SKIN CANCER

Last week I went to my annual visit to my dermatologist.  I had one flap of skin frozen off  and a biopsy taken from my shoulder.  I got a call yesterday and the biopsy was basil cell carcinoma, so it has to be removed.  Last year I had one removed from my face.  The one from my face was fine for a few years and then it changed and had to be removed.  I went to a plastic surgeon for that one, but this one I'll have done in the office and have a scar that I can tell stories about!  My point here is to get your skin checked.  The one I had on my shoulder was a tiny red mark a little bigger than a dot.
The one on my face was darker and a bit more obvious.  The real kicker was the melanoma I had on my shoulder which looked like a big freckle!  Don't put it off!  It may be a bit inconvenient and uncomfortable, but it is totally worth it!  I know that
sounded a bit preachy, but I learned through experience.  Take care of yourselves out there and wear your sunscreen.

REMEMBERING A FRIEND.

I love training seniors, but one of the down sides is that people pass on.  I lost Joan last
Thursday.  She had been in hospice care for two months, so it was expected but still a shock.  I had been working with her for the past two years.  We had become fairly close.  She loved talking about my cat Fraidy who is a Maine Coon just like her cat Angel.  Joan always asked for my husband Frank who she was crazy about!  She would also speak fondly of her deceased husband Phil who she is with now.  Joan had many people helping her stay in her home even though she was legally blind.  Rachel came over every morning to get her up, dressed and fed before her other angels(as she
called us) would arrive.  Rachel set up Joan's daily schedule so she always knew who was coming when.  She would return later in the day for dinner and conversation.
The town nurse came weekly, and she had "meals on wheels".  There was also a home health aid and 24 hour care with hospice toward the end.  Joan was a good, kind and
loving soul.  This world will be a lot duller in her absence and Heaven will be a lot brighter.  God Bless!

GAURDIAN ANGELS AND BLESSINGS

I know I talk a lot about the power of prayer, but I believe and I  know it works!
Last week my stepdaughter Kate was turning onto a busy intersection, when her car made this horrible metallic snapping noise and died.  Miraculously she was not hit, which was blessing number one because her kids were in the car.  Then with the help of her son, they got the car into the parking lot and it started rolling with the kids still in the car!  Kate managed to catch the car and jumped in to stop it!  That was blessing number two and of course the Guardian Angels were working in both these incidents which did not turn into accidents!  Blessing number three happened when she  found out the cost to fix the car would only be $200.00.  So there you have it.  I was praying very hard and everything worked out fine.  Try it sometime.

LIFES SMALL MIRACLES-GIFTS FROM GOD!

Last week I had the opportunity to work with a gentleman who has had a stroke.  He is in a wheelchair, but is determined to walk again.  He walks in his house every morning and does regular exercise.  I had a chance to work with him in a class of only one which was fine because he needed all of my attention.  I put a long table in front of him in case he needed it for support and with the help of his cane and good muscles, he got up and did some sideways walking.  This is a good exercise for balance.  Then he sat for a bit and we did some wall squats with the exercise ball which also required him to get up and remain standing for a bit.  We finished up with a little more regular walking and some weight work for his upper body.  We also worked on some leg exercises.  I was so thrilled to be able to work with him and hopefully I'll be able to have him as a private client.  I know three people who have had strokes.  Two out of the three were told they would never walk again and they are walking!  That's what I call God's little miracle.

I LOVE MY JOB!

As most of you know, I am a personal trainer and work primarily with seniors in their homes.  It's so great to able to drive to a house, pull out my equipment and set up anywhere!  I recently got a new client who lives in a beautiful home right on the water!
As I wheeled my suitcase with my bosu ball propped on it,  it was so nice to see him sitting in his kitchen with his wife, family and dogs(who were barking at me of course!)  I can go into that warm home and make a difference.  My client has spinal stenosis and is in a lot of pain.  He tends to walk stooped over, so I'm working on strengthening his upper back and shoulders.  I'm also working on his balance and posture.  The bosu is for leg strengthening and balance.  It's so cool to be able to go anywhere and be able to set up my gym in any home!  Have a great weekend everyone and enjoy this beautiful Fall weather!

FAMILY REUNION!!

On Monday September 15th, the Willey family was all together!  It has been almost five years.  The last time we were all together was for my Mom's funeral which will be five years ago this October.  We all met up in Franklin, Mass at a terrific restaurant called Incontro!  It was pretty much a central location for all of us.  My brother Matt and his wife Loni drove the longest, two hours from the Berkshires.  They live in Virginia, so that's why we have not been all together for so long.  So it was me and my four brothers, my hubby and my nephew back together again!  It was great fun and I posted a picture of us on facebook!  We are truly the land of the giants!  I'm the smallest at 5feet 9inches.  The rest are 6 feet, 6 feet four and five!  My hubby and nephew were the smallest.  We have to make the effort to stay in touch.  I am going to try to e-mail once a month.  In this crazy-busy world it's really vital to remember who is really important- God, family and friends. 

GREAT WEEKEND WOMAN'S WALKING RETREAT!

Hi!  I had a great weekend and a very busy Monday, so I wasn't able to post yesterday.
Today I am up and ready to go after a terrific weekend and a great retreat with my Life
Coach/Business Coach Helen Kosinski.  We started at Nickerson State Park at 9:30.
There were six of us-all very interesting people.  The theme was stepping into our dream lives.  Most of us realized that we were already partly living our dreams lives.
All of us doing what we want to do and happy with our partners.  I realized that I want to be a writer someday(which I am right now)  I also just published an article about one of my clients and it's in my fitness journal.  I'm very excited!  So I'm on my way!
My personal training business is humming along too!  It was a day to contemplate, meditate and relax, which I don't do very often.  So google Helen at betterthanevercoaching.  She has another retreat this weekend!