Month: January 2017

DianaK

Appreciations 1/20-25: more bingo, fun appts, toddler language, clean floors!

The super fun call I got from my mom, telling me how much fun she had playing our new MDFUN bingo game at her doctor appointment. I thought this game could make appointments more fun for and create stronger connections between patients and care-givers. Early reports from my awesome beta-testers (my family), suggest that it does have that effect. Yay!

The inspiring photos and videos from all the marches. I was too sick to go, but it was so encouraging to see all those engaged people (with their clever signs 😊) out there. ❤️

OTC cold meds to take the edge off for a few hours. Phew.

Watching Ida discovering more and more language. I love it! 2 of my faves this week are:
“Getchu (get you) me, Mama!” to ask Sarah for snuggles or tickling and “Nana upstairs, too” to ask me to come downstairs with them to get her ready for bed. Sweet!

Making soup with Sarah as we both coughed our lungs out — and made fun of our sickly household…which then made us laugh-cough some more. One of most silly and fun sick days I’ve had. 😆diana-bingo-day-1

My own experience with the MDFUN bingo game. Wow! Even more laughs and smiles during my 4 hours of appointments than usual (and that’s saying a lot!). I love this.

All the new docs I’ve been working with this month. I really, really like the Diana Transplant Team so far! Of course, I am still planning to be a statistical outlier and not end up needing a new heart after all… but meanwhile, I feel like I’m in great hands as we get things lined up for that possibility.

Mckenzie, who very thoughtfully vacuumed the house so it’d be nice and clean for me when I got home from my long day of appointments and tests. Thank you, Mckenzie!

My mom and dad. Not only are they incredibly loving and supportive, but they are also smart, funny, delightful people whom I really enjoy spending time with. Love you guys!

 

 

 

 

DianaK

Appreciations 1/19/17: legos redux, MIA awesomeness, combining my 2 greatest talents

yas-queen-2017

Legos, again. With props.

MIA. For so many reasons, including their extended hours tomorrow. Love you, MIA! 💜

MIA will be open Friday, Jan. 20, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. We are open to all and admission will be free, as always. Everyone is welcome to join us and to view artwork that has the potential to inspire, challenge, celebrate, and stimulate us. Art is the expression of what it is to be human and we are therefore a great place to visit, whatever your mood.

Figuring out a way to combine my strongest skills…making things fun and doctor-appointment-attending! Since my dad and brother both have a bunch of appointments this month, too, I decided we should at least have some fun! I made up a set of MDFUN (which is played like BINGO) cards for us.

It was Sarah’s awesome idea to make it even more fun by suggesting I use a randomizer and spreadsheet to generate the different cards. (Plus she had some excellent suggestions for the cards!) I am telling you. We really know how to have fun around here! #imserious #everythingisfun

MDFUN Bingo.jpg

DianaK

Appreciations 1/13-1/17: Purple legos, brilliant insults & compliments, Bat Girl giggles

There are so many things I appreciate every day… and while do I notice and revel in them, I’ve been forgetting to write them down! 😆

Here are a few things I remember loving about the past week…

happy-legos

Making happy words out of my new purple legos. Thank you, Sarah! 💜

Being part of the wonderful racism listening and talking group that’s been meeting weekly for the past 6 months. I so appreciate having a safe place to ask my clunky questions, examine my own racism, and process my thoughts and feelings about racism. If you want to know more about our model and what we’re doing, PM me!

Getting ALL green lights on the way home from group on Friday. Woohoo!

My cousin Ivan, the jovial, tiger-booted wit-cracker, who, in response to a challenge, managed to fit a Shakespearean insult into this week’s column. Well done, old pal!bat-ida

My favorite Bat Girl, the softly-sprighted, fairy-gold heartling, Ida! Every day she brings some fresh new joy into my life.

Silly little Luna, who steals cat toys from Sarah’s cats and then plays with them like a crazy kitten!

Sunlight sparkles and shifting shadows on the snow.

Craft time with Katie and Cina!

DianaK

Appreciations 1/11-1/12: Creative friends and questions, spunky folks, goofy dreams, happy repairs

Pam, who taught me to use Creative Questions to make the best out of any situation!

Wonderful visit yesterday with my folks and Debb and Renee. It was so sweet to go to the January birthday gathering they have at my parents’ co-op and to hear the residents’ fun stories and see how much they all love my parents! Happy pre-birthday eve Mama! 🎂

Super inspiring people like the 94 year-old woman at my folks’ place. She is fiesty and spunky and full of life. How wonderful!

Short and sweet visit with just Debb. As much as I liked our visit to my parents’ place, it was nice to have her all to myself for a little bit, too! 💙

upside-down-pineapple-dream-cakeThe amazingly funny creations my dream characters come up with! In a recent dream, Laura was going to a holiday concert (which would take place at a highway rest area), but wanted to bring her own food… so she made herself a pineapple upside-down cake with a chocolate chip cookie crust — and filled with chicken. Ewwwww! Just to be clear… the waking life, real Laura is an amazing cook and baker. I’ve never had anything less than delicious from her kitchen! 😃

Super friendly dishwasher repair person who was not only fun to talk to, but diagnosed the problem and ordered the parts quickly — and then showed me how to install them when they come so I can feel all powerful and dishwasher-rescuer-like.

