Over the last few weeks, I’ve been what many would call “homebound” and “bedridden”, but I refuse to completely succumb to those necessary terms for medical and insurance purposes. I’m also a feisty, certified,  life transition coach on wheels armed with wit and a “chipped glass filled to overflowing” view of my life and yours. Life is never perfect, but it can so be filled to overflowing with good things to sustain you. Even from bed with legs propped up, I am growing and nurturing a thriving motivational, educational business. To me, “home-bound” sounds like I’m tied to the bed like some dastardly, handlebar mustachioed villain has me, the damsel in distress, captured at the railroad tracks. Not true! I’m unable to get out and about independently right now due to a temporary chronic illness that will surely flair up again at some point, but I’ll deal with it when it does. For now, I deal in powerful self-healing. My prescribed position is that I lie in bed with legs propped up to stimulate healing circulation through my legs. In truth, I’m on temporary leave from the usual routine of being “on a roll”. The term “bedridden” conjures images of a mattress with a maniacal face and clawed fists bearing down on me. In fact, I am really “bedriding”! (Copyrighted term 2009 by Monica J. Foster. All rights reserved.) Uh uh! I saw you trying to get at that term. No, no, no. Don’t touch it. Just read. Part of my healing process is going to be about turning the concept of being bedridden on it’s ear, taking control of my wellness in an active and humorous way. I’m like a cowgirl bedriding the range of health statuses, ready to wrangle full body and spiritual well-being to the ground. Yee-haw! I am riding the wave of wellness on TOP of the mattress, not beneath it cowering and smothered by fear of the unknown. Sure, I’m afraid and upset by all of this some days, but fear isn’t a stopping point. Fear is my open opportunity to lasso strength and wellness for myself and others around me. I will not crawl under the bed and cower in fear. Hmmm, I wonder if that’s where my other sock is? Anyway, I am riding as high as possible (without pain pills, thanks) with my mind firmly knotted in the reins and a whip to keep it in line if I have my way. Does all this bed rest annoy me? YES! I’d much rather be rolling down steep ramps to feel the wind in my face, networking or out with friends. Until then, I’m bedriding, attempting to buck the stale, conventional images of ill, having as much fun as possible to spite the...

Hello, and welcome to my blog! I hope you find many things from this blog. I won’t be just writing about life with a disability, although my life IS colored by my disability experience. Yes, I am a vibrant amputee on wheels, the wife of stroke survivor, the daughter of a disabled veteran and a retired educator who deals with chronic pain and illness. Still, that’s not what I’m all about and I want you to see that about yourself as well. You are more than a person with a disability, chronic or mental illness diagnosis. You are more than a disabled veteran. You are more than the service provider, caregiver or loved one of any of these people. We are more than our various diagnoses and labels, right? So, while I will discuss advocacy tips, share motivational passages and ideas to keep you going, celebrate milestones in disability and mental healthy advocacy and lament how far we have still to go, I will also share my perspective on every day things in my world that I hope you’ll find educational, inspiring, thought-provoking, annoying to the point of action, and so much more. Would you like to link back to my blog or quote something in your articles and journals? Just ask first and attribute appropriately, please. Would you like to be a guest blogger or have me be a guest blogger on your blog? I’d love to! Let’s talk more about what you’re looking for. So, again I say welcome! And thank you for reading and sharing my posts so that others can experience what you have as I share with you my perspective, ideas and experiences living a life beyond...