trillion!
Every time you lick a stamp, you're consuming 1/10 of a calorie!
Dogs and cats, like humans, are either right
or left handed... or is that paws?
Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from blowing sand!
Apples are more efficient than caffeine in keeping people awake in the mornings!
A quarter has 119 grooves on its edge; a dime has one less groove!
A lump of pure gold the size of a matchbox can be flattened into a sheet the size of a tennis court!
A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second!
A hippo can open its mouth wide enough to fit a 4 foot tall child inside!
A mole can dig a tunnel 300 feet long in just one night!
A cockroach can live several weeks with its head cut off - it dies from starvation!
A crocodile always grows new teeth to replace the old teeth!
A group of geese on the ground is a gaggle, a group of geese in the air is a skein!
A hard working adult sweats up to 4 gallons per day. Most of the sweat evaporates before a person realizes it's there, though!
A hummingbird weighs less than a penny!
Personal Experiences
"Why Me"
I have written a series of articles since my breast cancer twenty seven years ago. Each subject I write on is from my own experiences. I don’t want to be your doctor, advisor, or counselor. I just want to share some of my personal experiences with you and maybe touch your life in some way. Having had cancer myself I can relate to your fears, thoughts, decisions, and treatments. So many times people who have cancer look for someone else who might have a similar diagnosis as ours. When we find that special someone who has experienced what we have, a common bond and new friendship is then formed.
One of the first questions many cancer patients ask is "Why” or “ Why Me”. I did the same thing. There is no certain age for this illness; you could be a child of eight or a grandparent of eighty eight. All it takes is one wild cell. The one word that all cancer patients face is the new sound of the biggest six letter word, Cancer. Sometimes saying the word out loud made me feel like the word grew and got bigger. But once I could say the word cancer out loud and began talking about my cancer to my family and friends the tension and the power of the word seemed to lighten.
The first thing I did was to ask God to help me handle whatever was ahead of me and my family. The next step was to learn all I could about my cancer. I went to the public library and checked out every book there was on my type of cancer. Later that evening I started reading the books I had checked out, but after several hours I felt confused and upset. I didn’t feel like reading anymore there was too much heavy information in my head. My body was on over load, the night seemed long, and I got very little sleep. Several days passed before I decided to pick up the books again, but this time I told myself to keep an open mind about what I was reading.
Although, the books helped to explain a lot of my questions I still felt the need to relate with another human-being, someone who had been through what I had. I wanted to see for myself how someone looked and acted after loosing a breast. In my own mind I wondered how a woman could ever look normal again, or if my regular clothes would fit me the same as before the surgery. I was having trouble facing reality, because I couldn’t accept what had happened to me. Not knowing anyone who had lost a breast to cancer, I felt confused about the future asking myself questions I couldn’t begin to answer. I wanted to meet a woman who had lost a breast; I wanted to hear her say she felt somewhat normal again.
I was 30 years old when I had my radical mastectomy; I was looking for someone who could encourage me and share in the experiences I had just went through. Then my prayers come true, about a month after my surgery an elderly lady came to visit me. She too had her breast removed and was doing very well at that given time. I remember her asking me if I wanted to talk about anything, or did I have any questions I wanted to ask her, or could she do anything for me in any way at this time that could or would help ease my pain or fearful thoughts.
The biggest thing had already taken place I was talking to another woman who had been through the same cancer surgery as me. We didn’t have to choose certain words to understand how each of us felt or dance around the subject before we could talk about what was in our hearts or minds. We both had breast cancer and though the surgeries were both a little different we still faced the same concerns, thoughts, treatments, and body appearances. That day is one I will never forget. This lady and I developed a strong bond for one another and in helping each other we helped ourselves. I now could see me, on a road to a healthy recovery. We as humans have to be shown and taught by example from time to time. Believing and knowing I wasn’t the only woman out there with this problem helped me to pick up the pieces and move forward with my life. From that day on, I never looked back or asked myself the question, “Why Me". I found myself again and knew that one of the purpose in my life was to work and help others.
This was one of Gods plans for me.
Interesting Information
Walking barefoot can cause plantar warts.
There are over 7000 nerve endings in each foot.
