What are you most proud of?

For me, one of the things I'm most proud of in my health journey is learning to actually listen to my body and not push through things just for the sake of being productive. It took a long time to unlearn the idea that rest equals laziness. Now, setting boundaries and prioritizing sleep and mental well-being feels like a real accomplishment. It’s not always easy, but it’s made a big difference.

I am proud to have been with Social Health Network since it was WEGO! I am so thrilled I have taken the Class two years in a row, and both times, I earned my certification! I also went to Capitol Hill as a Platinum Ambassador with the Arthritis Foundation for the Summit on the Hill. I spoke with my representative, who is now retired. He actually cried when I told him my health journey. I am a published author! I have written and published two poetry books. I also have the first book of a series about my personal health and life journey. I am finishing up my 3rd poetry book to be published within the next month. I am working on my second book in the series of my personal ongoing journey with RA, Lupus, Skogren's, Osteoarthritis, and Osteoporosis. It includes the two heart attacks I have had. My first one was when I was 40. The second one was when I was 50. I am so proud of the many years of advocacy and volunteer "work" I have done and continue to do.

Hi to make an impact on a person's life. Give hope most of them in rural areas are knock down over and over and we don't have sources and preciledges like people in Cities and with money and cars etc. I will fight with my last breath for equal civil rights.

As Co-Founder of The Shane Foundation, (maternal fetal health advocacy) I am most proud that my patient education proposal to the ACOG Council in 2018 resulted in the creation of the ACOG AIM "Urgent Maternal Warning Signs" program and the "CDC Hear Her" program. Both of these programs educate women to become "their own first line of defense" in recognizing and reporting critical symptoms which potentially indicate conditions responsible for the leading causes of maternal death.

The three leading causes of US maternal deaths are preeclampsia, cardiovascular disease and VTE. The Shane Foundation website, (shanefoundation.org) addresses all three with special focus on VTE (which can be related to the other two).
The website presents a "visual-learning" pogram enabling ALL women, regardless of their level of education, to understand these complex medical issues.