What's new with Darcy

3 Tips to Not Having the Same Ol’, Same Ol’ Year

Darcy Keith — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:59:00 GMT

     As we celebrate another year’s beginning, the phrase we tend to hear is, “Happy New Year!” Have you ever heard, “Happy Old Year?” No? Why not? Is it because we are optimistic that the new year is going to be different from the prior one or are we saying “Happy New Year” just to be nice?
     What is your plan or resolution for this new year? Are you wanting things in your life to change for the positive? If so, what are you doing about it? I must confess, almost every year, I resolve to losing weight. I really mean it in 2012 since I have a milestone class reunion. By the end of January, that resolution is no longer a thought in my head. I’ve given up. I’m not making any or much noticeable progress. Sound familiar?
     What is the secret to making your resolutions and goals a reality and not a not-so-distant memory? What can you do today that will yield progress in the coming days, while not getting discouraged?   Do you truly want to make it a “Happy New Year?”

Here are three suggestions on how to make it happen:
    • Is the economy getting you down? How about a present situation at home or work? Though you may get into a “funk” at times, decide to be happy anyway. Ok, if you don’t, when? When the economy gets better? When that ideal job opportunity opens up?
    • Don’t wait to take action and then be happy. Do it now. Really, Darcy? I don’t know my circumstances, you say? True, I don’t. But, happiness is a treasure and a choice that we have access to right now. Don’t wait until you lose that extra 10 lbs., until you get married, until you buy a house, until you have kids, until you retire, and…well, you get the picture. Be happy now. Happiness is in your head.
    • You control your own destiny. Do you want 2012 to be the same as 2011?   Were there events in 2011 that you would like NOT to see repeated in 2012? I know I do. But, how can history not repeat itself? The answer lies making good choices. If you sit around and do nothing, what‘s going to happen? Nothing. If you make a poor decision without weighing the consequences, you may end up in the same predicament that you were before. Why not take control of what happens to you by evaluating your current situation and learning from it to make a better choice? What can YOU do to take control of what happens to you?

     Let’s put the “Happy” back into “Happy New Year”.   Happiness is now, not after a ten pound loss, not after my children leave to go to college, not after you retire. Get out of your funk and decide to be happy by taking action now. You control how you feel. Happiness is inside you always and helps you get through the tough times. Why not let it out and have a Happy 2012? What are some ways that you do this?

5 Things Survivors of Brain Injury Should Know about Caregivers

Darcy Keith — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:08:10 GMT

       Being a caregiver of a brain injury survivor isn’t easy.   Each caregiver’s story is different. Some have experienced some similar and uniquely different things as they deal with the family member who has a brain injury.
     Each caregiver’s story will depend on which family member has sustained a brain injury and, from that point on, the other family member(s) take on new positions or new roles in the family. Some of these new roles include:
    • Paying the household and survivor’s bills
    • Taxi driver
    • Walking & talking daily planner
    • Case manager
    • Housekeeper
    • Cook
    • Role model
    • Financial provider

     What are 5 things that we should know about caregivers as they try to fill the above roles for us survivors? Caregivers possibly are:
    • Striving to stay positive and proactive throughout this experience
    • Feeling a sense of isolation from not only their loved one but other ”friends”
    • Feeling like they are “walking on eggshells”
    • Wanting to grieve, even though their loved one is beside them
    • Feeling like they are flying by the seat of their pants on a regular basis.

     There are many “issues” that we survivors deal with everyday. Sometimes, it takes all of our energy to focus on what we are doing and trying to remember things. However, we should also recognize the “issues” felt by our caregivers and try to help them out whenever possible. By doing this, it will only help us, as they try to take care of us in living our “new” life and dealing with our injury. What other things should we survivors know about caregivers? Please feel free to leave a comment.

* Thanks to Rosalyn Fast, caregiver of a survivor of brain injury, for the main points for this article.

My Advice for Gabby Giffords, as told on WTHR Channel 13

Darcy Keith — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:50:09 GMT

Hi! Yesterday, I received a call from WTHR Channel 13 (NBC affiliate) in Indianapolis. They were doing a story on Gabby Giffords' return to Congress to cast her vote for the debt ceiling bill and my experience and advice on returning to work after receiving a traumatic brain injury.

The awesome interview aired around 6:10 PM ET. Click on the picture above to be taken to the written interview text. Thanks!

3 Holiday Lessons from My Presentation with the Baltimore Ravens

Darcy Keith — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:17:49 GMT

On November 7^th, I had the distinct privilege to present the “Traffic Education and Decision Making” module of the NFL’s Rookie Success Program with the Baltimore Ravens’ rookies. The focus of the module was on good decision-making, personal responsibility, public safety, and interaction with law enforcement. Not only did I share my poor decision which led to my “career-ending injury”, but I gave them my secret formula to making good decisions.

