Cause for Celebration

Cause for Celebration

Honestly I need no excuse for a celebration; life is a celebration for me. But I have decided that turning 46 is in fact cause to celebrate. 46 is a age I really had not expected to see for a number of reasons, of course there was the Buick that tackled me doing 45mph in 1984 – all the Doctors I dealt with after that accident told me I was lucky to be alive. Of course there was the “death sentence “ in 1993 when I was diagnosed with bi-lateral adrenal adenomas- the doctors at that point told me I had 18 to 22 months to live, and let’s not forget the extreme worry by family and close friends that I would take my own life after Edward passed away.
I persevered in each of these cases and I life in general.

This Tuesday I turn 46. Nope there are no big celebrations planned, in fact I will be at work all day. But inside I will be celebrating this milestone. An age I never thought I’d see.

I’m incredible grateful to the amazing family I am blessed with, an incredible group for friends that I always enjoy , a job that allows me to do what I love, and coach that offers guidance, assistance and the occasional good swift kick in the ass when I need it. Life really is good.

Oh sure there are things I want, I want to be in love, to find my soul mate and get married. I wouldn’t mind a million dollars in the bank, but can live without it. In fact I have learned that everything I really have to have in my life comes from within me.

I have been asked so often how I can be so upbeat and cheery – honestly I have down times, I am very open about these things. I look at each morning that I can put my feet on the floor as a gift from God, a gift that should not be taken lightly or misused. Then there is always the fact that I get to wake up to this adorable face every morning.

My journey is hitting a milestone this week.

Love and Laughter

HOORA

Terry

Feeling Depressed, Frustrated and ready to give up

Feeling Depressed, Frustrated and ready to give up


I started this Blog a year and ½ ago with the intention of always being honest with what I write. I usually post on Sunday nights and did not this past Sunday evening for several reasons, most of them mental.

I have been ill for about 10 days now- running a fever and awful cough. It turns out that I have a series respiratory infection, which has caused another condition from the constant coughing. After 48 hours on an Antibiotic, inhaler and codeine laden cough medication I am feeling a bit better.

Why did I get sick, why and I frustrated and ready to give it all up- well there are probably several things have played into it this BAD state of mind.

A- I have not been able to sleep much with Animal house going on over head

B- During the month of January I was in several claimants that my body probably had a hard time readjusting to.

C- I’m stressed – about work- Medicare and most of the insurance companies have cut their fees, which means less money coming and it worries me how we are to keep a business running when everything is costing more and more and we are collection less and less. On top of that many of our patients are coming to us telling us that they are having a hard time paying their co-pays. It’s hard to run a business like that.By the way the insurance and medicare cut are across the board- Today CIgna announced a 15% rate increase for its members at the same time chopping fees paid to doctors- most note worthy is the amount they will pay for a heart surgeon to place a stunt in someones heart- The fee had been 983.00 they have now reduced it to $567.00 - Yes folks Something needs to be done with our health care system- its a shame, Oh yeah Cigna's CEO received a multi- million $$ bonus at the end of last year.
My personally life- I spent Valentine’s Day again this year alone with just the cat. My birthday is in 2 weeks and it just reminds me of how old I am getting.

D- Dating sucks at this age- seriously- since when did it become acceptable to “break the ice” with a women by telling her you’d love to __________ her. So I have deleted all my dating profiles and given up on that.

E- The knee injuries have been a frustrating set back for me. While the weight loss is continuing at a slower pace, it is still continuing. But I do still feel like a failure.

F- I have lost my positive outlook on life and myself- there is a serious lack of confidence right now- which is very weird for me- as much to my boss and good friend’s annoyance I am always the Glass is ½ full kind of person.

Thanks for letting me vent- suggestions, ideas, and whacks to the back of the head to help me snap out of this funk will all be welcomed.

Sometimes the journey stalls. I guess this too shall pass.
Love and Laughter

Hoora
Terry

How to spend a Blizzard

How to spend a Blizzard


Here in Maryland we got pounded this weekend with a HUGE snow storm, some areas have as much as 30” of the white stuff…. YUCK
Normally, I’d be complaining about the snow, the cold and lose of my independence this weather creates, but I’m not. In fact I found (by accident) one of the coolest ways to get snowed in.
This weekend I attended the Madow Group Social Media Marketing seminar at the BWI Hilton- the original plan at been for me to drive down and Friday morning, come home Friday night , go back on Saturday Am, and come home Saturday evening. Mid week when I heard that the weather service was calling for 24” of snow. I emailed my friend Dr. David Madow who, with his brother and partner Dr. Richard Madow were hosting this seminar and asked if they had an alternative plan based on the weather, he in fact told me I was crazy that we were not going to get that much snow and that the seminar would go on . I decided my best course of action would be to have my friend Joe drop me off at the hotel on Friday morning, and my boss pick me up Saturday night, so I booked a room at the Hilton.
Friday arrived with Gray skies storm clouds looming. By mid day Friday there was a light snow falling. Friday the seminar was great, we worked on Face book Fan pages, blogs, Tweeter, LinkedIn, etc. Friday evening there was this wonderful cocktail party, several of the other attendees were from California, Kansas, Georgia, Florida, etc- same where not used to see the snow, in the course of the 3 hours we were talking and socializing a good 4 inches fell, several of the other attending and leaders started throwing snow balls inside, then moved a full blow snow ball battle outside.
The seminar was amazing- full of great information like how to use PING.FM, and tweetdeck, how to use our blogs to help build business, and so much more. I learned so much that my head is still spinning.
Saturday morning in the midst of the seminar I felt my cell phone vibrate, not being rude to the speaker I left it go. When we broke for lunch I returned the call to my boss who was calling to tell me that he really didn’t think he would be able to make it from Owings Mills to Linthicum to get me as planned and suggested I see if I could extend my stay thru Saturday night.
Since none of the attendees were going anywhere on Saturday night we all kind of met for an impromptu to dinner, which proved to be very fun. A short step outside to see the snow and snowmen a few folks had built on the entrance, and take a few photos. As I was standing outside laughing at a snowman with grapes for eyes. I realized that instead of being upset about being stuck in the hotel, it was actually more fun being with new friends, learning a lot and laughing so hard that I had tears in my eyes, that I should be grateful I was not home alone with just the cat and I watching it snow from my front windows.
This morning, Sunday, my Boss and friend Joe came down to the hotel to get me, they brought Ariel with them (she had been at Joe’s all weekend) she was happy to see me, as I was her. The normal 20 minute drive took about an 45 minutes, there were parts of the Beltway (I-695) that were still very snow/ice covered and very bumpy. When we got to my apartment we discovered that NOTHING had been shoveled or dug out- so Doc and Joe had to dig me into my apartment as they were afraid I’d fall in the snow and mess up my knee even more.
All in All it was a good weekend.

Enjoy this journey- you never know where fun me be lurking.

Love and Laughter

Terry