Hello to all! Happy belated Canada Day to my Canadian friends, and Happy Independence Day to my fellow Americans! I’m enjoying the extended holiday weekend, and I hope you are all doing the same!

On this July 4, I will be grateful not only for the opportunities afforded to me as an American citizen, but for a gradual return to good health after an extended period of illness. Since June 10, I’ve been battling severe bronchitis, likely the result of a virus that invaded my system in the waning days of the school year and then evolved into a bacterial infection. For many people, a bout of bronchitis is a temporary inconvenience, but for an asthma sufferer like me, it can be a significant threat to one’s health. My asthma has indeed been exacerbated during the last 3+ weeks, and the constant coughing and wheezing has been uncomfortable and, at times, downright scary! At one point, I was sure that I’d even fractured a rib from coughing–though fortunately, an x-ray showed it was merely bruised. After the first course of antibiotics, I tried returning to my normal activities, but unfortunately the bronchitis wasn’t through with me yet. It took another course of azithromycin (the “z-pack”), two courses of oral prednisone, countless puffs of albuterol, almost a full bottle of honey (nature’s cough syrup), and many more days of rest and recuperation before I started to feel as though I was finally on the mend. The hardest part for me has been having to take a hiatus from my exercise regimen while my lungs recover. I love to jog and lift weights and have been doing this several days a week throughout the last year, but was told by my doctor that exercise could be counterproductive (and even dangerous) right now. I hope to be able to return to these things soon–but I’ve learned my lesson that rushing things is not the answer in this case.

I created “Bring Healing” in my current journal recently as a way of dealing with the slow process of healing, and used magazine images, old book pages, patterned paper, cardstock, ephemera, pens, and my vintage typewriter. I found that making this page and working on other art projects has brought me great comfort as I’ve struggled with the feelings of sadness and frustration that often accompany illness.

I hope you all have a great weekend! Enjoy the fireworks and other festivities!