Donning a purple blouse in support of the Ravens’ team colors, I interacted with the 17 Rookies during the hour long session. The guys were fun loving, engaged, and attentive. I had such a fantastic time and was completely at ease as I shared how to do the right thing in making decisions. But, during my time at their complex, there were some basic principles they reinforced that we all should keep in mind when dealing with others and the busy time during the upcoming holidays.

Treat your guests/customers with upmost respect and courtesy. From the man who picked me up from my hotel to the receptionist when you walk in the Ravens’ front door, I was treated with such impeccable manners. Harry Swayne, the Ravens’ Player Engagement Director, gave me an insider’s look tour of the facilities, as well as introducing me to several of his co-workers after we finished eating a delicious lunch in their lunchroom. During my brief stay at the Ravens’ complex, I was treated like a queen. This is definitely a sign of a first-class operation.
Know your audience/customers and make them feel comfortable. Not only did the receptionist know that I was coming, she knew who to contact when I got there. And, she had a visitors badge already printed. Again making me feel important. On the flip side, a sign of a good speaker is to know your audience – demographically, mind-set, background, etc. Before my session, I tweeted each rookie player who I could find on Twitter. And since there were only 16 of them, I printed off their picture, name, and position and put this information on flash cards so that I could be familiarized with the rookies when I talked with them. This extra effort allowed me to connect with the guys on another level and allow the message of making good decisions more personal to them. What are some things you can do to know more about your customers or your child’s friends to enhance your relationship?
Prepare for distractions. Sometimes, it seems like the best laid plan has some sort of snafu that is unexpected. Your child (or you) could get sick, there is a traffic delay on the way to work, etc. It is frustrating when things don’t go as planned, isn’t it? During my Ravens presentation, I knew that I only had an hour to engage the players, share the content the NFL wanted, and apply it through scenarios. Well, the first distraction which took away from the designated hour was that a couple of players were a little late, as they were still eating. So, it was almost 8 minutes into the hour before I began. As a result, I had to modify and leave out some of my presentation on the fly to make sure that it all fit into the hour. Not a big deal. Had I not been prepared, I could’ve blown it and missed some of the important information that I needed to say to the players. Instead, I knew my material and was able to adjust with ease.

What about you? With the holidays approaching, how do you treat guests? How do you handle it when your turkey is a little on the dry side or your pumpkin pie is burnt? Can you go with the flow or does the little snafu rock your world? If you follow the above tips, your holidays will be much easier and have less stress. I wish for you a Happy Thanksgiving!

How "Social" are You?

Darcy Keith — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 02:17:56 GMT

Last week, I received a second e-mail from my daughter’s teacher that she is being too social in class. Too social? What does that look like? According to the teacher, my daughter sometimes doesn’t pay attention in class because she is being social with her classmates. She makes new friends no matter where the teacher moves her in the classroom seating arrangement. While many times this is good, it could lead to problems of inattention to instruction in the future. While I’m not worried about her being in third grade with this problem, she is learning to expand her communication and social circles that will help her memory. How so?

Did you know that one’s ability to remember something is largely tied to its emotional context? I didn’t think about that, but it makes sense. Think back to your high school days. Were they good ones to remember? Were you enjoying those teen years? Why is it that many times we resort to our high school thoughts and feelings when we go to a class reunion? Why is it that we remember this time so well? Maybe it’s because we are emotional during this time (right ladies?), and we spend a lot of time with our friends. Social interaction is at its peak, and information is “tagged” in our brain through engaging emotions. Certain songs may have emotional attachment during this time and put a smile on your face when you hear them years later because of that emotional attachment.

As we get older, however, our social circles tend to shrink. Interactions with people are less; thus, the emotional triggers that help us remember tend to be less, also. We pay at the pump, frequent ATMs, watch movies online, and have Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts. No human contact involved. As our social circles get smaller, we need to find opportunities to interact with one another. This interaction not only helps us build connections to remember things, it helps our overall brain health, especially as we age.

So, what is the take-away? When you are out in the “real” world, and not just the virtual one, you are engaging all senses needed for a healthy brain and an active memory, especially as we get older. I guess it’s not so bad that some of us start earlier than the third grade engaging one another and begin on the road to a healthy brain. How about you? Do you seek out “real” social interactions? If not, why not start today and keep your brain healthy? Remember (pun intended), if you don’t use it, you might lose it.

Can You Hear Me Now and Smell That, Too?

Darcy Keith — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 01:15:42 GMT

Last month, I talked about how routines can be bad for you. Continuing on with the subject of Neurobics, can you name the two senses that we use most (Jeopardy theme music enters here)? That’s right ~ the senses that we use most are vision and hearing. If you close your eyes and try to navigate through a room, what do you find? You sense of touch becomes most important. Even though you many have been in this room a million times, not being able to see now becomes a real challenge, and your brain kicks into overload to try to picture the room, allowing you to successfully navigate through it.

