Dear Mom,
Happy Mothers Day. I wish I didn’t wait until a day like today, to tell you all the things I admire about you, all the reasons I love you, and all the ways I have been changed because of the mom you are to me. You deserve to hear these things everyday - so even when I’m quiet and moody, or it’s been a minute since you’ve seen me… know these things are true.
Mama, the safest place I’ve ever been and ever will be, is in your arms. Those arms that rocked me as a baby, comforted me when I was sick, and held me as I experienced my first heartbreak… that’s my safe place. Mama you taught me what it means to not take life too seriously. Thank you for being full of joy, and not allowing the “little things” to be deal breakers and for teaching me that there is always a time for fun.
Thank you for the things you do for me that no one ever sees, and I will never know about. For daily laying your preferences, plans, to-do list, and phone aside… just to be present with me. Your time is what I crave more than anything. You are my greatest confidant, my sounding board, the only one who will fully listen to my long winded stories.
Thank you for letting me learn. Learn my lesson, learn who I am, learn what I believe. You have given me the freedom to learn about this whole “life thing” on my own. But mom, your voice is what guided me the whole time I learned my way.
Thank you for teaching me what it looks like to be strong. To stand firm and full of faith, even when circumstances threaten to overwhelm you. You are the strongest woman I know, and because of your strength, I too have strength.
Mama, whether it’s state lines, oceans, or graves and galaxies that separate us… know that I will never be too far from your love. Because the way we love each other Mom? It’s seeped from our hearts, into our very bones.
Happy Mothers Day Mom.
I love you.
]]>We’ve all been there. We’ve all been headed in a certain direction, whether in your life, career or family. You have your eyes on the prize, doing all the “right things” to get there, when BAM, out of nowhere, you are either forced into a different direction or your heart is led into one.
I know I’ve been there. Honestly, Cindy’s Suds was my curve ball. This company was completely unplanned and I never saw it coming, but God did. It was one of those things that made no sense to others, yet I had to follow where the Lord was leading my heart. If you read my last blog *hyperlink here*, you read the story behind why I started my company. I had zero business background. I had zero drive to compete in the crazy corporate world. My core personality is and always has been that of a helper, not as a business person.. At the root of it all, I was just a mom. A mom who had a primal desire to protect her children and to create natural options for them.
I could never have imagined that I would quit my career as a Physician’s Assistant to start a natural bath and body company. I mean that’s CRAZY, right? But here I am, over a decade later.
I could never have imagined that by rolling with my curveball I would be walking in the exact path I was created to have.
I could never have imagined where my life would be right now… but God could.
Because following God’s promptings in our life? That’s always worth it.
Creating products that are providing moms and dads natural options for their families? That’s worth it.
So I wonder, have you experienced a curveball in your life? Maybe it was the loss of a job, a diagnosis, a change of heart. Maybe it was a change of lifestyle, whether willful or something you didn’t choose.
Whatever your curveball has been, I encourage you to trust. Curveballs are often just the thing God uses to lead you to what you've been created to do.
John 13:7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand yet the meaning of what I’m doing, but soon it will be clear to you.”
XO Cindy
]]>Today, I’m taking you back to the beginning. Back to my “why”. Back to the reason why I had this heart and mind shift that would ultimately lead me down the path to create Cindy’s Suds. Back almost 20 years ago.
Back to my reason why...
I became a mom.
I don’t know about you, but life before kids was pretty easy. I only had “me” to think about. That changed to “we” after my husband and I got married in 1998. I worked, he worked, but overall, our decisions were fairly simple. When we had our daughter in January of 2000, everything changed. No longer were we responsible for just ourselves, but this precious little baby the Lord had entrusted us with. Every decision was now filtered through my heart as to how it would affect our daughter.
Fast forward a few years, and we found ourselves driving home from the hospital with baby number three on our 5th wedding anniversary. Three babies in five years. I know some of you can beat that, but honestly, many of those early years are a blur.
My middle son was not quite one when I found out I was pregnant with our third. Around that time, he began to develop patchy spots of eczema. He would scratch and scratch at those itchy spots and would often wake up with bloody legs and thighs from scratching in his sleep.
Because of my training in western medicine as a Physician Assistant, my knee jerk reaction was supposed to be “put steroid cream on it.”. But my momma’s heart knew otherwise. My momma’s heart knew that would be the worst thing for my son who already had very sensitive and thin skin. My momma’s heart knew that steroids, though occasionally necessary for acute situations, was just going to act as a band-aid for what was truly going on beneath his skin. My momma’s heart knew that my son’s skin would absorb anything and everything I put on it. My heart knew there had to be a different option.
