Grateful to Report So Much Healing

My friend Karen invited me to ride the bike path along the Little Miami River a few times and we are getting so conditioned that we can easily ride 15 miles now, which is just a beautiful time to be in nature and talk while pedaling along and moving my body! I’m developing habits of daily self care and my health in every aspect is becoming stronger! 

My friend Doni joined me for my first ever yoga classes where physical flexibility and slowing down my mind were welcomed as I consider this new rhythm. Loved the class and got to enjoy it outside at Sun Sprouts, the newer organic cafe in Corwin, OH along the Little Miami bike path. 

My goal this month is to love myself well and take care of Tricia. It’s been well over 7 years since I had a massage so I decided it was time! In fact, I’m scheduling one a month and taking advantage of this local masseuse.  A friend recommended this Waynesville, OH, Nature’s Edge Wellness and Spa where the owner, Amy, provided my 1.5 hour long relaxing massage! 

Then to my absolute surprise, my bestie, Liz, and her family who grow these beautiful flowers and sell them at, Under The Pines Flower Farm, in Springboro, OH threw me a surprise birthday party with Tricia friendly food including dark, delicious brownies made with avocados! Feeling the love all around me! God is so good! They even had several friends and family members send in a birthday wish videos and messages to me which was touching. Thanks to everyone who participated!

I’ve had much needed solo riding at John Bryan Mountain Bike Trails, too, where I talked to God the whole time as I took in His beauty. I let the sun warm my face as I paused on my favorite trail, Frankenlight! Grateful for these precious Jesus moments of acknowledging the life He has given me. 

Last week I finished trimming the branches on the spruce trees and removed vines and some weeds using my beloved chain saw and trimmer. Other than a little poison ivy breaking out on my back and tummy from crawling under the trees, I had perfect weather and a little helper who worked very hard helping me collect branches!

After trimming the trees, I had a literal blast by power washing my sidewalks and driveway! It’s a retired hygienists dream job! Plus it looked so amazing when it was finished! 

It seems that I have more info in my blog entries about my day-to-day life and travels vs cancer stories, which is such a blessing to say that I can actually do that…and I am most grateful to say that there haven’t been any major complications with my journey with breast cancer to report of late. Yes, I still receive my every 3 week infusions that are going easily. 

Out of the blue 2 weeks ago I did receive an email from my oncologist’s office informing me that the Signatura blood test I had done back in August to check for traces of cancer DNA that might be detected in my bloodstream came back and I am praising God that it was NEGATIVE just like every PET scan I’ve had for the past two years has shown NED (no evidence of disease). While this doesn’t prove to the doctors that I’m completely free of cancer, I see it as a gift of mercy and encouragement from the Lord. Each clear result is a reminder to keep trusting Him, living fully, keeping my life stress free and giving thanks for the blessings of today. “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)

In my recent blog posts, I shared about the relational work that I am committed to doing and will spend hours doing every day that which fuels my body, mind and spirit. Being at home alone this past month has provided the exact sanctuary I’ve needed. It has allowed me to rest in a sacred space of my own, where I can play worship music loudly, do yoga in the living room, sit down and listen to podcasts or teaching videos, engage in somatic breath work, journal and read without interruption or navigating conversations I’m not prepared for or willing to engage in quite yet. One of the most interesting modalities I have been learning about, besides EMDR, is one called IFS and I had never heard of these modalities until recently. I’m so grateful to have discovered them and have found practitioners that work with me where I can better protect myself in my mind, heart, body and spirit in a way that doesn’t allow injury by others. I am open to learning new skills, I’m developing much stronger boundaries, and choose to reframe that which I allow to affect me. As I learn how to have healthier boundaries, I may not always get it right so I’m learning to give myself grace as I grow this new muscle.

I learned that one of the yoga teachers I joined this last month has a no-profit called Hope Wanders. The owner, Jess, raises funding for women in difficult situations to provide outdoor adventurous experiences at no cost to them. I was able to join them on a fundraising kayaking trip down the Great Miami River which felt wonderful to get on the water for the first time this year! I love that there’s a local organization I can participate in to help others and utilize my strengths and personal interests like paddling, hiking and camping. Finding purpose again in serving others my own way is very important to me and these last many months I’ve not been in the best heart or head space to be able to do it. So as I heal, I see that my capacity to give back and serve others is finding space in my life again and for that I’m so grateful!

