2011's Highlights at New Year's. Where I am Today Going into Tomorrow & 2012

Well, here we are -- the last blog of 2011; tomorrow will be 2012. This would be my silver wedding anniversary and it also marks the sad occasion of my friend Christine's murder at age 26 while running on the beach while vacationing with her family, husband and in-laws in Maui.  She had just been admitted to medical school and her goal was to work, with her husband, with adolescent psychiatry. So I dedicate this blog to her AND to my exhusband, who is still alive despite 40 years fighting hydrocephalus and epilepsy. (It was suspected a 'serious concussion' (I prefer the word 'brain injury') in junior high PE class was the cause, but he was R.H. negative at birth, but he'd had no problems in childhood or adolescence until the end of high school.)

I definitely have an appreciation for conventional medicine's brilliance when used as needed and appropriately; it's remarkable.  And I remark in reflection at the irony because if you asked me 25 years ago who I thought would be here and who would be passed in 2011 I'd have had it completely backwards from how it actually occurred.  Her death is when I truly started shifting from atheist to spiritual, because it was my second occurrence in half a dozen years where I dreamed in incredible detail the morning of a tragic death around me something that occurred later in the day in reality.  In both cases I'd not been able to 'shake off' the dream and talked about it, thereby validating to myself and those around me what I had experienced.  

Because of the example she set after moving so far away at the commitment to staying close with friends, the rest of us have worked hard to stay in touch and see each other at least once a year. That gets difficult with our busy lives and 2011 our only moments all together were at a funeral and after-gathering for long enough to eat AND get a photo with Lumigrate's PeaceFleece.  The funeral took place where Christine's body was laid to rest on a very snowy, slick day in early 1987; my friend's father who literally held three of us up slipping from our cars to the graveside was who had passed this summer, and I'd been his personal 'attendant' to help him at another family funeral there earlier in the year; he had slipped and fallen on snow after Thanksgiving last year (2010).  It has given me much to think about related to ironies.  And time.  Community.  Framily.         The two of us sitting on the ground were not into horses but lived with those who did; Linda, next to me, and Cindy, closest to the camera and I were the three "Big Pete" had held up in January 1987 at this very cemetary where we reconvened to honor his life and passing this June. The community horse 4H leader is behind me -- her husband was our volunteer fire chief, the other 'hub' for people. 

As I look back on the photos from 2011, selecting some to share here for my framily and guests who come to Lumigrate, I feel good about what I've accomplished this year.  There is much I have learned from and will hopefully do differently in the future; isn't that what life is about, refining with each year? The Peace Fleece and I kicked off the year of 2011 going to south 2 hours to Ouray to the ice falls (and hot springs): 

I had a lot of FUN in 2011 with the magical blanket -- if you could only see the reactions of people when they see it at first! Many ask if they can purchase one like it and suggest Yenta go into making blankets part time. Rock Cesario, our local "Minister of Music", gushed over it when I brought it to the podcasting studio, and said he could sell them in his record and etc. store in downtown Grand Junction. Yenta was very busy in 2011 with family and health issues, but she made a Love Blanket which is on it's way to be used similarly in 2012. So we'll have peace and love coming your way. Early in 2011 we had a good complement of podcasts to submit to iTunes and Lumigrate was accepted, which helped people seeking information at iTunes find their way to Lumigrate! 

Here's a photo of the PeaceFleece literally 'partyin' WITH a rock star, the cousin of my friends who have come visited me every one of years I have lived here, for RockJam. His Denver rock band was playing at RockJam this year so it was particularly fun to have that 'framily connection'.  And I LOVE the Christian/Jewish amalgam!

I wasn't even here the previous year when they came over, due to my father's passing from this life. We actually passed each other in Interstate 70. I have to say that some years are better than others; 2010 was extremely difficult, 2011 was seeing many things resolve and I suffice it to say I am looking forward to 2012.