So I began to research. In a time where the internet was intended for the rare email, not google searches or facebook posts asking for advice, I headed to the library and hit the books. I spent hours reading up on natural skin care, why herbs worked, and which recipes and combinations produced the greatest healing.
Ultimately, and through much trial and error, I made a product that you now know as Healing Salve. As I began to apply it to my son’s eczema, his skin not only improved, but it literally began to heal within a matter of days!! Despite all my research and reading testimonials from people who swore by herbs and oils, I was shocked that this whole natural thing really worked! I had been taught there was no use for natural products within the realm of western medicine, but here he was, living proof that his eczema could be cleared with products I made in my kitchen! I was humbled and thrilled that I had truly found a natural alternative to treat my son, instead of believing that pharmaceuticals were the only way.
That was over 15 years ago and I haven’t looked back. In fact, creating that first “product” (aka just a solution to a need at that time), led me to ask other questions like, “What else can I do?” and “What else can I make to keep his skin healthy?” At that time, I started to inventory every product we used on our family. We had so many “baby” products that had been gifted to us by well meaning friends and family. Baby Shampoo, Bubble Bath, Baby Lotion, Baby Powder… the ingredients were so scary! And these products were marketed for babies!! There had to be natural products I could make that would be a safe and effective substitute.
So, I began making natural alternatives to the toxic bath and body products we had been using. I made super moisturizing, healthy soap that smelled wonderful. I swapped out store bought lotions with our super emollient cream, now known as Body Butter. No longer did the kids get chemical laden bubble baths, but therapeutic and skin healthy oatmeal or sea salt baths. Yep. I had become one of those moms!
As you can imagine, I ended up with a lot of… surplus! So, I would give extra Soap, Healing Salve and Body Butter to family and friends as gifts. And with every gift, I would get a new testimonial. Every person who tried our products would give their own version of how using them had helped their skin in some way. I was blown away! I was encouraged over and over again to start a company so I could make a difference in the lives of other families.
So, I stepped out in faith, trusting that God had been in this whole process all along. That maybe this was something more than just meeting one of my kiddos needs. That maybe other moms and families were looking for all natural and chemical free alternatives, just like I had been.
Soon enough, I left my job as a Physician’s Assistant and dove in head first to what you now know as Cindy’s Suds! Following my heart as a mom and following my heart to create this business are two sides of the same coin. I also loved working as a PA and I’m so thankful that I’m still in the business of helping people, which really is what life is all about.
I’m so thankful you took the time to read my Cindy’s Suds story, and I’m so grateful that you have chosen Cindy’s Suds to be a part of YOUR family!
XO
Cindy
I’ve been pretty radio-silent these last two weeks.
Many of you read my last blog post where I shared that my friend’s daughter passed away at the age of 22. That same week, leukemia returned to a close friend.
This one-two punch has left me heartbroken and melancholy, and if I’m honest, I haven’t done a whole lot of anything these past couple weeks. Working on my business felt so trivial in light of the devastation and sadness around me. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.
During that first week, a friend said something that I keep replaying in my mind. I was lamenting to her about my sadness and anger towards cancer, and she very plainly said, “Well, that’s why you do what you do.” And you know, she’s right. I started making 100% natural products for my family because of sensitive skin, but it has turned into something so much greater than that. Every day we hear about a new chemical that has been implicated in cancer. Every day we hear of a friend or family member that has cancer. Seriously, what is going on? I feel that my “reason” for offering natural home and body care products has slowly shifted over the years, and Cindy’s Suds now stands as a viable alternative to conventional, chemically laden products. Every decision is a choice. Every choice can change our health.
After two weeks of hibernating, I’m ready to pull on my boots and get back to work. In addition to continuing to create safe and chemical free products for my family and yours, something else has been brewing in my soul. I’m not really sure what it will look like yet, but Cindy’s Suds will be partnering, in one way or another, with others in the fight against cancer. I believe this is the best way I can honor those who have lost their lives or loved ones. Won’t you join me?
]]>I received a text this morning that made my heart drop. Kate, the daughter of a friend of mine, had just passed away. She was 22. She developed a rare kind of cancer 2 1/2 years ago and has been fighting ever since.
<Pause>
What do you even do with grief like that? How can my friend and her family survive that kind of pain?
