In the last week I have just overcome my phobia about driving. I used to be a great driver...cautious, confident, skillful, and smooth. I had never had a car accident.  Then I moved to a big city with terrible traffic, and within a couple of months I hit two deer, was sideswiped, got two speeding tickets, and was rear-ended by a 16 year old going 40. He never even hit his brakes. I was stopped at an intersection when he plowed into the back of me. I could see it coming in my rearview mirror ( horrifying!) but couldn't get his attention because his face was turned toward a friend. The force catapulted me across the intersection and into a ditch. I was lucky to be alive.  I suffered back pains and headaches for a long time. All of these experiences combined really shook me and made me afraid to get into my car.  When I did drive, it was only a 5 mile radius, and only for necessities such as groceries. If  I had to drive out of my comfort zone,  I would start panicking a couple of days before in anticipation. This went on for more than 10 years.

Recently I moved to a town which is too small to have many of the things I enjoy doing. All of this fun exists  in a  large city two hours away where many of my friends live. I decided that I would not be limited by my phobia because I wanted to see my friends and  enjoy all the city has to offer. I spent a long time on MapQuest and ventured out last week to overcome my fear of driving.I drove all over the city by myself for five days armed only with MapQuest. I visited friends in different parts of the city, but I never told them about my driving phobia.. None of them knew I had it, and  they still don't. It is something that has embarrassed me for years, and so I haven't shared it with many people ( until now!)  I know it sounds silly, but I feel so free now that I want to take a long road trip!

Estella

Estella

Yesterday I wrote about my biggest fear: driving. Today I'll write about my biggest fear regarding my children: driving.

I think both of my kids are good drivers. One tends to be leadfooted yet skillful. The other is more cautious. Still, I worry about the other people on the road being reckless and plowing into my kids. Also, I am uncomfortable when they get into someone else's car. I think they are better drivers than their friends. Knock on wood: no accidents have ever been caused by them. When they are traveling from Point A to Point B, I always ask them to call me when they arrive at Point B...actually arrive.. not just getting close to Point B since most accidents happen 30 miles from home. When they leave Point A and call me, I tell them I am starting my "worry clock". They usually humor me by calling to let me know they arrived safely. OK, I'm working on untying the apron strings, but it is not easy!

Estella

My mother was diagnosed with colon cancer a year and a half ago. Unfortunately, it had already spread to her liver, and there are multiple lesions there. She has stage 4 cancer now. 

Ironically, she had asked for a colonoscopy a couple of years before, and her insurance would only pay for a sigmoidoscopy. So, she settled for that. The results came back excellent, and she felt she had a clean bill of health for years. Two years later in her physical, blood was found in her stool and a colonoscopy ordered. It turns out the sigmoidoscopy only measured the lowest part of her colon. The cancer was in the upper part. Had her insurance paid for the colonoscopy the first time, they would have caught it, and she would be healthy now.

 I urge you to get a colonoscopy and have your loved ones get one, too. It is the most curable cancer if caught early. There is a very small survival rate if not caught early.

Good news: Mom is doing really well and living each day to the fullest. She will be on chemo the rest of her life, but she wakes up each day with a smile on her face and gratitude for the great life she has lived. She inspires me to live a healthy life and to keep a positive outlook.

Estella

Estella

Hi Stephanie,

Welcome to a warm place. You'll like it here. Have fun with all that MommyTalk offers.

Estella

Keri,

I am so happy that your husband has quit drinking and come to his senses.  I admire you for helping him by learning to cook. It may be hard for you to get over your anger at him, but you seem to have come to a point where you respect him now for his efforts. This is great news! Keep us posted. You have so many people pulling for you.

Estella

Estella

I would be my own spoiled dogs. They eat ground turkey, vegetables, and rice ( just since the dog food recall) a couple of times a day. Some mornings they get oatmeal. Sundays they get an egg and a bath.  They get walked a mile a day ( a lot for chihuahuas), and sunbathe on a chaise lounge in the afternoon. They sleep in our bed, have a loft in the front  picture window so they can bark at passersby. They get carried around and kissed constantly. They have the soft life, but after they were kidnapped and held for ransom for three weeks, we feel that they deserve to be pampered for the rest of their lives! P.S. My kids are this spoiled, too!

Estella

Estella

For a while anyway, you might want to consider making your own dog food. I mix ground turkey, rice, and veggies ( carrots, green beans, yellow squash, and zucchini) Not all veggies are OK. Never use onions or spices. Avocados are deadly. So is chocolate and nuts.  I may do  this  forever because I don't trust the dog food companies. If you look at the ingredients, there are some very disgusting by-products. For example, they use carcasses of animals who are not killed for dog food. Ick!

 I used to make my own baby food, too. I would grind up whatever we were eating so that the kids would grow up with an appreciation for spices and more sophisticated flavors. They ate the jars of baby food as well, but they thrived on the fresh food.

Estella

Estella

I have mixed feelings about this. I see school uniforms as the great equalizer, which is a good thing, especially when the very rich rub elbows with the very poor.  And imagine how quickly kids could get ready for school if they didn't have any choice in what to wear. Think of the money saved, too.

I have thought of this in my workplace as well.. I have always had two wardrobes: a work one and a play one. I would never wear the work clothes to play and vice versa. I find my work clothes rather boring because I must always look very professional in my job. If I had two or three uniforms, the rest of my clothes money could be spent on fun clothes for weekends and vacations!

On the other hand: Clothing style is a way to individualize. People choose clothes that reflect their unique personalities. Children as well as adults should be able to express themselves. We all have preferences for color, solids/prints, comfort, etc. Giving kids choices in small things helps them learn to make better choices in bigger things down the road.

Estella

Estella

Estella