Rebecca VanDeMark's Blog, page 261

HYATT PLACE: PHOENIX- NORTH, ARIZONA

photo found on internetWhen I first accepted the speaking engagement for the IWMC I knew one of the things that I needed to find was a place to stay. I hadn't traveled to Phoenix since I was a young girl so I wanted to find a hotel that was within an affordable price range, was in a safe area, and also was in easy driving distance to my commitments. 
As y'all might remember I often stay at the Hyatt House at Belmont/Redwood Shores in California when I go for treatment and I was interested in finding another Hyatt so that I could continue to build up points for my upcoming Port surgery and stay to help save money. Overall I was unfortunately not pleased with my stay at this property. 
Hyatt Place Phoenix- North is conveniently located just off of Interstate 17. As the conference that I was speaking at was held at Grand Canyon University (exit 203 off of I-17) Hyatt Place Phoenix-North was off of exit 208. Despite heavy traffic I never spent more than 35 minutes traveling between these two places, making this a wonderful option for those attending events at Grand Canyon University. In addition Hyatt Place Phoenix-North is just minutes away from Arizona State West Campus, the MetroCenter Mall, and the outlets of Anthem. It is also 12 miles north of downtown Phoenix and also 12 miles from the Cardinals Football Stadium.  photo found on internetIf you are traveling for personal or business reasons you will definitely find that you feel that you have stepped away from the busy and bustling city and traffic as the hotel property is very quiet, making it a restful retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the nearby highway and city. 
For those who are ill and traveling to the Phoenix area for medical treatment the Hyatt Place Phoenix-North might be an option. All of the Hyatt Hotels are smoke free and this particular hotel has wonderful options for a variety of rooms that will make you feel like you are living in the comfort of your own home. There is free high-speed internet along with a guest laundry facility and there is a complimentary breakfast buffet that offers many wonderful nutritious choices. In addition I found most of the hotel staff to be very pleasant to speak with. Finally, I felt that there was lots of handicap parking for those who are needing this that was close to the entrance of the hotel. 

To be fair though and to give a bit of a warning I was extremely disappointed in three aspects of my stay at the Hyatt Place Phoenix-North and have to admit that I am not sure I would stay at this particular hotel again nor could I fully recommend this to others.  photo found on internetFirst, I was extremely disappointed in how a situation was handled on my first night at the property. After an extremely long day of travel I arrived at the hotel and my room to find that despite the temperature outside being close to 95 degrees my room was even hotter than it was outside. I quickly adjusted the temperature in the room (it had been set to heat??) setting it to 65 degrees cool and went out to purchase some grocery supplies for my stay. On the way out of the hotel to my car I stopped by the front desk expressing my concern and was told that setting the temperature to 65 that everything would be fine within an hour. After returning more than two hours later to my room there was little difference in the temperature (in fact it was much cooler in the hallway). After trying to contact the front desk by telephone (there was no answer) I had to go back downstairs to talk with someone. 
Unfortunately I encountered something that I can honestly say that I have never encountered at a Hyatt property which was a very rude response. I tried to explain that I thought something might be wrong with the air conditioning but before I could even share the background story I was cut off and abruptly told that there was nothing that she could do for me. I tried again to explain and ask if something could be done to which I was told very flippantly, "we are overbooked and there is absolutely nothing I can do". The way that she said this implied that it was my fault that the hotel was overbooked and that I was lucky to receive a room. (For the record I had booked my hotel several months in advance for this trip.) When I tried to "push" this and ask if there was anyone else I could speak with or if there were any suggestions or other Hyatt properties in the area that I may be transferred to she offered to bring up two small fans "when she could". I tried to explain that I have health issues and that heat is a problem for me and she just told me that it was not her problem. 
She did come with the two very small fans quickly, but then as she stepped into the room she said "well its not that bad" and then told me it was my fault for not setting the temperature to 50 degrees. Honestly I have never ever heard of setting a temperature thermostat to 50 degrees before and after having been assured by the front desk a couple hours earlier that setting it to 65 was adequate I found this to be very confusing. I have to admit didn't appreciate the whole way that everything was handled. As the time difference is 3 hours behind in Arizona from East Coast time I was literally to exhausted to do anything about this situation that evening. I also have to admit that the situation was not fully resolved as the temperature never went below 75 degrees (despite being set at 50 degrees cool) and each time I spoke with someone different I was told that there was nothing that could be done.
To be honest this was extremely disappointing as I have never encountered this before at a Hyatt property but it would make me hesitant to recommend this property to others and for me to stay there again. I had been assured that the hotel was "very disability friendly and accommodating" and it was extremely disappointing that this situation occurred. To me this was a definitely a disappointment after being told that the hotel was "very disability friendly and accommodating".  photo found on internetA second thing that was disappointing was that despite Hyatt properties claiming that they are "smoke free" I had issues with smoke smells in my room. It was so strong in the bathroom that I had to keep the door closed and it made it difficult to breath when I went to shower. I did express my concerns over this and was assured that the property was "smoke free" but this was not resolved throughout my stay.  photo found on internetFinally, a third thing that would make me hesitant to recommend this property was the cleaning service. When I would leave and have my room cleaned trash was not removed, I had to ask for towels (that were not replaced) and when the bed was made I returned to find crumbs and pieces of food on the comforter (?!?!?). This concerned me regarding the cleanliness of the hotel. 
Again, I have never had these situations happen at a Hyatt property before and am hoping that these were exceptions and not the routine at this property. Unfortunately being a Hyatt Gold Member did not help in any of these situations and hope that this was not the routine of how things are handled at this property. I hope that y'all have found this review of the Hyatt Place Phoenix-North helpful! Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this hotel! I would be happy to answer them! 

