Gutting Obstacles and Moving Toward Complete Health

I’m finally at a point, I think, where I can once again get back to my writing.  It is funny to me how I am always thinking about writing, but so often, life just seems to continue to get in the way. Additionally, I have been struggling with what value … Continue reading

Destiny can Blossom among the Thorns of LIFE

I have been thinking a lot about the past three years and the many obstacles and changes I have had to find ways to circumvent.  There were times that I just had to will myself to take a step forward.  Often, those steps seemed small and insignificant.  More often, it … Continue reading

Nov 2012 ME Story: Laura Newton

Every month when the 12th rolls around, three things happen. First, I am amazed that we have made it to another month. Second, I am thankful that people are still reading, contributing their stories and visiting Becoming VISIBLE 4ME. Third, I am awestruck on the incredible strength and determination that … Continue reading

“What’s YOUR life like NOW?”

This past month has been a major test for me.  As you all know intimately, walking the tension line between good health and relapses is one we must often juggle in this life with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). The constant whisper in the back of my mind that asks, Is this … Continue reading

BV4ME August 2012 Story: Patricia Carter

Please take a moment and visit Becoming VISIBLE 4ME as I have put up our August Story. This month, Becoming VISIBLE 4ME is featuring Patricia Carter, aka Wildflower.  Her story is very powerful and I think extremely important. How often have we all heard it is in our head or … Continue reading

Changes, Changes and More Changes

Hello everyone!  It has been a little over a month since I have done any writing here.  Phew!  I often wonder where all the time flies off too! As you probably have guessed I’m back from my vacation back East.  I had an amazing time! Since I have been back … Continue reading

June 2012 ME Story: Lee Lee

This month’s story is from my amazing friend from Australia, Lee Lee. Every new story that I upload to Becoming VISIBLE 4ME reminds me how this illness devastes the lives it touches. Lee Lee’s story is no different.  His story reminded me that the devestation is often fast and furious. … Continue reading

Changes in body, exercise and weight …

This week I met with my personal trainer who is now taking me to Phase II if you will of my exercise routine and getting my body as healthy as possible. With some recent tweaking of my diet by my nutrionalist, I am now only 21 pounds away from having … Continue reading

Hope: the Velcro to a better tomorrow

In the distance, the loud clanging of the city garbage trucks bellow against the stillness of the night.  Amber and soft white lights flicker against the pitch black sky.  Delved deep in the blanket of darkness, red lights flicker on and off to a rhythm no one can hear. Smash … Continue reading

My FIRST in TWENTY years~

This won’t be an overly long post today, but I am so excited I cannot contain myself.   And of course I want to share the news with my readers. Never in a million years did I think I would ever say this on my blog and I most certainly did … Continue reading

Determination isn’t always enough 2 reach My Dreams

I have several things I want to talk about this week but I thought I would share about where I am with my exercising and leave the rest to future posts for this week. First, my apolgies for not posting anything last week (thanks Patricia for checking up on me).  … Continue reading

April 2012 ME Story: Laura Lipscombe

I almost missed this month’s story.  I had so much going on I didn’t realize today is the 12th of the month and a new Becoming VISIBLE 4ME story is up. That would have been a real shame, because this month’s story, by Laura Lipscombe, is really impacting. Many of … Continue reading

My AMAZING Grass Story – Part 6 of 6: Dominique’s Amazing Smoothies

If you haven’t read the first five parts of my story, you can catch up by going to, the INCIDENT , Repercussive CONSEQUENCES , Slippery SLOPE , ONE year later and Benefits and Bonuses. I now find myself at the end of this six part series and I am a … Continue reading

My AMAZING grass Story – Part 5 of 6: Benefits & Bonuses

If you haven’t read the first four parts of my story, you can catch up by going to, the INCIDENT , Repercussive CONSEQUENCES and Slippery SLOPE and ONE year later. There is this quote by Martha Graham that I love. The body never lies. The body NEVER lies. I have … Continue reading

My AMAZING Grass Story – Part 4 of 6: ONE year later

If you haven’t read the first three parts of my story, you can catch up by going to, the INCIDENT , Repercussive CONSEQUENCES and Slippery SLOPE. There is something about meeting your immortality face to face. Often our time on earth is not something we give much thought too.  However, … Continue reading

