Changing it up!

Change- it's a simple word that encompasses many meanings and emotions. I used to feel change was frightening; and occasionally I still do. Think about it for a minute. For change to happen, most of us have to alter what we are doing. So why do we do that? In my case, I'd had enough. And most of us have to get to that point before we decide to change.

I was in my late 40s, feeling like my health was vanishing. I couldn't stop the scale from moving up. I had to force myself to do anything. My mood was crappy; I had to go to the doctor all the time, but nothing seemed to get better. And I was plain old tired of it. I needed a change.

So I took a leap of faith. And I'm not joking here. I bought a health drink. What? Am I crazy? Maybe, but I needed a change. And I got it. After one day of drinking Plexus Slim, I felt the energy. I didn't have to force a smile. It was real. And before long, I was losing inches here and there. It was easier to work; it was easier to exercise. Change

A little bit later, I noticed I lost some weight. I was really just surprised that I wasn't gaining. I used to have a reddish tint to my skin that some people thought was a sunburn, now my skin is whiter. After 2 months and 6 days of drinking Plexus my cholesterol level plummeted 38 points! I was astonished. I wanted change and that's what I was getting.

A little over a month ago I started using some more Plexus products; ProBio5 and BioCleanse. These products work together to restore health to the digestive system. But the changes I've seen are much more than better digestion. I've noticed my psoriasis doesn't itch as much or look as bad as it did before. Change I have real deep sleep on these products. I wake up so refreshed now that I don't even have a morning cup of coffee.  Change. Allergy season was bad this year. Before I'd have been relying on some allergy medicine and sinus rinse to alleve my headache. This year I've had a few sneezes, but no headaches. My eyes don't tear up for no reason like they used to do and make me scramble for a tissue. Change

Change doesn't happen overnight, in most cases. But change can happen. It's for real! If you are interested in change, let me know. Comment below or send me a message. I'd be happy to talk to you.

Turn it Around...

#plexusworks #thisisforreal

I've had a rough ride. I don't joke about this. One day my doctor told me I needed to lower my cholesterol. I got tips and suggestions on how to do this. Basically, give up red meats and cheese. Eat more vegetables and fruit. I tried; I really did. But sometimes I ate pepperoni pizza. When I had a stressful moment at work, I'd have a sweet. I'm not perfect, you know? Did it do me any good? NO!

My triglycerides and total cholesterol were still too high. My doctor sent in a prescription for a low dose of pravastatin. I had no idea at the time, but my life would change forever. I got my prescription and began consuming it every morning with my blood pressure medicine. After 3 months had passed, I had to give some more blood for a new lipid evaluation. At that time my doctor decided to double my "low" dose pravastatin.

Once I was on the new dose, I started feeling weird. My doctor told me to take CoQ10. So now I had to take something else to fix the side effects of my cholesterol medicine. I know it sounds insane, but I bought it and hoped for the best. As I look back on this time, I wonder what I was thinking. But I had never researched statins. I work, I'm busy; and basically it never occurred to me.

About the time the statins started lowering my cholesterol to an acceptable level for my doctor, I started feeling bad. My skin was red. My face was red; it was so bad people thought I was sunburned when I wasn't. My stomach was red. I NEVER expose my stomach to the sun, but it was RED. My neck and arms were red. I didn't know what was going on. When I sat down, my lower abdomen, hips and thighs would burn. I didn't know what was going on and I was scared.

I was so freaked out by the redness I called the school nurse and took a Benadryl.

The sad part is that I was extremely weak and couldn't concentrate at all. I ended up quitting the 2 meds I was on; lisinopril and pravastatin. I changed high blood pressure medicine with no problems, but dropping pravastatin was a mess. I ended up on my mom's couch for a good while. Thank God for a sympathetic mom. I had no idea what was happening to me and I'm still not sure now. I couldn't hardly eat or walk. My muscles were weak; I could always see my thigh muscles when I flexed them, but I couldn't see them now. I lost weight; no doubt about that, but at a price, muscle mass. Doing anything was a chore. I'm so glad my mom was a trooper and didn't give up on me.

The best Mom a daughter could ask for.

I was scared to drive by myself, but she made me drive alone to the store. She convinced me I could do it. And guess what; I did. Eventually, I made my way back home and to work. It was scary and my legs were shaking, but I did it. I'm still so damn mad that doctor prescribed medicine  that turned me into a semi-invalid.

