Tattoo Lady!

Dear Meagan,


TATTOOED LADY! Woo hoo... you got your survivor tattoo and I absolutely LOVE it!!!




I love that you got the gray brain cancer ribbon on your neck, close to your head... and of course with the word SURVIVOR! This is a perfect location, and every time someone sees it they will have some understanding of the incredible struggles that you have overcome! I love how much meaning your new ink has! Also the heart at the top of the ribbon... awesome!

I'm sure XS gave you a lot of care detail but remember not to let any sun beat down on it for a couple months to prevent fading. Also it is going to scab up soon... DO NOT PICK IT! When you pick it, it will pull the color out and you will end up with a splotchy ribbon. I was religious about this and ended up with no spots of missing color, but I know a few people who picked and have color missing at those spots now. Also make sure to be really good about the cleaning regimen they gave you! It's like having a nasty wound that you want to heal perfectly, you have to take care of it in order for that to happen!

Love the new ink, love, love, love. And love you too!

XOXO,

Brooke

Improving your Memory

Dear Meagan,

You have come so far in your journey of recovery! You are now using your days productively and are a self-starter! I am so proud of you and how far you have come :)

Even though you have made unbelievable progress, there is still one challenge you face... your memory. So this blog is all about how to improve your memory.

The first recommendation I have is to spend 15-20 minutes per day on lumonisity.com to do some brain training! When you had your surgeries a lot of brain pathways were broken. The amazing thing? They have the power to re-wire and become good as new. So RIGHT NOW set a DAILY alarm on your phone to do your lumonisity training. Sometime mid-morning may work best for you. Seriously STOP reading and make the alarm!....

Ok the next thing that I've read can improve your memory is an exercise you do at night right before bedtime (maybe as you are brushing your teeth, etc). Before you fall asleep recall everything you did that day. From morning until night, as detailed as you possibly can. At first it will be VERY rough and you may only remember a thing or two but STICK with it! So RIGHT NOW put a sign near your bed or on the bathroom mirror that reminds you to recall your day. This is supposed to be a great exercise.

Another important component is to EAT properly and SLEEP properly. Sleeping properly means on a schedule 7-9 hours a night and maybe a nap during the day ;)  Eating properly means fruits, veggies, whole grain, healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, lean meat), beans, lean dairy, and fish! In fact taking Omega 3 vitamins on top of regularly consuming fish would be a great idea for your brain training!

So start this journey by taking these three steps. Play on lumonisity, recall your day, and eat/sleep well. Once your memory is improved I truly believe you will be able to accomplish your goals of being independent :)

XOXO,

Brooke