DianaK

Appreciations Jan 3-10: Note-taking, snuggles, craft-urday night, and vampires.

I’ve been a bit lax about actually writing down the many, many things I appreciate about my life each day, but rest assured… I spend most of my time feeling grateful for what I’ve got and thinking that I’m not sure how I did it, but I seem to have the best life! ❤️

Here are a few highlights from the past week. 😄

Reading and doing research with my assistant, Ida. She helped me make sure I marked ALL the important pages. I mean all the important page. Page 15 is very, very important! 😊

Knowing how to prioritize. The first thing one should do when the dishwasher goes kerflooey is not to try to ascertain the problem, nor is it to call the repair folks. The first thing one should do is make a sign to put on the dishwasher. #allaboutpriorities

Bedtime snuggles with Ida. Okay, well, any time snuggles with Ida. Oh my goodness how sweet it is to live with the Duncan girls!! 💚

The wonderful people who keep showing up for our Friday night racism/racial justice discussions. I so appreciate their commitment to growing and learning, and their openness and willing to be vulnerable. I am learning so much from these amazing people!

Craft-urday night at the Korpi/Duncan house. Fairy house, painting, and soup, oh my!

My beautiful & supportive family. My folks had planned to come with me to today’s  right-heart catheterization procedure – even though I didn’t need a driver – just to keep me company because I was nervous. But then since the weather was yucky, Katie stepped in and came with me so I got to spend time with her AND my parents didn’t have to drive through this morning’s rush-hour-snowy mess (although they were totally willing to do so!). I am unbelievably lucky to have such generous, loving people in my life!

My clever, always-looking-for-fun brain! I was pretty nervous before today’s procedure, so before and during it I kept asking myself, “How could this be fun?” Thanks, brain, for helping me notice how funny and sweet everyone I worked with was, the fact that they played Ingrid Michaelson for me during the procedure (and that they asked what I wanted to listen to!), the silliness of the doctor peeking under the sterile drape (which was covering my face) to check in with me and let me know what was next and what they found. Peek-a-boo!

vampire-bite-2017.pngPlus, because of the placement of the needle and a rogue freckle, I can now claim to have been bitten by a vampire. Mwah hahaha!  #forreals #iwasbitten

I also appreciate that my numbers were good and my docs are happy – and I didn’t have to get admitted to hospital! Woohoo!

 

 

 

 

DianaK

Back to regularly scheduled appreciations…😉

My sweet roommate Sarah, who scraped the frost off windshield for me! She is so thoughtful and lovely. And funny. And smart. And fun to be with! And adorable! 😃

Delightful Delaney time complete with hugs, hijinks, and hilarity. Plus delicious quiche and birthday cupcakes! How I adore these beautiful people! Spending time with them makes me feel happier, more optimistic, more whole. Plus oh my goodness how we laugh! I paid Sarah’s most awesome gift idea forward with poppers for the Delaneys and we had so much fun! And yes, plans are underway for a Popper Play Olympics event this summer. It is going to be epic.magnet-kit

Friends who understand that you can NEVER go wrong with gifts of craft items or toys!

Learning all about hug bombs. We laughed so hard! I love our silliness!!

DianaK

Appreciations for the New Year. Guess what? You are awesome! ❤️

YOU
Yes, you! If you are reading this, you are one of the people that make my life sparkle and shine. As I continue to adjust to changes and challenges presented in the past couple years, the one thing I am grateful for every day is the people in my life. You are one of those bright lights — whether we interact in person or online, whether you’ve been a shoulder to cry on, a friend to goof around with, or someone who every once in awhile likes my posts on Facebook or follows my blog, you have made my days easier, brighter, and more fun. I am so grateful for the brilliance, humor, gentleness, love, and patience you have shown me. Thank you for being exactly who you are — and for being part of my life. 💜

ME
Past Diana, especially, for having the experiences and thoughts that have led me to where I am today. I also appreciate her for recording the wonderful things that happened in 2016. So lovely to remember all the goodness of the past year as I record the goodness of this year. 😊

OTHERS
The folks in the world who I don’t know, but who make this world brighter, better, and more beautiful in their own ways. All those people who work on things I don’t want to – or don’t know how to – but without which life would be a little less easy, a little less fun. All those people painting the world in big, broad stokes of color and love and patience and gentleness. There are so many folks like that whose presence and whose work makes this world brighter. I appreciate them! ✨✨✨

US
The challenges we humans face during the coming year will undoubtedly feel big and scary at times. But I think when we focus on thinking of us as us, we are better able take on big challenges and projects, to listen to and learn from each other, and to love each other. I appreciate all the instances, big and small, of us-ness that I see around me. I appreciate and believe in US. ❤️