NOT GOING TO CUT IT

This particular answer is not going to cut it in this life.  A dialogue I had today…

Me:  Is your week going well so far?  

Patient:  It will be when the weekend gets here.

It’s Tuesday.  This answer is not going to cut it.

What do I mean by “it is not going to cut it?”  Guess what????  LIFE IS REALLY FREAKING SHORT!!!  Why would you ever want to spend 5 days each week looking forward to 2 days?  Chiropractor Fenton Michigan - Not Going to Cut It

So you wake up in the morning on Monday and it is seriously a race to see how quickly you can get to Friday afternoon?  Seriously?  How can this be a life worth even living?  The ratios are all off there…ALL OFF!!!!  What if you spent 2 days looking forward to 5 days?  That is more like it!!  If he said to me, “Well I made it through Monday and Tuesday and so now I am going to have an awesome week!”  I would have taken it.

But that is not what he said and so here I am at a coffee shop having to write about it.  I don’t get to go home right after work, I have no other choice than to sit here and write about it.  There is not a chance I will be able to sleep after hearing that comment unless I spend my time time this evening writing about it.

Not really guys, I am not that obsessive.  If I was, I would have WAY BIGGER problems!!

Seriously the days are not all filled with rainbows and butterflies.  We all see tough times.  In fact it was just revealed to me that I appear to live among the clouds and am untouchable by strife.  NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!  I am just grateful for the learning when I am in the trenches.  Of course I am not grateful at the time, but the stuff I learn there when the pressure is turned way up, allows me to be real, authentic and genuine and it makes me more, well, ME!!!

We seriously never know when the tables will be turned on us, towards the bad or towards the good.  We never know when a really crappy week will turn really good.  We also never know when our wonderful life will be turned upside down either.

Chiropractor Fenton Michigan - Not Going to Cut It
(yes that is me)

What if we just started the day, every day regardless of if it starts with ‘Sat” or “Sun”, in a good mood.  Lets look at the fact that we are waking up on the top side of the grass.  We get a chance to do all kinds of things today!!!  And SO MANY more things that if we weren’t on the top side of the grass!!!

So you could maybe be asking “Well what if my life really does suck?”

Okay, that is a legitimate question.  I like that you are thinking like that and want to question me.  If your life really does suck, you actually can take this day and make it just a little bit better.

Let me tell you about the time my life really, really, really, really sucked.  I got divorced half way through chiropractic college.  I had 2 years of intense schooling still ahead (I was 8 years into school at this point) and not a moment to process such a huge loss.  When I finally finished I moved home to Fenton to try to figure out what I wanted to do.  Life got really quiet, my friends had dispersed all over the country and I was left with all of the “stuff” that really didn’t feel good.  I went into massive grieving mode and severe depression, to the point that I could hardly get out of bed.  I also had a degree, a license and a desire to not stay that way.  It would take one step every single day to move me forward.  Even if that meant going out and buying one single pen, it was movement.

Just do that.  One little tiny step in the direction you want to go.  Because guess what?  The time is going to pass anyway.  Go do something with your ONE WILD LIFE!!!!!

I cannot do a thing about patients responding to me like that and not having a good time in life.  If I could, you know I would!!!

The only hope I really have is letting you, my faithful readers (have I told you lately how much I love you???  I DO!!!) know, that that kind of attitude is just NOT GOING TO CUT IT!!!  Get on with enjoying your LIFE!!!!  We only get one chance….

A LITTLE MAN

There is a little man.

He was born after 3 long days of labor.  I saw them a lot during mom’s pregnancy.  It ended up that my office seemed like the ideal place to be when labor was taking days and he was stuck in the birth canal.  I labored with this beautiful mother for about 30 minutes and adjusted her spine between contractions.

She is a beautiful mother, an Earth mommy.  She has done her research and chooses natural parenting ideas to rear her children…on all levels of life.  Her children are lucky they have such an advocate for a mother.Chiropractor Fenton Michigan - A Little Man

I love her.  I love the entire family.  She came to me years ago when her other chiropractor scolded her for breastfeeding her child in his office while she waited for her turn to get adjusted.  She called me on her way home from that appointment at his office.  I am glad I answered that day because OF COURSE!!! you may sit and breastfeed in my office.  We have a comfortable environment that I hope all feel welcome to sit and nourish their babies.  If anyone in this building has an issue with it, that’s alright by me this is my place.

Her little man was born just over a month ago.  He is precious and little.  I mean really little.  In fact, he is so little he was not gaining proper weight.  He had gained about 2 ounces over the first few weeks of life when she brought him in to the Cafe of LIFE to see me.

I wish parents wouldn’t wait so long but he is here now and I am grateful for that.

This little man is so little that his pediatrician has become very concerned, rightfully so.  Aside from that, this little mans’s grandmother, would call his mom in tears regularly for him and his situation.

His first visit with me, his discomfort was absolutely palpable and I could feel his pain.  As a chiropractor, when little ones are struggling so much, they look deep into my eyes and do not break eye contact and their little beings beg and plead for some sort of help…and they innately know that I have some tools.

This is the first time one of the little ones made me actually cry during their visit.  Usually it is after they have left the building or when I am wrapping up my day with thoughts of them.