We're on the 'upswing' again.   Here is a photo I took toward the end of 2011 returning from a trip to the Front Range of Colorado for my friend's 50th birthday; MORE good BBQ and fun, including the 'creative play' from my presenting 50 rolls of TP to the people in the house and suggesting they use their imaginations.  It's a GRATE visual for the concept of FIFTY.  Amber, my feline co-pilot at my home, office AND work/play trips in the car came with, and we had to wait in Glenwood Canyon while a crane pulled rocks down on the way back.  I was sitting a few cars back from the flares after a crash in this same area on a trip back the day I was due up for my grand return to skiing in 2008.

On my very FIRST trip, while moving to Junction at new years 2003/4, just as you enter the canyon, I came literally less than one foot away from being hit by a very out of control car when I was getting back in my car after stopping to offer what assistance I could (warning oncoming trucks and cars there was a crash in the highway ahead). I have now made MANY trips back and forth since moving to Western Colorado from the Front Range 8 years ago, but that was the closest call of all. Someone had not seen the massive tow truck lights visible for about a mile from the crash that was due to a small amount of black ice in the left/passing lane and they didn't slow down, hit the black ice that caused the first crash, did a 180 and came to a stop so close to my back bumper you couldn't walk between the cars!

I believe if Amber could drive, she would be a good driver: "Torties" have a personality called "Tortitude", she's cautious but adventuresome and she has wickedly FAST reactions. She's very cautious and 'jumpy' like I am. Despite having had a head injury at birth, leading to life-long learning differences/disabilities, I have never been the cause of a crash, largely because of the 'gifts' of personality that go into functioning in life, including driving. I tend to keep a good head on my shoulders, including when in stress. And it helps greatly that at age 30 I found the right type of special optometrist and vision therapist and have continued to seek out that level of expertise for glasses with prisms and filters and bifocals to make things easier on my brain to interpret what the eyes see. 

As I look at 2011 and ahead to 2012, I was glad to have had my years of experience in driving rehabilitation with MasterDrive. That's how I know the Rocking people who come visit yearly: I worked with many people who had problems after car crashes or other head-jarring incidents in their pasts, and in the majority of cases we could get them driving successfully with the right interventions they previously hadn't been referred to.  With the new focus on head/brain injury in athletics, Lumigrate will offer specific information about brain injury in the coming year.

Sitting at a stop light in a snowstorm that was starting on Monday after the party, I was leaving Colorado Springs to head to Denver for a meeting, and snapped a photo of one of their cars doing an on-street lesson at an intersection in Colorado Springs the day after the 50th party. Notice how far forward the furthest vehicle is compared to those of us driving properly had stopped?  The reality IS, our highways and lives are mingled with these kinds of drivers all the time and the best things YOU can do is keep your brain/body in good shape for the challenges (nutrition, hydration, sleep, exercise, drugs NOT that affect brain/body for safety).  Practicing driving skills in a safe place to keeping the brain/body 'computerlike connection' programmed for reactions in stress combined with learning of safe driving strategies and driving with our heads in the game, will greatly raise your chances of arriving home safely.  

I took this photo of Amber's reaction to our arriving home safely; it was solstice and I like to immerse myself in a good meal, candles, and reflection.  However, we got inside and the house was 55 degrees! A problem with the relatively new boiler required attention. It reminded me to be thankful for warmth, for a roof over our heads on the longest night of the year, and every day. And for businesses having employees to send someone out. ("It's always something" has unfortunately come off my lips too many times in 2011; it's been a challenging year.) 

2011 was significant in terms of our getting the Grate Groove of the Grand Valley kicked off on 1/11/11! A networking/marketing group I created and devote some of my time/energy/money resources to, "The Groove" is off to a LumiGRATE start, connecting providers who I believe are ethical, progressive and valid AND who have an openness to truly collaborate in learning and teaching other providers AND the public.  

