I hope everyone had a really nice Christmas. I received some very nice things, and we had a Christmas party here at the nursing facility. A couple, who entertains frequently on holidays, put on a very nice program.



I haven't felt like writing for the last couple of weeks - been under the weather. I have another infection and pneumonia, so I am back on the ventilator. Christmas night I started feeling bad, and today my blood sugar has spiked over 500 plus I had a fever of 101.7 so a doctor's appointment I had scheduled this morning did not happen. I am going to the doctor Monday to discuss surgery for a hernia. One thing after the other...



I really hope that all of you have a very Happy New Year, and that it is a much better year for all of us than 2010. Pray for our troops and our country.



I'll be back in the New Year and write again.



Love always,

Darci

Kind of a crazy week this week. Tuesday was especially nuts!! More than ordinary nuts! I was supposed to have an appointment to have my nails done Tuesday morning, so got all dressed up and waited and waited and waited.. finally called Activities to see what the hold up was, only to have them call me back and tell me they looked at the schedule wrong, and the volunteer won't be coming until next Tuesday. So we will try again next Tuesday. Have several new nail polishes and will have to decide which one to try. Still waiting for my doctor's appointment that was supposed to happen on Tuesday. The ambulance arrived on time to pick me up, they put me on the stretcher and hooked me up to the vent, and immediately something was not right with the ENT's equipment - the ventilator was not working properly. So they put me back in bed, and hooked me up to the vent here at the facility and waited for another ambulance team to come with a working vent. Called the doctor to tell him we would be a little late, the other ambulance arrived and they began to put me on the guerney again; then the doctor's office called to say the doctor was going to be leaving and we needed to reschedule the appointment. The appointment was rescheduled for today (Thursday) but Wednesday afternoon Dr. Friedman, the infectious disease doctor, called to say that he didn't need to do a follow-up with me and when the office girl reminded him that he was the one that had ordered it when I was in the hospital, he denied that and said he did not need to see me for a follow-up. So my appointment was again canceled. Not sure what we are going to do about that.

On a happier note: it now looks like Christmas in my room. The bears are happy with their Christmas decorations and Christmas presents for me and others are beginning to arrive!! YEAAAA!! Also Skippy is very happy because he got to spend a few days at Grandma's spa, and he was showered (aka washing machine) and had an air massage hanging on the clothesline by his ears! He is now clean and happy!!!

That's all for this week, catch up with you in seven.

Love always, Darci

Random Poems for Thought

Some say that
too much love
cannot kill a person
but--
Many have died
in the name of love
and--
with the name of
love forming on their lips.

by Darci A. Spears

U.V.
People look at me
and only see a smiling face.
They don't see the
dark circles under my eyes.
Circles that match
the dark rings that go 'round
my heart.
To see those you need
ultraviolet light.

by Darci A. Spears

Fragments of a day
long gone
Makes for dreams
in the dawn.

Times of warmth
and happiness
Now are only thoughts
memory blessed.

by Darci A. Spears

For those who still have to worry about winter
weather, this one is for you from those of us in Phoenix who don't have to anymore.

The wind howls,
scaring me.
Tufts of snow
whip wildly.

The calm before the storm
was brief.
It's raging now,
like a chanting Indian chief.

by Darci A. Spears

Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving. See you back here after the holidays.

Love always, Darci

Four Simple Words

The four simple little words "I'm thankful I'm alive." My words that I live by. Such a simple statement but such a powerful impact! Plain, but complicated. Easy to say - rolls right off the tongue and lips; but living life is no easy task. Those who know me know how true this has been for me. I wrote a poem a long time ago that sums things up nicely.

NEW PLAN
by Darci A. Spears

Cluttered mind
Battered heart
When will it end,
And how did it start?

What will I do
And how will I be?
Clear away the dust
So that I can see.

Where will I go
And who do I ask?
Show me the way
To my next task.

Close my wounds
So I won't bleed
Please give me a hand-
That's all I need.

Then I'll pick up
The pieces I can,
And I'll begin again
With a brand new plan.

Happy Thanksgiving for the coming week and each day of your life!

Love Always,
Darci (and my wonderful stuffed pal, Skippy)

It has been an "interesting" couple of weeks. On Halloween evening, I was taken to Scottsdale Osborn Hospital from my nursing facility. Not exactly the plans I had for Halloween! I had a very low heart rate - 30- they tell me, and large abcesses on my face and leg. These had just come up that afternoon! I was in a great deal of pain. They put me on a couple of antibiotics and waited to decide whether to do surgery. The abcess on my leg broke of its own accord and was cleaned out and treated. They decided not to do surgery on my face as there were several small abcesses and they were afraid they might spread. The staff kept a close eye on me for the next 9 days.

