Save the Monarch!

When many think of a butterfly they picture the beautiful Monarch. Sadly, thinking of this incredible creature may be all we can do in the very near future. 

In 1991, over 75% of the wintering Monarchs from North America froze to death in Mexico as a result of three days of rain and sub-freezing conditions.  Since then, the increased use of pesticides, climate change, and urban sprawl, has the Monarch and other butterflies in a disastrous decline, and Monarchs could actually be extinct by 2024. That's only two years -- TWO YEARS.

Due to the severity of the Monarch's decline, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Scientists has declared it endangered. However, while the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that listing the monarch under the Endangered Species Act is warranted, they have opted not to do so due to higher priority listing actions.  Translation: the USFWS feels that other things are more important than butterflies.

So, are butterflies important?  YES!  They pollinate our plants, which means they help us live.  It's as simple as that.  Butterflies help us live.  

Monarchs need our help!

There is something you can do to save both the Monarch and the other endangered butterfly species.  Plant flowers!

As a fundraiser for Yvonne's Trip of a Lifetime, we're going to help save butterflies.  For only $2 plus $1 S&H ($3 total) we'll provide you with enough seeds to start a small butterfly garden.  Included in the seed packet will be several varieties of seeds, including milkweed, the only plant upon which Monarchs will lay their eggs.  The other seeds will be wildflowers known to feed various caterpillars and adult butterflies.  We'll also send along instructions on how to get started.

Once the garden begins to bloom you'll think of Yvonne every time you see a butterfly.  What a wonderful way to save a species and remember a friend!

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Recipes of a Lifetime for the Trip of a Lifetime

If you know Yvonne then you know that she LOVES to cook.  If she's happy, she cooks.  If she's sad, she cooks.  If she's depressed, she cooks.  Yvonne just loves to cook.  It's her "thing."  That's why she's amassed a few recipes through the years.  And by a few, I mean a LOT.

In thinking of ways to raise funds for Yvonne's Trip of a Lifetime to see her mother, we thought one of the most fitting ways is to use her love of cooking.  That's why we're putting together a cookbook of some of her favorite dishes.  It's a wonderful way for her to share her love, and it's a fitting way for her to be remembered for years to come.  

Please visit the "Recipes of a Lifetime" page and let us know if you'd like to order a book when they're available, hopefully within the next 2-3 weeks.  It will contain at least 50 recipes, and all proceeds will go toward Yvonne's Trip of a Lifetime.  

So, that's where we stand.  If you would like to see what's been donated, that's all on the Thank You page.  Then there's the Amazon list, and we have several ways to donate.  

• CashApp: $thespiritlady or $mysticlady54

• Paypal: @marmeesfriends or @musiccitywhowho

• Zelle: circleofspirit@gmail.com

• Venmo: @mysticlady54

• Amazon Wish List: Yvonne’s Trip by Donna Marsh

• By Mail: Contact me for our mailing address

• Gift Cards: Kroger Co., Walmart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Texas Roadhouse, McDonald’s, etc.

Yvonne's Dream: Update

Let's update everyone on Yvonne's Final Dream.

We've had two cash donations come in, and several folks have sent items from the Amazon list.  Thank you all so much!  I can tell you that no donation is too small because every dollar or item adds up, and we appreciate it all.

Thank you!

What we're currently doing as we get everything together for the trip is working on the trailer.  Yvonne is beginning to have some mobility issues, and it's not such a big deal when I'm home, but I'm not always home.  I've included a couple of items on the Amazon list, and some may wonder why I put them there.  It's simple:  they'll not only help her at home, but we can take them on the road with us.  

Can you tell that I'm trying to make this trip as easy as possible?  Right now, I'm more worried about the price of gas than anything!

So, that's where we stand.  If you would like to see what's been donated, that's all on the Thank You page.  Then there's the Amazon list, and we have several ways to donate.  

• CashApp: $thespiritlady or $mysticlady54

• Paypal: @marmeesfriends or @musiccitywhowho

• Zelle: circleofspirit@gmail.com

• Venmo: @mysticlady54

• Amazon Wish List: Yvonne’s Trip by Donna Marsh

• By Mail: Contact me for our mailing address

• Gift Cards: Kroger Co., Walmart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Texas Roadhouse, McDonald’s, etc.

Thank you! It means so much to both Yvonne and to me that we have such wonderful friends. Other than that, bookmark this blog, join the list, follow us on TikTok or Facebook, and then you can follow along as we undertake this journey.

And I'll be including all of it. Not just the good parts.

