Survivors, Generations x 3

Willoweagle ©2014

First… I WAS:
The Child of ‘one’
Then….I BECAME:
The ‘One’
Now….I AM:
The Mom of ‘one’
Survivors,
Generations times three,
Blood thicker than water,
My family tree…

Willoweagle

Only 3 MORE DAYS!!!!!

Know the Signs and Symptoms of Thrombosis: World Thrombosis Day

WorldThrombosisDay.org

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Really Weird Place Names: Missouri

Although not a native, as I’m one of ‘those’ Yankees… Worse yet that even after 25+ years ‘here’ I’m still considered,. even on the rare occasion, to this day  being publicly proclaimed (albeit done in fun and only by those close enough to get away with it 😉 ), a ‘damned Yankee’: Because I stayed… Lol

Now to get back on point here…

I just came across this funny, yet true, blog post regarding Missouri which has several references back to the Bootheel (the topic originating my net-search)

Even though I could SO expound and expand on several of these not so secret ‘secrets’ of my Missouri Bootheel I’ve asked more than once myself. I was relocated here from the State of Illinois (by the way there is no ‘noise’ in Illinois…we are a quiet yet stealthy people taught in the ways of  Chief Illini) where I’d lived the majority of my accumulated 20 life years at that point. To say I experienced culture shock would be an understatement. As, I say this with complete sincerity and adoration when I say that, there is no other place so unique as My Bootheel.. anywhere.

This is absolutely delightful questioning of the obvious that just can’t be read without a smile, and just maybe even a bit of a chuckle, by ANYONE who has ever been both honored and blessed to have ever set foot in God’s Country.

A Citizen of the Bootheel of Missouri:
Where there’s ONLY one Hill and and you give directions for anywhere headed North with words ‘just go over “The Hill” ‘

Cliff Blogger since September 2011

Willoweagle ♥

Operation “Royal’s Reign” ~ One Year Update

Royal’s Empire State Mind

Photography: Royal Yates @ Royal Creative Studios © 2013
Video Creator: Willoweagle @ Living ~ Not Just Surviving ©2013

Yeah…so proud I’m leaking out of my eyes!! He’s made it safely to NYC and I am now just waiting for the text/call letting me know he’s at the apartment that just so happened to open up two weeks early. So no couch hopping for the next 15 days either!! I gotta get a kleenex…THIRD GENERATION SURVIVOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

***************************

This was my exact post last year on August 23, 2013. I’d just attended his University commencement less than two weeks before. He’d still managed keep up his studies, work a full time job, complete all his therapies post-stroke and still graduate within a just a mere semester later than planned. Then he was on to the next phase of what I secretly refer to as “Royal’s Reign”.

In ‘celebration’ of the pivotal one year landmark post stroke, a much anticipated, hard earned, very much deserved trip was taken. As a media student, there was a definitive destination for this adventure: NYC!!! Within that one week, he feel totally in love with it. On returning home, he worked like a madman to obtain his next plan of action. He was going to go back to the city he had so desperately fallen in love with, make his presence known, and, in time, reign over ‘his’ Empire.

You see, his entire outlook had changed. Not just on one, but on so many levels. Dreams, aspirations, achievements, and Life as a whole became opportunities to be grasped with both hands. There was no time for regrets. Regrets, for him, became defined as opportunities not taken.

It’s now nearly a year since he left middle America for the largest city in the US. In this year, his accomplishments have been many, and his star has risen rapidly. Not that it’s been without it’s difficulties and sacrifices, but it has been amazing!

As a mom, he makes me more proud than words can express, he gives me more reasons to gush and brag than should (and probably is) be tolerated, but most of all, he continues to awe and inspire me daily. Operation “Royal’s Reign”, although still in progress, has, to date, been a completely and utterly successful undertaking and I’m confident it will continue to be until it’s fully achieved!

 

 

 

 

 ♦♥  Royal’s Related Links:  ♣♠

 

A Mother’s Story:
I reflect and share my son’s stroke experience from my point of view on the two year anniversary of the event.

Reflections ~ A Mother’s POV

A Dad’s Tribute Song To His Son
A Father puts pen to paper and composes this song in retrospect and reflection after his eldest son suffered a life threatening stroke.

Watch “I Am Here” written and performed by Bruce Yates ©2013

 

 

Royal Yates’ Profiles:

Royal Yates ~ IMDB Profile

Royal Yates ~ LinkedIn Profile

Royal Creative Studios ~ Royal Yates: Facebook

 

The Truth Is – Blood Clot Recovery Network

There is another side to DVT/PE recovery that remains extremely hidden. So much so that even Survivors themselves barely acknowledge it’s existence. It’s only in finding another Survivor that, with time, once total and complete trust has been mutually proven and gained, that one of them will, in tentatively quiet and wavering voice,  will broach the subject of that which cannot be named fearing that they’re the only one it’s happening to.

I brushed on this slightly last night when posting the latest findings regarding a statement from his wife that was released giving, to some degree, what precipitated events leading up to Robin Williams’ passing.
(See below)

Here, even while coping with what I refer to as the “yucks”, my friend, Sara (Blood Clot Recovery Network) wrote the following article in which she details just this specific topic. In her doing so, she’s explained the unexplainable in it’s simplest form that anyone can learn from and a starting point from where understanding begins..

Blood Clot Recovery Network ~ The Truth Is…..

Living ~ Not Just Surviving: Facebook

~Willoweagle ®

Two Down… One To Go!!!

