Wednesday A Taste of Flava
Giving Myself Permission to Shift

I wanted to touch base with you about why my blogging schedule hasn’t been consistent lately.

And trust me, I had to give myself permission to be okay with this shift.

As the weather gets cooler, I’ve been hurting more. Arthritis is making itself known in my hips, hands, and shoulders. So, I haven’t been at my best.

Then there’s the whole process of preparing for surgery.

Appointments in person and over the phone. Labs and repeat labs. Leave-of-absence paperwork. Messages and phone calls back and forth with my medical teams.

I tell you, keeping up with everything leading to surgery feels like a full-time job—and I still have my actual job to do. 👀

So, my mind hasn’t been as focused on writing. I’m just being honest.

And let me tell you something else: I get bored writing about the same things. 🤣 I like being thought-provoking. I like being amusing. I like bringing you something that makes you pause, laugh, or look at life a little differently.

Lately, a lot of my attention has been going toward getting through the day and getting ready for what comes next.

So, I appreciate you hanging in there with me and continuing to show up to read my blogs. I see that, and I love it! 💛

If everything goes as planned, I will get my first new hip—my right one—next Tuesday, October 27, 2026.

I am so excited.

Unless you live with chronic arthritic pain, you may not fully understand how much hope a surgery like this can bring.

In 2016, I had both knees replaced, one in April and the other in December. Being able to walk without that knee pain felt like a miracle.

I remember what that freedom felt like. And I want some of it back.

I also lived in the desert for six years and experienced very little arthritic pain during that time. My surgeons had told me the dry heat could be good for me, and in my experience, it really was.

But my heart and soul craved home.

Seattle was calling.

I knew coming back might mean dealing with more arthritis discomfort. What I wasn’t prepared for was how difficult things would become.

Over the last three years, the arthritis in my hips has progressed to the point that I have no cartilage left in either hip joint.

Walking has become a struggle. Everyday tasks take planning, effort, and sometimes a rest afterward.

So yes, this upcoming surgery means a whole lot to me.

There will be healing and work ahead. I remember that part, too. But I am looking forward to taking steps toward moving more comfortably and getting out and about when I choose.

Hallelujah. 🙏🏼

In the meantime, please give me a little grace with my posting schedule—and with the topics that may sound familiar.

If you’re thinking, “Lady Flava, we’ve heard about those hips already,” it’s okay. You can think it and say it. 😉🤣

Believe me, I’m ready to have some new adventures to tell you about, too.

For now, this is where I am: still working, still preparing, still writing when I have something to share, and holding on to hope.

A new day is just around the corner.

From Flava in Her Tower 🌻