What is the last thing you learned?

I’ve been dealing with a bad tooth for the past six months. Yesterday, after spending more money then I like to admit I lost my tooth anyway. It makes me angry at the medical establishment. My dentist tried to blame me for tooth breaking. Right? Wrong!

That’s unprofessional & not cool in my book. I’ve never had a tooth break during a root canal. She pulled my tooth out in 20 minutes & then tried to blame me for it cracking. When I asked if I could get some of my money back she hinted that it wouldn’t be possible. For me it’s clearly malpractice & not acceptable.

I specifically had the root canal to save my tooth, not to lose it! I’m really angry & in pain, pain that could have been avoided IF people didn’t lie in my medical file.

What advice would you give to your teenage self?

High school was very difficult for me as I was psychologically abused at home & bullied in school. No place was safe for me emotionally or physically. So, I learned I had to find safe spaces I could go to. If it wasn’t for the few safe spaces I had I think I’d be long dead from suicide.

The advice I’d give my younger self is that the hard times do pass, even though it doesn’t feel like it. I had a very toxic childhood I’d not wish on anyone.

By thriving playing my cello & finding people who I could trust I slowly made it through high school. It took Habitat for Humanity for 4 years to show me that I was capable & able to finish & run projects as a site leader.

It gave me confidence & silenced the toxic inner voice that wasn’t. To this day I think it changed my life for the better-it gave me hope when I no longer had it.

Has an organization helped you get through some difficult time? If so. How?

You get some great, amazingly fantastic news. What’s the first thing you do?

I’ve gotten some good news & I always share it with my husband & then my family. I’m grateful for the small moments every day & not just the big.

It can be meeting a kind person in a public place or making all my buses on the way home. Either way I’m always grateful for the small moments.

If it’s big news then I pick up the phone & call my husband. Because I want him to know first. Then I call my family.

How do you share big news?