Yvonne's Final Dream

I met Yvonne in 2010, and even though we are different, we quickly became best friends, spirit sisters, I don’t know what to call us.  I do know that Yvonne is a good person who deserves more than she’s gotten out of life.  She may be a little rough around the edges, but she has a heart of gold.  If she has two dollars, she’ll give one to someone with less because she can’t turn away from someone who needs help, no matter who they are or what they may need. 

Yvonne has been chronically ill for years, but this year has been the worst.  She has been diagnosed with Non-Alcoholic SteatoHepatitis with Cirrhosis. She has Esophageal Varices and is showing signs of Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE).  What does all of that mean?  Yvonne has liver failure that has led to abnormal, enlarged veins in her esophagus, which could rupture and cause her to bleed to death in moments. As her liver loses its ability to filter out toxins, those toxins are settling in her brain, and we are beginning to see the physical and psychological symptoms of HE, which include losing the ability to use her hands, lack of coordination, stumbling, slurred speech, fatigue, forgetfulness, personality changes, mood swings, and more.  Originally her doctor said she could have 2 to 3 years, but the last third to half of that time could be lost to HE.  Now, however, we think her time is closer to 1 to 2 years, and she's already losing time to HE.

I recently asked Yvonne what she most wants to do or see before she dies, and she said she just wants to see her mother one more time.  That doesn’t seem to be such a difficult request, but here’s what we’re up against.  Yvonne is in Nashville, and her elderly mother in Tucson.  Due to their health issues, neither can fly. That means we need to get Yvonne on a 3,200-mile road trip (1,600 one way).  Since Yvonne can only travel for an hour or two before she needs a break to move around, it looks like the best options are to go by RV or train, as they both allow for freer movement during the trip.  Fortunately, a friend is giving us unlimited use of her travel van.

Yvonne would really like to celebrate Thanksgiving in Tucson with her mother, so we need to start planning this trip now.  Also while in Tucson, Yvonne would like to see her happy place again: Mount Lemmon.  We’ll actually stop at several places on the way to Tucson and back because we’ll be taking this trip slow and easy.  We may drive a few hundred miles one day, but we may only drive 50 the next.  We’ll just take it as our health allows, stopping for breaks and to let Yvonne see and experience the things she always thought there was more time for.  

Can you help make Yvonne’s final dream come true?  And I mean help in any way – donations, gift cards to various stores and restaurants, connections, ideas, anything.  We’ll need gas, food, toiletries, whatever it takes to live on the road for a few weeks. Yvonne also needs a new wardrobe. This illness has caused her to drop over 100 pounds, and nothing fits. She's put several things on the Amazon Wish List.

In addition to the trip, we’re working on getting our trailer in better shape to make it easier for both of us, making repairs to the floors and roof, possibly putting rails in the bathroom, etc.  Should we possibly receive more donations than we need for the trip, everything will be put toward making our home easier for Yvonne to navigate.

If you can help make Yvonne's final dream a reality here are ways to donate:  

• CashApp: $thespiritlady or $mysticlady54

• Paypal: @marmeesfriends or @musiccitywhowho

• Zelle: circleofspirit@gmail.com

• Venmo: @mysticlady54

• Amazon Wish List: Yvonne’s Trip by Donna Marsh

• By Mail: Contact me for our mailing address

• Gift Cards: Kroger Co., Walmart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Texas Roadhouse, McDonald’s, etc.

Thank you! It means so much to both Yvonne and to me that we have such wonderful friends.

The B**** is Back

Well, dear readers -- if there are any of you left, it has definitely been awhile since I’ve been here, hasn’t it? So what’s happened in the three or four or so years since we last visited?

Let’s take a little stroll down memory lane…

First, just let me say that I have not been hospitalized. That’s an achievement! What I am saying is that my health has been fairly stable, and that’s always a good thing.

Now, here are a few of the big things that have happened.

Jonathan made me a grandmother, and the little guy will be two this summer. He’s incredibly bright, he’s talking in both words and sign language, and he makes me so happy. I flew out to Oregon to meet him when he was 5 months old, and I was fortunate to be there for his first Hanukkah.

Jordan got married, gave me a granddaughter, and moved an hour south of Nashville. She just turned a year old, and she’s a bright one as well. She’ll be walking soon, and she knows quite a few words. She’s just very selective about when she says them, which reminds me so much of her daddy, who was never one to perform on command. She’s also famous for her “model face.” This little girl smiles and laughs all the time, but you point a camera at her, and she will not smile. Instead, she gives you the most serious, deadpan stare, just like a model on a runway. She nails it every time.

