Rita Loyd ~ Spirit Nurturing Artist and Writer

New Painting ~ Healing My Nervous System

Rita Loyd — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 23:16:00 +0000

This image is of the nervous system being healed by the hands of God. God is pouring a healing golden light upon the frazzled nervous system. The golden light coats and soothes the frazzled nerve endings. The system responds to the nurturing by blossoming… with new growth. The tree behind the woman symbolizes her energy being grounded. The flowing stream in front of her symbolizes her stress floating away and her spirit being cleansed.

My Experience and encouraging words to fellow Caregivers

Rita Loyd — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 16:53:06 +0000

It has been a year since I began helping my Dad care for my Mom who has Alzheimer’s disease. I help out four times a week. At first it was completely overwhelming to me but now I am somewhat acclimated (until the next big change.)

My mother is 85 years old and my Dad is 84. My parents live in their own home. My Dad is in good health. He plays golf and does activities with his church. He gets a break every day either from me or from our hired caregiver. But this is still incredibly difficult for him and it is the challenge of his life…and of my life too.

Last spring and summer of 2011 Mom went to the hospital twice for a urinary tract infection and dehydration. During this time she developed an urgency to constantly go to the bathroom. This meant that every fifteen minutes she would need help getting up and going to the bathroom night and day. It just about drove us all to the breaking point. The doctor gave her a prescription for the problem but it didn’t help. But then in November she was “installed” with a bladder pace maker and now she no longer has constant urges to urinate. Instead of Dad getting up with her 17 times during the night, it is only 2-3 times a night, which is a miracle!

One of the things that has helped me the most during this difficult time is a small little book I am writing. It is called “Advice to myself concerning my Mom”. Instead of allowing my fears to run wild in my head, I think about what bothers me and then I write advice and encouraging words to myself.

I would like to share with you now a few thoughts from my advice book in case you are a caregiver or if you know someone who is. I hope you find it helpful. Let me know if you do.

If you don’t feel strong yet, it is because you are still in the process of stretching.
You will never regret the time and energy that you give to your parents.
There is always something in life to smile about. Even in the saddest of times, there is still beauty, nature, kindness, sweetness and humor.
When you doubt your ability to endure your Mother’s illness, that doubt; those thoughts; are coming from a place of exhaustion and depression rather than from a place of truth. The truth is that there are ways to survive this.
Tell yourself every day – “I will get through this. I am stronger than I know.”
This experience will lead you down roads that will expand you and make you a better person.
As you adapt to this challenge, this challenge will give you new skills to use in other parts of your life.
Helping to care for your Mom is not a detour in your path, it is your path. And you are bringing with you all that you have learned so far in life to face this challenge.
The more involved you get in life and in doing things with people, the more support life and people can offer you.
It is your mind (doubt, dread, guilt, impatience, fear, anxiety, panic, worry, sadness and resistance) that is causing you to suffer the most. Try to shift your thinking to be as positive as you can.
Your joy and peace of mind can’t depend on your Mom’s well being. You cannot place something so precious into the hands of someone so sick.
Don’t think of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease as a scary monster. This is a common illness of the brain. Think about the people who work with dementia patients all day long. They aren’t scared; their focus is on helping the body and mind stay active.

Artwork by Rita Loyd on CARE ADVANTAGE magazine cover

Rita Loyd — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:36:54 +0000

Cover of Care Advantage magazine, winter issue 2012 http://www.afacareadvantage.org

My art has appeared on over eighty magazine covers but this is my proudest cover because the artwork was inspired by my love for my precious mother who now suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. This magazine is free to caregivers and you can order it on their website or read it on their website. http://www.afacareadvantage.org This organization also has a “hotline” for care givers and you can ask questions about this disease. 866-AFA-8484. Its important to find plenty of support as a patient or a caregiver because this is an overwhelming disease for all involved. Also find a good doctor who respects the slowing metabolism of the elderly and who will not overmedicate. In Huntsville, AL my mothers doctor is Dr. Khan.