The phrase on the top of their Christmas card this year simply stated, “Love is Everything”. And that’s exactly how they will go on. They loved their children. They enjoyed spending time together as a family. Kate loved life. She loved her family and she loved her friends. They will go on in honor of Kate.
There are times when life just doesn’t make sense. This is one of those times. On this day when my heart is so heavy for my friend, I want to encourage all of us to be the best examples of love we can be. Love your spouse. Love your kids. Love your friends.
Give of yourself fully, because love is the only thing we can truly give to one other. We may never understand loss and sadness in this life, but there is One who does, and through Him, I have hope. “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Cor 13:13.
Today I pledge to love a little harder, because in the end, love is everything.
Love well, my friends.
]]>When we’re outside in the winter, the extreme cold, wind, and ice pull moisture from our skin. To make matters worse, when we’re cozy and warm inside, the constant running of the furnace further draws out moisture, leading to more dryness. So, whether your idea of fun is snowshoeing or staying inside with a good book, these 6 tips can lead to healthier skin this winter.
Don’t let winter wreak havoc on your skin. Whether you’re an avid snowboarder or aspiring snowbird, following these tips will leave your skin healthy and nourished this winter.
]]>
Recently, I was asked to talk about the benefits of soaking and taking baths on WZZM13.com - My West Michigan. (Thanks again, Jennifer Pascua!) If you missed that clip, you can watch it here.
I put together a helpful rundown of some of the benefits you can expect to receive by soaking in salts. Remember, soak in warm (not hot) water for at least 20 minutes, which is about how long it takes for the molecular transfer to occur through your skin.
Dead Sea Salt
Epsom Salt
Understanding and knowing the benefits of certain ingredients can change what products we use, even when doing something as simple as taking a bath. At Cindy’s Suds, we are careful to provide you and your family with 100% natural choices that nourish and feed your skin. We stand by our ingredients and want to be a resource to you by providing safe and effective products for your bath, body and home.
]]>Cindy's Suds recently co-sponsored Gold Coast Doula's in order to spread the word about the importance of choosing natural body, bath and home products. We felt like partnering with a company with so many similarities would be a win-win for the families we serve. Both Cindy's Suds and Gold Coast Doula's are women owned, and we both love teaching and encouraging families where they're at and in whatever stage of life they are in. At the heart of both of our companies, we're educators and nurturers and we're deeply passionate about the family.
I asked Alyssa Veneklase, co-owner of Gold Coast Doula's, to describe what a doula is to those of us who aren't exactly sure. We may have some general ideas, but their scope of practice was much broader and more far-reaching than I had originally thought. Here is Alyssa's response to the common inquiry about what a doula is and what she and her team actually do.
So, you're a doula?
As doulas, we hear it all. Some people think we are midwives and “catch babies”. Others think we only support women who want to have babies naked in the woods, biting on a stick. Neither are true.
Let me break it down for you.
The term doula is an old one. It’s been around for centuries and is actually a Greek word that is a “woman who serves”. There are several types of doulas who all support women and families in different ways.
Bedrest Doulas (or antepartum doulas):
A bedrest doula supports women who are considered high-risk and put on bedrest either at home or in the hospital. They can help with baby registries, organization, setting up a nursery, packing a hospital bag, light housekeeping, meal prep, running errands, and accompanying a mother to doctor appointments. They can also help with birth plans and offer resources such as in-home childbirth education, breastfeeding classes, and postpartum planning.
Birth Doulas:
A birth doula offers physical, informational, and emotional support for a woman (and often times her partner) during labor and delivery, and immediately after baby is born. There is also a postpartum visit within 14 days after baby arrives. The birth doulas at Gold Coast also offer support during pregnancy through 24/7 phone and email support. Anything medical is outside of a doulas scope, so they cannot “catch babies”. A couple can decide to hire a doula for support and an OB or midwife to deliver the baby. Very often, we work together as a team in homes and hospitals.
Postpartum Doulas:
Postpartum doulas support families in their home after baby is born. Daytime support includes mother/baby bonding techniques, basic breastfeeding support, emotional support, access to local mothers groups and resources, light housekeeping, help with older siblings, and meal prep. Overnight support allows the parents to get a full night’s rest by taking over the midnight feedings. If a mother is breastfeeding, the doula can bring the baby to the mother to nurse, then take her back to the nursery to burp, change diaper, and get back to sleep.
At Gold Coast Doulas we provide judgment-free support to every family we work with. That means hospital births and home births. Attachment parenting styles and schedulers. Co-sleepers and crib sleepers. Single mom or two dads.
