Life Off The Trails

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How the Mountain Helped Me Heal

Under the influence of altitude I become a different person. I actually feel intoxicated and euphoric when I get high (in elevation), and I usually love the feeling. There’s something about being up high, and feeling high, naturally.  On this particular hike (Humphrey’s Peak, first attempt this year) something different happened though. It may have had a lot to do with the other factors I wrote about in my previous blog, Hiking Humphreys with Howard, my Brain Tumor.   We began...

How to Create a Life You Love at Any Age

I rolled out of bed at 4 o’clock a.m. today, as I always do, went about my usual routine, then headed out for a sunrise hike. I was tired and sore after hiking Mt. Elden yesterday, the first hike for me in the Arizona Six Pack of Peaks summer series. Mount Elden is about a six mile round trip hike, rising about 2500 feet to an elevation of 9282 feet. Read my review here. After my hike this morning, with...

When The Trail Ends

At some point the trail ends, and going home is always the hardest part of any adventure. It’s not because I don’t like being home, but the trails are my breath, my life force, and my power source. Please allow me to talk about life off the trails for a moment… Today, my daughter, Melissa, had an appointment to get her wheelchair fixed. She is dependent on her “chair” because she cannot stand, sit, or walk on her own. The...

Thanksgiving, Gratitude, And Earth Angels

Since this is a season of gratitude and giving I’d like to tell a personal story of my family growing up. My parents taught me to be grateful, that wealth has nothing to do with money, and to offer a hand to those in need. They are greatly missed during the holiday season, but their love and lessons remain strong in my heart…. Today I am thankful for my family who raised me and all the challenges we had because...

Hands Down Hannah

My name is Hannah and I am 34 years old. I am a sister, a daughter, adopted, and I have Down syndrome and autism. I love necklaces, music, karaoke and dancing. And I love hands–holding hands, touching hands, playing with my hands or yours. So many hands so little time. I’m Hands DOWN Hannah! The main thing we would like everyone know is if you know one person with Down syndrome (DS), you know one person with DS. Every person...

My Daughter’s Journey: Decades Later

March is Brain Injury Awareness month and this post serves as a reminder that awareness is something that all of us are learning daily. Brain injury is often a hidden injury making it difficult to understand and treat. For the individuals and families who are living with a traumatic brain injury, awareness is an ongoing educational experience. We strive to bring awareness to those of you who have not had any experience with a TBI so that hopefully you can...

Hospital to Home: The Road to Appreciation

In my early twenties I began having migraine headaches and occasional loss of vision. As the headaches gained intensity and frequency I began experiencing unusual crawling sensations on my face followed by the feeling of ice or water dripping down my cheek, although nothing was there. I knew something was not right and began my five-year-long search for a diagnosis. After a long battery of tests I got the answer, there is nothing wrong, followed finally by, you need to...