Have you ever thought about how many of our everyday experiences appeal to one main sense, our vision? Billboards, television advertisements, and product packaging all contribute to not only our desire to purchase the product, but also to the experience we may have after we purchase it. Remember the “Coke is the real thing” TV add where a perspiring sports celebrity opens a refreshing, ice cold Coca Cola and takes a BIG drink and then finishes with an “Ahhh”? Our eyes see a person whom we admire drinking a product and is instantly refreshed. We may be thinking, “I could really use an ice cold Coke right now.” So, we run out and purchase one. Think back to your favorite Superbowl advertisement. Why did you like it so much? How did it appeal to your vision and hearing that entitled it to be your favorite?

Now, let’s not leave out our other 3 senses: smell, taste, and touch. These senses play an important role in memory, too. Try texting at a rapid pace without looking at your hands. I bet there are tons of teenagers that can do this just by the touch of the keys and their memory where the letters are. What about smell? Does the smell of fresh baked bread or out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies sound good? What type of feeling does this evoke? Does your mouth start watering? Associations based on smelling play an important part of our memory, form rapidly and persist for a very long time, unlike our other senses. Smells may also trigger emotional responses, such as perfume or cologne.

Why not try using your underutilized senses of smell, taste, and touch to challenge your brain and help increase your mental fitness today? And, go ahead. Reward your sense of smell and taste with those warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies when you’re done.

Routines Can Be Bad for You

Darcy Keith — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 23:20:09 GMT

What? How can a routine being bad for you? I mean, with routines, I get more done in the day, know what to expect, experience less stress, and I’m comfortable with knowing what the outcome is likely to be when I’m done. But is this “healthy”? In some respects, yes, since it may produce less stress and anxiety. But on the other hand, having set routines “deadens” our brains so that we do things almost subconsciously and don’t provide any exercise to them. Over time, this could produce problems.

If you drive to work every day, using the same route, you use the same brain routes. But, when you deviate slightly, other brain areas are activated, as the brain is primed to seek out and respond to what is unexpected. When we become more predictable, we don’t tap into our brain’s potential to learn something new and “grow”. In other words, our brains don’t get exercise.

Now, routines aren’t necessary bad. The same brain connections get stronger when we do the same thing. Have you done something so often that you said that you could do it blindfolded? How about driving the same route that when you arrive at home, you don’t remember how you got there? These activities are second nature, as you have done something over and over again that the connection in your brain to get from Point A to Point B is so strong that you can do it with little thought.

Routines can be good when you are looking for predictability on the outcome and, thus, experience less stress. For example, when you have a routine of getting ready before work, you can predict if you will be ready by a certain time. Same goes for perfecting a sport. When you practice a routine, you get better and better and can expect a better outcome than if you didn’t practice the routine or drill.

While routines can be good, they can be brain deadening since you use little energy when you don’t seek out new experiences. So, why not try a new way to work tomorrow? Why not try a new hobby? Maybe even a new restaurant with a different atmosphere? You never know what joy a new experience can bring. So, what new thing would you like to try today?

3 Ways to Know if You Are Falling in Love with a Loser – Part 1

Darcy Keith — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 01:33:08 GMT

     How many of us say or hear someone say, “I’m in loooooove” or “I’m in loooooove with ___?” This phrase is often used by my eight year-old daughter to describe the feeling she has for her new bedspread, school clothes, new favorite food, and so on. Last year, she even had her first boyfriend with whom she was “in love”. Now, we all know this is puppy love or just a stronger feeling than “like”, but to her, it was real. This begs the question, do we know how to fall in love?   Do we confuse love with lust or desire?
     We just recently bought a used car. I caught myself saying that I looooooved my new car. That’s a pretty strong, emotionally attached statement, isn’t it? Why do I feel this way?   Ok, maybe I don’t loooooove it, but I really like it. It satisfies my wants and desires – reliable, great color, rides smoothly, plenty of room, well-taken care of, and more.   Isn’t that how we look at most everything in our lives? Do fall in loooooove with stuff? Yes stuff. And even people. Stuff and people that satisfy our needs and desires. For some folks, they only fall in loooooove things that satisfy the moment.
     A good piece of advice that my pastor in church said, and I agree with, is not to fall in love with stuff you will never see in heaven. Great thought, but sometimes hard to do. People fall in loooooove with other people, objects, pets, and ideas.    So, how do you know if you are in love with a loser? How can you try not to set yourself up for a let-down?   Let’s look at three ways.
     You know you are in love with a loser when:
1.      You run after sensual gratification. One passion may feel irresistible until another comes along. Let’s go back to the car example. You see the latest and hottest car you have every seen in a TV commercial. Immediately, you think, I’ve got to have that, for we Americans love our cars! So, you take out a loan (or pay cash) and go buy it. The next week, another car comes out that has more features than yours AND it is THE CAR that everyone is now talking about. The passion that you had for your newly purchased car is gone, and you’ve moved onto something bigger and better. You have to find a way to get the other latest and greatest car, because you would look so cool behind the wheel. The cycle goes on and on whenever the latest and greatest car is introduced. You have to have it. Can’t wait. Got to get it now.
     This is a vicious cycle where you are running after sensual gratification. What you THINK satisfies you, really doesn’t. Why? Because you are easily distracted when something else touches your desires, so you drop what you thought you looooooved and go after the new thing. This happens in marriage a lot, too. Take a look at Hollywood and who is marrying whom and getting divorced. It not only happens in Hollywood, but also in our own backyard. Resist the temptation to run after sensual gratification. Don’t trade the ultimate end result for the immediate pleasure.