I was transported back the nursing facility on Tuesday, November 9th. The abcesses on my face were down, but not cleared completely. They are still giving me a great deal of pain. I am still on antibiotics. I have not felt like writing much blog, but hope to be back in the swing of things next week.

I want to wish all the Veterans a Happy Veterans Day, and thank them for their service.

Until next time...
Love always, Darci

I'm back from the hospital. Still not feeling great! Looking forward to Halloween. Happy 50th birthday, Steve!!! I have some computer problems; will be back next week.

Love always, Darci

Back to Life

I have been sick off and on for the last couple of weeks, and didn't feel like writing a blog. On the 9th I was found unresponsive and was taken across the street to the hospital, where I was revived. I was there until the evening of the 14th when I was brought back to the nursing and rehab facility which I call home. I had another rough day this past Tuesday, but I have recovered pretty well, considering, and today felt really good and did some online shopping! What fun!

I am really getting ready for Halloween. All my bears have "halloween" shirts and masks on, and so does the monkey. Today a friend delivered my Avon order with black nail polish and black eyeliner. Just wait till everyone sees me next week!!

I'll be back next Thursday. Until then...

Love always, Darci

Fun and Home

I had an outing yesterday and went to the Phoenix Art Museum. None of us had been there before. Every Wednesday from 3 to 9 p.m. entry is by donation. We were there a couple of hours, but you can spend a lot of time there and not see everything. They have a little gift shop and they even have a little cafe. We checked out the cafe but didn't go in because we didn't have enough time. We saw some really great paintings and sculptures; saw Monet, Georgia O'Keefe and Grandma Moses. The Firefly Room was some place you could spend hours in. It was so cool we didn't want to leave. We said the next time we go we're going to sneak in a bottle of wine and spend our time in the Firefly Room. They had some art that I considered real sculptures; and some that was "found object" art. I call it junk yard art. They had a clothing exhibit, which was temporary, and it runs through Christmas into the early part of January. Most of it was dresses from 1910 to current times. They had one section that was Japanese designers, and there were several groups of Japanese there checking it out. We may try going back around Christmas time. Some people, for whatever reason, didn't get to go; we have more people that want to go, and those of us who went want to go back.

A home is a home is a home!

Since I was in the hospital around my birthday in June I've been coming to terms with the fact that my health may not improve; that my body is failing, and that I can no longer say that I stay at a medical facility. Because I no longer stay, I live here. It may be unconventional but it is home, and probably always will be. I always suspected that I would end up in a facility, but did not expect to start this part of my journey while still in my late 40's. Since I am not married and have no children, it is logical that I would end up in a nursing home. I still hate that term "nursing home"; where I live it is called a medical and rehabilitation center. And that better fits this facility; there are a lot of people who are here strictly for rehab and get to go home, and then there are others who are not old, many younger than me, who live here. It may be a strange sort of family, but it is family none-the-less. Last week was the first time I actually told a complete stranger that I lived at a medical facility instead of saying that I was currently staying at a home. The lady that I told didn't flinch! What a relief! And yesterday, at our outing, people were polite but not overly attentive. The lady behind the counter of the gift shop even giggled when the respiratory therapist put a perfume pencil under my nose and insisted that I smell it. When I pointed out to the R.T. that people with trachs can't smell, she gasped and said "oh, I forgot!" The gal behind the counter found that amusing. Perish the thought but maybe this gal from Normal is more normal than she prefers to think she is. I guess we have evolved afterall.

Hope everyone has a terrific week! From my home to yours,

Love always, Darci

P.S. Boo to you! I am beginning to get in the spirit of Halloween, and am decorating my room - my home. The bears have masks on, and sock monkey is going "Hawaiian".

See you Thursday!!

Slow Week

Did all my doctor appointments.

Got to go on an outing to "wally-world"; I'm broke now!

Still scratching! But only one more day on the IVs. The last two days have been lousy due to major bladder spasms. Very thirsty but afraid to drink anything.

That 's pretty much it for this week. I think I am going to call it a day... not getting much sleep at night. Tune in again next Thursday.

