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MOVING FORWARD INTO 2021 I Will Make It Sparkle

LOU LOU LIVING

Written by Pamela Dalseno

Pamela Dalseno

Founder at Lou Lou Living

As 2021 has unfolded into the New Year It is perhaps ahead that our focus is a little hazy if truth be known and admitted.

My year 2020 saw me spend a great deal of time in isolation and not because of Covid-19 but due to my own personal struggle with health which does need me to be wary because of my low immunity having an auto immune disease which can be such a balance of struggling between the ups of good healthy feeling days and the down of low unwell days. I wonder how you have begun this challenging New Year 2021.

Life has been uncertain with Covid-19 amongst all of us and how it has changed our lives is surely for us to realise how special and loved we really are each and every day. We need to LOVE each other so we are able to keep stepping to find our way through this new way of life with the pandemic.

During the latter quarter of 2020 my own health declined and saw me undergoing a second knee replacement which is major surgery and recovery. The grinding of bone on bone pain and the difficulty of mobility could no longer be tolerated and although I knew of the added complications of a debilitating immune disease it was a choice I knew I needed to brave up to endure and take the chance for a better improved future. Let me assure you reading this it is no easy feat and an extremely emotional painful recovery of personal endurance. I do know you experience much thinking time and whilst exercising, resting and recovering I viewed what was happening around our world. Sadly I watched the world around me struggling with the growing concern and escalating with the Virus Covid-19 across our globe. I felt so grateful that I lived in North Queensland, Australia where we have been barely touched by the harshness that our southern states had to conform to with restrictions implemented to cope with the spread to find manageable recovery. Meanwhile I was looking on how the world was suffering and it was difficult to believe of such tragedy.

Just the same I was cautious with hygiene and social distancing as required and I did feel the isolation because of my own difficulties and my only outings were to medical assessments with GP’s, Surgeon, Pathology, X Rays and the wonderful Team of Physio Therapists at the Private Hospital Rehabilitation where of course all was strict with the protocol required. I’ve moved forward to private physio therapy and grateful that I can do these visits without problem. These people became my world outside of my isolation as it was important to not contract infection. My husband during this time of my recovering still helps to care for me. I make sure I keep promise that ahead I’ll be doing as what is written on the sign in my kitchen -This Kitchen is made for Dancing.

Some days I couldn’t cope to look at News Reports and see and feel the fear that was present with our fellow Australians that they were living with and of course the rest of the World and how they were coping or rather not coping. Lives had changed around the Globe. I just didn’t wish to think about the pain and losses of human life and how that was spiralling. It just was unbelievable. I held my own hope that the brave medical professionals and families of loved ones lost would adapt and cope with their new life forward. I know this was and still is felt by all of us.

Here I was now celebrating my 70th year of life when the world around me was reducing in huge numbers every day. To say I felt blessed is an understatement as I have now had opportunity of two artificial knees and whilst I am still struggling with healing I still consider myself very fortunate and know with time and my own effort of rehabilitation I will eventually be able to function quite well.

Love is so very special and I’ve been shown an amazing path in love, support in the family team of eYs magazine. Previous to being on team eYs my heart had been broken in the double tragic accidental loss of my son Anthony and my grandson Ethan and life has never been the same from that sudden moment and yet life still keeps ticking away. I’ve felt and seen others so frivolous with life. I do know that the greatest gift we are all given is Love but strangely all do not wish to receive it. Whilst I still have breath in this lifetime it will be my gift to others to have care and be kind and for wishes to be received.

I’ve listened and watched in the last quarter of 2020 of my eYs team members witnessing them reach out in their own special way through the magazine from their own avenues of life. Last edition was the first edition since launch that I didn’t participate in as I was emotionally enduring physical pain and felt unable. It was a difficult decision to choose and one that made me realise that I am human and not a machine that I had been pushing through to cope. If you ever have such a time in the future then you will know what I mean by that exact feeling. Above all we must SELF LOVE.

So how did I cope and get my way back to travelling a road forward. It was SELF LOVE; it was time I did choose for myself to step forward. Let me assure you it is not to be selfish as I don’t or won’t ever tolerate such. It was all about being SELF to recognize truly the feeling of being grateful for each day and to propel myself forward. Not one day did I ever give up and kept pressing forward. Actually I started noticing the beauty of my surrounds like never before. I’d gaze out of the windows at the tropical growth of our home surrounds and seep it all in. There is such beauty in wet weather with the rain soaked surrounds. We in North Queensland, Australia on some days were experiencing our wet season so I walked the covered verandas with my walking aid and found pleasure in the new growth of nature and the rewards were that I was viewing through renewal of vision. I’ve put 2020 way behind and handling each new day now of 2021 as it arrives. I try and skip through my days of ill health and focus on any small improvement. Each day ahead I am learning to cope with my two new amazing titanium knees. There still are days of stiffness, pain and awkward moments but modern medicine, procedures and technology has given me much to be grateful and I know to get results I must work to achieve. I have no idea what lies ahead for this year however I am calling it the sparkly year and to make it such. I WILL MAKE IT SPARKLE.

My soul mate and husband Richard has kept the sweet hobby business of upcycling furniture for Lou Lou Living alive and now after having a needed break to re energise it’s time to bring more smiles to others by saving furniture pieces from landfill and making it all beautiful and sparkly and ready for a new journey. It is like giving it all a second chance. I enjoy the hunt to find just the right pieces to upcycle. When pieces are completed with all the attention and love, it is so special to find new owners and give out those smiles and let others find the love painted into those items. Ahead this year will be much to be renewed and be given a brand new appearance. We need to be mindful as ultimately the way we treat others tells all about integrity and that it is everything. Sending my smile to each one of you and reminding a smile can be what another person really needs so giving smiles becomes a grateful gift. I leave you with this thought that whatever you do today please do it with kindness in your heart. What will you be grateful for today?

Till next time, remember to never lose your sparkle and smile. Pam.

71 | eYs Magazine, Autumn 2021