I started exercising to strengthen my muscles. It seemed like all of them had turned to mush. I got to the point where working wasn't a problem, but my cholesterol started creeping back up. First it was 211, then it was 244; when it hit 250 my doctor wouldn't take no for an answer. I refused the statins. So what did she do? Well, she looked up other medicines. In my head that meant more side effects that I don't know about and more problems. By this time I'd been exercising regularly in hopes of losing weight and lowering my lipid counts. And it didn't seem to work. I couldn't lower cholesterol or lose weight. I felt like I hit a wall.

I didn't want to take any stupid cholesterol medicine. In fact I didn't even pick it up when the insurance finally approved it. Instead I contacted a friend who had been posting about a product that naturally lowers lipid levels and helps lose weight in several ways. I was curious and what did I have to lose?  I looked at some testimonials. Some people lowered their lipids and blood pressure and lost weight. One day I looked at some results and decided to order this product myself.

It took a few days to get my Plexus Slim, but I'm glad it came. Online ordering was a breeze. As soon as it showed up, I mixed it with some water and had a surprisingly delicious drink. As the days went by I realized I was in a better mood and smiled easier. I had more energy, not just in the morning, but all day. I began sleeping better; even on my old, crappy mattress. (I'm happy to admit that  now I have a new mattress.) Things were looking up, but my next blood test still loomed ahead.

I felt better. I was exercising more, but what's the actual blood work going to say? What's the doctor's scale going to read? I'd been taking my Plexus regularly for 2 and a half months before my blood work. And the results shocked me. My cholesterol went down 38 points and I had lost 6 lbs. My doctor tried to attribute it to the new medicine until I said I didn't take it. It was all Plexus and the energy it gave me to exercise and the will power it gave me over crappy food. I'll be going in for more blood work next month and I'm expecting to see even better results. I'm so glad I was led to try this product. I'm a skeptic; I never just jump on board with the latest fad. Plexus changed me in many ways for the better and I'm going to stick with it. Want to join me? Let me know.


Update: When I  went back for more blood work I found out my cholesterol is now normal. Total cholesterol is now 195 and triglycerides are 111. My doctor told me to keep doing what I'm doing. And I will!

Coming to a school near you... Tips for Teachers & Parents

I don't know about your particular city, but August in Missouri means back to school is right around the corner. Today I'd like to share some of my ideas about how to make the beginning of school work for you. I don't know about you, but I'm expecting tired feet and a hoarse voice.

Tips for Teachers

1.  Set up your room early. You know exactly what I mean. The cleaning crew came through during the summer and put most things back where you like it, but there's always a few things to rearrange. I started one week early this year. I'm slowly weaning myself away from vacation time to set up my room. You may want to change up your posters or bring in some new photos. Getting this done before you have to be back will make your life easier when school actually starts.

2.  Check out your class rosters and emails. Sounds simple to take some time at home to glance at your classes and emails, but I'm sure there are teachers who wait until they are at school. During vacation I try to check my email at least once a week. I like to know what's happening. There are multiple reasons to check your class rosters; maybe you get a student you've heard stories about. Well, now's the time to talk to last year's teacher and get some insight and strategies. In my case, I noticed I had students in my 7th grade class that were 8th graders. Better to nip it in the bud, to quote Barney Fiff. 

3.  Prepare as much paperwork as you possibly can. I'm not joking here. Everyone has their own open house and first few days agenda. I use important websites, syllabus and a student survey. You don't want to be waiting on the copy machine the day before school starts. Get all those items updated and copied early. You will be patting yourself on the back later. 

4.  Refresh your memory about board policies. I know this probably sounds ridiculous to some of you, but your school board has voted on lots of situations. If nothing else, look up teacher expectations. This is a must for teachers at a new district; and it doesn't hurt veteran teachers, either. 

5.  The more stuff you have done early, the easier it will be. I don't know about you, but when all my co-workers come back, I want to spend some time finding out how they spent their summer. I want to feel caught up on my home away from home. Having done some important items early, gives me the freedom to chat and spend time with the people who support me in my job. 

