A Cacophony of Life

While aspects of the world experience COVID-19 illness and death,
the croaks of a thousand newly-hatched tree frogs eager for the life that awaits them and
the honks of a gaggle of geese glad for the return to the comfort of their summer environs,
remind me that also around the globe new life emerges and
there will be a grateful return to the comfort of familiar life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LRqqvhe7Gk

“We do what we must” is the motto of the 2019 Coraggio Spirit Award recipient. “Assuming this is my one life and one chance to fight for it, so I must keep trying.” is her message. “I must keep trying.” is a foundation of the Coraggio theme to take charge of any aspect of a dire situation. With 5 intubations for breathing and 8 weeks of hospitalization because of myasthenia already this year, Ashley uses humor and positive messages in Facebook posts or with those she meets. For her courageous determination do what she must to take charge for her one life and one chance to fight for it, Ashley Cotten is awarded MG-MI’s 2019 Coraggio spirit award!

Drum roll please…the 2018 Coraggio Spirit Award is bestowed to Brandie DeHaan, for her courage to advocate for herself and for others.

She displayed the courage to step up and to continue asking questions until correctly diagnosed and again used courage to step up until she found a treatment that worked for her. When no longer able to serve others as an EMS worker, she turned her passion for helping others into serving her family of eight and other MG patients.  Grazie for your inspiration Brandie!

                  Coraggio 2018 Spirit Award

I give gratitude for the God-given inspiration for the Coraggio book series

and for the men and women I have met along the Coraggio presentation paths

who have taught me enormously about courage, faith, and hope.

                 Coraggio Presentation Photos

I am humbled and strengthened by their valor.

This Thanksgiving weekend I reflect on the 11 months since the surgery to fix my knee prosthesis. I give gratitude to the health professionals who performed a successful surgery and without narcotics.

I thank the family and friends who cared for me through recovery; their love made all the amazing events since then more meaningful. I am grateful to God that I breathe and walk today, for I know these are miracles.

If ever there was a person who embodied courage despite a seemingly hopeless situation, it is Marilyn Andersen.  

Myasthenia gravis caused weakness in her diaphragm to the extent she was hospitalized and needed a ventilator to assist with breathing. Despite being told she would need a ventilator for the rest of her life Marilyn never gave up her determination to return home and to 100% of the activities that brought joy to her life.  When a visiting nurse told her about a “diaphragm pacer” she didn’t stop until she met with the inventor-surgeon at Cleveland Clinic and convinced him to use it on the first MG patient ever!

Marilyn turned her gratitude for the success of the diaphragm pacer into motivation to tell as many people as possible about the device which acts similar to a pacemaker and stimulates her weakened diaphragm so that the ventilator is not necessary.

The demonstration of Coraggio spirit, to bravely take charge of the aspects of a dire situation you can control, to maintain an attitude of joy and gratitude, and to believe that you can live a positive and fulfilling life, makes Marilyn Andersen a truly remarkable recipient of the 2017 Coraggio Spirit Award.

2017 Coraggio Spirit Award Winner Marilyn Anderson, with Lisa, at the MG-MI Annual Conference in East Lansing

Marilyn with diaphragm pacemaker device-No more ventilator!

Celebrating a new www.WithCourageICan.com website in time to honor Mother’s Day and the inspirational examples of courage my Nonna, Mother, and Nagymama showed me. Those lessons formed the Coraggio Book Series theme: Be Happy ~ Be Healthy ~ Take Charge of Your Attitude ~ Take Charge of Your Health ~ Have No Excuses ~ Have a Gratitude Attitude.

Check out the 30 to 60 second videos for each of the books and a 5^th as overview of the Coraggio message. http://www.withcourageican.com/about/  I humbly ask: Would you share the WithCourageICan.com website with friends and those you believe might need a dose of Coraggio inspiration and hope? Would you like this page if you haven’t already? http://www.withcourageican.com/about/

Mille grazie to http://soandco.net/ Digital for exhibiting its mission of passion to foster a society of harmony through web design, and to https://innersunrise.com/ for the web designer referral as well as for tools for tranquility while moving throughout the website build.

Enjoy a cup of hot tea and Coraggio! Inspiration at the Cadillac Authors’ Luncheon

March 4, 2017

As with Spring comes renewal: thank you to Tepel Brothers Printers for the visionary renovation of the Coraggio Book 4 cover texture and coil; to Devereaux Beauchaine for colors that POP like spring growth, and to Harriet Tepel, Martha Harper, and Amy Roberge, for the invigorating cover unveiling celebration!

May the new Coraggio Book 4 bring Hope to this season of Promise and inspire those who hear the six Coraggio talks now through April.  check out the dates and locations on this website’s home page for a talk near you!

Myasthenia Gravis Awareness month came on the heels of grieving my dear Papa’s passing.  A minor flare in symptoms served as a good reminder of the mind-body connection.  Even though I am consoled by the blessings through his life and his last days, with recognition of facial muscle weakness and inability to draw a deep breath, I made a conscious effort to say out loud each morning and before sleeping,

        “I am well, I am well…All is Well”.

As I affirm that I love every working muscle and every muscle needing a little encouragement, wellness settles into body and soul.

With only four days left of MG Awareness month, I invite you to “Like” the Facebook “Coraggio—Lesson from an Italian Grandmother” page, and while there grab some courage and join me in shouting, “With Courage I Can!”