So the dogs were packed and ready to spend two weeks with grandma and grandpa, Rob was running late to pick me up and take me to the airport, my sister in tears and my father on his way to Arizona to stay with the in laws. Oh and did I mention that I was late for the airport and hadn't eaten anything all day and it was 1:00 pm...ok so that was my day yesterday. But in spite of the chaos the rest of the day was a blessing. I read an entire novel on the plane (the girly kind you can only get away with buying at an airport), my luggage arrived without any hitches and the hotel is AWESOME! I love whoever designed the W hotels...so trendy, modern and yet in a historical building. I feel like I am in a 1900's sanctuary/church with a disco ball and party music 24/7. Much like the Standard Hotel in LA but without the drug scene and crazy drunk people trying to enter my room at 3 am...story for another day. We had dinner, fish and chips to be exact, and then sought out some solitude by walking the financial district until 1 am. I then relaxed in a scolding hot bath with bubbles (provided by the hotel thank to BLISS) and read all the local sites to see in the beautiful city of Chicago. I fell asleep and woke up at 7 am rested and ready to walk the city again. I found a wonderful little coffee shop next to the train station and only a couple of blocks away. I ate a cheese danish and purchased a travel coffee mug (my green effort for the day). I must have refilled my coffee mug at least 8 times today...ah caffine high! I continued walking the city until it was time to shower and begin the work day. So 15 hours later I am blogging having just finished up a working dinner and feeling inspired...not to work but to play. I wish my hubby was here! I could use his funny charm and exploration skills. I think that if Robby hadn't been a musician he would have been an explorer. It is one of the things I love about my partner...we travel great together. Every moment of every day is filled with excitement and something new. Lounging and relaxing is reserved my annual girls trip. Every other trip includes walking at least 15 miles a day! I love it and I am being serious!
Ok enough ranting and raving about nothing. Oh, except if you can't already tell I love the Windy City!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Closer Than A Brother
Our dear brother Travis moved almost two weeks ago with his fiance and stepdaughter to Ohio. Our hearts are pain striken. We miss him so much. He has been a faithful friend and brother to the both of us. He has encouraged, laughed and cried with us throughout it all. His love is undying. He knows what to say in every situation. Of course it usually includes an explative but for some reason it makes your heart smile even in the worst of situations. He sat at the hospital with me a month ago. He was the one person I could lean on. The one person that could bring peace to the situation. He was the only person Rob would allow to see him in his fagile state. His hugs bring comfort and hope. I don't know how he does it but his compassion and understanding is out of this world.
I know the friendship is not over and that he is only a phone call away, only a plane trip away and yet it is not the same. I hurt knowing that my husband longs for his friendship in a way that only a brother can. He is family. He is a brother and a best friend. What a blessing!
Stigma
First and foremost forgive my righteous indignation of a post if you can call it that...
I live with mental illness everyday in my own life, the life of my loved ones, my home and in my work. I read an article this past week that expressed what I have felt since I was a child and for the first time I saw it expressed in words and my heart jumped with excitement and joy. For the first time the medical world is redefining mental health, "being crazy", bi-polar, depressed, RAD, anxious...whatever you call it as a BRAIN DISEASE. This is nothing new. For many years we have known that mental health is caused by an increase/decrease in serotonin, that neurotransmitters connect or disconnect and a myriad of other physical symptoms cause what we know as mental health or what I now will call a brain disease.
I am sick and tired of the stigma. I am sick and tired of people that say just walk away or protect yourself and your children from those suffering. Would you say the same thing if I told you that it was cancer? Would you say just put that person in a hospital ward and leave them to die alone? Would you say that medication is just a band aid? Would you say just let them suffer? Would you blame that person for having cancer? Well, let me be the first to say that a brain disease is no different from cancer. And next time someone tells you they are suffering from a mental illness give them and their family a hug, offer to bring dinner, ask if you can help the same way you would if that person was lying in a cancer ward suffering. Don't feel sorry for them or their family. Don't ask what they did wrong or if they were always that way as a child. Don't assume their family or parents did something wrong. Don't assume God has forsaken them. God has not left their side. God loves them as He love all those suffering from illness...but do you?
I am the first to say that I am embarrassed and ashamed by brain diseases, I wonder if that isn't why I always worked in the mental health field? Was it that God gave me an extra measure of understanding, of love, compassion? And how it is that as a child I could stand outside a room and know the pain going on inside the walls without hearing a word and I condemn, judge and lack love for myself and those around me suffering? Because I am human, I am sinful, I am hurting, I am sick. And if you don't think you have your own sickness then throw the stones, God will be the judge. Again, forgive my anger. I am angry. I am angry that people pray everyday for the starving, for the AIDS stricken, for the physically challenged and never mention a word of those living everyday with a brain illness. And if you don't think it affects you here is statistic for you...one in every three people suffer from a brain disease. Look around you and I ask you if you are the exception?