New painting by Rita Loyd ~ Visualize Your Healing Daily

Rita Loyd — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:31:47 +0000

In this painting, I have painted myself as the woman laying down on the massage/healing table. And as I lay down on this table, I visualize myself healing. I visualize myself in a clear protective sphere. Inside this sphere I am seated in the lotis postion and there is a tree behind me and the earth beneath me. This tree is a grounding force as I sit on its roots and on the earth. I feel anchored and in my body as I allow the roots and earth to ground me. The earth pulls and releases stuck anxiety from my body and mind and leaves me feeling calmer. The strong tree trunk gives me strength as I lean against it. The branches above me symbolize my ability to branch out into the world. And the fruit on the tree which is growing love and peace is a reflection of what is growing inside of me, inside of my mind.On either side of this sphere are two angels infusing me with healing energy. Their demeanor of peace creates an atmosphere of peacefulness that I feel throughout my body and mind. the golden light around the sphere protects me from outside negative and draining energies. And I carry this visualization with me as a protection through out my day.

Special moments

Rita Loyd — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:07:28 +0000

There will be special moments in your life of kindness, caring, wisdom, healing, love, celebration, comfort, inspiration, encouragement, humor and opportunity that will help you to get through the day.

Rita . . . → Read More: Special moments

View magazine with my art on cover and article inside

Rita Loyd — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 01:31:38 +0000

To view the on-line publication of the tennssee valley natural awakenings magazine December issue 2011 with my art on the cover and an article about my art and life inside. ( my Artwork is featured inside as well) Click the view publication button below the graphic. See page 20. (or go to Natural Awakenings magazine Tennessee Valley website http://www.NurturingArt.com)

Open publication - Free publishing - More do good

New painting by Rita Loyd ~ Awaken

Rita Loyd — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 19:44:25 +0000

Here is my newest painting as of November 13, 2011. It is entitled “Awaken.”

Let us all Awaken to the light of unconditional self-love. a love that begins in our spirit and then as we hear its voice and as we nurture it’s love, it grows. It grows to heal our hearts and as our heart heal, our hearts open to love others and life more deeply.

It has been important to me to remind myself to always stay aligned with unconditional self-love as I go through the difficulties of life. We all have different challenges in our lives at different times and my great challenge now is helping to care for my dear Mother who has alzheimer’s disease.

Unconditional Self-love reminds me to speak to myself, treat myself and see myself and my future with hope, encouragement and gentle kindness. It also reminds me to look at what I need in order to best cope in my situation. And what I need most is to stay in touch with my spirit (I do that through reflection, service to others and through the creative process) eat healthy (that is very hard for me because I stress eat but I do try to always eat organic vegetables and drink Spiralina juice!) exercise (that is also hard because I am recovering from a pinched nerve in lower back but it is healing well now. Soon I will begin walking. I am also interested in learning qigong), Ask for help when I need it (pay for more home-care if my health is not up to the task, get health treatments such as acupuncture, speak to a therapist if I feel overwhelmed for a long period of time) think calming thoughts (I repeat the word “peaceful” to interrupt intrusive thoughts), practice gratitude (It always helps me to take time out to make a list of things I feel gratitude towards. heck, I will do it right now! I am grateful for the support of my husband Jody, friends Celia and Ann Mcnair, my sister Judy for flying out for six weeks to help care for my Mom, Publisher Tom Maples with Tennessee Valley Natural awakenings magazine for featuring my art and affirmations every month, Judy Mullins who sits with my Mom on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and Del Epling who brings meals over to our family), simplify my life (check! I have done that completely), prioritize my energy (I think I do that pretty well but I always need more energy), research my health issues (I just got a new book that I think will help called “Tired and wired” which is about adrenal fatigue) reach out to friends (thank you Jody, Aunt Dorothy and Ann for listening and thank you facebook friends for your inspiring thoughts and loving comments) and make sure I have a good laugh every day! (I have bought several dvd sets of comedy tv. shows: The big bang, Samantha who, Wings, Everyone loves Raymond, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and new adventures of old Christine.)

For all those who are reading this blog, I hope you also lovingly give yourself time to think about what you need to better cope with any difficulties you might be facing and then slowly implement those things into your life.

Warmly, Rita loyd

Time for Silly

Rita Loyd — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 18:15:33 +0000

Every year my husband and I dress up for our silly halloween card. This year we dressed up as dancers from the tv show "Dancing with the Stars". The silly part is my fake leg doing a fake high kick! I think doing silly things is therapeutic and good for the soul. We all know about the healing power of laughter. So I hope this inspires you to do something silly and have a bit of fun even when you are going through a difficult time in life. . . . → Read More: Time for Silly

New Painting by Rita Loyd ~ Care Giving

Rita Loyd — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 01:50:32 +0000

Here is my new painting, finished on June 21, 2011, that I described in my last blog entry.

