Tonight's picture was taken in September of 2002. Mattie was five months old! This was a rare photo because Mattie was sitting in his high chair. I tried to slowly introduce Mattie to the chair, without the table. As the table made the chair far more confining. But I knew eventually Mattie was going to out grow his car seat, and he would need a safe place to eat! As you can see, Mattie was enjoying his introduction to peas! What a smile and precious face.
Quote of the day: There is no greater sorrow than to recall a happy time when miserable. ~ Dante Alighieri
This morning, I had my annual skin check appointment with my dermatologist. My primary care physician recommended I start doing this six years ago. I thought she was crazy, but in my first appointment with the dermatologist she found two pre-cancerous spots. Needless to say, I was grateful my doctor encouraged me to visit a specialist and to do this yearly. My primary care doctor recommended this particular dermatologist at the time, because she was focused on the true practice of dermatology. She wasn't into cosmetic procedures and products. This is clearly where the nature of dermatology practice is going these days, which is why I was so happy to find someone focused on actual skin health.
Now six years later, my doctor has succumbed to what all the other dermatologists in my area are doing. She can't wait to push surgery, fillers, laser treatments, and you name it. She knows not to try this on me, she learned that in our last visit together! But today, I truly wanted to counsel her to STOP! She is either doing this to herself or paying for these procedures on herself and her face now looks like a squirrel with stuffed nuts in its cheeks. She was a pretty woman to begin with, but now, her features are all changed. She has physically morphed into a different person before my eyes. I certainly understand the need for plastic surgeries for accidents, cancer, and other medical reasons. But to elect to do this to yourself, to pay out of pocket for this, makes me wonder. Where are our priorities as a society?
After my doctor's appointment, I went to pick up prescriptions for my parents at the pharmacy and then I stopped at our local hallmark store because I wanted to pick up cards and things. As soon as I walked into the store, I asked the store employee what was going on. Around a third of the store seemed to be missing. Counters and display cases were gone. Instead, the remaining items in the store were dispersed throughout the large space. To me there were gaping holes and what immediately came to my mind was..... this store is going to go out of business. I am not sure what is happening, but clearly new products haven't made their way to the store. This saddened me, because to me, Hallmark was once the store I could find little gifts for just about anyone. Now I literally walked in and walked right back out. The feeling of the cavernous space and lack of product depressed me. The internet and on-line purchases are killing all brick and mortar stores. The newer generation loves on-line shopping and they really don't see the sensory advantage of seeing and holding items. Some how between the doctor's office and Hallmark, I came home upset, because these are visual reminders that priorities in our society have been and continue to drastically change, and NOT all change is for the better.
Tonight, I have my quarterly Mattie Miracle board meeting. Trying to have a meeting at 6pm, is challenging, since that means dinner and everything else will be pushed back until later. There is only one of me, so I have learned I have to cut myself some slack. Of course, whenever I do Mattie Miracle work, I can't help but feel the immense loss of my family unit of three. Been doing this solo for three years, you'd think by now, I would have come to accept these changes. NOPE! Anyone who really knows me, knows I don't like change, especially such life altering emotional changes.
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