INDEPENDENCE IS A STATE OF MIND

This week I begin the process of looking into skilled nursing facilities. I am grateful for my family's help to find the right place. I don't want to go on government assistance and end up in a Medicaid bed in a facility.

What scares me the most, other than leaving the only home I have ever known,, is losing my independence not being able to get out and do the things I enjoy doing. Losing the ability to make decisions.

I am dependent on others for assistance with almost every aspect of daily living. Yet, I think of myself as an independent person. 

I was talking to a friend/ I told her that I fear losing my independence if I move into a facility. My friend told me that independence is a state of mind. It's how you conduct yourself and how self-assured you are. .If you act in a way that lets people around you know you deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, you will be.

Independence should not be measured in terms of how much assistance someone needs, but, in how they think, and their ability to make well-thought-out decisions.

I want to blog more. I want to help others through my writing. I would like to still contribute to the community by volunteering again. 

I am still the same person,. The only thing that's changing is my address. 

D2K, WHAT A NIGHT

May 20th is Cher's birthday. However, the date has an additional significance for me now. It is the day I sprained my knee. I heard something crack in my knee as my caregiver put me back in my chair. Between the loud crack I heard and the pain I felt, whatever had happened, I knew it wasn't good.

You'll say my priorities weren't in the right place. Yes, I was worried about my knee, but I was also concerned that the diagnosis would keep me from seeing Cher's Dressed to Kill Tour on June 4th. I've had my tickets since last October. I didn't want to miss a concert I had been waiting for over nine months to see.

Thankfully, my knee was not broken. It was just badly sprained. Cher and D2K were still on.

 I'd been tweeting Cher and her friend Paulette daily in hopes of either meeting Paulette or Cher.  I also have a friend on Twitter who is friends with Paulette. I got the surprise of my life when I received an email asking about the location of our seats. Every diehard Cher fan knows that if Paulette asks where you're sitting, it either means you are meeting one or both of them.

The weeks passed. My knee hurt, but I knew nothing would keep me from seeing Cher.

The morning .of the concert, I received an email from my friend on Twitter saying Paulette would definitely come by and say hello to us. Since I was on bed rest until it was time to get ready for the concert, I called my friend, JoAnn who was going to the concert with me. "Paulette's coming by to see us," I told her. I still had hopes of meeting Cher too. Whatever happened, I knew it would be a night to remember. I sent JoAnn on a mission to get gifts for Cher.

Before I knew it we were on our way to the concert venue. It was exciting to see all the fans waiting to go inside. We found our seats and had only been there a few minutes when someone said, "Hi, are you, Joanne? I'm Paulette." JoAnn had gotten a beautiful bouquet of white roses and pink lilies as well as a box of chocolate truffles because she'd read online that white roses and lilies are Cher's favorite flowers. She likes chocolate too. Paulette told me Cher was busy backstage and a meet and greet were not possible that night. Paulette said Cher knew about me and that she would take my gifts backstage to her. We took pictures and then it was time for Paulette to go. She stopped to talk with other fans. As she was leaving. I heard her say, "Bye Joanne."

Cyndi Lauper sang many songs from her She's So Unusual album. The album is thirty years old this year. Cyndi really connects with the audience. What impressed me most was how she went out into the audience, shaking hands with as many people as she could.  Cher could not have chosen a better performer to open for her.

Cher was amazing. From costumes to songs, to special effects, Cher did not disappoint. I loved the entire show. I especially liked the circus introduction to Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves. Cher sang The Beat Goes On and I Got  You, Babe, With Sonny. Watching her sing with a video of Sonny was very moving. Seeing her suspended and fly over the audience while singing I Hope You Find It was awesome.

Several days later, I received an email from Paulette saying how much Cher liked my gifts. I look at that email now and still can't believe it.

Thank you, Jill, Paulette, JoAnn, Gary, and Cher for giving me a night I'll never forget.








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