A Year to Remember ... a Decade to Reflect

3 years ago when my husband proposed to me, he told me that 2008 and 2009 were going to be tough years. Of course I didn't believe him, after all, I'm an optimist. I always see the bright side of things. I look for the silver lining in all things, even nasty people.


I'm not sorry to see this year end. It has been the toughest year of my life, harder than any job I've ever had to do, care for my mom with Lewy Bodies Dementia.

This year, I learned what Lewy Bodies Dementia is and how to take measures to avoid having it myself one day when I'm my mom's age. Through my mom's illnesses, I've been able to understand how to take care of myself better. Foods that I once believed were healthy are not healthy; I learned how to read food labels.
This year in 2009 we cured my mom's diabetes. It was amazing going through the process with her. We used Fenugreek seed extract where 1 drop lowered her blood sugar 15 points. I learned to cook with fenugreek so that I could make low glycemic treats. The treats didn't raise her blood sugar, yay! She loved the pasta that I'd make for her and the cookies.

Unfortunately, the Lewy Bodies Dementia was already well on it's way to destroying her brain function. I found that whenever she ate anything with gluten or baked goods, she'd hallucinate or be super agitated. I began to pay attention to how she behaved after eating certain foods. If she had weird behavior, I cut the food out of her diet and behavior problems were solved. GREAT!

No Bread. No Pasta. No Preservatives... PLEASE!

In this year that is now on its way out, we learned about Cordyceps mushrooms and how they are great at stopping hallucinations in the elderly. The only trouble with it is makes my mom need to use the bathroom at the most inopportune times. She had to stop taking it. Too bad. It is great for lowering blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. I love the Cordyceps, I take them myself.

I learned about medicinal seasonings, food as medicine and continue to learn. I began writing recipes. All my old standby recipes I couldn't cook for my mom any longer, I needed to learn how to cook all over again.

My good friend Jo, a former colleague, reads my blog. She read about my food dilemma and sent me a cookbook for my birthday, the best darn cookbook I have ever read or used. It was written by a MD who in this book taught me how to cook.

Recipes began filling my head. I mixed spices and herbs, used different vinegars and oils. I used vegetables that I never heard of before. I created a cake that doesn't need flour, a sinfully delicious chocolate cake.

2009 was the year my mother-in-law accepted me as her daughter and I accepted her as mom. I love my mother-in-law. I'm grateful that she's healthy and doesn't require much care from me. I love cooking for her; she loves everything that I make. Usually she does. I think I only got a 7 rating 2 times this past year with meals that I've served her... the rating is on a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the best.

I'm lighter than I was at the end of the last decade. I've dropped 50 pounds this year and have even managed to continue to lose weight through the holiday. I feel great. I need new cloths... Yay!

My darling husband, what can I say about him except he's a saint. He survived the police barging into our bedroom in the middle of the night because my mom thought there was a strange man in bed with her and that I was missing.  Hallucinations.  Nights of being woken and not being able to go back to sleep.  The sound of my mom tinkling in our bathroom just because earlier in the day she asked if she could use any bathroom in the house, I said 'Yes'... well, she chose to try out the Master Bathroom (before we moved her) in the middle of the night.  Thanks Sweetie, you sure have put up with a lot. 

Thank you, no wonder I love you so much!

This year, just a few days ago, I realized that he's my main family; he's the top dog in my life, my life partner. I'm grateful for all that he brings to my life.

2009 was a year of liberation

Today, December 31, 2009 is the end of a decade. A long decade of rushing here and there looking for my I AM, searching for the meaning and purpose of my life. I found myself in this decade. I know who I AM and more importantly, I know who you are, all of you. This revelation makes me feel peaceful and happy because I feel that I've accomplished the search of self.

Now I Can Live!

This decade, I met, fell in love and got married to my best friend. He makes me laugh, he's funny. He's really smart too, after all, he did marry me!

I'm prepared for my mom's death day, whenever it is because of the experiences from this past decade. I pray that I don't cry too much when my mom passes. I will miss her.

This decade is over.

I'm ready for 2010 and all the new adventures this new decade will bring. A decade of tens, it's for my husband and me. We will finally have a honeymoon and be able to play golf, a lot.

Retirement comes in this new decade; I'm looking forward to retirement and spending my golden years, happy, healthy and much wiser than the previous 50 years that I've been on this earth.

In a nutshell, my lesson learned through this last decade is everything is possible if we believe. Never ever give up. If things seem bad right now, wait a minute, it will change, and it always does. Tomorrow is always a better day.

Happy New Year everyone!