A few weeks ago, I had surgery to remove one of my healthy kidneys in order to donate that kidney to my husband Greg, 
whose kidney was failing, so that he would enjoy a more vital, healthy life. On December 1, we both were admitted to UCLA Medical Center. Everything went well regarding the surgery, however, when I woke up in the recovery room later that day and became aware of my surroundings, I felt restrained and an overall feeling of loss of control. As the hours went by (and the pain meds began to wear off!) I realized there were 4 “obstacles” that I needed to overcome in my journey to again feel in control of my life. The 4 “obstacles” were: forced oxygen, a catheter, an IV in my arm, and being strong enough to stand up and walk without assistance. This got me thinking about how Smart Women need to overcome the “obstacles” in their lives in order for them to be in control of their destiny.
As women, we can sometimes carry a heavy load of responsibility. We are nurturers by nature. We tend to say “Yes” more than “No.” Over time, some of the roles and responsibilities you take on no longer serve you well and can become “obstacles”. There have been times in my life that I’ve felt as if I was being held captive to some of the roles and responsibilities in my life. What are possible “obstacles” right now in your life?
![11-19-09Article[1] girl smiling by tree](http://www.smartwomensolutions.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/11-19-09Article1-girl-smiling-by-tree2.jpg "11-19-09Article[1] girl smiling by tree")
We live in a house that is very light and bright, however I was surprised this morning when I discovered how much more light and clarity of vision we have now that we’ve peeled back the layers of debris and overgrowth. Today, I have views of nature and blue sky that were not visible to me yesterday. This got me thinking about how Smart Women know the importance of trimming back the layers of their lives so that they can keep their vision clear and focused on what’s most important.![11-12-09Article[2]](http://www.smartwomensolutions.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/11-12-09Article2-Joy-with-husband1.jpg "11-12-09Article[2]")
sunny fall day, I’m a bit at a loss on how to begin this article. This article isn’t any different from the others I share with you each week. As usual, it’s about my own life and the reflections that I believe are helpful to other Smart Women. This article is about loving deeply, giving gifts and feeling fear along the way. Sounds like something all women deal with—yes?
girl. Women today play so many roles. We are creative beings with Big Ideas, Dreams, and Goals. We take care of our spouse or life partner, children, aging parents. We run large and small businesses. We are active in our communities. We are the “glue” that keeps everyone and everything together. (I went to visit my Mom and sister for a few days and before I departed, I handed my husband Greg a 3-page single-spaced document of what needed to be done over the course of 5 days to keep the family running smoothly!)