Neurobics - What is it and how can it help you?

Darcy Keith — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 01:19:46 GMT

     Neurobics? What’s that? Never heard of it before now. Neurobics is an exercise program to help you maintain a continuing level of mental Fitness, strength, and flexibility as you get older. This program calls for “presenting the brain with non-routine or unexpected experiences using various combinations of your physical senses – vision, smell, taste, touch, and hearing – as well as your emotional ‘sense’.” In other words, Neurobics activates different areas of the brain and makes the brain more agile and flexible, so that it will be ready to take on any mental challenge.
     Since Neurobics is based on how the brain works, the exercises take information from the five senses to enhance the brain’s natural association between them. For example, we’ve all said, “It’s nice to put a name with a face,” when we’ve met someone for the first time with whom we’ve talked on the phone. This emphasizes two of our senses identifying a person: vision and hearing. To add touch and smell to associating a person’s name with a visual, remember how his hand felt when you shook it, or how he/she smelled if they were wearing cologne/perfume. Since you are now using other ways to remember information (names) and strengthening the number of ways to remember (sight, touch, smell, hearing), the better chances of remembering names, solving a problem, or meeting a challenge are increased because your brain has more pathways available to retrieve the information in the future. Make sense?
     Next time, I’ll talk about routines and how they aren’t as good as we thought.

Life Without Cable - Day 6

Darcy Keith — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 23:34:48 GMT

Well, we have survived for five and a half days without cable. This past Friday, we took one of the antennas back and purchased a different one which has more power to get more signals out of the air. Woo Hoo! Our picture on our two high definition TVs is fantastic!
Sure, we still miss the Game Show Network, the History and Military channels, and the Nickelodoen channels, but our daughter is finding other ways to have fun. She is doing more crafts, reading books, and playing with friends. We've also rented a few movies for family time. But, we would have done this anyway. Overall, I think we really haven't missed much without having cable. But, time will tell, especially when Monday night football is on ESPN, and we don't get that channel. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Life Without Cable – The New Normal – Day 1

Darcy Keith — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 10:52:00 GMT

     Yesterday, I did something that many folks would call “weird” or not normal.    I called AT&T and did something which caused my daughter to cry. I cancelled our cable. Yes, we no longer can get 1000 plus TV and music channels that we watched so infrequently, except for a select few.
     Call me a rebel or a thrifty person, but we went against the “normal” flow of most families. Now, don’t get me wrong, I liked having cable…a lot. I will deeply miss the Game Show Network (GSN) with a passion (remember me telling you that I’m not normal?), my husband will miss the History and the Military Channels, and my daughter cried over not getting to watch iCarly and most of the other shows on the Nickelodeon channels. But, it was time for cable to go…at least for a little while. Instead, hello antennas.
    For the past few months, we have been attending Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace classes. Desiring to live debt free, we have made some difficult choices. Cancelling cable could be considered one of them.   But, to live like no one else (not normal), so that later we can live like no one else, the cable had to go. The choice saved us over $90 per month (over $1080 per year – do I hear Baby Step one, anyone?)!
    So, what was life like on the first day without cable? Did the earth come shattering to an end? Not in the least bit. When I wake up everyday, the first thing that I do is turn on the TV to get the weather and news. Not so today. Having no cable left me in silence as I got ready. I actually discovered that the silence helped me focus on the decision for what I was going to wear, doing my hair, and putting on my make-up in less time that what it would have taken me in the past. Before, if I heard some interesting news or wanted to see the weather forecast, I stopped what I was doing and watched the television for a moment. Choosing to not put an antenna on the TV in the bedroom, I would have to go to the game room or downstairs to watch it. Not happening in the limited time I have to get ready.
     At first, I felt a little sad that the TV wasn’t on so that I could be up on the latest news. I guess that it’s because I’m so used to it, and I’m sure that I will be used to getting ready in silence again like I did in um…high school? Growing up, my family didn’t have cable, unlike most others. We were too busy to watch TV. Life hasn’t changed that much.
     Now, I have to watch the weather the night before to see what type of clothing to wear for the next day. No problem, but does take a little more planning on my part to watch the night before. An alternative would be to check my smartphone before I get dressed, but that involves walking downstairs in the dark to get it. Do you see my dilemma? 
     After work, local channels were watched, and they had programming that we were going to watch anyway. So, no harm no foul. My daughter even squealed with joy when I told her “America’s Got Talent” was on. Grateful, we made it through the day with no cable, and the world did not end.

