Hello you amazing women...

It has been a VERY long time since I've been on this forum and I'm sure there are lots of new faces with lots of new energy on board.

Chatty tells me there have been prayers aplenty being said for my well being and I stopped by to say "Thank you for the kindness". I can't begin to tell you how much it has meant to me to know people around the world for holding me in love, kindness and in prayer, especially since there were what felt like a gazillion days that I was barely able to hold down food or take care of "necessaries"!

In my heart, I know the time it took to heal was the perfect time. I do find my head arguing, vociferously, about that...

I don't know what you know about what's been going on and won't bore you with a ton of details...and here is the shortest version I can think of (and for those who know me, ya know this is a toughie...giggle).

I've had some pretty intense health issues for the last 4 years or so. First was liver counts off the charts for no known reason, then my adrenals said toodles and I slept the days away...then it was simply feeling like crud and keeping on keeping on anyway.

In December 2009, I was rushed to the emergency room and diagnosed with acute pancreatitis. I was hospitalized for a total of 11 days, during which time I was diagnosed with a pre-malignant golf ball-sized tumor between the pancreas and the spleen. The blessing of the acute pain is finding that tumor...without the pain we wouldn't have found it and that could have been that.

I had surgery in January 2010 and then returned to the hospital 6 weeks later for a severe abscess...sigh, whole lots of no fun! The drain was a royal pain (tee hee...).

After 25 days in the hospital, tons of sleep, gazillions of prayers, I'm back out in the world.

Oh, and other positive things: lost 43 lbs, became a non-smoker, and kicked my 1 pot a day coffee habit!!!!!!!

Again, my deepest thanks for keeping me in your prayers and holding me up when I most certainly wasn't able to. It is amazing what women can do with a simple intention and prayer, isn't it? This world needs us ladies, please know you are loved and lovable!

We have our Mama back. God is good. Welcome home, hun. You've made us all very happy with your good news.

Mama..if there is anything I am very grateful for this day, it is to have read your post here today! You have been thru hell and back..and so much more. And still you bring laughter and light to our place here. I know enough about life now to know that without suffering, we can´t know joy. And the joy that we find thru suffering is a very special kind of joy. Thank you for sharing this with us.

I,too, have been blessed and helped by prayers and thoughts from the wonderful women here..and some have even become my very good friends. I believe in the power of the women here..our united power to help us heal and keep going when we need it the most. So I know that you probably felt the energy and love coming from us here and I am so glad that you are back..back in life,too.

AND you have lost all those pounds! Kicked the smoking thing and the coffee pot,too! WOW!!!! So what do you do for kicks now?? If I may ask

Welcome! Welcome! From your long and hard journey..

Wonderful news today..and the healing path is a kind path..it may be rocky and have and dips but the gift we have of each day is a blessing.

Hugging you from Scotland in spirit..Mama

Mama Red welcome back...I am supremely sorry for all of the suffering you have endured...but am happy to know that you are on the mend now and looking forward to life...God bless you and keep you on a healing path from now on....

Hi Dearest Humlan

Yes, you're ever so right. Without the suffering we can't know joy. And I could do with more joy and less suffering at the moment. Oh darn, ya mean I'm not immune to the laws of the world? Arghgh. Fiddle Faddle. Smile.

So, what do I do for kicks...figuring that one out! Right now, I'm going back to my talking addiction...I rarely had the energy to talk to anyone for so long (except mom, my hubbie, my son and best friend who put the word out to others), so now I'm catching up. And the other is to stop procrastinating and saying "I'm gonna" or "I can't" and get moving, which is why I announced a women's event in the Chicago area for June 19th...then panicked and thought "how will I fill it"...grin. Laugh. Somes things don't change!

Queen JJ...are you a sweetie pie!

MA...how did you get to be so kind?

AB...thank you thank you thank you..what a great hearted woman you are!

MamaRed, I've thought of you while you were gone, and am so glad to hear you're on the mend with a healthier lifestyle too!

Blessings, and continue on your healing path.

Way to go, MaMa Red. You are on the way to healing yourself. Be proud of yourself and celebrate your successes!

Thank you soooooooo much Meredith and you too Anno. I continue to learn how to take care of myself...and it was interesting to see a lifelong pattern of ignoring the needs of my physical self in "favor" of my mental and spiritual self. Quite an interesting, and unhealthy, pattern. Dang it, this growth stuff can, well, be a pain...ROTFL.

MamaRed - so good to see you back here! Glad you're healing.

Hmm..interesting.."physical self in favor of spiritual self.." you´ve got something there..we have to listen to our bodies..they bring us back to ourselves..if we listen. I am no expert on this..but I am trying to learn...

The triangle of balanced mind/body/spirit is the favoured model.But tell that to an ill hurting person.
You are so so right Mama..the vital signs in a person centre round survival...finer feelings can only emerge when the body is functioning.Pain is there for a reason.To seek comfort.
That is why gratitude for another day of health can allow the emerging spititual self to blossom.In many the journey to wholeness comes after serious illness.Despite feeling that a spiritual life was being lived..

"Pain is there for a reason. To seek comfort" And not to push it down and try to over win it..and not to keep pushing on..and on..
But rather to cradle it..and take care of it..just as you would if your child was crying and in pain..

Agree Humlan..and comfort will be found.