Acknowledgments

When I sit down to write, it starts as a quiet, solitary journey, just me and God, probing my heart and experience to find stories from my personal experience that could inspire others to lead lives of true health, love, laughter, and freedom. Along the way, the team of collaborators grow, as more and more people show up to contribute their expertise, until finally, the finished project of my first book is in your hands. The following people were part of my creative circle that allowed Come Back Strong to come to fruition.

My heartfelt thanks to my husband, best friend, and playmate, Jim, who loves me in sickness, health, and menopause. Thank you for supporting, encouraging, and believing in me. Thank you for always pushing me to be a better storyteller. Thank you for calling me out as an author long before I had the courage to whisper my dream to become one. And thank you for your willingness to share the vulnerable parts of our lives so that we could inspire others.

Thank you to my sister, Kathy, for being the biggest cheerleader. I love our early morning phone calls. You inspire me to follow my dreams and live on purpose.

To my mom and dad, thank you for instilling in me a strong work ethic and a belief system that I could be, do, and have anything my heart desires. Thank you for your love and support through all the challenges and victories of life.

Thank you, Dr. Dean Bloch, for treating me with kindness and respect as we worked to balance my hormones and help me feel vibrant and healthy through surgical menopause.

Thank you, Carolyn Rabiner, for your guidance, support, and friendship. You always point me toward balanced wellness, reminding me my body, mind, and spirit know how to heal.

I thank my editor and publishing consultant, Stephanie Gunning, for her guidance and skill to help make my first book a reality.

To Gus Yoo, thank you for the production of the cover design.

Thank you, Ruth, my high school friend and fellow author. You encouraged me from the day you found out I was a writer. Thank you for your faith and support over the years, and for reading my work and offering honest feedback. You believed in me even before you read a word of my work.

Thank you to Susan Vitolo, for sticking with me as my friend and workout partner at times when I wasn’t the best version of myself. Your faith and perseverance inspires me and I’m grateful for your friendship. Thank you for reading my early work and showing me where I’m writing from a place of anger and perhaps need to deal with that to write a better story.

Thank you, Holly, one of my newest friends. I loved you from the day we met. You give me a fresh perspective, always reminding me to include a few surprises and find ways to make serious subjects a little lighter. Thank you especially for homemade peanut butter banana fudgesicles on your front porch.

Thank you to the amazing friends, mentors, healers, guides, visitors, and early readers who have touched my life and believed in me. Thank you to Susan Sly, Camille Lawson, Mark DeCesare, Shari Ackerman, Theresa Lyn Widmann, Michelle Renar, Lori Pociask, Leslie Melvin, Karen Homan, Jocelyn Noelle Boettner, and Lori Hudspeth.

Thank you to Davene and Mark, for creating the Master Key Mastermind Alliance Course. Thank you, Nancy Ottinger and the entire MKMMA team, for your guidance in developing my definite major purpose, better habits, and believing with me in my dreams and in the power to manifest them.