Good morning everyone! Got up early today and started thinking about thinking. Have you ever been thinking about something that triggers another thought then another AND ANOTHER and your mind is off to the races, not the good ones! I can go deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole thinking about ALL sorts of things and I feel like I can’t shut it down. In meditation this is often called the Monkey Mind. Here’s a quick thing I do to slow down my monkey mind. I take in a breath deep through my nose into my belly for the count of 3 or 4. Then I breathe out through my mouth for the count of 5 or 6. Then I repeat the cycle at least 4 times, sometimes more. The key is to breathe into your belly and breathe out slowly and longer than the in breath. This shifts the nervous system from fight/flight to rest and digest. In this fast paced world we all need to S L O W THINGS DONE. Give it a try. It’s free, easy and you can do it anywhere and anytime. Share your experience and techniques you use to calm your mind and create space. Be well!

I opened an article this morning about the death of Oscar-nominated actress Barbara Barrie, who died at age 95 after choosing Medical Aid in Dying (MAID), and I was absolutely appalled by the headline: "Oscar-Nominated Actor Dies in Assisted Suicide at 95." I have spent more than 50 years working with people who are dying, supporting families, and educating others about end-of-life choices. And I am deeply troubled by the continued use of the term "assisted suicide" to describe a legal, medically supervised end-of-life option chosen by a terminally ill person. Barbara Barrie had terminal cancer. She had lived a long and remarkable life. She was an advocate for New York's Medical Aid in Dying law, and when her own death approached, she made an informed decision to use that option. Her family has described her final moments surrounded by love. She deserved to have her story told with accuracy, context, and dignity. There is an important distinction between suicide and Medical Aid in Dying, even though people hold differing ethical, religious, and philosophical views about that distinction. In jurisdictions where Medical Aid in Dying is legal, it is an end-of-life option available only to people who meet specific medical and legal requirements. It is not a casual decision, nor is it available simply because someone is tired of living. You do not have to agree with Medical Aid in Dying to understand why language matters. You do not have to choose it for yourself to respect that another person may make a different choice. And you certainly do not have to abandon your personal beliefs to have a compassionate, informed conversation about death. As an end-of-life educator, I believe our responsibility is to educate, not sensationalize; to understand, not immediately condemn; and to recognize that dying people are human beings, not headlines. We need more conversations about mortality, suffering, quality of life, advance care planning, hospice, palliative care, and the choices available to people approaching death.

Life has honestly kicking my butt for the last couple of years and I’m working on being okay. In July my hubby got sick and we spent most of July in the hospital. There was a moment in his hallucinations that he was speaking to the lady in the corner of room. His vitals dropped after he told me about the woman in the corner. The room was swarmed by doctors and nurses and he was stabilized. It was the first time I ever thought of what my life would be without him. Later, while still in the hospital he told me he had a dream that his Grandma Skarda came to him in his dreams. He told me Grandma told him that it wasn’t his time yet. He’s home now and doing a bit better thank God. He started walking without a walker a few weeks ago. During his at home recovery I received a phone call his step sister that his mom was sick and we might want to head that way. The family is very estranged and the steps are causing all sorts of problems. Tom’s mom was the queen bee of narcissists and threw people away like you’d throw away leftovers after a few weeks. She died when Tom and my 6 year old grandson were with her. I thank God for that. When I got to the room Tom was just sitting in a chair repeatedly saying “I never really knew my mom.” It broke my heart to her him say that. Her birthday was a few days ago and Tom’s was yesterday. I feel guilty bc I was excited that I didn’t have to dread the phone ringing anymore. That I am actually relieved that she has passed. I’m learning more and more that you can really love someone from a distance. That realization has been gut wrenching for me bc my family is so close. Am I a bad person for not really mourning Tom’s mom?

My hospital uses “HEALTHY SOAP”. I’m so glad to know that, it being a healing institution and all! 😂

He is always letting us know that He loves us!