Got Air?...Want to share!

My air has been rather short lately. I went back to the doctor on Wednesday and I flunked my respiratory function test again.  I did my research because I felt that were things being overlooked. I felt that the "obvious" diagnosis wasn't the source of the problem.  Because of all my past experiences, I have learned it is good to be pro-active when it comes to your health.

I found a very good, reliable article online, and I was able to take  some valid information to my doctor about various complications that can occur and are common for people who have had a radical cystcectomy that includes an urinary diversion replaced by one of the many types of pouches.  I made some suggestions about some things to check-out with lab work.

Yesterday, I found out that my potassium level is still low, and my B 12 is also low.  No wonder I have been feeling so yucky. 

Low B 12 can cause problems concentrating, swollen and red tongue, shortness of breath during physical exertion, fatigue, dizziness, headache, cold hands and feet, heart palpitations and chest pain.  Now we have identified the problem, we can begin to correct it.  We increased my potassium intake, and I am going to be on B 12 for a while.  Soon, I should be back in the saddle again.

Things have not been all bad.  I made it to work every day this past week. There is a feature article that will be published in the May issue of Verge magazine.  I have a book signing scheduled for May 5th. at the Inner Bean beginning at 4 p.m.  One of my photographs that I took when I was at Tybee is going to be used for the cover of my colleague Dr. Kay's book, Wings of Time, that will be published soon.

I am also going to begin a pulmonary rehabilitation program next week.  That should help me get back on my feet sooner...or I should say my lungs recover from this episode.   

"Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm ... As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands. One for helping yourself, the other for helping others." ~ Audrey Hepburn

That is where I am right now, and I hope you are too. 

"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky." ~ Rabindranath Tagore

A Small Rock Slide on the Rocky Road, but Clearing it Out

When it come to writing this past week, it has been like a silent shroud.  The following stanza from one of my poems in my book, Pulse Points of a Woman's World, sums up how my writing progressed this week.

Silence surrounds the muse

    like the murky veil

    on a smoke-stained rose

   that enfolds a city’s dawn

   as the elegant words

   of pomp and circumstance

   are as voiceless

   as the cry of a city’s neon lights.

Unfortunately, I have been under the weather with a low potassium and breathing problem.  The doctor has prescribed that I take potassium, eat tomatoes, potatoes and avocados.  I know bananas are also very good, but they make me nauseous.  The other prescription was my favorite.  She gave it to my husband to fill, and it was frequent trips to the beach.  It seems that salt air really helps my breathing.  So, he is planning to do that this next week, and my eldest son will stay at our house while we are gone to take care of Squiggles and the house. 

Mary Forbes posted a really nice interview on her blog this week.  She has even offered to do a review on the book.  How nice!  If you want to read what she posted the link is: http://marymforbes.wordpress.com/writing/author-interviews/sylvia-l-ramsey/ .

I have another interview coming up with A.F. Stewart.  I will let you know when it is online.   I have been invited to be a guest on Julia Widdop's television show, Seekers Journey, on the 17th. of April.  That is going to be a busy week.  In addition, that same week I have two presentations. 

I think I need to take that trip to the beach so I can keep up the pace with what is going on in my life right now.  I will try to take some pictures and share my experience with you when I return home.  Who knows, I may even take my laptop to the beach and work some on my next book.  For right now, I am signing out, stay tuned for more. 

Don't forget to check out my book, Traveling a Rocky Road with Love, Faith and Guts,  on Amazon.  Any feedback is always appreciated.

Press Release: Poplar Bluff author’s memoir to benefit American Bladder Cancer Society, SEMO Times

That was the headline in an article in the SEMO Times.  It is a newspaper in print and online that is in the town where I grew up.  I lived outside of town, but I went to high school there and it is where I started college and received my A.A degree. That was the first step on the road to getting my Masters degree.  I was a non-traditional student when I started college.  It took a while, but I made it all the way.  I tell about the hurdles and pebbles it took to get to that point in the book. You can see what they printed at:  http://semotimes.com/7813 .

Today,  I had more flyers and invitations made up.  I put up a couple.  I am going to go see my friend Jennie at one of the local television stations next week.  I am working on some more postings of interviews on my other website.

I read a lot of articles on how to market books today.  I found some very good information on the Mid West Review site.  I am waiting in anticipation of the book reviews.

I received an email from a lady who purchased the book.  This is what she wrote:

"Your new book arrived while we were in FL, and I read the whole book yesterday. It was wonderful!!! Thanks for sharing your story You have been such a gift from God in my life. Thank you. I'm looking forward to your signing at the Elks."