Love always, Darci

Trials and Tribulations

By the time I was in 4th grade, my desk was right next to the teacher's desk, very close to the blackboard. I once again failed the eye test, and even though my desk was close to the blackboard, I still had to have my classmate tell me what was written on the board. I also got very good at remembering what the teacher said as she wrote on the blackboard. My parents sent me to a new eye doctor who specialized in helping children. It was so funny - he put me in this room and asked me to look at the dangling ball that was on the ceiling!! And I looked and I looked - no ball!! The doctor came in the room and say "Oh My!" and asked "can you read the top letter on the eye chart?" Once again, I looked but didn't see an eye chart! Again, he said "Oh, My!!" I went through a whole series of tests for the next two and a half hours, and was instructed to come back the following morning for more tests. Two weeks later, I finally had my first pair of glasses. They were bifocals, they were pink and sparkly. I was so happy and just amazed at the world around me. All the way home, I kept staring out the window. Suddenly trees didn't just disappear up into the sky anymore! Lawns consisted of individual blades of grass. When we got home, I sat on the swing and went back and forth, back and forth, enthralled with the new world around me!!! My mother thought I was being silly at first, she didn't realize how blind I really was! But she was very apologetic when she realized that I wasn't kidding. When I was called in for supper, I went to the bathroom to wash up. I crawled on top of the toilet and then the sink so I could see in the mirror! There was my face - eyebrows, eyelashes and all! I could finally see myself as everyone else did. How ironic it was all those years Paul had been my charge - he couldn't hear and I couldn't see! I was his ears as he was my eyes!

The next day when I went to school, I was finally able to push my seat back away from the teacher's desk and sit among the rest of my class!!! I didn't have to ask for anybody's help.
I could look across the room and see the color of other student's eyes. It was all I could do not to stare!

Another thing that caught my eye was food! Suddenly it looked better to me, more appealing!! Therefore, my appetite picked up as did my weight. I actually began to get pudgy!

When I started junior high, I developed allergies, asthma, and began to have numerous kidney infections that were very painful. I also began to have more serious bouts of bronchitis. I had a really deep cough that my Mom called my "barking dog cough." My eyesight continued to worsen, and when I was 15, I was told that I might be blind by the time I was 30 or 40, but that there were new advances every year.

When I was in high school, I hurt my hand playing baseball. I twisted all of the tendons in my left hand! That was the first time I can really remember a doctor saying "oh, I have never seen that before!" He said "I have seen a few tendons twist before, but you managed to do all of them in your hand!!" This was also the beginning of my developing arthritis when I was 17.

Thus concludes my trials and tribulations of my childhood. Some ailments would go away, and others would worsen. Such is life! Se la vive!!

It's been kind of a disappointing week; two more weeks of IV antibiotics and more doctors appointments in the near future. And more testing to come to determine whether I have another form of arthritis and possibly lupis. Both of which are additional forms of auto-immune diseases which is already a "favorite" of mine. More pokin' and prodding' to come! Woo Hoo!!! Will keep you posted! Back for more next week.

Love Always, Darci

P.S. Yes, I still have the rash all over my body, and making good use out of that back scratcher from the dollar store. Now I'm really done!

My Beginnings

This week has been a very hectic week. I was very sick over the weekend and today has been complete chaos. Now on top of everything else, I have a yeast infection and a rash all over my body! Which means another trip to the dermatologist. One more doctor for one more ailment.

Last week I promised that I would answer questions and talk about various obstacles I had growing up. When my mother was almost 8 months pregnant, she was hospitalized because she was bleeding profusely. So the doctors decided to deliver me by Caesarean. That's when it was discovered that my mother has a very rare blood type; her blood type is ABC with a negative HRH factor. I was very tiny--I was as long as a sub sandwich and just over 3 pounds!! Because I was premature, my bronchial tubes weren't fully developed. The doctors decided that I needed specialized care, so I was taken by ambulance to a hospital 90 minutes away that had a NICU devoted to premature infants. My parents visited me as often as they could while my Dad's parents took care of my two older brothers. My grandparents' farm was only a few miles from my parents' farm. After a month I was deemed fit to go home. I now weighed 5 pounds.


Since I was so tiny, my mother had to trim down my cloth diapers and fashion sewing patterns out of old newspapers and sewed all of my wardrobe rather than purchase babydoll clolthes. I was given the bedroom that was directly above the old coal furnace as the heat kept me nice and toasty during cold months. Because my eyes were very sensitive to light, there are very few baby pictures because they couldn't use they flashbulb on the camera and I could not be kept out in the sun except very briefly. My Mom told me that I slept a lot and often had to be awakened at feeding time.