How to Get Out of Kentucky

Darcy Keith — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:09:44 GMT

       Have you ever felt completely helpless and at the mercy of someone else? Doesn’t feel very comfortable, does it? Do you stress out about the situation in which you have no control? If not, how do you handle it?
     Recently, I found myself in that situation. On the way home from our family vacation at Disney World, our SUV’s water pump decided to go out when we were two and a half hours from home, despite a complete maintenance check-up and accompanying repairs before we left. Peace of mind and no worries were the main goals on our fun-filled road trip, but our vehicle had another plan.
     When the “check gauges” light came on, we pulled off at the next exit, which was Elizabethtown, KY. Fortunately, there were restaurants, gas stations, and hotels here. With my husband having to return to work later in the evening, my sister drove the distance to pick him and my daughter up to take them back home. I stayed behind to get our SUV repaired at the local Chevy dealership. So, I checked into the Comfort Inn and went across the street for supper.
     Now, I could be ecstatic to have a night all to myself where I was queen of the remote or could just have quiet time. But, I must admit that I was a little uncomfortable at a hotel in an unfamiliar town, where I had to make arrangements for our vehicle to get fixed the next morning. When I usually stay at a hotel by myself, it’s for a speaking gig the next day, and I already had it planned. However, I was a little out of my comfort zone this time, not knowing if the dealership would be able to fix our car the next day and I would have to stay another night.
     My alarm clock rang the next day at 7:30 AM, and I immediately called Herb Jones Chevy Dealership in Elizabethtown, KY, to get my vehicle scheduled for repairs. They were great in identifying my urgency and got the SUV in right away. I was excited that I would be home for supper! The Comfort Inn in Elizabethtown even let me stay in my room past checkout since I didn’t have anyplace to go. The people in Elizabethtown were very nice and accommodating to a stranger who was stranded in their town for a short while.
     Though I felt helpless in an unfamiliar town for a short period of time, I could have reacted by panicking that I was alone, tossing and turning all night, or I could have just embraced that there was nothing that I could do until I called the dealership in the morning and put the situation in God's hands. And that’s exactly what I did. I crawled into bed early, watched a great show on TV, and relaxed. For those of you who have children, you can understand when I say that I cherished the quiet time. What was the point for me to worry and be upset? None. I’ve learned to let things go that I can’t control when adversity is knocking at my door, and life seems much better.
     So I ask, how would you have handled a situation like this? I’d love to hear from you with other tips or ideas that you would like to share.

Live Like No One Else Now, So You Can Live Like No One Else Later

Darcy Keith — Wed, 25 May 2011 00:33:00 GMT

How would you like to have a plan to own free cars for the rest of your life, in addition to retiring rich? Sound too good to be true? That’s what my husband and I thought, too. That is, until we signed up for the Financial Peace University, taught by Dave Ramsey, at our church. We are halfway through the 13 week course, and I must say that I look forward to each week’s information-packed, money saving lesson (okay, you can call me weird or a geek, but I’m all about saving money and being debt-free).

Having a past near-death experience, I could take Dave’s mantra of "Live like no one else, so that you can live like no one else" to the extreme…in the negative way. I could "live it up" right now since I don’t know what the future holds. And, I’ve done this too. It doesn’t work. Living beyond your means and/or spending money you don’t have (or frivolously spending money you do have) doesn’t make for a stress-free lifestyle. Creditors may call, marriage problems ensure, and a selfish attitude of "I deserve this because I work hard" sets in.

I’m guilty of using my VISA card to charge most purchases. While I pay off the balance every month, I tend to charge more than if I were to use my debit card. You see, we are more likely to charge more thinking that we will pay the bill when it comes in and the charge really isn’t that much (yea, right). Then we charge a little more at the next store, and the total amount due at the end of the month is more than we thought or budgeted for (yes, I used the "B" word). But, if we use our debit card when making a purchase, we are less likely to overspend as we know the money is coming out of our checking account. If the money isn’t there, we can’t buy the item. Besides, have you ever tried to pay with cash instead of plastic? Harder to do, isn’t it? We don’t want to let go of our cash. It’s a mental thing. Credit cards make is soooo much easier. All we have to do is "swipe" our card. We don’t have to hand over our hard-earned cash and never see it again.