She may not realize it, but she has been one of the angels in my life. 

I have several things lined up to do tomorrow.  I dread daylight savings time. It really messes with my biological clock.  Monday is work, and I have an appointment with my doctor for a check-up. 

BTW, if you would like to purchase the book, or like my Amazon page, the link is:

http://www.amazon.com/Sylvia-L-Ramsey/e/B002BMJ5NI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1326569308&sr=1-1

Tune in later for more.....

Another Busy Day on the Rocky Road of Writing, Sharing and Being Normal...Did I say that..Normal!

Yesterday, I spent about 12 hours setting up and scheduling interviews for authors on my other blog,  Thoughtful Reflections blogspot, that is dedicated to that purpose. It was a busy day answering phone calls and email.  Several of the calls were telemarketers (even though my phones are on the no call list), and I had a few that were having to do with the politicians running for office. 

One call was funny.  My house phone rang while I was busy working on an interview set-up.  I had my cell phone sitting near my house phone, and for some reason it didn't click that there was a call on it as well.  I answered the house phone, but I couldn't hear the person on the other line because of some loud music being picked up on it.  Finally, it dawned on me that a call had come in on my cell phone just about the time I answered the house phone.  I excused myself to the person on the house phone to see who was calling on the cell phone, and to tell them I would call them back.  Wouldn't you know it, it was a telemarketer!

One of the phone calls was from a reporter , Sarabeth Waller, who works for the Daily American Republic newspaper.  She did an interview over the phone for a newspaper article.  Once we began talking, I discovered that she lived where I once taught high school at East Carter County High School.  She had moved there a few years after I had moved to Georgia and began teaching at the college level.  Thank you Sarabeth for the interview.

Later in the day, I was in contact with Susan Robinson who is setting up an article on the book for the March/April issue of the Focus on Women Magazine.  That was exciting, at least to me, and it is and honor to have this article written. Thank you Susan.

Today I am trying to catch up all the interviews for other authors, work on getting preparations for the author reception that is scheduled for the 24th. of this month and do some mundane things like wash clothes.  I took a few days vacation, but I think I need to go back to work tomorrow so I can get some rest! :)

The Rocky Road of Coping with the Internet and Computers

Today was a fun day...not! (I picked up that expression from one of my students! :) )  I worked on getting my book trailer on my Authors' Den page with the biography.  I figured that out, but I had trouble with getting the poetry book, Pulse Points of a Woman's World video posted with the book.  I finally yelled "Uncle",  and asked for help.  I had a quick reply that they were going to try to help me. 

My anti-virus program somehow was changed when I purchased my new computer.  I had a subscription that did not expire until the end of 2013.  The message I received from my virus protection program said it expired in five days.  I called support, and by the time they got everything straightened out it took up more than an hour.   I am sure that you know that you must know what you have to go through with you call for support. 

First, the automated operator who gives you all sorts of numbers to select and push to get the correct extension.  Then, you are put on hold forever while you listen to music and all sorts of voice recordings before you finally get to speak to a person.  Finally, when you get to speak to real person, they thansfer you to another person who puts you on hold so that you can go through the entire process again.  Once you get the correct person, you must give them all the ID information once more before they can begin to help you.  I must admit there were times I just wanted to hang up and say forget it, but I hung it there like a trooper because it was important to get it all straightened out.

The next thing I dealt with was trying to get my book trailer for the poetry book, downloaded from YouTube so I could post it in with the "book" on my Authors' Den page. I had problems there, and that took up at least another hour or more.  Here again, I had to yell, "Uncle".  I contacted support, sent them a message about the problem I was having.  I received an email saying that a technical support person would try to help me with this problem. 

I checked and responded to all my email...as I could...because I have the new Internet Explorer and it takes fits of shutting down when you try to send an email.  However, I managed to get them all answered by closing IE, cleaning my temp files and finally rebooting my computer.  That was about 5 times today.  I really wish they would get this bug fixed. 

Can you believe it, I am still in a good mood!  These are just little pebbles that find their way in your pathway.  There really is no reason to let them become rocks or even boulders.  How was your day?

More updates to come!

Others Who Have Traveled the Rocky Road of Bladder Cancer

Here is why I want to help others, the victims of an underserved cancer in spite of its prevalence for being ranked #5 in the United States. 

In 2012, about 56,000 men and 18,000 women will be diagnosed with bladder cancer in the United States. There are approximately 600,000 survivors of this cancer in the United States.  There should be more, and could be if it was diagnosed early enough. 