My friend Liz’s daughter, Zoey turned 13 this month and she had a smash up of a party with family and friends where her parents honored her as a beautiful daughter of God. With my Italian heritage and love for cooking they asked me to make homemade, from scratch fettuccine Alfredo, so with my favorite Italian jams playing, we made 7 lbs of fettuccine and made the most yummy Alfredo sauce with a pinch of nutmeg as the not so secret ingredient! Sadly since the ingredients are basically heavy cream, butter, Parmesan and spices, its enjoyment was by others and not me because of my food preferences…but I admittedly had to taste it as I made it and that teaspoon of sauce was buono gustoso!!! 

Fall is absolutely my favorite time of year and while in the past, I have thoroughly enjoyed making wreaths with my friend Linda in Wyoming, this year I got to enjoy the arranging of beautiful dried flowers from Liz‘s farm Under the Pines flower farm where we arranged several of these beautiful wreaths, including zinnia, gumphrena, sweet Annie, and a number of other treasures from their gardens! 

For the later part of this blog I joined my beautiful adult kids with their significant others in Florida for a birthday celebration because I made it another trip around the calendar and this year I turned 59 on September 29th! My time with them this week was so loving and peaceful and thankfully the Florida weather was more enjoyable as we start entering into the highs being a cooler mid 80 degrees! I have discovered my favorite legal delicious cake that they made for my birthday. The “1” candle meant I’m 1 year away from 60!!! Looks much more friendly than 59!!!

While in Florida, I had the purest joy of babysitting my grandkids!!! The gratitude goes very deep around this issue and I’m so thankful my daughter ands son-in-law allow me this gift of time! 

Today, Friday, October 3 marks a most special moment as it’s my eldest’s birthday. Then after another infusion it’s the beginning of checkmarking another bucket list item off my long list. Immediately following today’s treatment I’m driving to Niagara Falls en route to northern Vermont for a fall foliage leaf peeping girl’s trip!! 

G

R

A

T

E

F

U

L

Welcome to Class called Life, Your Teacher this Year is….

I’m profoundly grateful for all the resources God has provided me as I continue to navigate my mental, emotional, and physical healing. Since February 2025, my world has been turned upside down. In the past eight months, I’ve spent less than a total of three weeks in my own home, choosing instead to protect my heart and mind by living elsewhere as I sought God's guidance. I am deeply thankful to everyone who graciously opened their homes to me—your generosity has carried me. To all of you…thank you! You know who you are.💝

And as much as I needed space, I also need home. I now need to sleep in my own bed, cook in my own kitchen, soak in my own bathtub, ring my Gratitude Bell, put groceries in my refrigerator, and find rest in the sanctuary of my own space. Until someone experiences that level of displacement, it’s hard to understand and explain all the effects of separation. Now, after months of building stronger boundaries and leaning deeply on God’s wisdom, I am able to be back home with emotional protections in place.

As Dr. Gabor Maté so eloquently explained, "Trauma is a harsh teacher, but it is a teacher." While I wouldn’t choose this road, it has shown me the depths of vulnerability, resilience, and needed growth. I’m learning to live more fully in God’s presence.

My Healing Journey

In these months, I’ve learned more about myself than ever before. I’ve read books, listened to podcasts, and discovered healing modalities I never knew existed. Anchors for me right now: EMDR, somatic breath work, my personal meditation, tai chi, Christian counseling, two-way journaling, and travel to restorative places. I’m also nourishing my body through healthy food, movement, and rest. I’m doing everything I can possibly think of to get my life back to a place of homeostasis.

Through it all, one thing is clear: God IS leading me. He is the One who meets my needs, loves me well, and fills me with His joy. He is enough. I am enough. He delights in me exactly as I am. I no longer need to fight to be understood, prove my innocence, or defend my reputation. God knows my heart and intentions. He sees me more clearly than I see myself. I’m the daughter of the Most High King! I’m the mirror image of His Son and Christ in me is who my Father sees. He was with me in the beginning, He will be with me in the end, and He is with me now, in the middle.

Summer Adventures & Everyday Joys

These past weeks have brought many sweet moments. I traveled to see my little loves—my favorite little people—and soaked up that inexplicable joy!

