Menu
UPDATED March 2026
The ‘confused punishment’ was awful for years following the surgery. When learning to walk again I would stares and DIRTY LOOKS as I staggered by. Why? I didn’t ‘look’ the part of being sick.- I appeared drunk. (Oh the irony. I barely drink these days).
Phone calls were no exception. I’d get heavy shaming/ rudeness when asking 2-3 times to repeating info, or forgetting appointments, appearing careless.
My pride didn’t want to ‘take a knee’ and tell them why I was the way I was- but as soon as I told my diagnosis they backed off. Its hard enough struggling with myself, let alone someone else treating me like crap.
Sometimes, people suck. Overall, much worse than the brain tumour itself, that’s for sure. People assume before knowing the facts.
Fast forward to these days-15 years later, I’ve mastered dealing with ‘confused punishment’.
Good thing too, as the long term effects of the high-dose radiation I had years ago has started kicking my ass.
Now, I use my walking stick on bad days (made from a good ol oak tree branch, which I burned my motivational reminders on it. I get more puppy-dog eyes (wondering what happened).
Last summer I was taken back when a young woman walked up to me and out of the blue told me I was incredible. There was an awkward pause and I thanked her. Then I remembered….Ohhh, riiiiiight…. my bag had an iron on patch I made on my bag- that my walk is a proud survivor swagger, not a drunken stagger…. maybe I’ll upload to sell them?
Maybe everyone needs this patch to be told they are incredible every so often. Well, maybe not everyone haha. I don’t think I’m incredible just for being a survivor. But hey – thanks, I needed to hear that.
I continue to create (and jump) into opportunities that helps others AND in turn, me. The following 3 categories in yellow (Musical Muses, Public Speaking & Inspired Echoes) shows 9 stories of how stood back up (literally, and figuratively!).
The brain tumour was a gift. My disability was instantly turned into a powerful ability to have a bigger impact on the lives that needed/wanted a lift.
Once dodged a ‘confused punishment’, the mic was fearlessly mine…
I wouldn’t have been able to write a book, raise thousands of dollars for charity, or be THE KEYNOTE speaker for my ultimate passion. Most these stories found in the menu, ‘Standing Back Up‘. (The initial ‘standing back up’ stories are in my book ‘Day By Day’.)
It took me years to chisel my inner peace; to know that no matter what, everything is going to be ok…. “‘Cause every little thing, is gonna be alright” (cue Bob Marley’s song ‘3 Little Birds’..