My AMAZING Grass Story – Part 3 of 6: Slippery SLOPE

If you haven’t read the first two parts of my story, you can catch up by going to, the INCIDENT and Repercussive CONSEQUENCES. That proverbial wall. Unbeknownst to me, it was coming at me like a freight train and it would knock me for a loop like no other experience … Continue reading

My AMAZING Grass Story – Part 2 of 6: Repercussive CONSEQUENCES

If you haven’t read the first part of my story, you can catch up by going to, the INCIDENT. I often think back to that day when all hell broke loose in my apartment in 2010 and often find myself thinking that sometimes I’m thankful that I cannot see into … Continue reading

My AMAZING Grass Story – Part 1 of 6: the INCIDENT

I realized from a comment left on my blog recently that not all my readers know what happened to me in 2010.  In addition, those who do are asking me more and more about the product that I’m taking which I credit with my amazing recovery. Lastly, the company, Amazing … Continue reading

Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge

As you are probably aware I have not been posting as much as I have in the past.  To be honest, I have been kinda stuck in my writing. In addition, it is summer time and I find it very difficult not to get distracted with other things and write.  … Continue reading

The Disconnect between Rhetoric and Reality in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)

I am posting my upcoming column for Life Skills Magazine here today as a tribute, and in honor, to Emily Rose Collinridge, who passed away from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) this past week. ___________________________________ In my column this month, I wanted to use my words to pay homage and honor to … Continue reading

The Most Important Thing You Can Do Is Smile

I am doing something I have never done on 4Walls and AView since I started it two years ago.  Today, a friend of mine will be guest posting here on 4Walls and AView.  You might be familiar with Ted already because I reviewed his book, The Eagle has Crashed, on … Continue reading

Learning How to Cook w/Limited Energy

My friend and fellow blogger, Tamara, asked me a question about diet, cooking, and what not, which has really had me thinking ever since.  You can see my first response to her question in my post, How I Started ME Weight Loss Journey. I guess I don’t give it a … Continue reading

How I Started MY Weight Loss Journey

Every once in a while I will get a comment from one of my readers that becomes great fodder for a post. Tamara, author of, Empty Thoughts, Rewritten, left this comment recently. Lately I have been thinking a lot about diet and wondering how changing it could help me. However, … Continue reading

food INPUT Dictates (energy) OUTPUT thus MORE quality DAYS

The past few weeks I have been working with a nutrionalist and trying to figure out how to increase my caloric intake as well as fill in the holes in my diet. I originally started out using livestrong.com diary journal but it just didn’t work in my brain. So I … Continue reading

Introducing … Smash Leroux

The past two weeks I have been having problems with dizziness, balance and sinus stuff.  It didn’t dawn on me until someone told me today that Oklahoma is in early spring bloom this year as we had an extremely mild winter, that that was what was throwing my health off. … Continue reading

Letters 2 Myself

Today’s post is something a little different from my normal writing here.  Perhaps it’s safe to say that today’s post is more indicative to the kind of writing my heart bleeds to do.  I hope you enjoy it.  This may become part of a book I’m playing with called, Letters … Continue reading

Running the ME/FMS Marathon … to Win

After living with Fibromyalgia (FMS) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) since December 1992, I have tried everything and anything I can think of.  My progress has been one of great highs, and also, some incredibly scary lows. In the beginning, I like so many, navigated this journey by going to doctor … Continue reading

YOU Are BEAUTIFUL

Recently I had several people gently chide me that I was beautiful and that I needed to embrace that. I was flummoxed, to be quite honest, because I was at a loss to see what they saw. I haven’t ever looked at myself and thought, you are beautiful, Dominique. I … Continue reading

The Reward of Validation & 2 New Awards

I would love to say that I don’t need affirmation or acknowledgement of my writing, of who I am becoming as a woman, or me as a whole person.  However, I would be lying.  There is something innate in the human spirit that needs to be acknowledged and validated. It … Continue reading

DIET is KEY

After living with ME since December 1992, I have learned over and over that when I make any plans I must also plan for the payback that will undoubtedly come.  That may sound like I’m being negative because I’m planning for the crash that follows the fun but it really … Continue reading

Boston and Bear …

I am sitting just outisde of Boston at my sister’s house and enjoying the white sky and the white ground. Everything is white. While it is really nice to see so much fluffy, white powder everywhere, it is also nice to know that this is a temporary thing and I … Continue reading