Tips for Parents

1. School supplies are important. You went to your local store and purchased way more than you thought; I understand. But (insert child's name) will have a much smoother transition into the next grade with all the supplies. If you are looking to cut back, I might suggest clothes. I know your kid grows like a weed; they all do, but do you have to buy to expensive jeans, designer tops, etc? And since I'm talking about clothes here, please find out about your school's dress code before major purposes. This could prevent some problems later on and save some money.

2.  Don't bother bringing the big items to school on the first day. I know you bought everything on the list. But if you know it won't fit into your child's locker, don't send it. The teacher will inform the entire class when the item is needed. Remember we had to get a list out for everything we need students to have for the entire year. Waiting won't hurt. I promise!

3.  Please take the time to attend Open House. Honestly, teachers love to see you on a positive visit. It's also nice to have an idea about who you are if a phone call is needed later in the year. Tell us your expectations for your child's year. What it provides for us is knowledge. I can remember that Johnny's mom expects him to make at least a B in class. So I can have a chat with him if he scores a C. 

4.  Don't expect everything to be perfect. The first few days of school are CRAZY! Buses are slow; kids don't know where to go. It's not going to be easy. If you expectations are low, guess what; you can feel positive about what does go right. 

5. Set a positive note for your child. Any doubts you might have, please don't pass them on. Your child knows you are supporting them, let them know their teachers are also. You may have heard one teacher is mean or (insert any other nasty comment), but that teacher could become your child's favorite teacher. Give them a chance to form their own opinions. Many of my students told me they heard I was mean, but loved being in my class, anyway. Rumors are just rumors. 

School is a time to educate and I love education. I hope all of you have a wonderful beginning of school. #backtoschool  #tipsforteachers #tipsforparents

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Plexus journey

I sit here this morning waiting for my coffee to finish brewing. I don't really know what lesson I've learned yet. Today will be my twelfth day taking Plexus Slim or the pink drink, as I like to call it. I've only told one person, aside from my coach/seller, that I'm on this.

This is what I looked like a few days before starting Plexus Slim. The one person I told is taking the photo.

I guess this began about the time my doctor decided my cholesterol was too high at 250 and triglycerides at 166. In my defense the triglycerides went down from 234 while my total cholesterol went up.  Truthfully, I wasn't getting enough aerobic exercise and I was gaining weight. I'd been seeing posts about some nutritional drink that lowers blood sugar and helps burn off fat. 

You have to understand I'm not a dummy entirely. Magic potions aren't for real. This seemed to be a supplement providing things your body needs and you have to drink the recommended amount of water daily. Everyone should know that's half your bodyweight in ounces.  Twelve days ago that was 115 ounces for me. But I got off topic, my friend Malinda and I used to joke about the people who'd drink their lunch. Food is important for a body to function. 

Plexus just provided a nutritional drink and a strong water requirement. I started my first few days having more energy and sleeping better. I was excited to have more energy. I really moved more and noticed I'd go faster. I also noticed a few afternoons of heartburn. I hadn't had any of that in months. 

When I got up this morning I stepped on the scale. I was down 4 lbs. Will this continue? I don't know. I'm hoping to have my answer by the time this blog is published. I'll keep you informed. Hoping for good things, but sure I'm going to learn a lesson one way or another. Chow!

I'm now on day 16. I've had a couple setbacks. Mainly I got a cold. I woke up about 3 am on a Sunday morning and couldn't go back to sleep. I took a night time cold pill and woke up about 9 am. Sunday and Monday I felt poorly. I still kept up with my pink drink, though. Tuesday I went to work and was exhausted when I got home. I realized I wasn't really eating much. After a good supper I felt better and Wednesday I was less tired, but still had a cough. What does this mean? I don't know. I do know that I'm going to stick with it and my daily sit-ups, leg lifts, stretches and planking. It may be a little harder with my lungs full, but it will be twice as hard if I don't get back into it quickly. Bye for now.

Day 18- I can feel some results! My pants are fitting looser; I actually feel lighter. It may be more like moving seems easier. I love it! Technically, I'm down 5 lbs. I wouldn't actually admit it until I saw it several days in a row. I don't seem to feel the need to gorge myself with food. It's easier to stop eating. And I'm not really needing to count how much water I drink because I just do it. If this keeps up, I will be sold on Plexus.