This painting is of me and my mother sitting on her couch with my arms around her. My mother has moderate dementia/Alzheimer’s disease. This couch is my mom’s favorite spot to sit in her den. In the painting both my mother and I have hearts painted on our chests to symbolize our love for each other. My mother and I have protective energy fields around ourselves yet are separate from the other. I painted the energy fields to symbolize protection from some of the negative energies that can affect a care giver. Below my feet are roots from the earth grounding me when I feel overwhelmed by the situation. Funneling into my head is the universal energy of healing, love and infinite possibilities. My mother’s body from the knees down is in spirit-form symbolizing that she is also a spirit and she will one day return to heaven as her spirit self. On the other end of the couch is my grandmother (who has passed away). She is the mother of my mother and she is leaning over to give healing energy to her. I put her in the painting because I pray to my grandmother and ask her to help my mom through her illness and to comfort her. My mother’s spirit partly hovers around my grandmother’s belly and breast to symbolize my mother’s place of earthly origin and to suggest that, at times, my mother’s state of mind is of a small child. Also the ethereal lines painted to represent my mother’s spirit touch my grandmother and give a subtle hint that the figure of my grandmother is in spirit form rather than human form.

This painting is of my mother and me but it also symbolizes all care-givers, all family members and all families caring for a person with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Creating and meditating on this positive image has been healing for me. It helps me to see powerful and healing imagery that pertains to this difficult life circumstance.

The reason for my absence.

Rita Loyd — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 18:56:28 +0000

Hello! It has been a while since I have written my last blog entry. The reason is twofold. First, On April 27^th my home state was hit by 86 tornadoes. Over 230 people died and thousands lost their homes. Our town was spared of major damage but we, and the rest of north Alabama, were left without electricity for 5 days. (Some businesses and homes had generators.) And I think we all suffered from acute stress disorder.

From the stress of the tornadoes and no electricity, my mother’s physical state worsened and she ended up in the hospital with a urinary infection and dehydration. Also, her moderate dementia and Alzheimer’s disease got a bit worse and I am needed to help with her care several days a week since February 2011.

Because of these two events I haven’t been able to write due to the stress. (Not to mention my house now has fleas after my husband chopped down the back porch and left the fleas scurrying for a new home. We have a wild backyard with many wild animals.) I have also been sick with a throat and sinus infection for three weeks and I am on my third round of antibiotics.

I didn’t want to write on my blog until I had something positive to say. I am in the process now of getting my head in a better place. I want to find the healthiest attitude that I can as I deal with this advancing challenge in my life. One with less fear and more courage, hope and love.

I am slowly finding that healthier state of mind. One thing that I am doing to nurture myself, during this flea-infested recuperative time, is that I am creating a painting that I will probably name “The care giver.” (I promise to post it when it is done and it is almost done.) The painting is of a daughter and her mother sitting on a couch with the mother in the arms of the daughter. Both the mother and daughter have hearts on their chest to symbolize their love for each other. Both the mother and daughter have a protective energy field around themselves. I painted the energy fields to symbolize protection from some of the negative energies that can affect a person who is care giving. Below the daughter’s feet are roots from the grounding earth. Funneling into the daughter’s head is the universal energy of healing and infinite possibilities. My mother’s body from the waist down turns into a spirit’s body symbolizing that she is also a spirit and she will one day return to heaven. On the other end of the couch is my grandmother (who has passed away). She is the mother to my mother. And she is leaning over and giving healing energy to my mother. I put this in the painting because I have prayed to my grandmother and I have asked her to help my mother through her illness. This painting is of my mother and me but it also symbolizes all care-givers, all family members and all families caring for a person with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Creating and meditating on this positive image has been healing for me. It helps me to see powerful and healing imagery that pertains to this difficult life circumstance.

Note: to any care-giving sisters out there. Feel free to share with me any thoughts that have helped you to build a healthy and spiritual attitude about the care giving process. I see this as a continuing journey that will teach me many wonderful things.