I wore booties on my feet until I was two years old as there were no shoes small enough for me to wear. As soon as my parents were able to buy a pair of shoes that fit me, I began to walk. It was too hard to try to walk in booties on a hardwood floor. Even though I lagged behind as I was so petite, I think my mother would agree that I more than made up for it because I began to talk very early, and I haven't shut up since!!! Although I was very talkative around family, I was otherwise friendly, but shy. As a toddler, I enjoyed feeding our various animals and our chickens until one of the roosters took a hunk out of my face! Since the wound was so close to my left eye, the doctor was unable to stitch me up, so just bandaged it. I still have the scar as a reminder of the encounter.


1962 was not a very good year for me. I have no immunity to measles; therefore I have had them numerous times. The worse case occurred when I was four years old. I had measles in the lining of my stomach and in my throat. The stomach lining is made of blood. I vomited up copious amounts of blood. I was sure that I was dying. That was also the year that I had two hernia operations. I have a lasting picture in my mind of me jumping on an old mattress down in our basement when I suddenly felt intense pain. I have no other memory of either occurrence. Isn't the mind a wonderful thing?



I began first grade when I was six years old. We had no kindergarten at that time. My parents considered holding me back a year as I was so small, but decided to go ahead and enroll me in school as I was very eager to learn. I considered myself a big girl and wanted to go to school like my brothers. I was permitted to attend school with several considerations. A fellow student was assigned to be my "bathroom buddy" to make sure I was able to use the restroom without any mishaps and was able to reach the sink and the papertowels. To keep my legs from dangling all day long, the janitor built me a wooden box and painted it white on which I rested my feet.


At almost eight years old, I was pretty much the size of a three-year old toddler. I was three feet tall and just over 30 pounds. For the second year, I was sent home with a note from the school nurse informing my parents that I had once again failed the eye test. It was at this time that my parents began to follow-up on it and I was sent to various specialists. One doctor even had me wear an eye patch for awhile. I was told that while I did not have perfect vision, I did not yet need eyeglasses. That winter was exceptionally bitter and I began to have severe ear aches. My teacher kept warm cloths on the radiator for me to cover my ears with to try to ease my ear pain, and allow me to continue to remain in class. Back in those days girls were allowed to wear pants to and from school and during recess. But at times, I was given a pass and allowed to wear my pants all day.

When I was young, I did not have a hearty appetite like my brothers. But I was always very thirsty. I drank a lot of water, wonderful well water. This concerned my parents, so from the time I was little I was tested regularly for diabetes. I was generally tested every two years. Even though I had no other symptoms of diabetes, it was part of my family history.

Well, my time is up for this now, so will pick this up again next week. Hope you'll check in with me next Wednesday. Have a great week!

Love always, Darci

Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day Everyone! It has been an interesting week as I have been unconscious for most of it. Between the infections and two IVs antibiotics working in me, I have been very sleepy, in a lot of pain, and I feel like there is a war going on in there. The medicine gives me bad dreams and nightmares. The worst nightmare was that in my dream I was walking and I got lost. There was a parade going on, and suddenly the crowd of people turned on me, jumped on me and literally started tearing off little hunks of me!!!! Thankfully, I woke up! I have also had very weird disjointed dreams-- partly due to the medicine and also due to fever, which has been up and down!!

I had my appointment with the surgeon this morning. At this point I don't need surgery on the abcess but I have to return in two weeks. Next week is full of various appointments. Three different dr. appointments for three different diseases. Yippee!! and Zippee!!! Lucky me! Came back from my appointment today to find that Teagen, my big boy bear, had fallen, and had bandaged ears and right arm. Poor baby now has his own medical disabilities!!! Silly staff!!!

Happy Birthday MOMMY! She will be celebrating her 77th in Las Vegas on the 5th of September. Look out Las Vegas!! Here comes the little old widow lady and her friend Peg is going with her!!

Haven't heard anything about the MD Telethon. If they do have it, please contribute as they help with ALS research, which helped my Grandma Spears. What an awful way to go!

I have had several people ask me to write about obstacles I overcame growing up, and hope to have that finished next week for you. Have a great holiday! Hope to see you next Wednesday!!! Same time, same station!

Love always, Darci

Here We Go Again!!