I've asked the grandbabies to call me Marmee. That goes back to my love of Louisa May Alcott.

Dad gave us a scare and required open heart surgery. Thankfully, he’s bounced back and is right back to working full time in his business.

Yvonne’s son gave her a grandson as well. He was born just three weeks after my little granddaughter, and he’s just about to turn one. He’s a pistol, whose favorite pastime is chasing his best friend, his dog Roxie.

I did some writing and had a couple of pieces published in some of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books: “A Cousin’s Love” is #85 in Messages from Heaven and Other Miracles and “Mama’s Little Doll” is in Life Lessons from the Cat. They’ve accepted a couple of others as well, but they won’t be published until later this year or next. Corona has screwed up a lot more than the toilet paper supply.

I was doing some occasional dog sitting for friends, so I thought I’d sign up for Rover.com. Yep, that turned into a job. Last September I was home all of about 4 days. The rest of it was spent in different homes sitting with different dogs. It’s no way to get rich, but it’s some nice extra cash every now and then. Plus, I get paid to play with dogs. How bad is that?

Just this year:

• My dad turned 80, and we surprised him with a nice little party and mini family reunion. Only one grandchild couldn’t make it -- he was on the road, but all of the great-grandchildren were there, as well other family and friends.
• A tornado just missed us here in Nashville, while it did a great deal of damage in other parts of the city. We heard it roar by. Then it went along I40 until it ran headlong into Cookeville. That’s where it became an EF4 and really did a number on my hometown. It tore up the area I grew up in and where I had my first apartment. In fact, the woman who lived in the apartment that we brought my older son home to after he was born was killed.
• And now I’m sheltering at home thanks to COVID-19. Yvonne won’t let me leave the house, so I sit here, watch movies, read, and try not to be so thoroughly bored that I start crocheting clothes for the dogs again. I have rediscovered my genealogy work, and I’ve found that fascinating for quite a few years, so that’s been a nice little thing..

Okay, that’s enough of an update for now. I know I’ve left out a ton of stuff, so I’ll address that in later posts. I’m guessing it may not have been too interesting, or I would have recalled it.

Either I lead a very quiet life, or I’m getting really forgetful in my old age.

So We're Off (In More Ways Than One)

So this could be an interesting trip for all of us. As most of my family can tell you proper punctuation and spelling are definitely not my forte. So no comments please!!!!

  I guess I should tell you a little about me. My name is Yvonne. I am the mother of three (2 biologicals {is that a word?} and 1 "step". Now before anyone gets bent out of shape about the quotation marks, I never married my partner so technically this step child isn't legally or biologically mine but I still consider him one of mine.

 I'm a pretty good cook (recipes to follow possibly). I attended Pima Community College back in the day. I never finished an associates degree, though only need about a semester to finish at least three different degrees. I also attended Pima Medical Institute and did graduate with Honors in my field of study.

As of this post I'm 50 years old (older than I ever thought I'd see). I've been close to death or dead three times in my life (stories to follow eventually). I am a spiritual person. I say this because yes I do believe in God the Father, his Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I also believe that this universe is based in Male/Female. Think of me what you will, no one says you have to read what I post.

I've raised my kids to the best of my ability. I by no means have ever nor will ever claim to be a great parent. I will say this though they did make it to 18...lol. Hopefully I'll do better as a Grandparent should I ever become one.

I'm blunt, stubborn, a leo and down right pigheaded at times. I rarely apologize because I am a leo and we are rarely wrong!!!! I had a drinking and drug problem when I was younger. I am bisexual and again I will not apologize. When I came out to my mom around the age of 29 she said and I quote " I knew that when you were in middle school" all I could think was " You could've given me a clue!!!!".

So there it is... my first post. A lot of people have told me I need to write out my life, it's better than a soap opera. I say it's worth a three night miniseries...lol.

Till Next Time Please Remember....
Tell the people in your life you love them, OFTEN, friends, family, it doesn't matter who. You never know if that next time will be the last chance you have to tell them.

Senator Alexander -- Please Request the National Pain Strategy

June 14, 2016

Senator Lamar Alexander, Chairman
U.S.Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

428 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington,DC 20510

Re:Implementation Plan for the National Pain Strategy

Dear Senator Alexander,

As your constituent I thank you for your longstanding leadership in addressing the substantial public health crises of chronic pain and opioid abuse, and seek the your continued support in ensuring that the newly released National Pain Strategy (NPS) is implemented in a timely and coordinated fashion. Developed by six federal agencies, along with 80 experts from the medical, scientific, patient and advocacy communities, the NPS is the federal government’s first coordinated interagency plan and roadmap to achieving a system of effective, safe, high-quality, evidence-based pain care in America.This improved system of care is critical to reducing the burden of chronic pain, as well as ameliorating the nation’s opioid abuse, overdose and addiction crisis.

