Cindy Ashton's Butterfly

"What seems to us bitter trials are often blessings in disguise."
-- Oscar Wilde

This video brought tears to my eyes. It's the right dose of inspiration to start your day (or to pick you up when you feel down). Watch it, and you will agree with me.

Carnival of Healing is Today's Featured Carnival at BlogCarnival.com

I just found out that Carnival of Healing is Today's Featured Carnival at the Blog Carnival today!

More excitingly, they are featuring THE edition (Carnival of Healing #78: Blossom into More) I hosted on March 24 on my other blog.

Carnival of Healing is a weekly collection of articles about health & healing, personal development and spirituality. There are some really good articles in the edition I hosted. Check them out!




When you click on the Carnival of Healing link it takes you right to my post. This is soooo cool. Considering that there are 9190 editions of 1375 Carnivals listed on the Blog Carnival website and 167 new Carnivals in the past 30 days alone, it's a very rare opportunity to be the Featured Carnival.

Go check it out TODAY!!! They feature one carnival every day, so if you miss it today, you won't see it!!!

Carnival of Healing #78: Blossom into More

This week I am hosting Carnival of Healing #78: Blossom into More on my other blog Intensive Care for the Nurturer's Soul.

Carnival of Healing is a weekly round-up of personal Web sites and blogs on the topics of holistic health, wellness, spirituality, and self empowerment. In honor of the first day of Spring (March 21) and my upcoming birthday, I decided to choose a spring-like title for this edition of the Carnival of Healing.

Spring, to me, signifies renewal, growth and hope. There is also a tremendous sense of empowerment to observe how the entire planet and its creatures "come back to life", so to speak, after a brutal winter. Even the tiniest of seed holds the power and potential within to sprout and grow into something spectacular. As human beings, we have more options and choices than plants and most animals in the nature. We ought to celebrate and harness the power within us, to heal ourselves and make this world a better place. I'd like to share with you a quote I came across the other day.

"You are built not to shrink down to less
but to blossom into more."
-- Oprah Winfrey

I hope you allow your self and your life to grow into full bloom.

Go over to my other blog now to read all the fantastic articles we have this week!

Please support Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act

Call to action: Please sign the petition for "Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2005"

If you know anyone who has had a mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of discomfort and pain afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure. Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery.

There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the "drive-through mastectomy" where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.

Lifetime Television has put this bill on their web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on. Please visit the website below to read more about this, and sign the petition to show your support.

This is an important legislation for ALL women! If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times.

PLEASE!! Sign the petition by clicking on the web site below. You need not give more than your name and zip code number.

www.lifetimetv.com/health/breast_mastectomy_pledge.html

This takes about 2 seconds. PLEASE PASS THIS ON to your friends and family, and on behalf of all women, THANKS!

GO GET YOUR MAMMIES GRAMMED

This is hysterical! Make sure you read the whole thing. There is a serious message at the end, but you get to laugh on the way there.

------------------------
GO GET YOUR MAMMIES GRAMMED

For years and years they told me,
Be careful of your breasts.
Don't ever squeeze or bruise them.
And give them monthly tests.
So I heeded all their warnings,
And protected them by law.
Guarded them very carefully,
And I always wore my bra.

After 30 years of astute care,
My gyno, Dr Pruitt,
Said I should get a Mammogram
"OK," I said, "let's do it."

"Stand up here real close" she said,
(She got my boob in line)
"And tell me when it hurts," she said,
"Ah yes! Right there, that's fine."
She stepped upon a pedal,
I could not believe my eyes!
A plastic plate came slamming down,
My hooters in a vise!
My skin was stretched and mangled,
From underneath my chin.
My poor boob was being squashed,
To Swedish Pancake thin.
Excruciating pain I felt,
Within it's viselike grip.
A prisoner in this vicious thing,
My poor defenseless tit!

"Take a deep breath," she said to me,
Who does she think she's kidding?!?
My chest is mashed in her machine,
And woozy I am getting.

"There, that's good," I heard her say,
(The room was slowly swaying)
"Now, let's have a go at the other one."
Have mercy, I was praying.
It squeezed me from both up and down,
It squeezed me from both sides.
I'll bet SHE'S never had this done,
To HER tender little hide.