Just like Lumigrate.com, we also are a lot of FUN and we enjoy getting together occasionally.  A highlight was the weekend before RockJam when Colorado's blues GRATE Hazel Miller Band played/sang at Grand River Winery in August -- I didn't have time to take a photo even because of all the good conversation, food (BBQ) and wine --- and DANCING! I want to really thank the local providers who give information to our Forums for people to gain from no matter where they live, and we hope that other providers and communities will start doing similarly.   We've covered the Grate Groove in the forums AND there is a Facebook page to see what classes The Groovy providers in our area are teaching, or other new developments. Titled LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley on Facebook.  Please join if you wish, even if you don't live here, but certainly if you do!  Much to look forward to from that in our second year, 2012. 

I recall I started 2011 being rather upset at the Colorado National Monument, a National Park Service site which has received monies since I worked for the visibility monitoring program for NPS decades ago, shooting off toxic and polluting fireworks to welcome in their New Year. I'm happy to say the philosophy of 'out with the old, in with the new/better' resulted; their superintendant retired (under pressure to do so for other bad decisions those in the community weren't pleased with) and we can only hope the new one has more respect for the environment, including the NONhuman, nonTAXpaying animals who live in our lands the National Park Service is in charge of managing. There ARE REASONS so may people have increased dis-ease/unwellness! Let's look at changing the things we so easily can, and fireworks just seem like a thing which should go into the past.  

I've looked back to the blog from New Years 2010/11 and the graphic we used -- it's really very good, so I hope you look at it and then chose to participate or not with fireworks in 2012. Are they worth it for YOU and your framily/loved one's health?  In 2011 "the people" have 'had it' and are starting to really stand up with their opposition to things and to encouraging other things.  The consumer has the power with EVERYTHING through feedback in various ways, ultimately it comes down to money spent. We also have a piece from July 4th about Independence from toxic ways of celebrating in our forum on lifestyle/big picture.  

2011 was the start of much activism in the US and beyond, it's very exciting but these are times we need to stick close to the people who are sincerely helping us.  Stick together.  That's mostly what my work has been in 2011 related to Lumigrate.  

For 2011/12 I chose this visual, as I post another entry in the blog.  In 2010 I went to blogging only on 'special occasions' and focused my efforts on the content of the Forums, which includes a nice compliment of podcasts (found in the topmost Forum or at iTunes).  We have many new people find Lumigrate from our YouTube channel we created with our marketing at launch.  I have always sought to bring together a good array of providers at Lumigrate and that continues to become more refined.  Our standards for ethics, validity and participation in a collaborate context leads to sorting out those who aren't a fit for our 'programming and marketing model'.  

Much goes on behind the scenes to recruit new providers, get them going, and then supporting their efforts.  That includes working to facilitate their getting to know each other, at least as another provider selected to be part of Lumigrate. Much of it is fun, sometimes it is difficult and I can only say that I follow Oprah Winfrey's career and her struggles in 2011 with OWN closely and find a kindship at some level, though she has know awareness consciously of me and Lumigrate at this point.  She's simply bigger, further ahead of me in all ways, including spiritually.  I have included supporting her new channel and programs in the forums in 2011.  

                                                                                                 

Three years ago today, I went skiing on the last day of 2008.  That might not seem like a big deal to some, but my health had made it very unsafe for me to ski; I had not felt well enough to ski for some time and then had an MD in 2004 who was studying about fibromyalgia learn that the body is trying to thin clots in the muscle fibers so thins the blood. Through a very simple but infrequently-performed blood clotting study, 'we' found my blood to be very thin, and I'd been advised 'off the record' to not do things with a risk of falling as my injury might be profound.  