Woke up Thursday morning with severe pain in my breast. I went exploring to see what it was and discovered a large lump about the size of a large marble in my right breast! I was pretty freaked out considering my family history of cancer as well as my own!!! My nurse practitioner didn't show up until the following afternoon, so had to wait until Monday to make appointment. I got an appointment for Tuesday morning, but when I got up there, they were expecting me to be able to stand. That's the only way they had to do the mammogram, so they did an ultrasound instead. They discovered I have a really nasty infection in the breast tissue. I was told that this type of infection usually happens in the legs and that they had never seen it in the breast before. You know me - I like to stump the medical profession! I have to take IV antibiotics for two weeks, so the nurse came in last night and put a midline in my left arm so they don't have to keep poking me when it's medicine time. Thank goodness it wasn't something worse, but this is literally a royal pain! I'm curious, what does a disabled woman do for a mammogram???? Surely they have come across this situation before! It's something I need to have, but I have no idea where to go and everyone here doesn't either!! I am really in too much pain to work up anything for this week. Hopefully will be back at it in time for something next Wednesday. Hope to see you then! Love, Darci

The Life of Riley

Well, Guys, I made it back this week - wasn't sure if I'd make it. Yesterday, I was miserable, and had a temp of 102! Doing much better today. Temp is 100.

This poem is my tribute to our sweet pup. He was happy-go-lucky to the end - never complaining or grumpy. He still tried to do his dogly duties and carry on as usual. I'm so glad that my family brought Riley to the facility several months ago. He was so damn cute, and he knew he was!!! There are volunteers who bring their dogs in, but it's not as special as seeing your own pet.

The Life of Riley

He was 25 pounds of wiggle and silky golden fur, and quickly became my family's favorite Christmas gift. We christened him Riley - my grandmother's maiden name. My mother's best buddy, he was her unflagging shadow, padding behind her wherever she went. She considered Riley to be her furry grandchild. The two were inseparable.

Riley was my day-time companion. Many times I would wake from a nap on the sofa to find him protectively wrapped around me.

Paul walked Riley around the neighborhood, but he soon became too strong - straining at the leash so hard he nearly jerked Paul off his feet!

Bruce's smoke-break pal, he dutifully trotted outside with him, except on the hottest of days.

Riley was Steve's dancing partner, and he joked about buying a saddle for the 115 pound pooch. Steve claimed Riley was surely part pony.

Riley's best-loved toy was one of Grandma's old shoes - purchased toys were a low priority and usually ignored.

Even as a pup, he had a "big dog" bark, using it one night to scare off would-be intruders at our back gate.

Riley always had to lick out the tuna fish can, and would eagerly await for his table scraps at each of our meal and snack times. He parked himself at Grandma's chair, since she was the most generous.

One holiday season Grandma and I were baking sugar cookies, each secretly feeding Riley. He got so "hopped" up on sugar that he literally did hop on his hind legs, making a very large bunny in our kitchen. We laughed so hard we forgot to grab our cameras!!

Riley enjoyed a bubble bath till he outgrew the tub, but he hated getting wet in the rain! He'd bark crossly at raindrops. "Puppy" was frightened by storms - his body shook as it would thunder and lightning. He also hated the noise the garbage truck made and barked furiously at it!

He never fussed about taking his meds, and he loved how they'd "fuss" over him at the vet's and the groomer's. He was the vet's "Big Boy".

Riley loved car rides; he'd carry his leash in his mouth to indicate he was ready to climb in the car and go for a drive. He refused to use his igloo-shaped dog house, even though we made it nice and very comfy for him.

Riley was a happy soul, sweet-tempered, curious, friendly, with personality plus. He was full of light and love. My God, how we loved him, and treasured his time with us here on earth.

Our beloved canine truly did live the "life of Riley."

Riley Chance Spears

October 27, 2000 - August 4, 2010

Rest in peace, Puppy, Rest in peace.

In other news:

Congrats to Robert C. for moving on up to another facility with assisted living. Keep singing the songs we grew up with - ones that are now the "oldies"! Mr. Columnist - I'm so proud of you!! Thanks for sticking by me and with me, and for always having my back.

I have a new roommate - her name is Nancy. My previous "neighbor" got to go home. She wasn't on a vent, so not sure why she was placed with me.

To Mom, Paul and Peg - hope you are having a great va-cay. Have a safe flight on Friday.

That's all for this week. I'll be back here in seven.

Love Always, Darci

I've been sick this week but doing better. I am working on some things for next week. Check back again.

Frances we love you and miss you! We know you are in a better place.