The common misconception is that a doula will only work with families that want all-natural deliveries. While this may have been the case in the past, and may still be the case for some, it is not the norm, and certainly is not the case for Gold Coast.
We take great care to form partnerships with our local hospitals; meeting with them to talk about the natural birthing suites for clients that want natural delivers and Operating Room policies for those planning a cesarean birth. We also take great care to nurture relationships we have with local Obstetricians and midwives.
Bottom line - Gold Coast Doulas are here to support your family no matter what it looks like.
Contact us today to find out how we can support you. In addition to doula support, we also offer several classes including Newborn Survival, HypnoBirthing, Preparing for Multiples, The Modern Grandparent, and Breastfeeding. We also have a placenta encapsulator and Infant Massage Instructor.
Alyssa Veneklase is a postpartum doula and Co-Owner of Gold Coast Doulas. She lives in Grand Rapids with her husband and daughter.
info@goldcoastdoulas.com
]]>
I want to shed some light on the main ingredient in our Body Butter – Aloe Vera – because it’s such an amazing product with so many benefits. Here are just a few.
Did you know…
With so many good things in our Body Butter (and so many bad things NOT in our Body Butter), you can feel good about using it all over your body and face. And with such simple and natural ingredients, you can be sure it's safe for babies and children, too.
Now that you know more about the goodness of Aloe Vera, you can see why we put this ingredient at the top of our formulating list!
]]>One week ago, my 15-year-old developed a high fever, headache, fatigue, neck pain, body aches, and swollen lymph nodes after returning from a camping trip. A bull's-eye rash developed on his back a few days later. I was convinced that he had Lyme disease. How did I know this? I just knew. Did my training as a Physician Assistant aid me in this diagnosis? Maybe. But to be honest, I believe that God has given mothers a very real and specific sense regarding our children. Your gut instinct. That nagging feeling or urging when you just know something about one of your kids. Does this happen all the time? No. But it does happen, and when it does, I plead for you to listen and obey it.
After I noticed the rash, I brought him to Urgent Care. The PA left the room to go “look up” Lyme disease. When she came back in, she said it was a virus and that his rash didn’t look like the pictures she had seen. We were sent home. That evening, I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling any longer and brought him into the ER. The resident also diagnosed him with a virus, stating that teenagers can have fevers of 102 degrees for two weeks and that she, too, didn’t think it was Lyme. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. We were about to be sent home again when everything in me was screaming, “This is serious! This is Lyme!” Finally, the attending physician came in, listened to my condensed version of the last several days, looked at his rash and without batting an eye said, “This is Lyme disease and we’re treating him.”
I broke down crying. Thank you, Lord! This experienced ER doctor knew my son had Lyme and was going to give him the treatment he needed!
But what if I wouldn’t have listened to that still, small voice? What if I dismissed that urging and went home and waited for this “virus” to pass? How many other moms have doubted their maternal instincts and dismissed the nagging and urging of their spirit to listen to the voice of the “expert”?
Let me just say - you are the expert when it comes to your child! You know your child better than anyone! I want to encourage all parents to strongly advocate for their child – whether this means advocating for them in a medical situation, educational situation, social situation, etc. If something isn’t sitting right with you regarding your child and you feel an urging or nagging, please listen to it! You were given that prompting for a reason.
Listen to your gut.
I am so thankful I did.
]]>Our thought process on what we want to provide for our customers has also changed. There has been a lot of behind the scenes work going on this past year and we are thrilled to announce that our entire Cindy’s Suds line is now 100% Natural! Up to this point, our line has contained products that were scented with either essential oils or fragrance oils, but this practice has recently changed as we have discontinued production on products containing fragrance oil. This philosophy better reflects the heart and soul of Cindy’s Suds as well as the eco and health conscious customers that support us. Our mission as a company is to partner with parents and families to provide the best, all natural products for their families that they feel good about using and that really work. By discontinuing products with fragrance, we are better able to support this mission.
What does this mean for those of you who love our fragrance oil products? Well, you can purchase them in our Etsy store (click here) until we run out of stock. Don’t wait too long, though, because once they’re gone, they’re gone for good! What products are being discontinued?
Soap – Garden Lilac and Honey Almond
Body Butter – Almond, Cucumber Melon, Ginger Lime and Sweet Pea
Sugar Scrub – Almond
But don’t despair! We have been creating new, 100% Natural essential oil blends that are sure to become new favorites! We will be unveiling these new products over the next couple months and even offering some special opportunities.