Day 22- I stepped on the scale and realized I'm down 6 lbs. That's exciting. Later today I lifted some weights because I thought my arms seemed puny. I know, that's got to sound crazy, but unless you were on statins, you'd never know how I feel. When I was on pravastatin I noticed I had less leg muscles. I'm not joking here. All my life I'd been able to feel the muscle on my thigh when I flexed my leg. It got to to the point where I couldn't after pravastatin. I don't want to go there again, ever. I'm hoping my biceps are just slimming up. I do seem to have more definition, but lifting a few reps can't hurt. I'm looking forward to seeing more inches gone. Until next update...


Today marks day 24 and there's been some interesting developments. A shirt I couldn't wear a month or two ago I now wore to school. Before it was gaping in the bust area so much I thought the buttons would burst. I wore it all day today with no worries. That was a good feeling. Sleep is like drifting on a cloud. Since I've been on Plexus sleep is deep and restful with only one exception. I caught a cold; I'm a teacher and it happens. The first night of my cold I woke up with problems getting back to sleep. That's the one exception to sleeping in peace. I'm sure there's more to come.

It's day 41 today. It seems like my belly has slimmed down. My cravings are nothing now. I've eaten twice today with a few peanuts to tide me over. I try not to worry about my weight loss, but I've maintained my loss of 5 lbs. Sleeping is great. Usually I wake up once a night and fall back asleep easily. Water is now a habit. I've started drinking my Plexus before coffee. I really don't need the coffee, but it's become a routine before Plexus. I don't really care one way or the other if I drink it. I never add sugar or milk. So I don't think of it as any added calories.

 Week 7; almost 8. It's getting to hard to count the days I've been on Plexus. I stopped and decided to do measurements today. I compared my first measurements with those today and discovered 4 inches have been removed from my body! Wow, that's exciting. My upper torso has slimmed down most of those inches, but I'm still managing to whittle away at those hips of mine. Last Friday I fit myself into my favorite capris that I couldn't button a few weeks ago. That says something right there. I'm still hoping for lower triglycerides and cholesterol, but like seeing some visible signs that I've done something good for my health. More results will follow.

Today marks 2 months on Plexus. So I had to do my official count. I don't like taking my measurements. Whatever number I see, I want it to be less. Today I added it to my spreadsheet log and found 5 inches are gone. Do I look much different? Not really. But I'm going to keep on lifting weights, do cardio and drinking my pink drink and water, water, water.

This is me in the same clothes 2 months later. Pants are much looser. And I am starting to see definition in my belly.

Now I've been drinking Plexus Slim for over 2 months. And the moment of reckoning is coming soon. I'm going to get my fasting blood work done in a couple days. This is going to tell me if my 250 Total cholesterol has gone down. Are my 166 triglycerides down? I need to know. My changing body shape has been slow; and I don't mind that. I take my measurements and expect better until I see them compared to my former measurements. I've lost 7.5 inches from my body. That's a major accomplishment for a couple months. I've also gone down a pant size. Of course, my goal changed to a smaller size.

I think I'm having trouble remembering what it was like to need a quick pick me up. I don't really need them. I used to crave something in the middle of the day and eat some candy, although I don't really care for sweets. Those weird cravings are gone; instead I'm stuffing myself with more water. Well, not stuffing, but drinking. More and more water. It feels good. And it is good. When I get my blood work results, I will probably share this blog and dare I add some photos? Maybe. Until next time...

It is 10 weeks, almost 11 that I've been taking Plexus Slim and I went in for my fasting blood work. My last cholesterol reading was 250 and triglycerides were 166. Although I waited for 20 minutes to get called back. It took little time to get a vein. If you knew my sensitive veins, you would be amazed. Some credit goes to the awesome phlebotomist, but I also think drinking my ration of water daily also helped. I'm down 7 and a half inches. I can fit into pants and shirts I couldn't before, but what about internally? I know my cholesterol is considered unacceptable. My doctor made a big deal about how high it is. Has Plexus helped me lose inches and lower my bad cholesterol? Only time will tell.

Me today in the same clothes.

Got my results back online this morning. Most of them were good. Cholesterol was 250 and now it is 212. It went down a big 38 points in 2 and a half months! My LDL was 159; now it is 121. Again down 38 points. Triglycerides are strange, though. Recall I was at 166; now they went up a few to 174. I know I like my red meats and such. Maybe something here with change next time. I am happy to have gone from high cholesterol down to borderline high. And I will keep up with my Plexus every morning.

