by Dr Aletta | May 13, 2017 | Relationships
On the morning after the long night of my Mother’s death, my brother-in-law, who couldn’t be with us, sent us this photo. My siblings and I gathered around the computer and stared at my Mom’s youthful face in silence for a long time. Greg gave us a... by Dr Aletta | Mar 27, 2013 | Chronic Illness, Family Matters
A few weeks ago I ran into a friend at the barn where I keep Annie, my mare. We hadn’t seen each other in a while so we caught up. I told her about my slow, but good, recovery from illness and she told me about caring for her ninety-three year old mother who...
by Dr Aletta | Nov 10, 2010 | Self-Esteem
Reading about celebrities and their experience with illness is always interesting to me. Celebrity can be a bully pulpit. People like Michael J. Fox choose to take their story public as a way to inform, educate and inspire. Katie Couric did the same after her husband...
by Dr Aletta | Dec 1, 2009 | Mental Health, Self-Esteem
Today the local NPR station, WBFO 88.7FM, broadcast a commentary I recorded at their studios some time back. There’s a special place in my heart for this essay because it recalls a particularly stressful time in my life, how, through the love of my family, I was...
by Dr Aletta | Nov 12, 2009 | Body/Mind, Chronic Illness
Steroids, corticosteroids, prednisone.* Do these words strike terror in your heart? Or are you grateful beyond measure for their existence? Both? Then chances are you, or someone you love, has a chronic illness that is reversed or relieved by steroids. I have been on...