I was aware that Gail Denton, the author of Brainlashed, who I initially met when she officiated a wedding of a friend, then in my work with the head injured population in Denver via MasterDrive and marketing/networking for our program for people with special needs, sustained her anoxic head injury from internal bleeding from a fall in-line skating. I had done head injury prevention in the mid 90s with Rollerblade related to helmets primarily and had never met anyone who had a head injury from in-line skating let along loss of blood to the brain in that way. I had such a badly swollen and bruised leg from a sprain in 2001, it started to make sense, so I heeded the caution.  But that blood thinning had improved greatly when the fibromyalgia improved; when I had a hysterectomy at the end of 2006, it was down into the normal range and my health had gotten EVEN better after that! I started wanting to educate the public about the less well known but inexpensive ways of testing and treating for many of the illnesses/conditions, Lumigrate was the result eventually. 

So back in 2008/9 New Years, having already paid for half of a condo rental for the New Years weekend with my boyfriend and his friends coming in from out of state, I stuck with the plan after going to Denver where my father had been hospitalized.  I'd made a trip over to Denver after Christmas as soon as the Interstate was open due to a particularly hard winter storm.

It was such a thrill, especially to compare to the day in the fall of 2004 when the mail came with the results in an envelope of my blood clotting study.  I had all my toys out of the toybox, so to speak (skis, in-line skates, mountain bike out of the storage area) so I could clean them; I hadn't felt well enough or had the balance for any of it for a long time, but they were like my children: part of me! So they got moved when I moved and then sat. I opened mail that day while things were drying and I found it so ironic that I was looking at these results telling me the activities I loved had a high risk of injuring me as I had just been feeling better due to interventions insurances doesn't pay for but my good job with lots of hours and overtime had afforded me that year to date.  

That was in October of 2004. I'd moved to western Colorado at the start of 2004, my possessions were the first move of the year for my moving company.  Due to a bad snowstorm and the complexity of I-70 over the Continental Divide and the Canyons, one of which I've shown a photo of above, it was the most difficult move they'd had in their company's existance I was told; since, they intervened to rescue someone from the wake of Katrina and they said that was a little bit worse. Having grown up in the mountains of Colorado, I'm essentially used to dealing with the variable of snow but after moving west, with a full load of patients and only short weekends, it made visiting 'home' complicated.  

There was another very bad storm at the time my father was initially hospitalized when found collapsed and unconscious, and since the doctors never took the TIME to call me on the cell phone to discuss directly but discussed only with the family present, mistakes were made.  I learned lessons from the family-side of health care that I'd never been in the situation to learn before: it is VERY different to be a family member with knowledge of medical than to be a medical worker with patients! (They do NOT listen to your input! Even when they were wrong, I was right (it was later proven when months later he was correctly diagnosed and the mis-treatment stopped and the right treatment started and helped him.) But perhaps "it was meant to be" so that I'd put another component to develop at Lumigrate on plate related to consumers and how to navigate the complicated medical and connected legal systems. 

In 2011, author and patient advocacy specialist Martine Ehrenclou joined the Grate Group of providers at Lumigrate as a result. Gwen Pettit, MPT and life coach and I had turned our attention in 2011 to elder care education and coaching, and I look forward to much more to come related to planning for medical issues and what is typically called 'end of life'. You can find them both in the Forums and follow along to their websites for more if you wish. Martine has remarked how GRATEful she is to be part of Lumigrate because she's learning from information in the forums, videos and podcasts (found in Forums since that's what many people have bookmarked). I believe it would be considered , which is quite a compliment when it's from people who have been studying as consumers and professional educators, the medical system and written a book called "Critical Conditions". I know I hope EVERY person who encounters Lumigrate stays long enough to find a 'key'.  

Martine Ehrenclou, multiple award-winningauthor of Critical Conditions      

Petie the OT (in the photo below in this photograph taken just two weekends ago) had been writing about these types of issues from her standpoint when a 2009  knee surgery hadn't gone without incident in the hospital. In 2011 she wrote a piece about a family she encountered where the end of life planning had not been done properly and the 'support system' for a man who wanted to dye was operating on their agenda and needs not those of the patient. I believe our discussions on Lumigrate might have 'called in' Martine, if you believe in that sort of thing spiritually.  I do. In 2012 Martine's second book is coming out and we'll be able to have a number of beneficial articles on Lumigrate.   

