it's hot

It’s August in Georgia which means it’s hot and steamy. I haven’t verified this for myself. Everyone who has come through the door today has complained about the heat. And humidity. Personally, I decided to stick close to the a/c today. I can’t breathe as it is. No need to make it harder. Instead of going out during lunch hour, I stayed in and had my lunch in our little sunroom and read a book. No sense suffering needlessly.

My cough and congestion are worse today than they were when I was first diagnosed with bronchitis on July 1st. The stuff I’m coughing up is thicker and ickier. I feel like I’m breathing through a straw. My throat is raw. I’m losing my voice. It hurts to swallow. I don’t really FEEL bad. I feel a little tired. My spirits are high. It’s just one of those things, you know? I’m really happy and totally at peace despite being a little frustrated at not being well yet. If I wasn’t already seeing the pulmonologist on Wednesday, I’d try to get back into the doctor. I don’t have any fever. I’m already on an antibiotic (and about any other category of medication you can imagine). I just finished a second run of steroids. I’m on singulair for coughing. I’m on a twice daily inhaler… and so on and so forth. There’s just no point in another doctor visit with them not really knowing what to do different or better. So I’m hanging in there for the next 48 hours… and pinning my hopes on the fact that the lung doctor will know how to make it all better. Fast.

My job involves a lot of talking. It involves talking with some measure of authority. Conviction. Confidence. It’s not working great for me today….I sound kinda rough. I’m pushing through it, which makes my voice even more tired. Angie forwarded me an email from one of the coaches at the college who heard she had a hook-up with health insurance. Yay for having people in the community know I’m here and make the connection! Referrals are awesome! I haven’t been able to get the prospective client on the phone yet… but that’s great encouragement for me. I mean… I spent thirty minutes in Walmart on Saturday and ran into four people I knew. I know a lot of people here, even though I’ve been here less than a year. I need to turn some of those acquaintances into clients.

It’s all about hope, isn’t it? Just believing that things are going to continue to get better. Duane gave us these little rubber bracelets today – like the Livestrong bracelets – only they say, “Life Happens”. It’s part of a new life insurance awareness focus … check out www.lifehappens.org – it’s everything you ever wanted to know about life insurance and then some. I think being able to rebound from the unexpected events in life is my specialty… preparing people with risk management through my job… and comforting people who experience disappointment through my spiritual gifts. Life happens. That’s for sure. And really, all you can do is keep pushing forward, talk yourself hoarse, keep going when you really don’t feel like it, do what you can with what you have.

There’s also a new website that just launched that I really like – www.incourage.me check it out! It’s inspirational.

Austin made some progress cleaning this weekend. I think we had a real breakthrough when he came to me and said, “tell me what else you want me to do…” and I said, “I’ve been telling you what I expect for fifteen years, can you please just apply some of that knowledge?” Instead of making me talk. Please. And he did… and he did a pretty decent job of it. I’m definitely in the “teach a man to fish” category. If you give a man a fish he eats for a meal. If you teach a man to fish he eats for a lifetime. I think my greatest frustrations in life come from people who expect me to give them fish. And my greatest joy in life has come from the people who have taught me to fish.

Candice and I are having fun planning things to do while she’s here in October. And talking about things not to do -like go tubing… who wants to drag their butt in river water for three hours? NOT ME!- and after the helicopter crash in NYC this past weekend, I think we’re gonna pass on the scenic helicopter tour of the mountains. But there are worlds here that I never get to enjoy… it’s going to be fun! Mary – are you still planning a leaf watching trip? Is it going to work with the kids’ schedules this fall? And for that matter… anyone else who wants to come visit… this is a great place to be.

Even though it’s August in Georgia which means it’s hot and steamy.