Tuesday, February 20, 2018

National Love Your Pet Day

It's National Love Your Pet Day and I'm blessed to have two sweet dogs in my life. Max is over 16 now and Sherman is 5. Max I adopted from our local shelter when he was just a puppy. He has been such a wonderful companion all these years. I adopted Sherman from the Port Townsend animal shelter last fall. He is 5 going on 2, he snores when sleeping, snorts when happy and is the most sociable dog I have ever owned. When walking if he sees someone a block away he gets all excited thinking they must stop to pet him and confirm how handsome he is. I just can't imagine not having a dog in my life. The boxer pictured below is Ruby who died in 2016. All wonderful shelter dogs. I have been very blessed. 



Sunday, February 18, 2018

Jefferson Healthcare – Free Menopause Discussion Group


Last year I had the pleasure of photographing Jane Albee. Jane is a staff member at Jefferson Healthcare Women’s Health Clinic and is hosting a five week discussion for pre and menopausal women.  

This information is from the Jefferson Healthcare website: Starting February 23, and continuing March 2, March 9, March 23 and March 30 from noon to 1:00 pm in the Women’s Health Clinic on the main campus.  The best treatment for menopause is information.  Topics to be explored in a supportive atmosphere with other women include: menopause overview, managing menopause with hormones, sexual health, pelvic health and other medical impacts of menopause.  All registered participants receive a complimentary copy of the Menopause Guidebook.

The group is facilitated by Jefferson Healthcare’s Jane Albee, ARNP and Certified Menopause Practitioner through the North American Menopause Society. Jane has been a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner for thirty-five years.  Prior to moving to the Olympic Peninsula in 1991, Jane worked in college Health.  Jane was the clinic manager for the Hall Health Women's clinic at the University of Washington in the 1980s.  She also started the college health service for the University of Alaska, Juneau.  Before coming to work with Jefferson Healthcare, Jane worked with Dr. Robert Palmer in private gynecology practice for twenty years.  Jane’s interests include mid-life health, menopause, hormone therapy, diagnosing and treating difficult vaginal conditions, sexual concerns and contraceptive issues. She offers menopause support and educational talks to groups as a service to the community.

For questions contact: Elizabeth Clapp, Practice Manager Women’s Health Clinic, 360.344.0403

A Day of Reflection

Hard to believe 16 years ago my life was perfect at 6 a.m. but by 6:04 my world had changed forever. I was so blessed to have found a good man & fall in love but watching him die in front of me never goes away. In time all memories soften. You move on, build a good life, do things you didn't think you could do and try to help others going thru the same grief. But you never forget the day everything changed. You see the world with different eyes others don't see. Searching for passion I picked up a camera and found joy and success I couldn't have imagined in those early days of grief.
Thou different I can't help but feel the pain and heartbreak the parents and families of the 17 people who died this week and know they will never be the same. All death is hard but sudden death often leaves us with so many questions that go unanswered and words unsaid. My heart also goes out to two of my PT friends who lost loved ones this week.

"...what we have enjoyed, we can never lose...all that we love deeply becomes a part of us." Helen Keller
Out of every crisis comes the chance to be reborn, to re-conceive ourselves as individuals, to choose the kind of change that will help us grow and fill ourselves more completely. Nena O'Neill
"It is hard to hang with turkeys when you have flown with eagles." Deja Webster