Studies from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and Department of Veterans Affairs reveal that 4 in 10 American adults and 80 percent of veterans returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom suffer from chronic pain, at a cost of more than $600 billion annually (Institute of Medicine, 2011; Lew HL, et al., Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development, 2009). Despite this significant toll, plus the fact that pain remains the number one reason that people seek care from a health care provider, our nation continues to invest meagerly in chronic pain research (only 4 cents per patient in 2015); poorly train and educate our health care providers on the proper assessment and management of pain; and provide minimal to no reimbursement for multidisciplinary non-pharmacologic pain management strategies – a key recommendation called for in the new CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain.

Implementing the objectives of the National Pain Strategy willchange this! The NPS provides a clear and actionable road map that will generate critical population research and health services data; advance prevention and pain care strategies; address disparities in pain assessment and treatment; improve pain service delivery and reimbursement; improve health care provider education and training; and foster public education and communication strategies. Further, the NPS clearly delineates short-, medium-, and long-term deliverables, identifies key federal and non-federal stakeholders, and recommends strategies to measure impact.  

Millions of Americans – many of whom have bravely and honorably served their country – are counting on Congress to see the National Pain Strategy through to completion. We can’t afford to stop now.  As your constituent, I urge you, Chairman Alexander, to help transform the NPS from words on a page to meaningful change in the lives of Americans by sending a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services by the end of June requesting a written implementation plan and corresponding budget from them to be submitted within 60 days of the Committee’s request.

A copy of the National Pain Strategy can be viewed at:http://iprcc.nih.gov/docs/HHSNational_Pain_Strategy.pdf. If we can provide further information or assistance, please contact us by email at info@ConsumerPainAdvocacy.org, or contact Jan Chambers by phone at 801-200-3627.

With sincere appreciation,

Donna L. Marsh

Yvonne J. Clark

Yvonne

The Not Crazy Cat Lady

As you can see it’s been awhile since we had a post. I’ve been waiting for Yvonne to write a bit about herself, and she’s been not writing about herself. Yeah, that doesn’t get anything posted, does it? Anyway, Yvonne told me to just write something about her.

So… What sort of lies can I tell??

Maybe I’ll tell a little truth first.

Yvonne is an empty nester like I am. Her two children are grown, out of the house, going to school, and doing the things that grown children do. She’s also disabled like I am. Hers is thanks to fibromyalgia and diabetes.

Yvonne considers Nashville home, but she’s from Arizona, which is where her mother lives and her daughter has now moved to. She loves to cook and bakes when she’s stressed. She’ll do anything for a friend, but she does everything she can to not wash the dishes. Seriously, she hates doing dishes. I think she’d rather have bamboo shoots shoved under her fingernails than do a load of dishes, and that’s with our dishwasher.

One thing Yvonne wanted me to share is that she’s not a crazy cat lady even though she has seven cats. She had six when I met her almost five years ago, but one passed very shortly after. All of them can be traced back to strays of some kind. Then she got one when our roommate moved away and left him behind, and the seventh one is her daughter’s. She was left here when the girl moved west. So there’s the story of a not crazy cat lady.

I guess that’s enough of an introduction for now. Next, we’ll meet the animals.

Stay Tuned

A Couple of Crazy Ladies is a blog about the lives, likes, loves, and even a few adventures (but only a few because they're broke) of two roommates in Nashville, Tenn.

Yvonne has two adult children, a grown stepson, and seven cats.  She’s not your typical cat lady, though.  She loves reality TV, hates the color pink, and is a great cook, but would rather chew nails than wash a dish.

Donna is the single mother of two grown sons and two dogs that have been referred to as the Hounds of Hell.  She likes to write but doesn't do it nearly enough due to perpetual writer’s block.  Or laziness.  She’s an information geek who loves to crochet and bake and still cries every time Shelby dies and M’Lynn breaks down. 

Both of the crazy ladies are active chronic pain advocates who love to volunteer and who share custody of a very happy little Chihuahua.  They love adventures, but hardly ever have any because they’re chronically broke, so they make the most of every situation.  If they can’t smile about it then they’ll make fun of it. 

And yes, they’re still crazy, even after all these years.  Stay tuned for more...