Laughter and tears
It was nearly a perfect Mike Day. We got all the way up Route 151 to find the Blue Ridge Parkway closed. We couldn’t get to Black Balsam.
So, we went to the edge of the Davidson River in Brevard and had our little toast to Mike there. It’s a trout stream next to a campground, so I think Mike — or some squirrel — will find the unwrapped Cadbury Creme egg we left.
Rob got his walk in and we got our little ritual in.
The temperature reached into the 80s and the plaid flannel pants were so hot I had to change into plaid shorts for dinner.
Danny joked that he’s my favorite now because I have no other choice. Well, even if I had a choice …
I always told the kids they were both my favorites for different reasons. It’s the same thing I tell my grandkids. They each bring something different to my life.
It was good to spend the day with them and with Annie. I felt so held up by everyone, including the family and friends who sent their love and prayers.
Have a beer in May
Stop into Altamont Brewing, 1042 Haywood Road, West Asheville, any time in May and ask for their "charity" beer of the day. Buy one and Life o' Mike gets $1. In fact, we get a buck for each one sold. So go in every day and have one to support Life o' Mike.
Thanks, Altamont!
Patient Pals & Family Friends
Life o' Mike has a peer support program for people with one or more serious or chronic medical issues or disabilities.
We aim to reduce isolation and fear among people who have conditions, including psychiatric illness, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, mild dementia or other cognitive disorder or disability, thereby reducing depression and complications as people learn to improve self-management of their medical conditions.
Patient Pals help alleviate feelings of isolation and frustration. They can help people develop a list of questions to ask the doctor and then accompany the person to the doctor to make sure all the questions are answered, taking notes to be sure the person understands the doctor’s answers.
Our trained volunteers also accompany their “Pals” to art exhibits, movies and walks outdoors, meet for coffee, call to check in and more.
Our Pals have experienced weight loss, improvement in diabetes, HIV, psoriasis, depression and more, just because they have someone who cares about them. Some relationships develop into longer-term friendships; other Pals move on to more independent lives.
Family Friends are there to help caregivers and other family members grow into their new role.
We need volunteers, who are asked to donate a minimum of one hour a week. Training is free and includes information on active listening, ways to help and when to know more help is needed.
And of course, we need funding.
To learn more, call Leslie Boyd at 828-243-6712 or e-mail lifeomike@gmail.com.
Start From Seed
Life o' Mike has a new program- Start from Seed (SFS).
SFS is a volunteer doula program aimed at providing non-medical, comprehensive support to low income, high-risk women and families of Buncombe County focusing on three areas:
1. We help new doulas with certification and training in return for their participation as a volunteer doula for SFS
2. We mentor volunteer doulas with their first few clients
3. Our volunteer doulas provide birth and postpartum doula services to low income, high risk moms, providing support and tools to empower them as a new parent.
A birth doula is a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; a postpartum doula provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.
Start from Seed clients are referred to us from the Buncombe County Department of Health’s Nurse-Family Partnership Program, Western North Carolina Community Health Services, and Mission Hospital. The Program is intended and designed for growing clients’ inner strength and helping them gain empowerment to help them cope with the emotional, physical and mental challenges of childbirth, labor, and motherhood.
Our new moms and their infants have many needs. If you would like to help them get off to a good start, please visit our Start from Seed web site: Start from Seed, or call Program Director Chelsea Kouns at 804-814-9946.
The nights are warm and breezy here in Ft. Worth, good porch sittin’ weather. My friend and I decided to sit out on the balcony and eat dinner, laughing and talking. ‘Twas lovely. Those were my favorite times with Mike (and Janet, and whoever else decided to join us), just hanging out in front of their house and causing all sorts of trouble.
Oh! and wore my plaid to work…’tis a good thing they have a fairly relaxed dress code!