How to be prepared to be a medical consumer and be prepared for the ending of life is something that applies to ALL consumers in the United States (and elsewhere, naturally), so I wanted to have it represented strongly on Lumigrate. Lawyers who, in my opinion, are acting inappropriately by not doing what they're being paid to do in a time (and cost)-efficient manner, dragging cases out and lining their pockets at the expense of the families is the next wave of consumer awareness we're going to see a push-back from. My father had dementia and brought in his 'old lawyer' from 20 years ago: unfortunately the lawyer clearly had dementia too, when I had the pleasure of meeting him at the time of my father's death. I marveled at how I know of a doctor who has been working with patients for years after it was clear to me when meeting him the first time that he had significant cognitive impairment!  Nobody's 'pulled him over'! Isn't there some responsibility by the practice managers to do that?  They're harming their clients and their families as a result. But if they're so difficult in terms of resources (time, energy, money) to 'take on', they continue to go on.  And the consumers/clients/patients are the ones who get hurt and it's clear 2011/2012 is a time when the consumers are getting very active about the injustices they have experienced on so many fronts. Add me to the list! 

Petie the OT recovered finally from her knee surgery in 2011 and had a reprieve from life's distractions to provide us with quite a lot of FUN in the Forums! She wrote about her growing up with Robert Redford, "mangling medicine" impacting her and those she is around increasingly, having a family member die suddenly and tragically, and other things related to aging and retirement, but mostly she wrote about her love of animals, connection with nature, and being a docent (trained volunteer), at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colo. Springs.

                                                                             

I had the pleasure of going there just at the start of the holiday season to go with family to Electric Safari on a warm winter's night.  (It was in the 40s, but a cold breeze started up so it was 'brisk').  I got a photo of them feeding the remarkable giraffes. If you could only hear how loud they were laughing, it was GRATE! She and I had to keep up with her inspiring husband who turned EIGHTY this year, and her son Tom/Thomas who is continuing to find good jobs and maintain his own home with the support of his parents and the government services he receives for having a developmental disability! They are having to face the usual transitions and plans for their futures in addition to preparing with and for Thomas, along with the usual concerns with their other children (they were married in their 50s). Thomas enjoys that people can learn from his mom through her writing at Lumigrate: he clearly was adopted by someone capable of taking him FAR; it's a story similar to Temple Grandin's in a way, in terms of the mother not taking advise to 'institutionalize', and seeking out solutions. He brings joy to all who encounter him and adds much to the lives of those he interacts with.   

2011 was also the year for Lumigrate where we got a really good groove going related to nutritional supplementation. Robin Thomas, a contributor at Lumigrate since late 2010 whose education in science with past work experince in medical research, brought much information in her friendly and supportive way to Lumigrate.

Some of Robin's pieces synergized in a GRATE way when, in February,  ITC Compounding and Natural Wellness Pharmacy hopped in to also provide information on nutrition and supplementation overall and have 'discussions' with our other providers.  They also focus on supplemental/ support of hormones, including thyroid (Gary, right) and gut health (Allan, left). 

 

Robin Thomas, the Belle of the holiday ball! (In 2011 she impressed upon me and inspired me to do better with my skin care regimen. I really like some of the USANA products/supplements so wanted to try their facial care too, but I'm really fussy about scents. It made a remarkable difference in my skin so I sought out a similar but different-smelling product and thank her for her being so understanding and laughing about me using the same thing on my face as I clean the house with.)  

Gary King and Allan Jolley are both RPh (pharmacists) and have years of experience in conventional and complimentary/alternative type pharmacy; Allan also has a naturopathic doctorate.  I saw him when I stopped in at ITC after visiting Petie and he directed me to some neat stuff on his shelf for eye infection/sinus infection/skin infection; I had a friend with a stye but bought some for myself also.   