a quick update after Phoenix, Arizona

I know specifically so many of you are curious about how my health held out throughout last week as I traveled to Phoenix, Arizona for some speaking engagements. I am so humbled to share that the Lord truly answered all of your prayers as there were no "major" issues. There were some minor ones and my body is exhausted, but it was a beautiful gift to my heart and truly was a time of "refreshing" for my spirit. 
I am also looking forward to how this trip has opened up some new speaking engagements and I look forward to sharing that more with y'all in the upcoming weeks. (If you are ever interested in having me speak at an event, bible study, class, etc. you can find out more about what I speak on at my personal website by clicking HERE!) 
 I am reminded that we are gently and lovingly carried by the Lord and met with grace for each day (Psalm 68:19). As I returned home and am facing these next few weeks of lots of things on my plate (moving out of my grandmother's house to our camp, working on things for the shop, finishing up last minute edits for "When Mercy Beckons", starting a precursor round of drugs before the port, and other things) I am gently reminded that God will continue to meet me each day.  So today there is a mixture of hard and good. Tears and rejoicing. Struggling and trusting. And knowing that my pain and discouragement will be preciously and tenderly met by the God of love that bids me to trust Him in new ways. 

As I continue to finish up this "precursor round" of treatment before heading out to California, our specific prayer request for the Port placement would be that it would go smoothly and that I would be able to handle the first round of trial drugs with no severe reaction. We might have to try different meds to figure out which is the best and this for me is of great concern and I appreciate your faithful prayers. I also appreciate your continued prayers for all of the financial means to come in for this trip.


Words can't express how grateful I am for all of your kind support and love during this time. I can't wait to share more with you about my Phoenix trip!!
 Thank you again for all of your support, love, and prayers. You are a blessing!

What is Lyme Disease?