I tried to keep my tears hidden as he stared me down, and I think I did.  When mom reads this, it will hopefully be news to her.  I was also concerned, really concerned.

In the back of my mind, I could tell he was not a “failure to thrive” baby, I could tell he was capable.  As a chiropractor, putting my hands on him I could instantly feel the stress and tension through his entire nerve system, his entire body.

It is quite possible that during his 3 day birthing process, his spine got compromised.  And not to the point of permanent damage, but enough to be cutting off his normal flow of information to parts of his body and leading to dis-ease (literally lack of ease) making it nearly impossible for him to relax into what he is trying to do, which is eat, sleep, digest and grow.

One adjustment and though he left the Cafe of LIFE screaming his head off, I knew and absolutely trusted that things were set in motion.  I wish I could do one adjustment for the infants and they would calm down and be fine forevermore, that is not the case.

Two days later, another check of his spine and nerve system.  And another adjustment.  Still screaming.

Another three days later, another check of his spine and nerve system.  Another adjustment and the beginnings of some real change.  The little man slept all the way through the adjustment.  So peaceful which means his body can sloChiropractor Fenton Michigan - A Little Manw down and rest and digest like he is supposed to. Only problem is that at this point the pediatrician is going to admit him to the hospital unless he gains weight by four days from yesterday. Mom is freaked out because they will put him on formula, which all I will say is please do your research.

She decided instead of waiting for four more days, she would stop by the pediatrician’s office after leaving my office and put him up on the scale just so she knows what she is dealing with.

This is the text message from her (yes some of my patients text message me) that afternoon…

This little man will not be so little any longer.  He will grow and grow and develop and make his way in life.  He will do this with a little bit more ease because his spine and nerve system have settled down towards normal and he can relax and learn to live in this crazy world.

It is such a beautiful thing.

Every single one of my patients leave a lasting impression on me.  Every single one of them (you) take a little piece of my heart with them (you).  On a side note, when the heart is broken, it grows back bigger.  I am certain I have dealt with the level and extent of heartache in my life so that my heart is extra big to be able to handle the masses.

The adults take a little piece of my heart, but the kids they just run away with it…but also fill it back up big time.

A simple story like this, the simple chiropractic adjustments I have done on this little man, this is what keeps my own gas tank full.

It is an honor to be his family’s chiropractor.  It is an honor to do this work.  I am grateful beyond words and moved to tears on a regular basis by being able to help out so many but especially a little man like that.

 

 

 

EXPANDING

The services at Cafe of LIFE are EXPANDING!!!

I have been in private practice for almost 12 years.  Over the years, we have seen many patients come through our doors and heal, healing on levels both big and small.

There are so many different aspects to what make up our health and while chiropractic is a BIG PART of that, many people also have other areas that need assistance to sort out and change to really express more life and ease in the day to day.  Things like diet, exercise and stress-reducing activities are so important in maintainingChiropractor Fenton Michigan - Expanding - OSO Sisters good health.

In the end, I am only one woman.  And although I have created this facility and, along with my team, have grown it into what it is today, I am still only one woman, with only so much energy and only so much time.  I realize that I cannot do it all.  I also realize that you all need more.

So it is PERFECT TIMING to partner with a couple of dynamic women who have been doing HOLISTIC LIFESTYLE COACHING for a few years now.  Jennifer Ream and Christine Landaal, otherwise known as the OSO Sisters, live locally here in town and have been coaching through an online and telephone platform.  They are ready to bring their services out into the community and reach those in search of assistance to move their lives and health forward.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, is a certified Reiki practitioner, and is a life-long student of spiritual awareness and holistic healing.  She is also a wife, mother and lover of the outdoors and enjoys helping to guide clients towards reconnecting with themselves, healing from the inside out (which is also the chiropractic philosophy, seriously a perfect match for us) and learning tools to manage everyday life with ease.

Christine has a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and is a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach.  She is a wife and mom and has done some work with her son’s food allergies as well as healing herself through an autoimmune disease.  Her knowledge and personal experience has led her to pursue her passion for nutrition and healthy living and assisting her clients on their health journeys.

WE ARE THRILLED to have such qualified and dynamic women here to assist us in furthering our mission to help serve this community better in your multitude of health needs.

Jennifer and Christine are conducting their business here Tuesday mornings from 8am-2pm.  Go to www.OSOSisters.com to learn more about their services and schedule a consultation.  Find them and “Like” their page on Facebook at OSOSisters or email them directly at JenandChristine@OSOSisters.com.

Some of our patients have had concerns about how we will all fit into this space.  One day we hope to EXPAND the building, but for right now, we will be working with our different practicioners (there are 2 others joining us as well that I will introduce over the next couple weeks…stay tuned!!!) during hours we are not regularly open.  Chiropractic care and massage therapy will carry on as they always have.

We are excited to be EXPANDING and able to offer you a little more in an INTEGRATED HEALTH TEAM atmosphere here at Cafe of LIFE.

While you are at it, grab your calendars and mark THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20 to join us here at the Cafe of LIFE from 6-7pm to meet our team and learn more about our INTEGRATED HEALTH TEAM!!!