You may think that you do not know anyone who has had bladder cancer.  Let us see if you know any of these people:

·       Frank Sinatra

·       Telly Savalas

·        Dominick Donne

·        Andy Williams

·        Jack Lemmon

·        Herbert Humphrey

·        Ray Bolger

·        Mary Lou Williams

·        Ronald Edward Santo

·        Aaron Russo

·        Allen Ludden

·        George Tobias

·        William Rosenberg

·        Jimmy Martin

·        Nick Charles

·        Bob Schieffer

·        Patti Hansen

·       Eric McCormack's mother

·       Tommy Newsom.

 Do you know of more?

There are definite risk factors for developing bladder cancer.  There are even occupations that are high-risk for this cancer.  Learn more about these on the American Bladder Cancer's Website at: http://www.bladdercancersupport.org./ 

If you do not buy my book, if you do not donate directly...pass this along..post on your facebook, tweet it, whatever site and wherever you interact with others. please share this information, post a link to the blog or to the ABLCS' webpage.  You never know who you may help...and please become informed yourself.

My sites:

Authors Den: http://www.authorsden.com/sylvialramsey1 

Original webpage:  www.sylvialramsey.com

My blogs: 

Traveling a Rocky Road with Love, Faith, and Guts,

 http://love-faith-and-guts.blogspot.com/

Thoughtful Reflections Blogspot

http://wwwthouhtfulreflections.blogspot.com/

My Amazon Author Central Page:

http://www.amazon.com/Sylvia-L-Ramsey/e/B002BMJ5NI/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

The Highs and Lows of the Rocky Road and Hanging on With Love, Faith and Guts

The paperback proof has arrived! This weekend will be spent going over it carefully looking for any errors.  The final look before it goes to press.  There are so many things yet to do and so little time.  The brain is in a foggy whirl and writing at this point is difficult to find the words.  I have planned, but there is so much yet to do.  This book and the others are of more importance to others than to me.  Who knows, it may even save a few if they read the book. 

Right now it is difficult to write for more reasons than the book.  One of my very dear friends is going through what I did with my first husband.  Another young person I know is facing so many hardships right now, and I cannot do anything but stand by and be there if they need me.

In both situations I feel empathy, but useless.  I am a doer and a fixer...I can do none of this...so, I wait until I can.

The Silent Muse

Silence surrounds the muse

    like the murky veil

    on a smoke-stained rose

   that enfolds a city’s dawn

   as the elegant words

   of pomp and circumstance

   are as voiceless

   as the cry of a city’s neon lights.

In agony, he craves respite

    from the tyranny  of a need 

   that makes him a wanton, helpless pawn

   that lures him tauntingly

   like a siren lures a ship

   toward the hidden craggy rocks

   on cold, rainy, foggy, nights.

Thus, taunts this siren

   tricking the mind

   with ghostly strains

   of lilting rhyme

   to entice the muse,

   causing the need to be stirred

   when the mind’s curtain is drawn

    to suffer silent, voiceless nights.

© Sylvia L. Ramsey 2005

Traveling a Rocky Road with Love, Faith and Guts, Another Update!

Recently, some new information about my bladder cancer was revealed.  I had always tried to find out why I had bladder cancer and no one on my side of the family that I knew of ever had any kind of cancer.  Well, that is a story in itself.  A few years ago, I receive a phone call from a lady who said she had been trying to find me.  At first, I thought that was very odd.  At least that was my first thought until she told me that we shared the same great-grandfather on my mother’s paternal side of the family.  She went on to tell me that her grandfather and my grandfather were brothers…more information!  I soon learned that there were a number of relatives that lived in another state.  Wow!  For a lot of people, that may not be too exciting, but for me it was. 

This past weekend, I called her to keep in touch and to get an update on everyone.  I was surprised to hear that her brother has bladder cancer.  She knew about my bladder cancer, so she decided to DNA test to see if she had the genetic marker for bladder cancer.  The results were positive, and she does have the gene strand.  Once I got off the telephone with her, I called my children to make them aware that they may also have the marker.  What I have learned that this gene strand was very possibly passed down from our great-grandfather.  How much farther back than him this gene strand may go we will never know because of what was known about cancer during his lifetime and earlier.  However, learning this information may prove to be vital to our children.  Being aware of the possibility is important, and if they choose they can have a DNA test just to be sure.