Whenever I meet someone who does not know my journey of fighting to regain my health I find that a common conversation takes place. It doesn't matter if this person is a random stranger, a new doctor, a new hospital emergency room nurse, a lady standing in line at the county clerks office as I apply for the disability tag, my former boss, a former co-worker, a cousin that I haven't seen in a long time, the cute guy sitting next to me on the plane as I travel to California to my medical team, or the firefighter that came to save our neighborhood two years ago. I receive a sympathetic nod or a sweet comment of encouragement when they hear that I have cancer but when I mention Lyme Disease they look at me bewildered or with a confused look. 
They hesitate... and then the questions start.
"Is that what happens when you get bit by a tick?" they ask. "Yes" I answer. "When did that happen?" they ask. "2007. May 19, 2007 to be exact." I reply. "Not to be rude or anything but you know that you can just go to the doctors and get antibiotics for that." they state. "Yes, I am aware of that." I reply. "Did you get the bulls eye rash? You just need to go get medicine and get better" they state (most of them very kindly, a few a little sarcastically, and one who accused me of "simply making it up to get attention"). "No seriously, if you had the rash you should go get medicine. My ___________(insert some long lost family member's sisters friends cousin's name here) had Lyme and they got better in a few days...maybe a week at most. Why are you waiting?" they state more insistently. I hesitate and then with a quiet sigh my reply comes.
"I was bit by a tick on May 19th, 2007 hiking in Great Falls, Virginia. I remember the date exactly because my ex-finance and I talked about marriage that day. The next day as I was training for a 1/2 marathon I noticed the bulls eye rash on my upper right arm. I received medication (yes, I finished the full dosage) and was seen at John Hopkins University Hospital Lyme Center. After completing the medication I was declared "Lyme free". Except I wasn't..." I calmly reply. 
Absolutely silent they look at me. And some say what I am sure everyone is thinking... "So what the heck is Lyme Disease and how in the world is this making you so ill?"
To be frank it is a question that I have asked myself thousands of times as I approach the 9 year anniversary of contracting Lyme. At a recent Lyme Disease conference it was stated that "Lyme Disease is the growing epidemic and health crisis of the 21st century" and that "in the fullness of time the mainstream handling of Chronic Lyme Disease will be viewed as one of the most shameful episodes in the history of medicine."

Lyme Disease is contracted by a tick bite that has been infected and then infects the person that it has bitten. While a bulls eye rash is common in most cases, in recent years there are more and more cases that occur with the person never seeing a bulls eye rash. In addition to this in recent years studies have shown that in addition to a tick transferring Lyme you can also contract Lyme through being bit by a mosquito, flies, or fleas.  property of Lyme Disease picturesLyme Disease is considered (by most doctors- some would disagree) an infections Disease with the bacteria in Lyme called "Borelia Burgdorferi". The Lyme bacteria is unique in its shape (it has a spiral shape) and unlike most diseases it is able to burrow into not only into the blood stream but into vital organs, muscles throughout the body, the nervous system, and body tissue. (In addition to this studies coming out of Europe show belief that Lyme has the potential to drill into bones.) Due to the unique shape and properties of the Boreilia Burgdorferi Lyme has the ability to literally infect the entire body and travel throughout the blood stream (doing incredible damage to the organs and the cells that it connects with in its way). Over time Lyme also has the ability and capability of surrounding cells, killing them, and creating a "wall" that prevents antibiotics to "break" the barriers. In addition to this the bacteria commonly makes cysts that are also difficult for antibiotics to touch. property of Lyme Disease picturesDue to these reasons a person with Lyme (whether mis-diagnosed, mis-treated, or not caught at the time of infection) can suffer for decades before being diagnosed and can suffer a confusing and wide array of symptoms that might or might not look like other "lymies" fighting the same battle. 
Lyme is considered the "Great Imitator" and is known to imitate over four hundred different diseases including CFS/ME (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), Fibromyalgia, IBS, Lupus, MS, Autoimmune Disorders, Alzheimer's, ALS, Migraines, Depression, Meningitis, Lou Gehrig's Disease, and hundreds of others. 

Patients in "late stage or chronic stage" Lyme Disease are fighting a complicated and complex battle as many (including myself) are fighting not just the Lyme but co-infections, additional diagnosis', and issues that have occurred due to the fact that Lyme has waged war on their bodies. Due to the fact that the bacteria from Lyme Disease can not only travel but multiply patients are dealing with multiple issues and symptoms. The bacteria with Lyme Disease does not like the fight and will literally "fight back" which causes a "herxheimer reaction" that can be worse than the disease itself. Due to this the "horror stories" (as the news has sometimes labeled it) are true, as some patients have died and many patients end up in the hospital and are fighting for their lives. 
The symptoms of Lyme Disease vary but most people struggle from many of the following symptoms: debilitating fatigue, heart issues, heart palpitations, arthritis, facial numbness, blood pressure problems, extreme pain, autoimmune disorders, malnutrition, hair loss, vision problems, skin issues, rashes, panic attacks, adrenal failure (or fatigue), memory issues, food allergies, unexplained allergic reactions, insomnia, inability to absorb vitamins and nutrition, hormonal issues, circulation issues, dizziness, seizures, body numbness, blindness, migraines, paralysis in extremities, heart attacks, inability to handle temperature change, lung function, shortness of breath, menstrual issues, and the list goes on and on and on. I have just listed a few but here are hundreds more.

In addition to the physical aspects of fighting Lyme Disease patients are in for the FIGHT of their life not only physically but mentally, financially, and emotionally too. Most Lyme Disease patients have seen dozens of doctors (I personally saw 273-including some of the top hospitals throughout the US-before I was correctly diagnosed) and after the diagnosis can introduce the most difficult battle that is never expected.

 Lyme Disease patients are warriors as they have had to push through hundreds of "all knowledgeable doctors" stating that it is "in their heads" or "they just need some meds". (I had a specialist in 2013 -after we had spent 4 hours in traffic to get to his office-tell my mother (in front of me) that she was "enabling" me to continue to set a "destructive pattern" of desiring attention and that "absolutely" nothing was wrong with me. Within two months of seeing this doctor I not only had been correctly diagnosed with Lyme Disease, but aggressive skin cancer, and Sojourn's Disease.) 

Finding a doctor who is willing to treat a Lyme Disease patient long term is also another battle. Due to arguments with insurance companies, Congress, and medical limitations it is extremely difficult to find a qualified and competent doctor. This takes hours and hours and hours of research and it still doesn't guarantee you an appointment. Mentally this is absolutely exhausting for patients. And after the appointment that you have hopefully gotten there is still the treatment to fight through. 
And both of these things cost an extreme amount of money. 
Money that most patients (like myself) did "OK" with for the first five or six years of wandering the long trail of finding correct answers. But after that time period (and for some it is a much shorter time frame) money is not something that just continues to "come in". It has been spent (wisely, I would like to clarify) on finding answers, traveling to doctors across the country, treating one or two  mis-diagnosis', and on numerous treatments (most alternative so insurance does not cover it). ALL of these things add up to thousands and thousands of dollars. 

Like myself, most Lyme Disease patients are not able to work full time and those that have to struggle to survive day to day. Without a set source of income bank accounts, savings accounts, retirement funds, etc. are quickly depleted. I have been asked by hundreds of people- "didn't you save for a rainy day"? Or... "What about your savings account?". I am going to be incredibly honest here and share something very personal. I had a wonderful savings account (I was a Dave Ramsey's graduate *smiles*) that by year three of this "adventure" was being drained and then at years five and six was completely depleted. (Just to give you a slice of a picture I have spent in the last eight years approximately $75,000 on medical issues, supplies, supplements, travel to doctors, etc. desperately trying to get well!!) I, like most other Lyme Disease patients, have lost any "saved money", savings accounts, retirement accounts, etc in the desperate fight to get better. Many patients like myself have limited funds and to answer the questions that I am sometimes asked- no I do not know where the resources that I am going to need for today and the rest of this week let alone the months and years ahead (until I am able to work full time again) will come from. I am a christian who is madly in love with her savior and have learned to trust that He will always provide for me - each step of this journey. 
Lyme Disease patients worry about things that most people don't think about. I will debate for hours and hours each week on which supplement or antibiotic I should do "without" due to money. We have concerns and stresses that are impossible to explain. We have sold everything we can think of, have had to humble ourselves to ask for money and are embarrassed to admit we have done so, and have asked every family member, friend, and stranger for help. In the process most of our relatives and friends have depleted their savings accounts and bank accounts to help us. Let me say what most Lyme Disease patients are thinking about all of the time but are ashamed to admit:
We don't care about the battles of politics and insurance. We don't care about "which treatment" is supposedly the best. We don't care about "this or that". What we do care about is fighting for our lives and our health and most of us are so scared that we can never get better because we do not have financial ability to do so. 
And I think it takes absolutely no explanation about why Lyme Disease patients also struggle emotionally. The rigor of this fight takes a courage that I never knew before. It takes bravery to face what is realistically going on in your body and the courage to fight for hope despite the odds. It takes courage to look around and realize that your life has been crushed, accept the loneliness of "friends" walking away, and to come to terms with giving up a job that you loved and to recognize that you might never be able to return to it, to find joy despite the pain, to hold on to Hope when it seems so dark, and to believe (against what you have been told) that you can fight this silent and vicious killer. While there are days of tears and darkness Lyme Disease can not silence love and that is what each and every person fighting Lyme is holding onto. 
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Will you please spread the word about this disease and give a BIG hug to those you know who are fighting it? Your kindness in recognizing and spreading the word will touch the hearts of ALL who fight each day. If you would like to spread the word please feel free to use either of these two pictures and link to this post on social media! 

I, like every "lymie" I know, longs to see a world where "Lyme Disease" are words that are understood by the medical community along with friends and family understanding it. We long to see knowledge that is spread so that someday we will have a cure so that no one else has to live this fight. Thank you so much for spreading the word. 
Want additional resources on Lyme Disease? Check out "the Lyme Diaries" series on this blog! Are you a lymie patient or do you have a loved one walking through this journey? Check out my new book, Path of Hope or Praying through Lyme Disease, which provides scriptural encouragement for this journey! Do you have questions, or just want to talk? Please feel free to email me at caravansonnet@gmail.com I would love to connect with you about this topic!

Path of Hope Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDate:April 27, 2016Contact: Rebecca VanDeMark                rebeccavandemark@gmail.com
First Spiritual Book on Hope for Lyme Patients Released
Path of Hope, by: Rebecca VanDeMark
At a recent Lyme Disease conference it was stated that “Lyme Disease is the growing epidemic and health crisis of the 21stcentury”. While not well known and maybe not well handled there are hundreds of thousands of Lyme Warriors that struggle each day just to live. Many of them cannot get out of bed due to extreme and debilitating fatigue and pain. Many are lying in hospital beds with doctors who don’t know what to do. Many others are struggling emotionally under the weight of loss. Many others feel completely isolated and forsaken. In the midst of all of this there is a voice and a helper that calls through the dark night and says that He will never abandon or forsaken us. But in the midst of sickness and pain it is hard to sometimes know how to celebrate the holiday season. 
“Path of Hope”, written by Rebecca VanDeMark, is a thirty-one topic prayer and reflection devotional for those fighting Lyme Disease and their loved ones specifically addressing the topic of hope. Spoken from a heart of compassion and understanding, Rebecca understands the Lyme Disease journey well as she saw over 273 medical practitioners before being correctly diagnosed with Advanced Late Stage Lyme Disease.
Rebecca states in her introduction, “The book that you hold in your hand has been written from my heart. I found out I had Advanced Late Stage Lyme Disease the day after my 33rd birthday. For the previous six years prior to that day I had experienced a myriad of intricate and confusing health symptoms that never made sense to any doctor. I had spent hundreds of hours traveling across the United States talking and consulting with some of the best in the country. No answers came and I was eventually told that either (a) this was “in my head”, (b) I had a very “complex case” of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (for which I had been diagnosed for) or (c) “stress was contributing to these issues”. Finally, after seeing 273 doctors in one year, seven years of searching, hundreds of invasive and painful tests, and thousands of prayers, I was correctly and accurately diagnosed with Advanced Late Stage Lyme Disease.On this journey with our disease we may experience feeling hopeless about the present and the future, but our God of hope quietly and tenderly reminds us to hope even when everything feels hopeless. I have always found great comfort in the Psalms, but none so much as since this journey began. As I approach another anniversary of when this season began and everything was shattered, I look back on the now tattered pages of the book of Psalms in my Bible with a smile. These 150 chapters have provided much comfort and hope, especially on days where I felt I could do nothing but cry.”
"Path of Hope: Daily Reflections on Hope from the Psalms for the Lyme Disease Journey " (ISBN: 0-9975361-9-5) is an 92 page devotional. “Path of Hope: Daily Reflections on Hope from the Psalms for the Lyme Disease Journey” can be purchased where books are sold, including Amazon. Rebecca VanDeMark is an author of three previous books, Praying through Lyme Disease, When Light Dawns, and Prayers for the Single Journey. She is also a blogger, and speaker and can be found at her website: www.rebeccavandemark.com and her blog: www.caravansonnet.com.

- rebeccavandemark@gmail.com-

Path of Hope... the book... RELEASE!

Ever since I was a young girl I have always marveled at the way that God is a personal God who knows not only the hairs on my head, takes cares of the birds of the field, but also uniquely and personally shows Himself over and over again. One of those ways for me has been through dates of times and days over the months and years. Three years ago at the exact time that this book was released I had my first appointment for Lyme Treatment. While I have since switched doctors, that time and treatment was the foundation that the Lord used to first save my life, discover my battle also would include a battle with skin cancer, and to begin the work of fighting Lyme. 
These past three years have been beyond difficult and many times I needed the gentle reminder that there was hope despite feeling incredibly hopeless. I turned over and over and over again to the book of Psalms, and continue to find incredible strength and hope from those 150 chapters. 
The timing of finalizing things with this book release and finishing up last minute items with this book has not been lost on me. The journey through this disease has brought a myriad of different emotions: excitement at the progress of healing that I am slowly experiencing, joy at finding a wonderful and experienced medical team to help me, anger over the lack of understanding and support in the political arena of Lyme, discouragement at the extreme lack of energy I have and the way that fighting Lyme Disease prohibits me from living life fully the way that I wish I could, and sometimes hopeless at feeling this journey will never end. 
These past weeks alone brought some news that was completely unexpected to me and another delay in this long road of healing. My heart was broken and I have cried more tears, found myself discouraged again, and have laid out my broken heart once again to the One who loves me more than life. 
But these weeks are also completely reflective of the entire journey. I have found that there are so many emotions and issues that accompany this journey in fighting Lyme Disease, and yet there is incredible hope to be found in the book of Psalms for the different experiences that we face as Lyme Warriors.
Even as I am sitting here writing this I am humbly thanking the Lord for His strength in helping me complete this project. This was a book that resonated deep in my heart and was written out of a love for those struggling with Lyme Disease and this journey of walking this difficult and painful path. I started writing this book over two years ago ... writing on slips of paper, napkins, medication bags, pharmacy bags, magazine pages, etc... and in a variety of different places... in hospitals, doctors offices, the IV therapy sessions, detoxification protocols, hyperbaric oxygen chamber, etc. Finally, these reflections of my heart and precious Bible verses were combined into a book that is a heartbeat and passion of mine throughout this illness... Path of Hope.
This book, "Path of Hope", is the first and only Lyme patient specific book that focuses on finding hope from scripture in the Lyme Disease Journey. There are 31 topics covered in this book to match the days of the months of the year. Each days devotion has a portion of scripture from the book of Psalms, a reflection, a prayer, an inspiring quote, and highlights a specifically chosen song that relates to this reflection. "Path of Hope" can be used as simple encouragement to those who feel hopeless in this journey or as a guided daily devotional. Either way, "Path of Hope" will provide spiritual encouragement and offer hope to those who feel hopeless in this journey. 
On this journey with Lyme Disease patients may experience all of the emotions I listed and more, including feeling hopeless about the present and the future, but our God of Hope quietly and tenderly reminds us to hope even when everything feels hopeless. Our greatest hope lies in the fact that death is not the ultimate answer and that we have a full and perfect life, with no pain, no brokenness, and no Lyme Disease in Heaven. This hope- this beautiful and living hope (I Peter 1:3-4) is for the future but gives us hope for our present. I have always found great comfort in the Psalms, but none so much as since this journey began. As I approach another anniversary of when this season began and everything was shattered, I look back on the now tattered pages of the book of Psalms in my Bible with a smile. These 150 chapters have provided much comfort and hope, especially on days where I felt I could do nothing but cry.
 I am SO excited to announce that it is OFFICIALLY released as of yesterday!! You can purchase it where books are sold or on Amazon (also available in Kindle form) and you can click HERE to purchase it! 
Thank you to each of you that have already purchased it!! Thank you so much to ALL of you that have been walking this journey with me in prayer! TRULY you are a blessing!!
With Love, 

What's Up Wednesday (April Edition)

Happy Wednesday friends! I am excited to link up with Mel, Shaeffer, and Shay for the "What's Up Wednesday" Link up! I have so enjoyed reading these ladies posts and am excited to join in! It is so fun to connect with so many other ladies who are doing this each month!
What We're Eating this Week...  Garlic. More Garlic. And yes, more garlic. So basically, as y'all know I spend every single day working to improve my immune system through the food that I eat, drinking tons of water, and the supplements that I take. I truly believe that working on building my immune system is just as important as all of the treatment I do to kill the Lyme. BUT whenever I travel I have a system that I start about two weeks where I literally kick that into overdrive. I do increased nutritional IV therapy, drink tons of extra apple cider vinegar, take extra silver, add lots of basil to everything, and eat tons of garlic which is one of the 17 foods that is known to boost your immune system. Despite my immune system registering at a very low percentage this helps me every single time I travel so I am smelling a bit like garlic right now. *smiles*
What I'm Reminiscing About...  As I shared on instagram, it snowed here yesterday. So naturally I started dreaming of one of my favorite past cruising experiences that included lovely Coco Cay, the beautiful bahamas, warm weather travel, and fluttering palm trees.
What I'm Loving...  Planning and dreaming about an exciting trip coming up to see my beautiful friend get married in July. Truly the Lord is good for preparing all of the finances from a friend to make this trip possible. AND I weep in gratitude over seeing how far I have healed in order to make plans like this and be able to go to her wedding. There have been so many life events and weddings I have had to miss out on over the years due to my health. To be able to be planning this is truly a dream come true.
What I've Been Up To... If you follow me on instagram than you know that this past month has been a whirlwind in so many different ways. My time these last several weeks has been slowly healing from treatment and prayerfully working through my upcoming speeches that I will give at a conference next week. (I am coveting prayers for this trip friends- as some of you know this is a complete leap of faith for me, traveling alone, giving these speeches, etc. Thank you for covering me in prayer! Truly the Lord goes before us...)
What I'm Dreading...  Let's be honest... getting a port in June. I would welcome any encouragement that anyone has heard or experienced? Thanks friends! I appreciate your prayers for all of this!
What I'm Working on...  Lots and lots of new items for the shop and a couple of exciting surprises that I will be sharing in the next few weeks! I can't wait to share with y'all!!
What I'm Excited About...  As I shared this morning, I am so honored, excited, and humbled to announce that my newest book, Path of Hope, was released!! You can purchase it where books are sold or on Amazon (also available in Kindle form) and you can click HERE to purchase it! 
What I'm Watching/Reading...  picture found on internetY'all know how much I love to travel and recently I have been reading about lots of travel things, specifically related to Phoenix, Arizona as I head there next week to speak. Does anyone have any tips for me on what to see in Phoenix? I haven't been there since I was a young girl so I really don't remember anything and would love some ideas! 
What I'm Listening to...  I shared this several months ago but if you haven't had the chance to listen to this beautiful song, "Jesus I am resting" yet, take the three minutes and do it right now. I promise you will be incredibly blessed! (Want to find out more about the Wissmann Family and check out more of their music? You can find their website HERE!)
What I'm Wearing...  Let's be real... I have been in comfy comfy clothes most of the last few weeks as I haven't felt that great but I am definitely dreaming of spring clothes! 
What I'm looking Forward to Next Month...  I am looking forward to heading to Phoenix to speak. It is going to be a leap of faith for me, going alone, having the energy for the whole trip, but I am confident that the Lord will provide. I can't wait to see all that He does next week!
I would love to know your answers to these questions friends! Share your thoughts below in the comments!! *smiles* Happy Wednesday!

Mother Cabrini Shrine, Peru, New York

A couple of weeks ago we drove out to the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Peru, New York. I had been hearing how stunningly beautiful this area was and it truly does not disappoint. The gorgeous property, the stunning views of Lake Champlain and the Vermont Green Mountains, and the peaceful grounds are all definite worth a visit to. To get to the Mother Cabrini Shrine it is only about a 35 minute drive off of the Plattsburgh, I-87 exit in upstate New York and definitely worth the trip. It is definitely one of those hidden treasures in the Adirondack Mountains that you don't want to miss out on seeing! Before we planned our visit I wanted to look up the history regarding the Mother Cabrini shrine and who Mother Cabrini was. It was so fascinating to learn all about this woman and the work that she did! Frances Cabrini was born in July 1850 in a small village near Milan, Italy. As a child she was enthralled with stories of missionaries and at a young age committed herself to join a religious order.  Unfortunately, she was in poor health so she was not permitted to join the Daughters of the Sacred Heart, under whom she had received her teaching certificate. However, at thirty years old, along with seven other women, she founded the Institute of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She was known to be as resourceful as she was prayerful, as she found people who would donate to meet the needs that she had not only in financial resources but also with time, labor, and support.  While Frances Cabrini and her sisters had a dream and plan to become missionaries in China, she was directed elsewhere after obtaining an audience with Pope Leo XIII. Pope Leo XIII told Frances to go "not to the East, but to the West" and to go to New York instead of China. Part of this direction might have been because there were thousands of Italian immigrants that had already matriculated to the United States, or it could have been for other reasons we will never know.  Nine years after founding the Institute of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Mother Frances Cabrini and her sister companions stepped onto New York soil. New York City at this time was filled with chaos and poverty and Cabrini quickly went to organizing a variety of different programs to help the poor. Cabrini organized catechism and education classes for Italian immigrants and served the many needs of the many orphans. Cabrini also established schools and orphanages despite tremendous odds that were against her.  Two of her most famous hospitals that she established in New York City were the Columbus Hospital and the Italian Hospital. These two hospitals were later merged in the late 20th century and became known as the Cabrini Medical Center that lasted until 2008, when it was forced to close due to financial difficulties. Over Mother Cabrini's lifetime, requests for her to open schools all over the world came to her. She spent her life not only continuing to serve the people of New York City, but also traveled throughout the United States to Europe, Central America, and South America. In her life-time she made 23 trans-Atlantic crossings and established over 67 orphanages, schools, and hospitals. Mother Cabrini was known to work tirelessly for the cause of Christ throughout her life. One of her most famous sayings was; "I will go anywhere and do anything in order to communicate the love of Jesus to those who do not know Him or have forgotten Him."  On December 22, 1917 at the age of 67, Mother Cabrini died. Almost thirty years later, in 1947, she was canonized as a saint by Pope Pius XII in recognition of her holiness and service to the world. Three years later, in 1950, she was named the Patroness of Immigrants.  In 1947, the Mother Cabrini Shrine was dedicated in Peru, New York. The Shrine's settings were seen as appropriate on the grounds of St. Patrick's Church. St. Patrick's church had opened in 1841 to serve the large group of Irish immigrants who had settled into the Adirondack Mountains.  As I shared at the beginning of this post, this is a beautiful piece of the Adirondack Mountains and definitely worth the time to drive to see this beautiful land and views. Happy Tuesday friends! I hope that you are having a wonderful day!