Circulation

Decided to give mom a foot and leg massage today, and yes, at the dinner table. Massages promote good circulation of your blood, and good circulation promotes healthy digestion, helps nausea, and can lower your blood pressure!

It's really hard to gauge things with mom, sometimes. I know and see that she is having a lot of pain, especially in her lower abdomen (feeling full all the time, organs trying to keep up, etc.)....but I say it's hard to measure "where we are" with everything because of her unwavering, positive attitude and cheerful demeanor. She is one of few people I know who have won the cortical lottery, like a serotonin unicorn. Brain functions and happiness chemicals aside, maintaining a positive outlook does take discipline, training, and effort, especially when you have endured a lot of ups and downs in life.

I'm very proud of her and how she carries herself through this chapter. I love my mother to no end, she is the voice in my head, my role model, and my hero...if I could wave a wand and have my way, there is a lot in this picture I would change. Hope is something we do not give up on here, there is always hope.