According to the World Heart Federation, World Heart Day encourages global participation in activities to improve heart health. The effort to unite people from all walks of life across the world is a worthy one. With endless stressors hurled our way these days, a focus on…
Columns
I’m about to give myself credit where credit is due: I didn’t freak out for several months. I have undiagnosed, but undeniable, health anxiety. So, I was surprised by my reaction to a recall announced last June by Philips Respironics of 13 respiratory machines, including the BiPAP machine I’ve used…
My family and I have just returned home from a fun-filled, relaxing vacation in Orlando, Florida. We haven’t taken a vacation in over two years, and it was long overdue. Vacations offer opportunities to explore a different part of the world and take a break from normal routines. But sometimes…
While I can’t speak on behalf of every medical professional I’ve come across in my lifetime (truth be told, that’d be quite a large number), I wouldn’t be surprised if they thought I didn’t own many clothes. I wouldn’t blame them. After all, I’ve been wearing the exact same pair…
“Hey, is that Lego?” my brother asks, a spark of interest in his eyes. He leans over to get a better view of my laptop. He’s 17, but in that moment, I see the 7-year-old boy who loved Lego so much, he’d want to immediately begin work on every set…
I knew I was in for a treat when a friend texted me in all caps: “BRIE BRIE BRIE!” I was so into the book I was reading that I took a while to check my notifications. But once I did, it didn’t take me long at all to scream…
Have you ever looked back on the person you used to be and thought, “That was a lifetime ago!” When I think this way, I look at it from two different perspectives. On one hand, yes, my past self seems light-years away. On the other hand, that other me seems…
Being surrounded by tranquility and stunning scenery in the North Carolina mountains is a true blessing. A bonus is that our two grandchildren live down the road! Clara, 5, and James, 3, entertain us all with their endless antics. It’s great fun for my husband, Randy, and me to spy…
When it comes to vendettas, I have two. One is against Sigmund Freud. Freud, the “father” of psychology, who’s known for his unbelievably misogynistic views. Google “Freud misogyny” and you’ll get a laundry list of jeremiads decrying his influence on the mental health profession. Some of my favorites include…
About a decade ago, I woke to the sight of dozens of butterflies bathed in gentle light above my head. I wasn’t expecting that. When I lost consciousness, my mom and I had just arrived at the hospital in an ambulance after being rescued from our home by…