Dave provides great teaching and gives a plan on how to tell your money where to go, not it telling you. He also goes into depth about putting a plan together for budgeting when both spouses have different personalities, how to become debt-free, being aware of the excellent marketing strategies that are designed to part you with your money and go into debt, best retirement and life insurance options, and much more. I’m learning that choices I make now will affect my future wealth. And, I don’t know about you, but I want to live with financial peace and retire rich.

A Stroke of Genius

Darcy Keith — Fri, 06 May 2011 00:46:00 GMT

“Honey, will you look at the pupils in my eyes,” I heard my husband ask. He steadied himself down into the recliner, and I gazed into his gorgeous blue pupils. Nope, they were the same size. “Why?” I ask. “I am seeing two of everything and having blurred vision”, he replied. Noticing the time was near when he was to leave for work, he got up and started walking across the room to the stairs. I watched him as he nearly lost balance and ran into the wall. “You are not going to work,” I told him. I looked at his face once more and asked him to smile. The left side of his month drooped. I knew something was wrong.

I called our family physician to confirm my suspicion. We were told to go immediately to the emergency room at the nearest hospital, as it was possible that he was having a stroke. A stroke at age 40? Really? He is an active runner, eats somewhat healthy, and is in good physical condition. There is no family history of heart issues, so what gives?

Since my husband works nights, our seven year-old daughter put on leggings under her nightgown, and off we went to the hospital. If you know how emergency rooms are and the wait time, this trip took me by surprise. Due to the seriousness of his symptoms, we were rushed off to immediately see a doctor, who put my husband through a series of tests. The prognosis was that it appeared that he had a mini-stroke, or TIA. This came a bit of a shock. Did I mention that my husband is physically fit and only age 40? He was then admitted as a patient and whisked off to his room. Knowing there wasn’t anything else I could do, I took my daughter home and returned her to bed. Her last day of school before Spring Break was going to be in a few hours.

I would have never expected something like a mini-stroke to happen to my healthy husband. He is always the one who never gets sick. However, had I not known some of the signs and symptoms, it may have not been caught. I had to have a “stroke” of genius, or an effective idea or act, to respond accordingly. Now, as a busy mom, I had more on my plate to deal with in his absence, not to mention keep up on his hospital and medical updates. I didn’t know how, but everything was going to be just fine. And it did. Our daughter appeared to be unshaken by the whole series of events. She even had a “sleepover” in the hospital in her dad’s room one night. How did she totally not show drama and being frightened over this incident? I think it’s mostly because I didn’t have a mental breakdown over this event. She was present when the doctor told us the news, and my husband and I didn’t over dramatize or dive deep into what was happening. We explained what we needed to. She is, as I mentioned, only seven.

How do you handle events which totally take you by surprise? Do you take action or avoid it? While it is difficult to expect the unexpected, sometimes a “stroke” of genius will help you get out of an unpleasant situation. If you avoid or aren’t equipped to take action, life can become more complicated and busier. But, you can remedy this by being aware of various issues that could affect you and your loved ones today. It could be the difference between life or death.

The Easter Egg Victory Lesson

Darcy Keith — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:35:00 GMT

“On your mark, get set, GO!” All of the sudden, the Easter egg filled area was full of children, scooping up as many colorful Easter eggs that they could find and put them in their baskets. Many stopped to pick up the ones in front of them. Some ran a little farther and picked up those. But, then there were the ones who ran past all of the children who had stopped and went to the back of the area and picked up all of the eggs while the majority of the children were still near the front. Yes, one of the few that ran past the egg hunting children and snatched up handfuls of eggs at the back, was my daughter.

Coached by her dad and myself, we told her that most kids will stop and pick up the eggs in front of them. And because of that, many will try to pick up the same one, though only one child can have it. Those kids who stop in the middle will get more eggs since the rest of the crowd is still back at the front trying to pick up those eggs. But, if she went to the back where there are more opportunities to get many more eggs, she would have access to abundance.

Do you view life like hunting Easter eggs? Do you only focus on what is immediately in front of you? Do you plan for a little farther into the future? Or, do you plan for the long haul? Each one does have its benefits; however, I find that looking or planning out into the future has benefitted me tremendously. Now, that’s not to say that we shouldn’t enjoy life today or next month. But, when you consider how your actions today affect those tomorrow, next week, next month, or the rest of your life, you may tend to look at your choices differently.

Take, for instance, that you get a monthly bill in the mail. You could choose to pay it today, in a few days, or next week. If you pay it today, you won’t have to worry about it again. If you wait for a few days, you may or may not remember to pay it. And, if you wait until next week, you may have misplaced the bill altogether. On the flip side, if you spend all of your money today, you won’t have any money left for things that come up next week. If you save and set aside money for bills which you know that will come up during the next year or so, you’ll have the money to pay them when they are due. And, if you want to live as you wish in retirement, the best advice is to start saving today. Sure, retirement may be many years away for some of you. But, if you start saving today, the compound interest over time multiply your savings, and your will have a nice nest egg 20, 30, or 40 years from now.

