I wish I was smiling

Subject: I wish I was smiling Thu Jun 12, 2008 1:24 pm

I'd rather be smiling, but I'm not. I hesitate to write here, but a few problems have crept into my life, besides one of my best author friends Alice having heart surgery. She is getting better and that IS definitely making me smile.

But I have developed ever increasing pain in my legs and have been to two medical clinics regarding this with no answers. Last night I definitely was not smiling.

To add to this, my 93 year-old-mother has shingles and doesn't look anything like the woman who I have loved for so long. She isn't smiling either and she has smiled for most of her 93 years.

And yesterday my granddaughter Kelly, who thinks being in my young adult book in progress, My Boring Life, (her idea) is "cool." She gave me some ideas where I was stuck. She finished her finals and spent the rest of the day with us and was hinting at coming back today. She is sixteen and one of the most smile inspiring people I know.

And the next problem that is not making me smile, is that you might have seen Wisconsin on the news lately, severe flooding and houses being swept into rivers and lakes. I am a Red Cross disaster mental health volunteer and every phone call I get for help, every email saying they need more helpers, every news story on TV brings tears to my eyes. I know I do a good job helping. My heart is on my sleeve as I sit home. I don't have a medical "excuse" but a medical "mandate" to not go to help.

Yesterday on TV, I watched a CNN reporter standing in the area that used to be a lake that drained into the Wisconsin River taking six houses with it. She said those houses, furniture, appliances and boats are all going down the Wisconsin River and will end up in the Mississippi and even down to Louisiana.

No, it will never happen. They got that wrong. We are high on a hill over the river and can see the last dam before the Mississippi River. It is a large hydroelectric dam with all gates open and foam rising above the gates we can see from our living room. So all those houses, appliances and pier are going to end right here! We keep watching for them, but all that has happened is the lake is slightly high and has turned from blue/gray to brown.

And I am glad my family is all right. They have had to take detours to get home from work. My sister-in-law, who designed my beautiful covers, works as a graphic artist in a building on the cresting Baraboo River. Two days ago, she was told to take her computer home since the water was rising in the basement and lapping at the front of the building. So yesterday she went to work at home. We went to visit with my granddaughter and she said, "Wait a minute, I have to punch out." Her apartment is an artist's apartment and her showing Kelly all her interesting art objects made us all smile.

My sister-in-law's place of business is near Circus World Museum where there were many circus animals until two days ago. They evacuated all the animals. She laughs, "yeah, they evacuated the animals, but there we were just down the street still working."

Love, Carol

Subject: Re: I wish I was smiling Thu Jun 12, 2008 1:41 pm

I forgot to mention, right now there is a thunderstorm occurring.

Carol

Subject: Re: I wish I was smiling Thu Jun 12, 2008 2:03 pm

I wish there was some way that we could relieve some of your burden for you Carol. We went through tremedous flooding near here in the Spring, and people's lives will never be the same because of it. It's hard on the folks who live there, and on the people who help them. You being at the end of a phone for someone or sending positive thoughts into your community instead of jumping in with both feet is still going to help.
Try to remember that part of the reason to focus on what makes you smile instead of what frustrates is that smiling helps to release some of those feel good endorphins, and that will help you get through what comes next. Keep your chin up (above the water), and try to remember all the great writing material that you are in the midst of gathering.
:pirat:
_________________
Pam Robertson

http://andthebandplayedonmylawn.blogspot.com

Subject: Re: I wish I was smiling Thu Jun 12, 2008 2:43 pm

Thanks Pam. I'm trying.

I'm not a grandma who bakes cookies, etc., but I think my volunteering has had an influence on my grandchildren. A few weeks ago my oldest grandson said he had filled out the forms for volunteering for the Red Cross.

I'm hoping his paperwork has been processed and emailed him that he should check with his employer to see if they gave people time off with pay for volunteering. He works for one of the most highly respected employer here in Wisconsin, and I imagine that is a possibility.

We have our candles and flashlights out and ready to go. The water is rising once again.

