Transitional Life Care, Inc

There was a man who died and was being taken to heaven by angels. The angels said to him, “We are going to take you to heaven, but first we will show you hell.”

The angels then took him to a place where there was a great bowl, so great that it was as big as a lake. The bowl was filled with a nutritious stew. All the way around the sides of this bowl were people. Emaciated, starving, miserable people. These people had spoons to eat the stew with, and the spoons were long enough to reach the stew (about 12 feet). The trouble was, while they could scoop up the stew into the spoon, they could not get it into their mouths because the spoons were too long. So here were all these pathetic people, suffering and moaning in agony, constantly trying to eat the food that was abundantly in front of them - all in vain.

Next, the angels took the man to heaven. To his surprise, here was the same scene! There it was, a giant lake-like bowl of the same stew, surrounded by people with 12 foot long spoons. Yet something was different here - all these people were smiling, happy and healthy looking!

“Why? What is the difference here that these people are happy and well fed?”, the man said to the angels.

They replied, “Have you not eyes to see?” The man looked more carefully and observed that o­ne person would scoop up the stew and bring it to the mouth of another. Then someone else would scoop up the stew and feed it to the other.

The angels smiled and said, “Here the people feed each other. Here are the people that learned the way of LOVE.”

Dear family, friends and loved o­nes,

As you now know, the website for TLC is up and running, thanks to the perseverance and devoted energies of my son, Rocky. He designed this site completely, with little help from myself. I think he has done a beautiful job for us and I’m very proud of his talent, abilities and his willingness to assist me with this endeavor. Who would have thought that I could help raise such a kind and intelligent young man? But he does take after his mom, though! Rocky, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you very much.

I have two more favors to ask of each of you today. Please, if you would and for the good of All, would you send out more prayers, positive thoughts, energy and all the love you have to some more special people in my life?

The first is to Dorothy and her son, Nathan. I received an email tonight from Dorothy… it was recently discovered that Nathan has testicular cancer. Nathan is still very young and, not that anyone ever deserves cancer, he should be out enjoying his life right now, not having to fight for it. Please, for the good of All… Nathan, much love to you and I wish you all the strength you will need to overcome this challenge in your life with empowerment and hope. Dorothy, I love you. Much strength to you, also. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you or your family.

The second is to my friend and client, Michael and his family. Michael has lung cancer, the kind smokers get, o­nly Michael has never smoked nor does he surround himself with smokers. In 1998, the lung cancer was discovered and at that time, he underwent the removal of his entire right lung, chemo and radiation. Things were looking good until a few weeks ago when the cancer decided to peek out again, this time in the liver area. Luckily (?), Mike can receive more radiation since the cancer has resurfaced in an area where he did not receive treatment before and he will undergo treatments five days a week, for the next six weeks. Michael, I love you. I send to you all my love, my positive thoughts, energy and all the strength you will need to overcome this challenge with empowerment and hope. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you or your family.

Please continue sending your love/energy/positive thoughts to Mary as well. Thank you, everyone for your assistance. Together, we will make a difference.

I’m still making slow progress with TLC’s business plan.It’s slow progress but worth it.
I would also like to thank Claudia for her acceptance to coming aboard as another Board of Directors for Transitional Life Care, Inc. Claudia, you are an angel to me. I love you BIG!

Some of you have been asking how you might help out and there was nothing I could think of… until now. Now, I ask that any and all of you who could, please search the web for other places such as TLC. It seems that TLC is the first of it’s kind, offering housing outside of a hospital or personal home for the terminally ill. The closest I have found to TLC is a place in Philadelphia called the CALCUTTA HOUSE. The Calcutta House is for those who are seriously ill with Aids. Their site can be found at www.calcuttahouse.org

I have search the web with “terminally ill housing” “end of life housing” and something else that this little noodle can’t remember at this time of the evening. Any and all assistance with this search is greatly appreciated.