Looking forward to sharing our new scents with you! Keep an eye on our Facebook page!
Warmly,
Cindy
]]>
For the last year, I’ve been involved in an online business coaching community and have met many wonderful women through this group. It’s amazing how you can consider people you’ve never met in person among your closest friends. We all get each other because of the experiences we’ve shared and supported in each other’s lives and businesses. I had the privilege of connecting in person with 4 of these women. Spending the last few days together with them has been truly life giving for me. I love these girls and it was so great to hug them and see them in person. These women are a part of my journey and will be life long friends. I also connected with several other women who I know will become a part of my community and I can’t wait to develop these relationships as well.
What does community look like in your life? My sister with quadruplets joined a Facebook group of “mom’s with quads” when she was pregnant. Now these 5 or 6 ladies meet yearly in addition to “talking” daily on their group page. These moms go through experiences that no other mom goes through. They get each other. How about you? Who gets you? Maybe you have a couple toddlers running around and MOPS has been your saving grace. Maybe you have a child with special needs and routinely check in with other families going through the same circumstances. Do you suffer from fibromyalgia? Your group might be the only ones who truly understand the pain and frustration. Homeschool your kids? I know our homeschool group has been sanity saving for me.
I am so thankful to have an incredibly supportive husband and family along with many close friends who believe in me and encourage my work. I am so grateful for these people who walk everyday life with me. However, I am equally thankful for my core group of friends that I have through my coaching community. We support each other in the big wins and encourage each other in the dips and disappointments of being an entrepreneur and business owner.
There is so much comfort and relief in knowing that there are other people out there that really get you. We were never meant to walk this journey alone, no matter what stage in life you are in. We were created for community.
What groups are you a part of? I would love to hear how your community of friends has improved your life.
Mentors extraordinaire! Lela Barker, Donna Maria Coles Johnson, Anne Marie Faiola and Kayla Fioravanti
These are my girls! From L-R, Lisa T, me, Rachel, Lisa B and Stacia.
]]>Speaking of baby names, when I was pregnant with our first child in 1999, the Internet was still pretty new. We didn't think to use it as a reference source for information like we do today. Ancient, I know! I bought a book to help us choose baby names because we needed some inspiration. Today, there is instant access to thousands of baby names with the click of a mouse. In fact, you can even include friends and family via social media to help you decide what to name your baby!
If you or someone you know is pregnant, I’ve got something fun to share! We’ve partnered with Belly Ballot, the enjoyable and interactive social site to make naming your baby more fun, and are offering our Sweet Baby gift box to the mom who gets the most votes this week! Sounds fun, huh? Take a look at Belly Ballot's web site for baby name ideas. Then follow the prompts and share your top five names and try to get the most votes. http://babynames.net/prize
Wherever you are in the journey of life with weddings, baby showers or graduation parties, I hope you take the time to enjoy each and every stage!
Until next time,
Cindy]]>Until next time,
Cindy
]]>The stares. The looks. The pointing. All at my 15 year old daughter.
Why, you may ask, would any parent allow their child to color their hair a bright red?
Well, here’s the reason - she’s a good kid. A really good kid. If she feels rebellious and wild sporting red hair (which she asked me to color for her, BTW), my reaction will be, “Sure, sounds cool!”
Does this go against everything I value about using natural products? Yep.
Does this go against the norm for a Christian Homeschooled kid? Probably.
But, you know what? I’m okay with that.
I used to look at teenagers with mohawks or strangely colored hair and have a pre-conceived notion that they must be naughty kids, rebelling and going against everything their poor over-conservative parents taught them. Now I see past that. Teenagers are in a strange and foreign land trying to navigate the waters between childhood and adulthood. They want to exert their independence one moment and call you mommy the next. If my daughter wants to feel wild and independent – and her answer to that is dyeing her hair red – my answer is, knock yourself out. Go for it.
So the next time you see a teenager with a bright blue mohawk or teal colored hair, cut them some slack. They may end up going into the Missionary field and leading young people to Christ.
Until next time,
Cindy
]]>
This question was posed to me a couple weeks ago on our website. After responding, I thought it would make a good blog post to share with others. :)
Keratosis Pilaris, or KP, is a common skin condition that results when keratin (a protein found in skin, hair, and nails) builds up and forms a plug, blocking the opening of a hair follicle. Usually many plugs form, causing patches of rough, bumpy skin. It commonly presents as numerous small, raised, tan or red little bumps around hair follicles on the upper arms, thighs, buttocks and cheeks. Why keratin builds up is unknown, but it often occurs in people who have other skin conditions like eczema. Keratosis Pilaris tends to improve in warm, humid weather and worsen in cold, dry weather. Like eczema, KP is a condition that often persists for years and tends to be worse in the childhood and young adult years. Similar to eczema, you can treat the appearance of KP but you may not necessarily resolve the condition.