Keep Calm: The End is Almost Here

So it's almost the end of the year.... I think the key word here is almost. The kids seem to have given up. They know the end is near. I know the end is near, but not near enough. Today we had a fun day. Kids with all passing grades played fun games; I'm talking about almost carnival rides. Kids with failing grades were in what my school calls lockdown. They were in classrooms making up the work they didn't do.

My part in a this was two-fold. I had made a quick summer school promotion video over the weekend and spent a good chunk of my morning showing it to kids who might attend summer school. I'm not above pandering. I need kids to attend summer school for fun so I can teach my fun classes.  The second part of my day was spent with some kids in lockdown who had work to finish to pass their classes.

I have a hard time understanding students who think they don't have to do their work. It's probably because I was never in that situation. I didn't think doing my work was a choice. I hope my own sons felt the same way. So being around students who abandoned any thoughts of finishing their work was a chore. Thankfully, another teacher was in her room with me. Thanks Mrs. C for being so kind when I was getting a little crazy.

And crazy was how I felt, honestly. Students tried to take tests before they were ready. I saw study guides that didn't even answer the questions. There was no way these kids were going to pass tests with totally wrong answers on their study guides. Once again, thank you Mrs. C. for being so patient. Your modeling helped me not completely lose my cool. I persevered and made it until 3:00. I will probably see most of these students at summer school, as so I should. But I shant be teaching them. Someone with more patience and kindness in their heart will help them get the basics they should have learned in class with their teacher.

Maybe these students will learn something my Dad taught me a long time ago: Do something right the first time. I had to redo washing the dishes because I left some dirty, but I learned a good lesson from it. Maybe students can learn to complete their work right the first time so they don't have to redo it. I don't know. I would hated to have to attend summer school to pass my core classes. But I never went down that road. I hope this will be a learning experience for those that must attend.

What have I learned from this day? Kids will be kids. There's no use getting myself riled up about it. Calm and cool is the way to be. I can let students deal with the consequences of their choices. It wasn't my choice, after all. And I've learned to be thankful for my co-workers who can demonstrate the patience needed to show me how I need to behave. Lord, I am thankful for my co-workers. Just remember... The End is near! Until next time...

Dealing with loss a Widow's Journey

Update: As I reread this nine year old blog I realized just how far I've come in my widow journey. Happiness and joy are more prevalent than heartache and pain. I'm taking my life lessons, empathy and compassion for my fellow widows and turning it into a coaching practice. Life can get better and better with each passing day. Keep the faith!

I just read a post about how to grieve for the loss of your husband. Wow, that resurfaces a lot of old wounds. And when I say "old" I'm talking about 7 and a half years. But right now it feels fresh. The emotions can come back in a flash even after many years. Losing a spouse is not something most people get over within a set amount of time. That was my first lesson.

My husband is second from the left and has his tongue out. :)

Everyone is different. I've seen it firsthand in the widow support groups. So my first advice to you is that there's no timetable on your grief. Grieving itself is a coming to grips with reality that can seem neverending. And when I mean that, I'm talking about daily you will find something that reminds you that your spouse is gone. It's possible to hide the grief or bury it in a new relationship, but dealing with it is a necessary ingredient to healing.

It really doesn't matter how long you were married. I was married almost 22 and a half years. The pain is real no matter how long you were together. Those with shorter times grieve over what could have been. Those like me, married for a longer time, still had dreams of growing old together. Time together is irrelevant; it's the expectation of your joined lives and the loss that hurts. Coming to grips with the reality of a new life is one of the hardest things I've ever done.


My first memorable moment of that terrible reality occurred at a Friday work faculty meeting. I sat there thinking that the gal talking in front of me was going home to her husband. And I am going home to an empty house. It pains me to think of this, but I spent most of that meeting trying to deal with that terrible fact. I didn't learn much about whatever concept was introduced, but I was facing the facts of my new life.

I did have our dog, which became "my dog" and thank God for Ruffy. His needs were something I could focus on when I needed to push myself. On my planning hour I came home to take him out and to make sure everything at my house was okay.