Also, if anyone knows where I might find the yearly financial reports for Hospice of Greeley, Loveland and Fort Collins o­n the net, I would sure appreciate the information. I need this because until I find something closer in nature to TLC, Hospice is the closest there is and I need the financial information for the business plan.

I think this is everything that has happened in the last two weeks with Transitional Life Care, Inc and Diane Madden, CMT CNMT.

I am very blessed to have each of you in my life and I love you all. Thank you for all your support; for all the cheer leading I have received; for all the love; the care; and the beautiful thoughts.

With much light, laughter and love,
Diane

Dear friends, family and loved o­nes,

Much of today was spent working o­n TLC’s business plan and checking out the forms TLC will need to fill out in order to officially become Non-Profit. The business plan alone has over 74 pages to it and the IRS forms total about 27 pages worth, not to mention all the pages of instructions. Having no background in this type of documentation, I’m being challenged in understanding some of the words and phrases used but I am having fun all the same. If anyone ever wants to help me out with any or all of this, I would be more than grateful for the assistance! We could have a lot of fun, brainstorming some evening if anyone is interested.

With light, laughter and love,

I am Diane

Dear family, friends and loved ones,

First of all, I want to thank everyone who responded to my last email concerning Transitional Life Care. The feedback was wonderful and just what I needed to continue on with renewed strength.

Some of the responses I received were in an attempt to help me network with someone else whom might be of help; especially with the paperwork on the 501 (C) (3) status, which will enable TLC to become a Non-profit organization so as to receive grants and donations. And many others have offered assistance with internet searches; mailings; anything I might need help with. (No one has offered to come over to clean my house yet, though.*Hint*) Many of your responses have brought me to tears knowing so many of you are beside me in this quest to offer housing to the terminally ill. I am truly blessed to have so many people in my life who support me in so many beautiful ways. Thank you all.

Because TLC is set up as a corporation, I was in need of establishing a Board Of Directors. I’m proud to say, I now have three special people on the Board Of Directors for Transitional Life Care. Thank you Matt, Scott and Jill. (What do you say… the Caribbean for our annual meetings?)

The bylaws have been written and accepted, giving Brad a small break from me bugging him each day for the last two weeks. Thanks for your patience, Brad.

With my son’s help, we are setting up a web site for TLC. Look for it in theaters near you. Just kidding. It won’t be in theaters near you but by the looks of the other web sites Rocky has set up, I am very fortunate to have his assistance in this and am looking forward to the day I email each of you with that address. P.S. - if anyone needs help setting up a web site, Rocky is trying to establish a business to do this very thing so let me know and we can network some more.

As you can see, a lot has gone on in the last two weeks. There is NO WAY I could have done any of this alone. I hope I have been able to express my gratitude proficiently for all the help I have received so far. I am eager to continue my relationship with each of you.

With light, laughter and love,

Diane

Dear Friends, Family and Loved Ones,

Well, it’s official. Last week, Transitional Life Care, Inc. was born and I’ve begun receiving junk mail in both our names already.

To those of you who are unfamiliar with TLC; In June 2002, I was in a meditation, lying supine on the table in my massage room, when a voice began to talk with me. (No… I’m NOT crazy and if I am, why hasn’t anyone committed me yet? It would have saved me years of paying income taxes…) The voice told me I was supposed to open a haven in the mountains for terminally ill people to come to; to live out their last days here on earth. To keep a long story nice and long; I cried when I heard this. My chest felt heavy as I wondered if I could do that for the rest of my life. I fought hearing the voice. I argued with the voice telling it I didn’t want to do this. I gave many great reasons as to why I didn’t believe I was the one who should take on this great responsibility; I already have a hard time dealing with the deaths of my clients on a semi regular basis; I have THREE sons to take care of; I wanted to be unburdened of great responsibilities; free to explore new relationships and find the man of my dreams; I ALREADY have a business; I’m trying to write my best seller; I’m too weak; I have no idea what I’d be doing. I’d just be fumbling around, trying to find my way in the dark; blah, blah, blah. The voice was very reassuring and calm the whole time. It explained that I would receive all that I needed. I would receive help from others and I’d want for nothing. Yeah. Right! I’d want nothing. Sure! Guess the voice doesn’t know me very well.