Thanks for checking me out; be back here next week. Darci

Survivor Mode Post #2

This week I thought I would focus on this poem I wrote several years ago for our church's holiday booklet. It gives you some information and insight into my life growing up in the Midwest in the 60's and 70's.


My family has always held dear the hope that a loving God was with us always.

A gentle steady faith from deep within.
Ever hopeful, not hopeless even in the darkest days,
Our hope for good to prevail with strong faith,
Loving family and church to guide us along the way.

Hope for God's good favor through times of family barbecues with hand-cranked ice cream, beautiful crops, plentiful gardens, cool spring water to drink,
Clean clothes to wear, darned socks and resoled shoes, money enough to purchase eye glasses for all.

Hope also filled our hearts through tough times as well.
Hard times of born-too-soon babies,
Frail of body but fierce in spirit.
Hope filled fervent prayers to welcome them to the growing family.

Hope for miracles actualized when God's hand formed bone from nothing;
Finally enabling a young boy to Stand and Walk.
No longer using strong arms to drag useless legs behind him
And experts at long last arriving at a diagnosis allowing my brother to flourish
And live a full life.

As the years went by my family remained hopeful,
With lives full of family, friends and church - even as we scattered across the land.

But we have banded together again in recent years hopeful, agonizingly praying for the loss of another so we could have a few extra years with our beloved patriarch.

This year as we approach the birth of Jesus we have come full circle.
Rallying around a mother's only daughter.
Once again frail of body, but hope filled and awesome in spirit.
Diligently trying to make her way back into the family fold.

My family still is very close - in distance and spirit - minus my father who passed in 2000. My family visits me often, and so in that way I still feel included. Have a great week. I'll be back and hope you will be too.

Darci

Survivor Mode Post #2

This week I thought I would focus on this poem I wrote several years ago for our church's holiday booklet. It gives you some information and insight into my life growing up in the Midwest in the 60's and 70's.

My family has always held dear the hope that a loving God was with us always.
A gentle steady faith from deep within.

Ever hopeful, not hopeless even in the darkest days,

Our hope for good to prevail with strong faith,

Loving family and church to guide us along the way.

Hope for God's good favor through times of family barbecues with hand-cranked ice cream, beautiful crops, plentiful gardens, cool spring water to drink,

Clean clothes to wear, darned socks and resoled shoes, money enough to purchase eye glasses for all.

Hope also filled our hearts through tough times as well.

Hard times of born-too-soon bab ies,

Frail of body but fierce in spirit.

Hope filled fervent prayers to welcome them to the growing family.

Hope for miracles actualized when God's hand formed bone from nothing;

Finally enabling a young boy to Stand and Walk.

No longer using strong arms to drag useless legs behind him

And expers at long last arriving at a diagnosis alloing my brother to flourish

And live a full life.

As the years went by my family remained hopeful.

With lives full of family, friends and church - even aas we scattered across the land.

But we have banded together again in recent years hopeful, agonizingly praying for the loss of another so we could have a few extra years with our beloved patriarch.

This year as we approach the birth of Jesus we have come full circle.

Rallying around a mother's only daughter.

Once againi frail of body, but hope filled and awesome in spirit.

Diligently trying to make her way back into the family fold.

Survivor Mode: First Post

Survivor Mode: First Post: "Hi Fellow Bloggers! This is my first attempt at doing a blog, so I'm a little nervous, but excited too! Forgive me if I make any mistakes. ..."

First Post

Hi Fellow Bloggers! This is my first attempt at doing a blog, so I'm a little nervous, but excited too! Forgive me if I make any mistakes.

My name is Darci and I grew up in the Midwest, but have lived in the Southwest since 1993. I'm divorced and have no children. My Mother and three brothers live in the same town nearby me. I just turned 52 years old and live in a medical facility.

My blog will be threefold: The first thing I will write about is my life (like many others). I'll try to leave the boring bits out! I will tell my tales using stories, prose and poetry.

The second thing I will be writing about will be random thoughts and commentaries about life in general, lessons learned in my life, and current events.

The third focus of my blog will be about my life in a medical facility. They're not just for the elderly, people! I have lived in hospitals or medical facilities since just before I turned 48. I've lived at my current facility for three years. It's been a very bumpy ride my whole life really, but I'm still here!

I plan on doing a weekly blog, depending on my health. I hope that you will find my entries thoughtful and interesting. Thanks for taking time to read my first offering. Hope you will stop by again next week.