The next day, which was the first day of Channukah, coincidentally, I met with  See it. Say it. Do it! ORGANIZE it! authors Lynn Hellerstein, OD, and Beth Fishman, OTR. They both have a lot of other initials after their names for being fellowed or certified in things having to do with the neurological system for vision and other sensory processing. In Colorado after midnight tonight, a law goes into effect that school students who get head injuries/brain injuries (some people call them 'concussions') need to go through a rather complicated, but GOOD, process.   They will be providing additional content to Lumigrate in 2012!

In the photo, above, Beth Fishman's on the left, Dr. Hellerstein on the right are pictured with the PeaceFleece. They were my vision therapist and optometrist team in 1997-99.  Dr Hellerstein was the first to enlighten me related to my brain presenting consistent with having a head injury.  There was also evidence of high childhood stress/trauma related to my brain's not seeing detail in but a fraction of the space a healthy/well brain will.  This provides much challenge for me with all functional tasks, such as driving and computer work. They appreciate that it doesn't stop me though! So, it is such a pleasure to be collaborating with them AGAIN via Lumigrate, this time related to head injury education and consultation we're bringing in 2012! 

Since the bulk of my experience as an OT has to do with neurological impairment remediation, testing and interpretation of tests, I want to bring the experts 'to the table' at Lumigrate so that people EVERYWHERE can benefit from how we go about brain injury. We started our very productive meeting off with some FUN with the PeaceFleece.  To me, the most FUN I had working in 2011 was using the PeaceFleece for fibromyalgia awareness.

To many of our guests at Lumigrate, the highlights of 2011 have been from Yenta. She was not new in 2011 but the writer/provider had a very challenging year and I'm just so thrilled that she's going into 2012 with calmer waters ahead.  I hope she likes the photo I chose of 2011/2012, above. We have a NEW fleece coming our way for 2012 related to Love, which I will be using for my work with brain injuries; Love your brain -- it's what gets you from one place to the next in life! 

Some of the background I have that's specific to adolescents and older with head injury and function came from my time working for MasterDrive, where Karen Richardson and I met as members of the driving rehabilitation association for Colorado. In addition to being an OTR, like me, she is certified in driving rehabilitation.  I was unable to become certified as you have to work 'under' someone like Karen; she now is mentoring new driving programs as the Silver Tsunami approaches with the first Baby Boomers turning 65 in 2011.

Karen's Korner in the Occupational / Functional forums at Lumigrate had given us a good base of information in 2010 which I added a bit to in 2011 related to 'drugged driving'.  Willie Nelson was playing at Telluride Blues and Brews Festival; these are photos her husband "Old Guy" or OG, took of Willie and of us meeting around the campground table before I got dressed and drove back home after camping.  Again, GRATE 'framily' I'm proud to have be part of Lumigrate.  

I do try to enjoy time with the providers I bring to Lumigrate, whether that is on the phone or in person.  It 'connects us': In a way I feel like I'm the 'non Jewish Yenta' of Lumigrate. There is a new focus on drugged driving which we're working on so look for that in 2012, and we are the contact for a driving program from the Western Slope of Colorado for their questions related to medical issues.   

The end of year, solstice and new years timeframe has always been one of my favorite seasons because I have always been a person who 'works'.  It's simply my nature to solve problems -- I was like that as a child and I gravitated to studying occupational therapy because of it's integration of body/mind or physical therapy/psychological therapy.  So I have always 'worked' at the New Year -- looking back, looking forward, setting goals. I'm finding a newfound way of going about things which is guided differently, but I have made it through three very stressful years doing better overall than I had in the past in my way of operating when I had a few years of stressful situations pounding me.  So I feel good about that and go into 2012 GRATE! 

