I was flipping through the pages of one of my favorite fashion magazines at the nail salon while my feet were soaking preparing for a relaxing lavender and vanilla spa pedicure. I enjoy any style and beauty magazine especially when I can indulge in my monthly Virgo horoscope. This particular early Sunday morning, I was so taken back when I read my May 2023 horoscope!  It described with such precision how I have felt for almost two years since taking so ill with severe covid pneumonia and respiratory failure (with a blood oxygen level of 74) all while being in the thick of menopause. At that lowest point, I was not prepared for how the task of surviving would take center stage. Breath is the power of life and without it all bets are off!

To quote this horoscope "the pandemic clipped your wings, but it is now time to soar." Tears filled my eyes because in all of this time I could not find the right words to describe how I was feeling (deflated, defeated and broken were a few). I wanted to write a post about this personal experience much sooner but every time I tried it was pure "writer's block." There was so much I wanted to share yet I just wasn't able to find the right phrase.

Currently dealing with many long covid side effects and the rollercoaster yellow brick road of menopause it felt like this horoscope was meant just for me to read at this specific moment when I got my wings back.

I will not bore you with the traumatic details since my mindset is all about now and not "before I got sick" or "after I got sick" which is how I was referencing everything in my life. But I will tell you I was on high-flow oxygen (the final stage before a ventilator) and went into the hospital at 115 pounds, came home weighing 93 pounds. My physical therapy started immediately since I was on at-home oxygen for a long while and could not walk nor sit or stand to brush my teeth and we won't get into trying to shower (my hubby took very good care of me and if it wasn't' for him I am not sure I would have pulled through). None of this could be understood because days before I was admitted in the hospital, I was a healthy woman who always took care of myself and even walked 10,000 steps daily in the park to aid with menopause symptoms. I replayed over and over again in my mind my amazing team of doctors advising me that if I recovered, I had a very long recovery, but I could have never prepared for the daunting navigation of my journey back to health.

As with my fashion and beauty blogging, I write this to be a source of inspiration. Motivation for anyone struggling with health issues or processing painful life experiences that force you to dig deep, use all of your potential resources and find that inner mental and physical strength that is within you. You may even shock yourself and what you find at your core level. Be kind to your mind and your body, be patient with yourself, trust that your body will heal with your faith and strength at its own pace. You are stronger than you think! 

There's no rush...take your time in your comeback ("a setback is a setup for a comeback"). Leave yesterday behind and concentrate only on right now. If you are having a bad day know that tomorrow will come, and you can try again then start to challenge yourself with each day. I acquired this knowledge over the past two years and made it my mantra and not only am I physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually stronger than ever, but my wings grew back with a much wider wingspan.