Running as fast as she could while swooping down to pick up Easter eggs at the back of the field, Olivia returned to us with a basketful. One by one, she opened them up to find yummy candy inside. Though she was excited to open and find the delectable treats, she jumped up and proudly showed me a piece of paper that she pulled out of one of her eggs. It said, “Grand Prize Winner.” “Mommy, I didn’t expect to get this!” she said. Though she went where she could have the greatest chance to pick up the most eggs, her goal wasn’t to find the grand prize egg. Why not? Why didn’t she try to set her sights on winning the big prize? Why do we go through life wanting to win the big prize, but don’t have a plan? Olivia increased the chances of her getting the Grand Prize by going and gathering eggs where not that many children were. Do you go where others may not be going? Do your friends buy the latest and greatest gadgets, only to have nothing set aside for retirement? Sometimes, it’s best to look out over the crowd and make a plan to go farther than the others so that you can live like you want. How does that sound?

Can You Live With Your Choices?

Darcy Keith — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 01:03:00 GMT

     “Mom, I don’t want to do gymnastics anymore,” I heard my seven year-old say a few months ago. She goes on to tell me that she doesn’t like the long practice hours on one of the nights that are required to be on the competitive gymnastics team. While I told her that she had to finish out the season due to the commitment she made to the team, I agreed to allow her to try something else she wanted to do, which she couldn’t do previously because of her time commitment to gymnastics. I gave her a word of caution: make sure that you want to make this choice, because it would be difficult to go back and ask to be on the gymnastics team again.
     Many times in life, we have to make tough choices. As busy moms, we have to choose how to spend our time. We cram our careers, household duties, grocery shopping, errand running, and child rearing into a daily schedule. Our words and actions have to be chosen carefully, because our children are watching us. Have you ever let your guard down and let a few choice words slip? Do you apologize and regret it later? Can you live with your choices?
     I don’t want to live my life making choices that I later regret. I don’t think any of us do. How do I go about making choices with which I can accept? One thing that I am reminded from my daughter is to know the facts before I make a decision. She has said to me, after making a decision, “If I only knew (what would happen).” We don’t have a crystal ball, but what we do have is experience. Experience to help our children make good choices and live their lives with no regrets. Now, that’s not to say that we can’t let them make choices and reap the consequences, negative as they may be. But, we can offer them guidance and facts about what will happen if they choose a certain solution.
     Now that my daughter’s gymnastics season is over, though she qualified for the Women's Junior Olympics State Level 4 Championships, she wants to try swimming and piano lessons. Both are activities that compete for the same time slot as gymnastics. She wants to broaden her horizons and see what else the world has to offer. She wants to live life with no regrets and try new things.
     Is there something new you would like to try? Can you live with your choices and have no regrets? If you can, great! If not, why not change directions and stop what you are doing and try something new? It can not only be rejuvenating, but also allow you to be a good role model for your children to live life to the fullest.

How's Your Love Life?

Darcy Keith — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:05:00 GMT

How’s your love life? Now that can be a loaded personal question, can’t it? Though February holds the holiday of Valentine’s Day, there are times where we may not think twice about love and the heart. But, maybe we should?

Have you noticed that we are relational beings? With the rapid growth of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media sites, I feel that this growth shows that we like to interact with one another. You might even go as far to say that we need one another. We need one another to grow, fill a void, affirm, do business with, and even serve one another. These types of actions also show that we love one another. Now, I’m not talking about romantic love, but a brotherly love. Besides, the most repeated commandment in The New Testament is to love one another. Doesn’t it make you feel good when you help out a family member, friend, neighbor, co-worker, etc.? If not, I would suggest you examine your heart. Is there an underlying pride, envy, or selfishness issue? Love cannot exist when these feelings do.

What about your own physical heart? Are you taking care of it? Do you love yourself enough to take care of you by living a healthy lifestyle? The American Heart Association offers some time tips on taking care of your heart:

Know your blood pressure. Have it checked regularly.
Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain high-fiber foods.
Avoid too much salt in cooking or at meals. Avoid salty foods.
Follow your doctor’s advice about physical activity.
Develop a routine of healthy eating habits.

So, how’s your love life: physically, mentally, and emotionally? Are you taking care of yourself, showing love to one another, and getting rid of all the “bad” qualities that reside in your heart? If not, it might be a time to revisit how to become heart-healthy.

What Representative Gabrielle Giffords and I Have in Common

Darcy Keith — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 23:14:00 GMT

Unless you have were under a rock last month, you know that Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) is rehabilitating in a Texas hospital from a gunshot wound to the head. The bullet penetrated the left side of Gabby’s brain. There have been many questions regarding what type of deficits she may have and the type of rehabilitation she is experiencing. Having suffered a left lobe brain injury myself, I thought I’d shed some insights as to what she may be experiencing.

