“A Lady Does Not Place Her Weapons On The Table!”

When my 17 year old daughter asked me to go to see the new Disney movie “Brave” with her earlier this week, I was so in.  I have lots of fond memories of watching Disney movies with my children (now 17 and almost 21) that I couldn’t pass up the chance to pretend to turn back the clock for the entertaining escapism.

Brave didn’t disappoint.  I enjoyed the feisty, tom-boy, carrot top heroine, Princess Merida, who longs to explore the world and perfect her archery instead of settling down with prince charming. Despite her oh-so-proper mother the queen, who wishes she would keep her weapons off the table (“A lady does not place her weapons on the table!”),  Merida ultimately changes her fate and gets her wish to move through life at her own pace. Little Merida reminded me that being brave is important!   Like when you don’t want to go to the doctor because you think no one can help you, or you don’t want to take the time out of your busy schedule, or you think you might just die of lung disease even though you don’t smoke or you never worked in a coal mine.  I’m rambling.  Let me explain.

For about five years I couldn’t quite breathe right.  Having lost my father and mother to lung disease, I simply thought I was going to have to live with what seemed like a limited breathing capacity.  I went to a few general practitioners who suggested nasal sprays, which didn’t seem to help at all.  Then my good friend and the extraordinary allergist, Dr. Mark Shampain told me to see Dr. David W. Kennedy at University of PA.  He said it would be worth the trip to see if my deviated septum could be fixed.  And even though I delayed making the appointment, cancelled it once and almost got called for jury duty instead of going to the appointment this past Monday, I got there.   

Within minutes of Dr. Kennedy’s placement of a small plastic disc in my nose (called a nasal button–see photo of the box), I was able (for the first time in a long time) feel air going up my nose instead of swirling around inside of it. 

So, it *is* good to be brave because if you are, just like Merida, you can change your fate. 

Not to go all “Oprah” on you:  but what are you putting off that you need?  A colonoscopy?  An exercise routine?  A new job?  Think about that and be brave and take a step.  You may feel a lot better.  I do.Merida and her weapon.

Thank you Drs. Shampain and Kennedy. 

Bravery = taking care of what you need.  And for me it means truly a breath of fresh air!