I also spent time with my “chocolate family” in Miami from The Conscious Bar. I tasted a freshly roasted cacao bean, was gifted generous chocolate bars by Yaniv (the owner), and sampled a potential new limited-edition flavor. Then I was “transported” to Venezuela and Guatemala as the young men cooked authentic meals for their visiting family—loud salsa music, laughter, and late-night tacos included.

Coming back to Ohio on August 31 was bittersweet. September will be a season of being home alone—and that has been a good thing. It’s also the time of year when John and I traditionally went to our most sacred place on earth: Quetico Provincial Park in Canada. This year, he went alone for three weeks while I stayed home. I have grieved that deeply—because in my mind it should have been an “us” trip. But I trust that God gives each of us what we need: for John, solitude in Quetico; for me, restoration at home. After many tears, I’m truly at peace.

My days begin with gratitude. Breakfast is often a New Trician Bowl—an açaí base layered with fruit, nuts, seeds, grains, honey, and cinnamon. I’ve started tai chi and considering yoga. Physical labor brings me surprising joy—like using my little battery-powered chain saw to clear vines from our pine trees and Fall prepping with 45 bags of mulch! 

I’m grateful for friends and family who ride bikes with me, walk with me, call to check in, and offer to travel alongside me. Life at home right now is quieter, simpler, and rooted in gratitude.

Lessons in Trauma & Gratitude

On Friday, September 12th, after my infusion, I stopped by my favorite bakery—Dan the Baker in Columbus—for my regular stash of organic sourdough. 

On the drive home, I saw an enormous American flag flying at half-mast. Its weight hit me hard. Like millions of others, I’m grieving for the family and friends of Charlie Kirk. I’m grateful for his bold witness of faith in God, and like Charlie, I pray that all would come to know Jesus personally, regardless of background or political persuasion. I have listened to so many videos of his in the past few days and this one I feel represents what he would want everyone to hear more than anything. This is why Charlie Kirk has captured my heart and so many others. It is not a battle against flesh and blood…

Finally, in this wily season I’m experiencing, a phrase God gave me recently steadies me most:

God was with me in the beginning. He will be with me at the end. And He absolutely IS with me in the middle. And because of Him, I can keep walking forward—more healed and more whole.

Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, Lake Tahoe

These past three weeks I had the joy of so many places thanks to my son, Alex, who asks me to spend time with his daughter, Charlotte every summer so she can experience her “American grandma”! I started out by flying to Reno and met up with Alex, Azure and Charlotte. Alex took us over the Pass to Lake Tahoe where the water is clear blue as deep as one can see!!!!!! We jet skied and tubed!!! Charlotte squealed with the thrill of it all!    

Then Charlotte and I went to Yellowstone National Park and saw the geysers, big game in Lamar Valley, thermal features, Yellowstone Falls at sunrise, stayed at the famous Old Faithful Inn, took a 1926 bus tour around Firehole Basin and rode a stagecoach to a cowboy cookout! We had a blast! Unforgettable, and seeing God’s nature on display in such magnificence brought me to tears a couple times especially Yellowstone Falls!!!

 

 

    

As we headed out of Yellowstone Park, we drive immediately into Grand Teton National Park! 

Signal Mountain

Charlotte’s growing up to be a sweet young lady! Loved every minute with her! She likes to tease and had me thinking my rental car was beeping somewhere and 30 minutes later she confessed it was her pressing a button on her Apple Air Tag!! Oh she belly laughed for a long time when I realized how she “got me”!!

Thankfully the only bear we encountered!

Iconic Jackson, WY photo on the town square with elk antler arches on each corner!

While we had the privilege of staying with dear friends in Jackson, I also got to meet up with an old friend from over 25 years ago, Margaret! I love how with some friends, time changes nothing but the color of our hair and aging of our bodies but the love and friendship remains strong!

My dear friends we stayed with took us whitewater rafting and we floated down the Snake River. We hiked and went to Granite Falls where the water was so frigid that I couldn’t stand in it for 10 seconds without my feet hurting unbearably!!

We ended the trip back in San Francisco where Alex and family took me out to a fancy dinner and we said our goodbyes probably for another year!! What a blessing on many levels. 

This says it all!

As for my personal journey right now, I’ll refrain from sharing anything in this blog, but trust that God is at the helm!