When I woke up from my coma, the doctors had to see how my brain processed commands. I was asked to squeeze a stuffed bunny’s tail, just as Gabby is asked to squeeze hands. The doctors also had to see how I was speaking and if what I said made sense. Gabby has been able to do this as well with identifying that she asked for toast last week. She also told her astronaut brother-in-law on the phone that she was "good". The ability to express words is a key indication of how the brain is processing information. I needed to hear the command, then process it, and send the message down the nerves to my muscles. This was particularly difficult for me when I had temporary paralysis on my body’s right side from my left lobe injury. But, the brain and nervous system recovered and rewired well enough to allow me to function at a near normal level.

One of the problems that I had was recalling words. The left side of the brain deals with language, speech, understanding, and right side extremity movement. I had difficulty, at first, to be able to recall words and names. I knew in my brain that I had the previously learned the word, but had difficulty retrieving it. Have you ever heard the phrase, "It’s on the tip of my tongue?" That was the way with me. I couldn’t recall simple words, so what I did was describe what I was trying to convey if the word didn’t come to me right away. It hasn’t been shared how Gabby is doing in her speech and occupational therapies, but if she is like me (and I think she is), she is doing great.

Next, with my right side weakness, the therapists had to work on getting it moving again. They watched my gate when I walked to see how steady it was. I pushed shopping carts with a posey (a type of belt that the therapist could hold on to) around my waist. I sat on a big exercise ball to work on my balance, as I was like a wet noodle and couldn’t keep myself from falling over. I lifted minimal amounts of weights using a pulley system to strengthen my arms. From what I understand, Gabby is doing most of the same things in her rehabilitation, as well.

It can be a long road to recovery, but Gabby appears to be doing the right things in her therapy to speed up the curve. She is making remarkable progress in her rehab, and I attribute much of this to prayer and support from family and friends. I will be continuing to monitor her progress and provide additional insight into understanding what she may be experiencing in my blog.

I hope this information helps you understand more about brain injury and the rehabilitation process that many of us experience. I can only hope and pray that others receive the same rehabilitation experience that I have and Gabby is experiencing. Until next time…be your best always.

Darcy

Today is Whensday, Tomorrow is Whensday

Darcy Keith — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:24:00 GMT

Wow, can you believe it’s 2011? It seems like yesterday we were worried about how our electronics were going to work when the year 2000 rolled around. My, how time flies!

So, how are your New Year’s resolutions coming along? Still on track to meeting your goals? Great! No? Have you given up and said that you would try again next month? Next year?

I read an article in Jeffrey Gitomer’s weekly e-zine that really got me thinking. If you haven’t started your New Year’s resolutions, it’s not too late. Are you a procrastinator? Have you said, "When I get around to it?" When are you going to finally get around to losing those last 15 lbs? How about that project that you told your spouse that you were going to do? What about finding a new job? When, when, when are you going to do it?

Is is when you have more time?
When you have more money?
When you get out of debt?
When you aren’t so busy?
When you hit the lottery?

When is your ‘Whensday’? Why not make it today? The perfect day of when you cash in on the big lottery is likely not to happen. You need to make the decision that TODAY is the day that your New Year’s resolutions are going to start. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Not next month when the weather is better outside.

Today is Whensday. Tomorrow is Whensday. Every day should be Whensday. We have 365 Whensdays in the year. Make yours today!

7 Ways to Bless or Be Blessed

Darcy Keith — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 00:21:00 GMT

Merry Christmas!

Wow! What a year 2010 has been, hasn’t it? Christmas is just around the corner, with New Year’s Day shortly after, and many of us will get caught up with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

As the year draws to a close, there are many things on which we can reflect over the past year. Several things and changes have occurred in my life over the past year, and probably have happened to you as well. My life has been enriched by them, and I am blessed by having you as a reader!

I want to be a blessing to you, as well. So, it poses the question, how can we be a blessing to others throughout the year and not just for a season?

Here are 7 ways to bless others and be blessed yourselves:

Praise more than criticize. I’m finding this works really well, especially with my seven year-old.
Write out words of blessing. I’m extremely blessed by the Fan Mail that I receive from subscribers!
Drain anger from your life.
Model financial responsibility. This could be a New Years resolution?
Build a positive inheritance. I’m not just talking money here, but investing positively in your children and family.
Take care of your health. This will be a blessing to you and your family so that you live longer and happier.
Let others return blessing to you. This can be one of the hardest things to do, but please graciously accept others’ kindness given to you. I know I’m thankful that my neighbor snow blows our driveway, and we appreciate his blessing!

Be safe, have fun, and enjoy your family and friends during this holiday season. I wish for you a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year!