So, what can you do to minimize the appearance of Keratosis Pilaris? For starters, keep your skin healthy. Follow some of these suggestions to start out in the right direction.
Moisturize your skin. Thick cream and ointment are better moisturizers than lotion. Apply them just after bathing while the skin is still moist. Try our Healing Salve or Unscented Body Butter.
Use warm water and limit bath time. Hot water and long showers or baths actually remove oil from skin and dry it out. Limit your bath or shower to 10 minutes or less and use warm water rather than hot. In some cases, KP can be slightly itchy. If so, try our Oatmeal Bath.
Use natural soap. Most OTC soaps are harsh and drying and actually made with detergents. Choose mild, handmade soap made with natural oils and botanicals. Try any of our Soap.
Pat dry. After washing or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture remains on the skin. Immediately moisturize.
Don’t exfoliate. You may be tempted to exfoliate or scrub the bumps with a pumice stone or similar harsh exfoliant. Similarly, avoid scratching or picking the bumps, as these actions can lead to skin irritation, worsening of KP, bacterial infections or scarring.
Use a humidifier as needed. This step is dependent on climate, season and geographical location where you live. Low humidity dries out skin. A portable humidifier or one attached to your furnace will add moisture to your home and raise the humidity. If you use a portable humidifier, make sure to keep it clean to ward off bacteria and fungus.
Over the counter medication. Some people may want to use OTC products in addition to the above recommendations. Look for products that contain a mild acid to help break down the keratin. Preparations containing hydroxy acids such as glycolic acid, citric acid, lactic acid or salicylic acid have been used in KP treatment.
I hope these recommendations are helpful if you or one of your children suffer from Keratosis Pilaris. When I worked in Family Practice, these are the steps I would offer my patients when they came in asking, “What are these bumps on the back of my arms?”
Until next time,
Cindy
]]>
I’ve been asked this question many times. As some of you know, I am a Physician Assistant. I worked very hard to get myself through all the schooling required and had a wonderful job working in Family Practice. However, 14 years into my career, my boss wanted me to commit to working more hours. I was a homeschooling mom with a soap company on the side and felt like I couldn’t possibly be pulled in any more directions without going totally insane. I felt like my back was to a wall. I cried. I prayed. My husband and I talked over pros and cons.
Then guess what? I quit.
To the world, that seemed like a crazy decision. However, for our family, it was the best decision. Our kids were getting older and requiring more of me for schooling, and my husband and I had always planned on “one day” growing the soap business with our kids.
Fast forward to the present day. Do I have any regrets?
No regrets. I am so thankful that I have continued to homeschool my children. Had I chosen to work more, I’m not sure I could have done both, at least not well. Next year I will be teaching a 7th, 8th and 10th grader. NEVER did I think I would be able to homeschool into the high school years, but here we are. It works for our family.
Do I miss working as a PA? Yes and No. I do not miss how medicine in general has changed and is dictated more and more by insurance companies than by what the provider feels is best for the patient. Practicing medicine today is very different than practicing medicine when I graduated in 1996. That’s a whole other blog post…
I will never lose my skills or knowledge. Both have served me well with our own family. Rarely do we have to bring our kids into the doctor, because I can “fix” most things at home. That includes stitching up my husband’s nose and forehead on the kitchen table when he fell off a ladder. I am the “go-to” person for anything medically related for our friends, for our neighbors, for my kids sports teams, in our homeschool co-op, etc. Knowledge is never wasted, it’s just redirected and used in different ways.
What about the satisfaction of helping people? Well, I feel that I get my “warm fuzzies” from my customers now, instead of my patients. I get so many phone calls and emails from customers who tell me that this or that product has made a huge difference in their skin and in how they feel. Those customer interactions make my day. Seriously, make my day!
That tiny soap company has grown. My customer base has grown. The amount of testimonials I get coming in from customers has grown. I feel that we have tried to position ourselves in the natural body care market within a special niche. Since I have a medical background, all of our products have been carefully created with a focus on good health and healthy living. I welcome questions and try to help educate customers as we all journey together in our quest for better health.
So when I will I go back to work? Well, I don’t think I ever left.
All my best,
Cindy