When I started this series, I wanted to show cancer patients the upside of chemotherapy. It’s not the dreadful experience it used to be. Drugs help patients tolerate the toxins of their chemo “recipes” and minimize the side effects. 
I also hope I’ve shared the importance of laughing. Physiologically, a good belly laugh is healing. It’s important for patients [...]

If you’re new to the Clever Divas, you may wonder how chemo and cancer can be laughing matters. Welcome to the world of Cheryl Norman, breast cancer patient, who is using laughter as part of her therapy. My hubby bought a collection of old Abbott and Costello movies, along with a collection of various comedies. [...]

Enough with the red hair. I now have a new cranial prosthesis–no fooling, that’s what it’s called for insurance and IRS purposes–and I’m wigged. This one is more like my own hair, except easier to maintain. But enough about hair loss.
Today’s post is about turning into my mother, many a daughter’s fear *LOL*. First, you [...]

Not all chemotherapy causes hair loss, but mine has. I wanted it to. If I’m losing my hair, the drugs are working; they are killing off the cells that grow fastest in my body. This is a positive sign. In preparation for hair loss, I studied various options, like turbans, hats and caps, wigs, scarves, [...]

This chemotherapy gets funnier and funnier. Did you know one of the recommendations to me was to avoid my favorite foods after a chemo treatment because they may not taste the same and chemo may ruin them for me?! I’m still ROFL over that one. Have you any idea how many favorite foods I have? Hello.
I [...]

This is the first in a series of posts that will follow my journey through chemotherapy. What I hope to accomplish is to entertain and amuse you. You see, my strategy to survive my present health crisis is the same I use with everything: Looking at the comedic side. I preach (and practice) “Laughter is [...]

Today,  April 22, is Earth Day. I’m a conservationist at heart (and I blogged earlier about Granny Green, how our grandmothers were the ultimate recyclers), so I do nothing special to celebrate this day. I take my own bags to the grocery (I have oodles of tote bags from writers’ conferences and RV events) and [...]

We should strive to consume more whole grains in our diet, so I try to choose whole grain products over refined flour products.

Drape tortillas over the oven rack

I wanted to make tacos but with whole wheat taco shells, not the traditional corn taco shells.  As far as I know, whole wheat taco shells aren’t marketed.  [...]

Hi, there, I’m Rachael Ray, and I make 30 minute meals.  Now that means in the time it takes you to watch this program, I will have made a delicious and healthy meal from start to finish…
Why do some people bash Rachael Ray?  Did you know there is even a social networking site called Rachael Ray Sucks?  How [...]

If any of you saw the Brittany Murphy movie Little Black Book, you know her character aspired to work for Diane Sawyer.  Diane Sawyer and Carly Simon were the two women who defined her life (Great Carly Simon soundtrack, by the way).  Well, I have my own Diane Sawyer story to tell, and it starts [...]