wellness – Anne the Vegan

My Midlife Crisis

One of my former bosses posted this meme: I can honestly say that this is how I approach each and every work day. I may enter the building in a less than optimal mood, but my patients deserve my best. They deserve to feel better when I leave them, and to feel valued as aContinue reading “My Midlife Crisis”

Nightmares

I’ve always had them. I recalled my childhood night terrors to you in an earlier post: the man in the sky admonishing me for being a bad girl, accompanied by booming thunder and lightning. I was 3 or 4 when these began, and these dreams are among my first memories. As an adult, during timesContinue reading “Nightmares”

The Cult of Personality

If you are of a certain age, you might remember this song: a delightfully vibrant rock song from the band Living Colour released in 1988. If you don’t know this song, follow the link, because it’s just as relevant today as it was then. But honestly, this is also a catchy title to entice youContinue reading “The Cult of Personality”

What does it mean to be an athlete?

Webster’s dictionary defines an athlete as a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina. “Trained or skilled in exercises” also sounds a lot like my career as a physical therapist, describing at least part of what I do on a daily basis. One vestige ofContinue reading “What does it mean to be an athlete?”

Do we deserve vacation?

I’m currently pondering this question as I sit on the balcony of the condo where I’m vacationing in Myrtle Beach. I think Americans ask this question frequently. It’s a by-product of staunch meritocracy beliefs in our society, I think, to think that we must work, work, work with little play. It’s also seemingly the foundationContinue reading “Do we deserve vacation?”

The Power of Pain

Pain. The 7th vital sign. It’s our body’s way of warning us about danger and disease. When working with my patients, it’s a question I always ask: Do you have any pain right now? As clinicians, we utilize multiple pain scales to objectively rate this subjective symptom. It’s such an important question, I’ve even learnedContinue reading “The Power of Pain”

Have a Heart…

One of my friends recently posted an article on Facebook from Sheryl at Moms of Teens and Tweens (see link below). For those of us with older kids, this is such a sweet idea to honor them and let them know our feelings. I was so taken by the idea of posting a heart onContinue reading “Have a Heart…”

Another New Year?

It’s the time of the year that we traditionally begin to wind down, reflect, and think about what we want to accomplish in the next year. For most of us, we will bid 2020 a swift farewell. This dumpster fire of a year can’t be finished soon enough. And as nice as it is to thinkContinue reading “Another New Year?”

To Vaccinate or Not?

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate? That is the question. Personally, I was on the fence about getting vaccinated for COVID-19. Indeed, there are so many unknowns. But in the end, I decided to go for it. Here’s why: First, as a healthcare provider, even as a physical therapist, I’ve been exposed enough that itContinue reading “To Vaccinate or Not?”

When Life Feels Like a Merry-go-round…

I was hoping to share a race recap from coaching the Richmond Marathon with my training team from Sunday, however, life had other plans for me. My Saturday began with a face to wall meeting… as in, I had a spell of vertigo reaching for my towel and fell into it. Not a great wayContinue reading “When Life Feels Like a Merry-go-round…”