Today as part of the cleaning up from the season and putting-it-away process, I look at the holiday/Christmas cards I received and they are ALL from people who are not on Facebook.  I couldn't write a recap of the year without mentioning how much social media, and Facebook in particular, has been a part of Lumigrate and my life in 2011. I would like to do more in 2012 with Twitter and LinkedIn, I just have difficulties doing 'it all' singlehandedly. Well, fortunately I have TWO hands, which I just had Bryce Christianson run through with Active Release Technique yesterday so as to not develop carpal tunnel syndrome again.

The charge was $20.11 during patient appreciation week and I talked with someone in the office who had been in economic difficulties during a divorce: she had enough change to buy one taco and when she opened the bag they'd given her extra food.  I wanted to stop the year right there with that story of how we can each do a little something to help people.  Having had Lumigrate's startup stress me financially (and in ALL ways, to be honest), I have more appreciation for my spiritual system and believe wholeheartedly what I am doing with my work today is 'what I am meant to be doing in this life'. I am pleased to see between 20 and 80 people reading yesterday, as I reflected on what to write about.  YOU are why I do this, as well as providing a platform for my vocation/professional career.

My goals when I started Lumigrate and continue to be this: To help more people than I could doing 1:1 patient care (we met that goal in year #1), to provide as much income as I had working as an occupational therapist previously (per hour my consulting fees are the same, but I invest most of my time to building the providers and content to bring more guests so Lumigrate can become self-sufficient financially), to be able to work with what I have going for me, as there's a lot that's 'gone' with age and the years of the effects from fibromyalgia.

My end goal is to have Lumigrate be something which is self-perpetuating and goes on after me, being able to help many people with education and medical services.  I believe we're right where we should be going into year #3 in March of 2012.  Each 'read', 'write', 'podcast listen', video download, etc has added up and YOU are all part of that if you're reading these words right now!  So thank you.  I hope we continue to be of benefit to you and increasing numbers of people.  

I am so grateful to have Martine Ehrenclou hop in with Lumigrate in 2011, since that's what her exclusive focus is what she does 'for a living', her 'vocation'. While I have written much on Lumigrate since the start about the YOU model and the 'occupation' of the active / proactive patient, "occupation" being anything that occupies time, our YOU model is  our 'cornerstone philosophy' but my speciality as a consultant is working with complex patients related to overall function.  One of the people I might refer them to is Martine, as well as ANY of the providers on Lumigrate! 

I developed the above model years ago working with patients and collaborating with Chris Young a great deal. I brought a model another doctor and I had talked about for what patients with fibromyalgia needed and Dr Young thinks in models so he drew up things as we brainstormed.  Then I developed it as the foundation of Lumigrate about three years ago when putting Lumigrate together. I am pleased to say he was part of things in 2011still, participating in a podcast about music and health and keeping me in the loop about the new brain injury focus in Grand Junction and Colorado, as well as Adverse Childhood Experiences.  I look forward to continuing with him into 2012 related to these topics.  I hope to pick his 'modeling mind' about the You model for students with concussion/head injury in 2012 with the new Jake Snakeberg Law in Colorado.  So I have stayed busy AND also worked on the right balance for me, which in 2011 had to be much slower paced than 2008; the wind has been taken out of my recovery sails a bit.  

My job is to have a good overview of everything in the mix at Lumigrate and weave or integrate information, and consult with people or organizations who can benefit from the advise I'm a specialist in. I would like to think I've done that well in 2011 and I look forward to what 2012 has to offer.  So to ALL the providers of content at Lumigrate, and all the guests who come and read, listen, or view our content for education about health and wellness, I thank you and hope you have enjoyed the ride as much as I have so far! 2012 overall is considered to be the time that things in place to grow up and out as the new common ways will do so, the old ways which have become less effective than in our history will go away eventually.  In the mean time, whenever it gets to be 50/50, that's the time of the conflict and that IS the time we are in.  

So grab onto your neighbors and framily and walk through it together.   I look forward to writing my 2012/13 New Years blog and seeing where we are at.  ~~ Mardy

......... Happpppppeeeeee Newww Year! .....................