Many foot problems are caused by ill fitting shoes.
Women have about four times as many foot problems as men.
75% of Americans experience serious foot problems in their lifetime
About 60-70% of diabetics have mild to severe forms of neuropathy (nerve damage) in their extremities, which can lead to lower limb amputations.
Approximately 56,000 people a year lose their foot or leg due to diabetic complications. In 2002, about 82,000 non-traumatic lower-limb amputations occurred among diabetics.
Last but not least remember you should try to avoid spending extended periods of time walking or standing on concrete surfaces. It can escalate the severity of pre-existing conditions, and in many cases may be the cause of new problems.
The Pomegranate
What a powerful fruit! How many of you have tried a pomegranate? I can see why you can't get fat on this fruit the seeds are small BUT packed with some of nature's richest sources of antioxidants. This vibrant fruit itself helps to control calorie intake. With red, thick skin, pomegranates can take sometime to eat, and they are incredibly satisfying. Only 120 calories per serving this is a definite plus for anyone watching his or her weight. Pomegranates contain more polyphenol antioxidants than green tea, blueberries, cranberries and red wine. This makes them a powerful tool to combat heart disease, premature aging, Alzheimer's disease and even cancer. Studies from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that pomegranate juice lowered blood pressure in people with hypertension. The study found that blood pressure was reduced up to five percent after two weeks of consuming pomegranate juice.
This fruit is in season in October and is available at most natural food retailers and most supermarkets. Pomegranate juice is flying off the shelves. It's an easy way to get the antioxidant benefits pomegranates have to offer. The fruit has a slightly tart taste; you can find pomegranate juice mixed with other juices or plain. Make sure when buying the pomegranate juice you look for 100% juice. The benefits are many whether you choose to eat a fresh pomegranate, drink the juice, or take the supplements. Buy pomegranates today introduce this fruit to your family and see if you too can enjoy the taste of the ancient fruit with the many secrets and health benefits packed inside.
Grape Juice
Did you know that a daily glass of Concord grape juice, is rich in falconoid, and may out perform supplements? Recent research shows that Concord grape juice's powerful antioxidant effects may offer extra benefits that supplements do not. Participants in the study, 32 young healthy adults, were given either 400 IU of alpha-tocopherol, or 10 ml of 100 percent Concord grape juice, daily over a two week period. The subjects were otherwise on a flavonoid restricted diet.
Both the grape juice and supplements provided significant antioxidant protection to serum, plasma proteins and LDL, however, the grape juice was able to reduce the concentration of oxidized protein in the blood by 20 percent, which the supplements did not. In an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, O'Byrne concluded Concord grape juice are potent antioxidants that may protect against oxidative stress and reduce the risk of free radical damage and chronic diseases. Watch for more update information on the long term studies and the antioxidant effects of Concord grape juice in combination with a well defined diet. This beverage is a popular drink that could provide an everyday method for prevention of chronic disease in all age groups, the study stated. See you next month with more Moments with Mary.
Are you wearing a good fitting bra?
October is breast care month and everyone should know that taking proper care of your breast are important. In this article I will be sharing some information about buying a good fitting bra. It is important to you, your breast tissue and your health in general. Going for yearly mammograms and performing regular monthly (BSE) Breast Self Exams are things you can schedule and do for yourself. Shopping for and being fitted with a proper fitting bra is a must too! Believe me having a bra that fits like it should makes a big difference in the way you feel at the end of the day.
Bras have been with us for a long time. Historical records suggest that women have used some style of garment to lift, separate and restrict their breasts since 2000 BC. Comfort and fit were rarely considered important features until the early 1900's. This is not so today. Comfort and fit have become more important to consumers and bra manufactures have responded by improving design and sizing. Still, there is much room for improvement in the fitting department.
It's an amazing fact: 7 out of 10 women are wearing the wrong bra...but taking just a few minutes to determine for you your correct size can make a world of difference in the way you look and feel! Because every woman's body size is unique, you may discover the calculated size does not always translate to a perfect fit. For best results, try on several different styles and sizes to find the bra that works best. It's a good idea to re-check your measurements, especially if you've experienced changes in weight, your level of activity, or if you are expecting a baby. Front closure styles usually lack adjustability in the band size, which makes paying attention to the fit even more important. Replace your bras when they no longer offer the support you need to look and feel your best.