My next lesson deals with acknowledging your feelings. I journaled like crazy. I'm fortunate that I wasn't involved with facebook at this time. I was a mess and I went from being mad to being sad in the course of a few hours. It was crazy. But it was my personal journey and I documented it on a spiral bound notebook. I haven't had an occasion to review it lately, but I've been through it many times. It can help remind you of how far you've come in the grieving process.

I found support. I was lucky enough to find a widow support group online. Those people helped me realize I wasn't alone. Being alone when you are already alone and feeling alienated is the worst feeling. Knowing there were other widows out there dealing with the same problems gave me some hope. It may sound strange, but when you've been left alone you need to know there are others experiencing the same feelings. A bond forms when you meet other widows.

My first experience meeting another widow online was scary for me. I was going to Kansas City for a conference and she lived near KC. She told me to give her a call. I was all alone in my room, because widows aren't the best company. So I took a chance and gave her a call. She showed up at my hotel and amazing as it might sound, we hit it off. We shared experiences of teaching and being widowed. And still today I think of her as a good friend. She actually helped me out more than she knows. Thanks J!

Hurdles. Yes, there are hurdles to leap in the process of grieving. I made a point of remembering every first I accomplished, because it meant I was moving forward. It's crazy how many "firsts" you can accomplish. My most recent one was driving from Missouri to Colorado last summer solo. It may not seem like much to you, but it was a big deal for me.

Am I totally over my loss? I would have to say, "No". Am I dealing with what my life has become? Well, I'd have to say, "yes". Life is a strange mix of good and bad. Sometimes it feels like one overcomes the other, but give it time. Take care of yourself, mentally, physically and emotionally and things will balance out. Until next time....

Where's the focus?

I play a game called Criminal Case. It's a harmless game that makes me feel like a detective, sometimes anyway. One of the crime scenes is set to see the differences. It's neat, but occasionally I notice my focus seems wrong.

Today was one of those days. I noticed I was looking at the small details and ignoring the big differences right in front of me. I don't understand that. Why am I so focused on finding something small that I don't realize a big object missing right where I'm looking?

Some people have sayings like, "Can't see the forest for the trees." The Bible talks about seeing the speck in your brother's eye and ignoring the log in your own eye. Focusing on the small details doesn't get you the full picture.  As a teacher grading a writing assignment I could concentrate on every grammar mistake and avoid getting the message or the creativity present. I could focus so much on my job that I don't acknowledge that students have other teachers and there's a big picture in education.

I had to make a list today of students who had B+ or higher grade point average. As I reviewed this elite list, I wondered what's their focus. I know several focus on getting a high score in every class. But what do they focus on? I know what I did when I was in junior high. I focused on the subjects that were the hardest for me and less on the ones that came naturally. These students in my class have the mentality that focuses on the end result. They want all As. They change their focus as their grade fluctuates.  And there's nothing wrong with that. It seems like big picture mentality and they focus on details when needed.

So why do I find myself concentrating  on so many small details? It has to be my focus. Let's face it, worrying and fretting has never really changed anything. In fact it's probably caused more harm than good. Now I'm not suggesting you quit bothering with being on time for your job or take a vacation from reality, but sometimes don't we all focus on things that are piddly?

I know teaching junior high science is important, but I also need to look at my student's future. That's scary to do. I know they will learn many new things in high school. I have to build from elementary and prepare them to transition to high school. But sometimes I think about the fact most will never get the chance to study earth science again. Yes, I'm looking at the details, but at the same time I'm looking at the big picture. I managed to focus on both.

This is a rough time of year for teachers, especially in the junior high. Hormones are running rampant and I don't want to scare any non-teachers, but the hallways are a scene from a Stephen King novel. This is a time for the big picture. It's so easy to focus on the insanity in front of us that we don't realize that half of these students will be gone in 35 days. They won't be causing mischief in the halls or talking back. They will be someone else's detail.  We may not even remember their name this time next year. Ha! Who am I kidding? I remember details too well to forget that easily. But a few years down the road, I might not remember names.

When it comes right down to the nitty gritty, I have to say details are good. But don't lose focus of the big picture. I've seen it too many times in daily life and in the games I play. The big picture will always bring your focus back on track. To all my teacher friends, God bless you as you navigate through this time of year. And remember the big picture, the end it near.