Subject: Re: I wish I was smiling Thu Jun 12, 2008 2:49 pm

Carol,
you are sitting on your next story.
_________________
"To Beirut and Back"
http://www.freewebs.com/abemarch

Subject: Re: I wish I was smiling Thu Jun 12, 2008 3:34 pm

Carol, know that being at the phone is very important. You have helped so many by being on the 'front lines' before, but what you are doing now is equally important. In fact, it is vitally important.

Keep the faith, and go forward.

I am sorry for the pains you and your mother are going through. Take delight in the grandchildren, they are carrying your honorable legacy.

Abe is certain to be correct about you sitting on a story. You can do this.

My prayers are with you and all those in imminent danger.
_________________
Zada Connaway
Mother's Journals: parts 1, 2 and 3 ISBN # 1-4241-6969-0

http://www.zadaconnaway.com/

Subject: Re: I wish I was smiling Thu Jun 12, 2008 4:07 pm

That's rough, Carol, and I'm sorry. The rest will pass, but make sure you find out what is causing the problem with your legs.
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Mystery Writers of America, Private Eye Writers of America
www.dickstodghill.com

Subject: Re: I wish I was smiling Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:13 am

Thanks for your good thoughts.

This afternoon weather again turned nasty here in Wisconsin. There were tornadoes, and severe storms to add to the previous problems. Roads are flooded and tornado warnings remain in effect and there will be more storms tonight. The power was out for several hours. Water continues to rush over the nearby dam.

Up at the Wisconsin Dells, one of the most popular attractions is the "Wisconsin Ducks," those water/land mechanical vehicles used during World War II. There are over eighty that took people on rides through Lake Delton as well as on land. Now they have been put into real service rescuing people in flooded areas.

The doctor, as a result of my pleading, prescribed something for my leg pains, but it is also putting me to sleep. . . Sleep

Subject: Re: I wish I was smiling Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:10 am

Get lots of rest, Carol!
_________________
Zada Connaway
Mother's Journals: parts 1, 2 and 3 ISBN # 1-4241-6969-0

http://www.zadaconnaway.com/

Admin Joined : 11 Jan 2008 Posts : 2021 Location : UK

Hi Carol,

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.

I'm a Google addict and when I don't know the answer to the problem I Google. This article seemed the most comprehensive for leg pain and has lots of links to specific problems:

http://health.yahoo.com/musculoskeletal-overview/leg-problems-noninjury/healthwise--legpb.html

All the pages I pulled up recommended drinking plenty water (eight glasses a day as a guide).

It may seem odd, put applying pressure (squeezing) the upper lip reduces pain in the legs from cramping (a technique used by sports coaches on their athletes). So, maybe, smiling is good for you! Very Happy

_________________
Shelagh Watkins
http://shelaghwatkins.co.uk/

Subject: Re: I wish I was smiling Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:31 pm

Thanks, Sheila. I checked it out. I'm drinking more water, combining exercise and rest. The muscle relaxers are helping, but are only a temporary fix before they find the source of the problem.

When I was with the Red Cross in Arkansas in February after the tornadoes there, I asked a man how I could help, and he said, "Keep smiling." I know that is important. And I have done a lot of phone calls to people who are seen by the Red Cross and referred to mental health workers for follow-up.

Yesterday my teen granddaughters, Kelly and Megan, "worked" on my book, "My Boring Life," and gave me some great ideas for the content of a metal box in the story.

Megan loves to write and her final for creative writing was a group of 20 poems. One I really liked was a poem titled "Revolution" that she wrote in a spiral. Another was 1000 words which she titled "A Picture Can Be a Thousand Words or 1000 Words Can Be a Picture."

I'll keep smiling. Today my husband is playing his harmonica in a park here in town, and the title is "Harp in the Park," part of a series of "lunchtime" music throughout the summer. Unless it rains. . . Smile

Subject: Re: I wish I was smiling Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:59 pm

That is good news, Carol. By all means keep smiling!
_________________
Zada Connaway
Mother's Journals: parts 1, 2 and 3 ISBN # 1-4241-6969-0

http://www.zadaconnaway.com/

Admin Joined : 11 Jan 2008 Posts : 2021 Location : UK

Carol,

If your granddaughter has a friendship poem, why not submit it for the anthology?
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Shelagh Watkins
http://shelaghwatkins.co.uk/