And don't tell me that it is just a spiritual issue. I myself have gone through this. How many counselors just tell addicts to just pray a little more. And if you didn't already know addiction is also a disease of the brain with the same biological factors at play then any other physical disease. So pray, pray like crazy that God would heal and when He chooses not to please don't imply that God has forsaken that person or that they just didn't accept God's healing. Would you do the same of someone with Cancer?
Today I was reading Sean and Cate's blog. I heard a song by Sara Grove, "It's Going to Be All Right". Well today I believe it is going to be all right. Today I believe that I can live a full and joyous life. I, those I love and those individuals I work with will be alright not in spite of their brain disease but because of their brain disease. God gives all those suffering a measure of strength and courage of the soul that only those in desperation can receive. So don't offer any cliches and don't pretend to understand all the pain but hold onto faith that it is going to be all right. And say, we are going to be all right. Use WE because it communicates that God has not forsaken us but instead has chosen to bless us. Begin to change the world around you by identifying those suffering as blessed and not lost.
So next time you see me give me a hug. Don't ask me to run but know that I am blessed.
I live with mental illness everyday in my own life, the life of my loved ones, my home and in my work. I read an article this past week that expressed what I have felt since I was a child and for the first time I saw it expressed in words and my heart jumped with excitement and joy. For the first time the medical world is redefining mental health, "being crazy", bi-polar, depressed, RAD, anxious...whatever you call it as a BRAIN DISEASE. This is nothing new. For many years we have known that mental health is caused by an increase/decrease in serotonin, that neurotransmitters connect or disconnect and a myriad of other physical symptoms cause what we know as mental health or what I now will call a brain disease.
I am sick and tired of the stigma. I am sick and tired of people that say just walk away or protect yourself and your children from those suffering. Would you say the same thing if I told you that it was cancer? Would you say just put that person in a hospital ward and leave them to die alone? Would you say that medication is just a band aid? Would you say just let them suffer? Would you blame that person for having cancer? Well, let me be the first to say that a brain disease is no different from cancer. And next time someone tells you they are suffering from a mental illness give them and their family a hug, offer to bring dinner, ask if you can help the same way you would if that person was lying in a cancer ward suffering. Don't feel sorry for them or their family. Don't ask what they did wrong or if they were always that way as a child. Don't assume their family or parents did something wrong. Don't assume God has forsaken them. God has not left their side. God loves them as He love all those suffering from illness...but do you?
I am the first to say that I am embarrassed and ashamed by brain diseases, I wonder if that isn't why I always worked in the mental health field? Was it that God gave me an extra measure of understanding, of love, compassion? And how it is that as a child I could stand outside a room and know the pain going on inside the walls without hearing a word and I condemn, judge and lack love for myself and those around me suffering? Because I am human, I am sinful, I am hurting, I am sick. And if you don't think you have your own sickness then throw the stones, God will be the judge. Again, forgive my anger. I am angry. I am angry that people pray everyday for the starving, for the AIDS stricken, for the physically challenged and never mention a word of those living everyday with a brain illness. And if you don't think it affects you here is statistic for you...one in every three people suffer from a brain disease. Look around you and I ask you if you are the exception?
And don't tell me that it is just a spiritual issue. I myself have gone through this. How many counselors just tell addicts to just pray a little more. And if you didn't already know addiction is also a disease of the brain with the same biological factors at play then any other physical disease. So pray, pray like crazy that God would heal and when He chooses not to please don't imply that God has forsaken that person or that they just didn't accept God's healing. Would you do the same of someone with Cancer?
Today I was reading Sean and Cate's blog. I heard a song by Sara Grove, "It's Going to Be All Right". Well today I believe it is going to be all right. Today I believe that I can live a full and joyous life. I, those I love and those individuals I work with will be alright not in spite of their brain disease but because of their brain disease. God gives all those suffering a measure of strength and courage of the soul that only those in desperation can receive. So don't offer any cliches and don't pretend to understand all the pain but hold onto faith that it is going to be all right. And say, we are going to be all right. Use WE because it communicates that God has not forsaken us but instead has chosen to bless us. Begin to change the world around you by identifying those suffering as blessed and not lost.
So next time you see me give me a hug. Don't ask me to run but know that I am blessed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