There is also room for bra-wearing education. First, bra wearing is a choice, not a law. You do not have to wear one if you don't feel the need. Many women wear bras an unhealthy 24 hours a day, never allowing their breasts to have natural freedom. And even more women wear bras that fit poorly and leave marks and indents on their skin. This is particularly bad for blood and lymphatic system flow. If you are going to wear a bra, shopping for the right bra will take time and patience. Try not to be tempted by the style, price or brand of a bra. If it hurts to wear, don't buy it. If you are going to wear a bra, comfort comes from having a good fit. The bra band must fit snugly to the chest, just below the breast, so that your breast weight will be transferred to it. When the bra band is loose, the shoulder straps take the weight. This sets off a chain reaction of bad to worse. Shoulder straps get tightened, causing the back of your bra to ride up and the straps to dig into your shoulders. With a proper fitting bra band, the breast weight is evenly distributed, the bra cups shape and hold your breasts and your shoulder straps do not dig into your shoulders. There are many styles, types, and specialty bras currently on the market. When your bra dies and ceases to do its job, get rid of it! February 13th has been dedicated as Dead Bra Day – a day designed for you and your girlfriends to celebrate and be creative with your dead bra disposal! Important reminders are;
1. Most women have one breast that is smaller than the other; in this case choose the cup size that fits the larger breast.
2. When you try on your bra there are some factors to consider so that you can know that you have purchased the correct size. If your band is too tight and is uncomfortable, it is too small. If your breasts are falling out the bottom of the bra, your band is too big. A correctly sized band will fit firmly around your back, where most of the support is. The back and front of the band should be even and parallel to the floor.
3. The cups should be large enough so that your breasts are encased and don't bulge out. If it is an underwire bra, make sure the underwires aren't poking breast tissue.
4. Its best if the fabric panel between the cups sits firmly against your chest (sternum), although with some makes and styles, this won't be exact.
These are just a few things you can do when fitting yourself for a bra. But being fitted by a trained certified professional person makes all the difference in the world.
So many of us love to grow pumpkins and of course the holiday season is always filled with some good tasting dishes made from the pumpkins we have grown or bought from the store. I thought it might be interesting to see how much we know about pumpkins.
1. Did you know that pumpkins are a fruit not a vegetable?
2. Pumpkins are 90 % water.
3. The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 1,140 pounds.
4. Pumpkins originated in Central America . Seeds from related plants have been found in Mexico dating back over 7000 years to 5500 B.C.
5. The pumpkin flowers are edible.
6. Pumpkins contain potassium and vitamin A.
7. Pumpkin seeds can be roasted as a snack.
8. Pumpkin is used year round in all kinds of recipes.
9. Pumpkins are a member of the curcurbita family that is squash and cucumbers.
10. Pumpkins contain beta carotene which helps to reduce certain types of cancer and lowers the risk of heart disease.
11. Pumpkins are grown all over the world on six of the seven continents.
12. Pumpkins are also grown in Alaska .
13. The pumpkin capital of the world is Morton , Illinois where Libby has its pumpkin industry and plant.
14. Pumpkins were once used as a remedy for snakebite.
15. Pumpkins have zero cholesterol, zero.
16. Pumpkins are low in salt, real low.
17. A number of facial and anti-wrinkle creams include pumpkin.
18. Pumpkins are high in fiber.
19. Native American Indians used pumpkins as a staple in their diets centuries before the pilgrims landed.
20. The most memorable movie made with a pumpkin was perhaps the pumpkin Chariot in Cinderella.
Harry Potter has made the Pumpkin Milkshakes famous.
Recipe below.
Ingredients: 1 frozen banana
3 Tablespoons orange juice concentrate
3 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
1 scoop vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt
1/3 cup water
Directions: Cut up frozen banana, then put all ingredients in a blender blend on high until smooth. Pour into two tall glasses top the shake with whipped cream and a shake of cinnamon.
I hope this article on Pumpkin has been interesting and educational. Remember, eat all you want pumpkin is good for you. Until next month, be safe. Moments with Mary.
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