Next time that they make me do this,
I will request a blindfold
I have no wish to see again,
My knockers getting steam rolled.
If I had no problem when I came in,
I surely have one now.
If there had been a cyst in there,
It would have gone "ker-pow!"

This machine was created by a man,
Of this, I have no doubt.
I'd like to stick their "you know what's" in there,
And see how they come out!!
--------------------

OK gals now that you have had your laugh, remember...
Breast Cancer Awareness.

Go have those boobs checked out and stay healthy! Pass the message on to your mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts, cousins, friends, and even your enemies. Because the WORST enemy is Breast Cancer!

Carnival of Healing #60: Echoes in Eternity

This week I am hosting the Carnival of Healing #60: Echoes in Eternity on Intensive Care for the Nurturer's Soul, and it's up today!

Carnival of Healing is a weekly round-up of personal Web sites and blogs on the topics of holistic health, wellness, spirituality, and self empowerment. This week there are 14 great articles to help you heal your body and nurture your soul. So go over there now and check out the Carnival of Healing #60: Echoes in Eternity.

HER Connection

Taking good care of your physical health is an important aspect of Intensive Self-Care. Don't forget to get your annual physical including a Pap smear and the HPV test (HPV is a virus that's been linked to cervical cancer). If you are a woman age 40 or older, you probably know you should take annual mammogram too.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You can get all the information about breast cancer as well as how to get involved with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month at their website.

If you or someone you know have metastatic breast cancer, here is a useful resource I came across today.

Living day-to-day with and managing HER2+ metastatic breast cancer can be challenging. However, with some knowledge and support, you can face breast cancer head-on and HER connection is a program designed to help you do just that.

The HER connection program will provide you with resources you need to help you understand more about your disease. Enroll now to receive important information about your condition, your options, and how to partner with your healthcare team. In addition, you will receive a complimentary music CD "Healing Sounds". You will also receive a personalized Doctor Discussion Guide to print out, with essential information, including:

• Descriptions of the specialists who may be part of your healthcare team
• Explanations of the roles and responsibilities of these different team members
• Questions on a range of issues you may want to ask the different members of your team as you confront metastatic breast cancer

The HER connection program makes it easy for you to get reliable information about HER2+ metastatic breast cancer, as well as tips for coping with your emotional and physical symptoms. Simply visit HER connection to get started.

Take good care of yourself. You are irreplaceable.

Even a Warrior Princess needs a break

A month ago, when I returned from my first Kung Fu tournament with two gold medals, one of my Tai Chi Sword classmates greeted me with "Ah, here comes our W.P.!!"

I gave him an innocent, puzzled look: "What is W.P.?"

"Warrior Princess", he said.

Ah, he is soooo sweet. I was very flattered.

However, I don't feel like a Warrior Princess these days. The past two weeks I haven't been able to sleep well at all due to (what my doctor speculated to be) allergy-induced asthma. During the day I feel OK, but when the night comes I would gradually become unable to breathe. I also have a cold, which makes everything worse. As a result, I could barely sleep.

Back in April, I had a similar episode for more than a week, and that's why my doctor gave me an inhaler for emergencies. For the past 6 months, I've only had to use the inhaler for 3-4 times. But last week, I was using it 1-3 times every night! I often had to sit up on the bed, and ended up waking up sore all over. My chiropractor did some special treatment for me, and it seemed to help. I was able to go without the inhaler for several days (yay!) but the last two nights I had to use it again.

The lack of sleep is really getting to me. I feel like I'm in a fog. I haven't gone to Kung Fu or sword class, or done any exercise (except yoga) for two weeks now. Just too exhausted.

Last night I was supposed to go to a friend's party, but I totally forgot. When she called to see if I was coming, I felt a moment of guilt, but decided to tell her "sorry, I can't make it". She seemed very disappointed. I'm sure she'd understand. She is a good friend.

I decided to go to bed early instead. It was really early for me (10pm), but I decided that I really needed to rest. As a coach, I always stress the importance of Intensive Self-Care, and this is my turn to take care of myself. I've got to walk the talk, right? Besides, it's weekend, and nobody needs to get up early tomorow morning for school or for work anyway.

Even a Warrior Princess needs a break now and then.

Guess how long I slept last night? 12 hours!!! I woke up a few times, but fell back to sleep. I guess my body really needed the rest. In any case, I'm very glad I took care of myself. :-)