So there I was, crying profusely on my massage table in the middle of the day. Trying to argue with a voice in my head. But when all was said and done, I capitulated to the voice; the universe. I agreed to commit the rest of my life in assisting the universe, by assisting it’s people here to pass over in the most loving, kind, beautiful place available to us now. The mountains. Sun rises. Sun sets. Wild life. Fresh air. What could be better than that?

In July, I went to a lawyer, someone I had gone to high school with, to begin processing the papers needed to become a non-profit corporation so that I might receive grants and donations to help with building TLC. Brad has been so very patient and kind with me and once again, I’m grateful that someone as wonderful as he is, was brought into my life.I was knocked off my feet when, in September, a week before my brother’s ten year death date, one of my close friends/client died as I entered her room at nine am. At home later, crying, I told myself I couldn’t deal with this ever again. The pain involved with losing someone close was the worse pain I have ever felt and I didn’t want to do this for the rest of my life. So for five months, Brad sat on the papers, waiting for nothing more than for me to come in to sign them.

For five months, I sat staring at this screen, trying to write things through. Blink, blink went the black cursor. Blink, blink went my blue eyes. I couldn’t talk myself into doing anything more than feeling sorry for myself for all the loved ones I’ve lost. I kept telling myself that I would soon be strong again, and THAT is when I would sign the papers. That is when the words would flow again.

It was New Year’s Day and I was sitting alone. What in the hell was I doing, I questioned myself? I had spent a lot of money, time and energy working on TLC and there I was; beginning the new year the same way as the other had ended. Feeling sorry for myself; too scared to sign the papers. I decided to take inventory of my life and find my priorities again. When I had completed this task, I knew I really wanted to be a part of this incredible place in the mountains, I wanted to be a part of this incredible life with others and so I talked myself into signing the papers. Now, we have come full circle.

I know I am to be in service of the universe for the rest of my life here on planet earth. I accept this most days. I know I am to have some type of health service in the mountains, expanding elsewhere when possible and this has presented itself to me. I know I’m to continue helping people with cancer, I just didn’t know how until this vision.

I am supposed to begin training someone to take over and/or buy Human Touch Massage Therapy. I’m supposed to finish my book(s). And while all this is going on, I’m trying to get my sons through school and I’m trying to be supportive in their choices for their own lives; I’m trying to stay sane; and find the people who can help me with TLC. This is all very overwhelming and powerful but as I’m sitting in my reading/writing room, typing this, I know it’s what’s to happen for me. I feel honored that I was chosen to do this work for the good of ALL.

My next step with Transitional Life Care is to find someone to help file the papers with the IRS. I have heard that this can be extensive and even then, the IRS may not accept my request to become tax exempt. YIKES! Regardless, I am in that process. I have another wonderful friend looking for land… although I have no idea where we’re supposed to be looking so that makes it more difficult to find something… that and the fact that I do not have any money to actually buy land for TLC yet… Trust. It all comes down to trust, doesn’t it? I have been so very fortunate so far in life to have received everything that I’ve needed to get where I am. Time for a deep breath.

Now, you may be wondering where you come in. Me, too. I know each of you has been brought into my life for a reason. Right now, I think it’s for support and suggestions. I’m scared. Frightened to a point where I’m trying to procrastinate long enough to talk myself out of this again. (Or maybe I’m waiting for one of you to tell me how crazy I am and how it just will never work out.) None of us is as strong by ourselves as we are together and I really need strength right now. Maybe one of you knows someone who has attempted something similar; maybe one of you knows about grant writing and would help assist me when the time comes; maybe one of you knows of some land for sale or of someone who might be able to assist me with this; and maybe one of you knows someone who could help out with the IRS… Any and all suggestions on anything are welcome at this point. Any and all support is encouraged and needed.

I appreciate each of you taking the time to read my latest ramblings. I am blessed to have you all in my life.

With light, laughter and love,

Diane