As I lay here wide awake (I’ve now got my sleep schedule flipped, guess it’s bound to happen when you have no where to be) I couldn’t help but notice what date and time it is. Two down, one to go. At this time 11 months ago, I wasn’t asleep than either. Although, I WAS totally incoherent of my surroundings and the frenzied activities going on around me. I still don’t remember any of it. I’ve been told that I don’t want to, but there are several who will never forget.  I was a guest on not just one, but two med-evac helicopter flights which ended at Barnes-Jewish in St. Louis. For the third time in less then a year, I was again fighting for my life against my own body. Next month will be the last on of my one year clotting anniversaries, and yet it’s the most significant due to the fact there’s been no recurrences this time. A one year recovery mark is huge for any survivor. It’s as though you’ve held your breath just waiting.. hoping… praying… that when day 365 comes around you’ll be in the clear. Right now, it’s bittersweet… I’m happy to have made it clot free…. Yet, I also know that my recovery is still ongoing due to the circumstances those clots incited. I’ve made it quite the distance to get to this point, and even though I know there’s still so far to go, today I WILL NOT let that be my concern. Instead, I will just ~   BREATHE IN…. BREATHE OUT…. REPEAT and continue on with Living ~ Not Just Surviving!!!!

Serena Williams says blood clot “scary” – CBS News

Serena Williams says blood clot “scary” – CBS News

CBS/AP/ March 2, 2011, 3:56 PM Serena Williams says blood clot “scary”

Butterflies, Faeries & Unicorns

 

You can either blame or credit my mother-in-law, Betty, for it. She could plant dirt and grow more dirt!! The Spring/Summer after she was diagnosed with cancer, shortly after completing a cycle of chemo/radiation, and so physically frail, she STILL would get out and garden a bit. After a couple of times having ‘caught’ her green thumbed, I decided that if I couldn’t stop her, might as well join, help when allowed, and be her extension when she was unable to do it herself. It was in doing this, that I learned to love dirt under my finger nails, the difference between perennials and annuals, nurseries in Spring and Fall, and more. She was the one who helped me plan out what i thought was a ‘small starter’ spot, (HA!!! What a joke!!!) which plants would be kind to a newbie, and a garden ‘theme’ (Butterflies were a shared favorite). She passed away the next July. Since then, some of the plants fell prey to my ignorance, but were changed out with new ones. Some are literally transplants from my Dad’s ‘yards’ as I may actually have at least one from each house they’ve lived in since then, some are from trips to Lowe’s for a few of my birthdays where the entire time I’m driving my stepmom nutty with all my inquiries and indecision, and last, but not least, those I was brave enough to start from seeds and they survived!! It’s been nearly 8 years since then. Each year I’m still amazed on seeing it come back, bigger and better than the year before. It’s definitely been an unexpected project that I totally love!! I like to think she would really like how it’s turned out…..so far..

 

For a retrospective look from the summer of 2011, click here to see an exported post from my first feeble attempt at blogging:

Angi’s Musing Mind: My Fairy-Tale Garden

 

This is NOT ‘The End’

Sometimes, my mind gets caught up in my feelings and emotions, as it can with most, or so I believe. I can’t always express them directly as or maybe as clearly as I’d like. One of the ways I’ve been able to let out and let go of these things is through poetry. There are times when the words overtake my brain so quickly I can barely get them on paper before they disappear, and others where they flow soft and gentle like a light summer breeze…

I thought I’d start sharing some of them with you too.  This is the most recent one.

This Is NOT ‘The End’
A Willoweagle™ Original
©2014

I try conversation.

You barely talk.

Why do you run?

While I barely walk.

Is it that I’m broken?

Is it something I did?

These thoughts I ponder

While you remain hid.

We’ve traveled too far

Too long this path as friends.

I’ve seen our whole story,

This is NOT ‘The End

Willoweagle

 

 

 

©2014

 

Please leave me your comments below if you’d like to see more posts like this or anything else in general… Even just to chat it up if you’d like….

 

Thanks for following and/or dropping by…

 

Sister Strong Survivors

Celebrating Blood Clot Awareness Month by celebrating those who have been with me from the beginning of THIS recovery. Who have been your touch stones through thick and thin, dark and light, tears and laughs, anger and joy. Although just some of my “Sister Strong Survivors” and my son (of course), I celebrate ALL my fellow survivors… For you are strong, able, and loved. Remember… Life is for Living ~ Not Just Surviving…

Sister Strong Survivors (and The Kid)

Live every moment – love every day
‘cus before you know it your precious time slips away.
Live every moment – love every day
’cause if you don’t you might just throw your love away.

I walked for seven miles this mornin’. footprints in the #sand.
#Washed away without a warning when the water hit the land.
But I will #walk on ’til I can no longer stand.
I’ll take you by the #hand and we’ll…

Live every moment – love every day
‘cus before you know it your precious time slips away.

There’s #water in the #wind tonight.
There’s a #chill in the air.
It’s coolin’ down my #skin tonight
Soakin’ through your #hair.
There’s #warmth enough within’ tonight
For both of us to share.
We can take it anywhere. and we’ll…

Live every moment – love every day
‘cus before you know it your precious #time slips away.

Sometimes I wish we could take a #trip far away.
Leave all this #trouble and #heartache and pain for another day.
I will #search for that place but ’til I find it all I can say is…

#Live every moment – and #love every day

#REOSpeedwagon

Watch “I Am Here – Bruce Yates 2013” on YouTube

A Dad’s Tribute Song To His Son

A Father puts pen to paper and composes this song in retrospect and reflection after his eldest son suffered a life threatening stroke. Having drawn on his faith, received the strength to carry through, and witnessing the miracle of his son being returned not having lost the traits that make him…. HIM, this is a song of praise, gratefulness, and affirmation that He is always there.

This is the song he wrote for Andrew and gave to him at his graduation last Fall. Whereas I wrote blog posts from my perspective. Apparently we are both quite proud and grateful with the progress our son had made.