Our epic journey begins as a tribute to one of the best men I’ve had the privilege of knowing, my brother Steve. When he lost his battle to cancer on January 1, the world lost a fine renaissance man. He left so many things behind, this is my celebration of his life in this exploration of the central US. To spend as much time outside as I can, to sense all the richness that is so enhanced with my feet in the dirt and the wind in my face.

PREPARATION

This trip has required a tremendous amount of planning, a great metaphor for life. This last time I did this, I was 22 with nearly zero responsibility. Now, to manage my household, our family businesses with all the accumulated “stuff” and schedule has taken months of thought and consideration. The primary questions I asked were:

What needs to happen while I am away? What will I NEED to take with me (water, food, shelter, emergency supplies, communication tools)? What could go wrong and how do I mitigate that? What is my intent and what are my goals for this time away?

Mike is an incredible life partner. How many couples can be SO together while apart? His encouragement in this undertaking has been priceless as well as a huge motivator. He has been a so very supportive and his research has helped to find modern tools: bug screens for ventilation at night with a battery-powered fan and up-to-date electronics for navigation and safety just to name two. It definitely takes a team.

We are living in unprecedented times because of technology. I can do nearly everything remotely with local help from friends and neighbors for the “in-person” demands of my garden and home, thanks to a wonderful community. If you are considering any kind of endeavor of this scope, I encourage you to ask for help and GO FOR IT!!

This apt title encompasses the fun I had with my beloved niece to celebrate her graduation from college. She chose our path to experience her European roots and we had an epic adventure viewing the many ancient sites of northern England and historic nooks and crannies of Wales. What an absolute delight of have this time with her and to get a sense of her ancestors.

Our November 2019 trip was epic in scale and fun in its own “touristy” way. I was grateful Terry wanted to take the trip and so glad we got a tour for our first venture into this exotic and wonderful country. Just the sheer logistics were intense WITH a tour, but a picture is worth a thousand words so I will let me favorites speak for themselves. Enjoy!

Curiosity about this island nation led Mike and I to take a short cruise to see this long revered enigma of a nation.  Having grown up in Florida, ex-pats from Cuba were numerous and full of stories about their homeland. From our short visit, we felt that the warm, friendly people have been stifled by the politics of the area. The grandeur of the buildings needed to be imagined as they are crumbling from the lack of prosperity over the last 60 years. The classic cars, although anachronistic, were yet another oddity of this beautiful country. We wanted to see it before it became Americanized, and we could already see the creep of the influx of cash, creating a Disney-like atmosphere as they renovate and put facades on old  and deteriorating homes. If  I used my imagination, it reminded me of the exquisite 1920s homes of coastal Rhode Island,  had they been left without care since being built. It also gave us a sense of the opulence of 1950s Havana. We would love to go back and see more of the country, meet more of the people after this small taste left us wanting more rather than less. We highly recommend it! (it was also VERY romantic!)

Beloved friend Trudy

The gypsy spirit in me loves the open road: a chance to drive the switchbacks and hairpin turns of North Carolina and the Americana old school towns of Highway 321, all with the top down, weather permitting.  I took the opportunity to visit old friends, beloved dear ones that I have greatly missed since they moved away, Trudy and Steve, Betsy, Carolyn, Shelley and Grace and Bill.  Great conversation, new sites, new friends, the freshness of the air, the beauty of the mountains.  Cold summer nights, elk, deer, the white squirrels, chipmunks, ground hogs, waterfalls and evening rainbows, just to name a few of the wonderful sights and sounds of the hills.

Logistics has been a weakness for me, as I was always blessed with staff to do it for me.  So this was a second time at that, after my camping trip that took me to Paynes Prairie (see “You’ve been Asking” blog post) with much better results this time, with only one “fail” rather than one daily.  SO MUCH more fun when the details of lodging are handled ahead of time!  And with the complexity of the trip (visiting friends throughout the states), I found that an actual MAP, rather than technology was the ticket.  Many times, there was no wi-fi or cell service, so I was grateful I had planned with that in mind.

The time with friends was both refreshing and renewing.  I am deeply grateful for their love and care of me, as well as their friendship.

Recovery

After nearly forty years as a care-giver, I must take an extended pause for self-care.  Although I have always cared for myself (regular chiropractic care, healthy eating, exercise, rest, plenty of fresh air and water, as I have always recommended to others), the magnitude of this injury has required extended rest, rehab and focus, which, while working, even on a part-time basis, was impossible.  Each week since stopping, I feel clearer, more rested, stronger.  I know that this HUGE fork in my path as one of God’s greatest blessings.  I am working on that.

Many hours of study and introspection later, I see areas I could have done better, knowing that hindsight is 20/20.  As I have meticulously tracked my daily nutrient intake, I see that I have had a protein surplus and a calcium deficit.  Cortisol and protein are problems for those of us with less than stellar bone density and I have had high stress and low carbohydrate intake for the past ten years or more.  I have also attributed my stress load to being what is now called “sub-fertile” and therefore not able to carry a pregnancy to completion but that’s a discussion for another day.

Although I am not one to treat symptoms, but rather to address causes, I have begun an intensive program of bone density enhancement.  This program includes using a vibe plate for 20 minutes at least three times per week. (see pubmed.gov for some great research on the what and why of this, my favorite is ncbi.nlm.hih.gov, PMID 27904420,  “The Role of Vibration Therapy in Old Age).    The best calcium calculator I have found is the app “MyFitnessPal” and I supplement calcium AND magnesium based on what I have eaten, not just a rote amount each day, for optimum absorption.  Gentle aerobic exercise AND strength training are also important.  My favorite resources are http://www.mercola.com and http://www.drswolfson.com for info on both of these.   I have an amazing personal trainer, (Matt Nigut) at AMP gym, a great life coach (Joel Wade, PhD), massage therapy, chiropractic care, and I have plenty of time now to track down the very best ingredients for my meals.  I am even beginning to enjoy cooking (I know, I know!).  I spend quality time outside in the sunshine for my vitamin D and supplement when I cannot.  I also take vitamin K in the form of natto and emu oil to boost my calcium deposition.  Hope my research is helpful to you and to any loved ones who may have similar issues.

Deep gratitude flows from my heart and I MISS the many lives of practice members.  I know I will see you all again!  I hope that you will keep in touch with me, either here or by phone or email.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton