Must be a group member before inviting friends
The fascinating enigmas of body and mind.
Image by Pexels from PixabayEarlier this month, Michael and I took a short trip to Cape Cod before driving to Boston to visit our grandson (and his parents, of course). Two days before we left, I developed what I thought might be a UTI.
To save you the blow-by-blow of my subsequent week, suffice it to say that it included an urgent care visit and an antibiotic that made me sick and a bout of what I thought might be the Norovirus or could have been food poisoning but was probably my sensitive body’s reaction to a very rich shrimp dish. Then the culture came back negative and a cycle of on-again off-again symptoms and medication ensued for the second time.
In between all this, I actually felt pretty good, and we had a lovely trip.
Back home, on Tuesday, March 25, I woke with a splitting headache, nausea, diarrhea, and urgent, burning, frequent (like, every five minutes) urination. I had a noon speaking engagement that day, a paid gig at the local community college. My grand entrance to the speaking circuit, where I would present my signature program, Wipe Your Feet Before You Walk All Over Me.
I could not miss it.
As I primped for my appearance, I had to lie down to rest three times. Peeing probably ate up two hours of my morning, and I bet I trudged three miles back and forth to the bathroom. No wonder I was exhausted.
And yet…
And yet, when I strode onto that stage, I was on fire. Not feverish, but energized and engaged. Doing what I love to do. Showcasing my unique brand of education, storytelling, and yes-you-can inspiration.1
My body fully cooperated with my mindful intentions.
One of my grad school professors told a similar story. Dr. P. was scheduled to be the keynote speaker at a corporate event but came down with a severe stomach bug. He called the CEO to say he’d send a replacement, but the CEO insisted no one else would do. So Dr. P. had a friend drive him to the venue while the poor professor sat with a bucket between his knees, vomiting. He gave his high-energy presentation, then got back in the car and vomited on the way home.
Like Dr. P., after I returned home, I returned to feeling like shit.
Mind over matter? The body-mind connection?
I’m not suggesting that physical illnesses are all in our heads. I now have new culture results confirming that my urinary tract is a bacterial mess.
But I’m in awe of the power of our thoughts, beliefs, and intentions, wondering how I can harness them in the future.
What do you make of this? Have you had a similar experience? Let me know in the comments.
(If you’d prefer not to leave a comment, you can scroll all the way down and give me a heart so I know you’re here! ❤️)
You are Invited!Would you love to discuss my memoir Growth: A Mother, Her Son, and the Brain Tumor They Survived with other readers? Here’s your chance!
, author of the award-winning memoir The Secret Practice: Eighteen Years on the Dark Side of Yoga, recently launched the Empowered Women Book Club.
On April 30 at 1 pm EST, my memoir is on the docket, and I will join the discussion.
With themes of people-pleasing, medical gaslighting, expectations of marriage and motherhood, not to mention obstacles in the education system...what a conversation this will be. (Scroll down to read more about Growth.)
Let me know in the comments below if you’d like the video link or request it from Joelle at joelle@joelletamraz.com. I hope to see you there!
Writing NewsMy essay in the January/February print edition of Writer’s Digest Magazine is now reborn online, and it’s hitting a chord with readers:
My No-Show Book Talk Was the Best Thing to Happen to Me as a Writer
In fact, interviewed me about this turn of events on her podcast Read and Write with Natasha. I hope you’ll listen.
I also had this essay published in Business Insider:
I'm 66 and don't work full-time anymore. I consider myself 'fluidly retired.'
To mix things up and expand my writing chops, I’m going to spend the next few weeks or months working on and submitting literary essays. This type of prose requires a different creative muscle than writing for mainstream publications. Here’s an example. I’m excited about the challenge!
If you don’t already subscribe to Growth: Make it Personal, you can sign up below to receive my monthly newsletter. Choose the FREE option, the only option I have for now!
And/or, you can share:
Book NewsIt’s been a while since I received a new Amazon review, and this one made me cry, in a good way.
Could there be a more appropriate title than “Growth” for this powerful and compelling memoir from Karen DeBonis? The reference to her son’s benign brain tumor diagnosis is clear, but just as clear is the personal and emotional growth DeBonis experienced through this challenging time. She writes powerfully and authentically of her difficult struggles to find her voice to advocate for her son and herself. It’s a two-steps-forward-and-one-step back process, and DeBonis doesn’t gloss over her false starts, failings, and disappointments. This superbly written tale is one of triumph in the face of frightening and complex trials.
I am so grateful for every reader who takes the time to post a review. If you’ve done that, a sincere thank you. If you haven’t yet, would you take a few minutes to add your thoughts? Reviews beget more readers in the Amazon algorithm universe.
Don’t know how to do an Amazon review? No problem, I gotcha! See my simple directions here.
Growth: A Mother, Her Son, and the Brain Tumor They Survived.Medical gaslighting and a mother’s people-pleasing collide, shattering her expectations of motherhood and threatening the survival of her young son.
Click here for purchase linksKaren is a happily married, slightly frazzled working mother of two when her eight-year-old son, Matthew, develops a strange eye-rolling tic. Gradually, her high-energy kid becomes clumsy and lethargic, her “Little Einstein” a gifted program dropout. Karen knows something is wrong. But she can't get anyone to listen and lacks the backbone to crack the resistance. After three exhausting, desperate years, finally, an MRI reveals the truth: a brain tumor, squishing Matthew's brain into a sliver against his skull. Following a delicate surgery, doctors predict a complete recovery. But the damage from the delayed diagnosis prolongs Matthew's recovery, challenging Karen to grow in ways she never imagined.
A fast-paced page-turner told with candor, insight, and wit, Growth takes you on a rollercoaster of painful truths and hard-won transformations.
Available where books are sold or see purchase links here.
Where to listen to GROWTH on audiobook:More retailers will soon offer my book, so if your favorite listening site isn't included, check back in next month's newsletter.
1If you can suggest a college where I might offer this presentation, please let me know at contact@karendebonis.com. Thank you!