The birthing of the new book is almost here, and I wait with anxious anticipation.  I have been working on pages to add to my blog to prepare for its launch.  I have some scheduled interviews coming up, working on a booksigning tour, and a media kit.  I working on updates on my Author’s Den webpage, and I am out of the dark ages (I think!) because I now have Skype.  I haven’t quite worked out all the ways to use it, but I will…remember…I am persistent…and I persevere.  I will conquer Skype!
http://www.behance.net/gallery/A-Story-of-Faith-Survival-and-Perseverance/3004817

Exciting Day along the Rocky Road! Just have to Share!

This entire trip of sharing my story has been exciting, but I think today was one of the most exciting of all. I am still in a state of shock over what all took place.  If you read my bio, you know that I am a coordinator for an academic resource center.  That is a place that provides a variety of services for our college students such as library/research resources, tutoring, orientations for classes and a study area.  We have a company that provides printer kiosks which is WEPA™.  I have been interacting with one of their staff members, and I was apologizing because I had forgotten to email him back with some information.  I explained that I had been on the telephone with the publisher and Julie Weishaar, and with the publisher because of the book release coming up soon.   

On a whim, I put in the link to the book trailer.  It wasn’t long before I received an email back from him wanting to know more about the book.  I replied with a description of the book and about the book the book sales going to the American Bladder Cancer Society.  The next thing I knew, there was a reply from him saying that he “talked with Frank our CEO and we would be interested in helping you out with promoting your book.  We could run an add on all of the kiosks at GMC (screen saver).  Do you have a digital picture of the front of the book or all of the books?  I think that it is great what you are doing for ABLCS!  Please let me know if we can help in any other way.”  I was overwhelmed by that wonderful gesture.

Later that day, I received a request from Patricia Kubus to write a “blurb” for the back cover of her soon to be released book that is the last in her Amanda Series.  I really didn’t know what to say.  Again, I was overwhelmed.  I wanted to do it because she also donates to a foundation that is for a very good cause.  Finally, I put together something that I thought may relate to her book and the reason she wrote it.  The funny thing about this is that after she sent it to her editor/publisher, the person wrote back with this request, “Before I do that though, I would need to know who the quote at the beginning is by (starting with “The truth is that life is harsh…”) If those words belong to someone, it’s important that we cite that person.” I had a good laugh over that because it was part of the “blurb” I had written for her and I thought I had set it up so that was very clear.  However, I took it as quite a compliment as well. 

That wasn’t the end of the wonderful surprises.  Later, I found out that Julie had nominated me for Todays Honoree at http://www.todayshonoree.com/.  I blush when I think of all the wonderful things she said about me, and I wonder if I know the person she described. 

I am getting emails from people telling me they love the book trailer, and the fact that I give the money from the book sales to the American Bladder Cancer society.  Emails are coming in to tell me to let them know when the book is available for purchase. 

I do believe this has been one of the best days of my life…except that is, for the day I married Tom.  

Stay tuned for updates!

http://www.behance.net/gallery/A-Story-of-Faith-Survival-and-Perseverance/3004817

The Waiting for the Birth of Traveling a Rocky Road with Love, Faith and Guts

I anxiously await the publisher to provide the custom interior samples, and the sample cover designs.  One of my faults is to have patience when waiting on others.  I have made contact with the person who is going to create my book trailer.  I am looking at ways to market the book.  I hope other bloggers will give me a chance to be interviewed on their blogs, and bookstores will let me schedule book signings.   However, for the most part I sit and wait, anticipating the results.  This is a nerve racking as my first book. I have bared my soul hoping that it will be of some help to others to know they are not alone, and giving up is not an option.  Living is too important. If anyone knows, it is me.

 Leave me some comments, feedback, remarks or even ask some questions for me to answer to help me pass this time. 

A Lesson on Being Prepared, and on Love and Faith

I had a few more small rocks tossed on my path yesterday.  I was working on my blogs, and on my book, when my computer crashed.  Thank goodness, I had my document files backed up, except for the ones I was working on at the time.  My son worked the rest of the day trying to get it to boot enough to retrieve any necessary, and as usual there was an angel to save me.  He had the guts to do whatever it took, and the perserverance to not give up.   Finally, after several hours of trial and error working it, he was able to get it to boot up, and even though all the programs were gone, my document files were in place.  I backed them up on my exterior storage, and just for extra safety, I emailed my book files to myself. 

My dear husband, Tom, ordered a new one for me this morning while I was at work.  It will be a few days before it arrives, and will be this weekend before I can get it up and running.  Sometimes, the love of someone else, and maintaining faith will pull you through some rough spots. 

“Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.” ~ Voltaire

 “Faith makes all things possible.... love makes all things easy.” ~ Unknown

Another Excerpt from Traveling a Rocky Road with Love, Faith and Guts, How I became a DJ in 1967

The excerpt begins right after I had moved back to a small town in Southeast Missouri, and was in the middle of divorce proceedings. This was in 1967, and there were not many women in broadcasting at that time.  Few people know that I was one of the first DJ’s on the air.  It begins like this:

I found a job at Montgomery Ward’s as the Head of the Fashion Accessories Department.  Again, I was working forty-five to forty-eight hours a week, but this time I made sixty-five dollars a week.  This was in the late sixties, and the world for women was still very limited when it came to jobs and pay.

It was a time when men were paid more for the same position.  The men who were heads of department made a little over one hundred dollars.  I really did not think that was fair.  I was the head of my household, I had children and I was stuck with the bills incurred while I was married, and the money was tight.  The manager who hired me said that I would get a raise in six months, when six months passed I had not received a raise.  Finally, I made an appointment to talk to the manager about it.  He laughed at me.  I told him that I really needed to make more money because of my situation.  His response was, “Why don’t you get a part-time job as a carhop.”  To say the least, I was appalled.  However, I had no recourse because there was no such thing as gender discrimination at that time. 

Just before I had gone to the manager to ask about my raise, the marketing director had asked me to make some radio commercials for them.  There was at a radio station, KWOC, in the little shopping center where Ward’s was located.  I made several commercials, and one day while I was there, I overheard they needed a DJ for the Sunday night show.  I asked the DJ who had been working in the sound room helping to record the commercials about the position.  He said it was four hours and the pay was twenty-five dollars.  I wanted that job.  I went to the manager of the radio station, and told him I wanted the job.  I know he did not take me seriously because in those days, it was a man’s world.  He told me to “go get one of the guys to make a demo tape, and he would listen to it.”

I immediately went to the recording room, and snagged the DJ who had worked with me on the commercials.  I told him the boss had told me to make a demo tape, and I asked if he would help.  I made the tape, and returned to work at Wards. 

The next morning before I went to work, I stopped in at the radio station, and asked the manager if he had listened to the tape.  He said he had not but he would try to get around to it that day.  I went back after lunch, but I got the same response.  I returned the next morning, same answer.  I returned on my lunch hour and after work.  After doing this for about three days, he was really getting tired of seeing my face.  This time when I arrived at his door, he said, “You really want this job, don’t you.” I said that I did.  He said, “Oh well, show up Sunday evening for work.”  

On Sunday, I was early.  The DJ that was finishing his shift sat me down at the microphone.  He showed me the log, how to work the cassette tape for commercials, and the eight tracks for station ID’s.  He said I had to pull my own records for the show, and I had to go up front to get the AP news that came out on log sheets off the teletype machine.  I had to edit this to make a news broadcast.  He took me back to the microphone.  He said that if I flipped the switch to the left, I was on the air, and when it was straight, I was off.  There were three turntables.  One was for the FM, and that one used 331/3 records.  The other two were for the AM broadcasting, and would be the ones I used for the live show.  He told me to stick to middle of the road music.  He said I was to take phone calls for requests.  All this was done in a matter of minutes, and then he walked out of the room and said, “It’s your show, baby!” 

It was my show and it was called, Easy Listening with LaVon!  I was excited, but I was also filled with fear. 

What happened  that first night on the air and later, is the rest of the story.  You will have to read the book to know the outcome.  It is funny, embarrassing and even scary!

More about the birth and author of The Rocky Road

I have been so fortunate to have the guardian angels in my life.  They have always been there in my darkest hour, and when I needed one the most.  They have walked beside me, helped me to maintain faith and belief in myself as well as in others.  I have learned that giving is much more rewarding than receiving. 

My life reminds me of Robert Frost’s poem, The Road Not Taken, in the line: “Two roads diverged into a wood, and I took the one less traveled, and that has made all the difference.”  I will always remember what my elementary teacher wrote in my scrapbook, “Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone.”  This book is not about crying, it is about getting knocked down by boulders, and standing in spite of them to go forward. 

Dr. Aman Kay, who is an internationally published author, has been helping me with this book by reviewing it.  He is the one who is responsible for my poetry that has been sprinkled throughout the book.  This poetry has all been published either in my book, Pulse Points of a Woman’s World, or in various literary magazines.  It is poetry that is written from the heart and soul, and was the only way I could express my feelings.  I once had an instructor who asked me to explain poetry.  I told him that it was much the same as an artist who paints what he or she sees and feels.  The difference is that the poet uses words to paint the minds pictures rather than oil paints, watercolor or some other medium.