Some of you are new here, specifically those friends I made from my time riding in a Krewe of King Arthur Mardi Gras float in New Orleans this year. I am Shannon Maria, a 43-year-old Xennial with Systemic Scleroderma, Pulmonary Fibrosis and Bronchiectasis diagnosed 15 months ago with a 3-5 year prognosis. I am on 24/7 Supplemental Oxygen and primarily use an electric wheelchair to navigate the world.
My life has been amazing. I’ve explored a wide variety of careers, traveled much of the world, met some of the most amazing people, and am spending my remaining time living intentionally and in a place of Embracing Joy. This involves knocking out my Bucket List and saying, “yes!” to opportunities as they arise.
Welcome to my corner of the Internet where I chronicle my thoughts on dying, travel, acceptance, and life. I use it to work through some of my more complicated thoughts and hopefully to remind you to slow down and appreciate simple pleasures. I don’t publish often; I try to reserve a full blog post for when I’ve got something to say. For more light-hearted fun, you can follow-me on Facebook.
I’m a recovered workaholic, admittedly for most of my life I tied my productivity to my self-worth, but I can now confidently say that I am infinitely happier and wildly less productive. Since my diagnosis I have: gotten my first tattoo, had a fancy Downton Abbey style dinner party, seen the Savannah Bananas, flown Mint class, ridden in a limo and eaten at a Michelin recommended soup dumpling restaurant! I’ve also traveled to the Azores, London, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Wrexham, Paris, Barcelona, a Mediterranean cruise, a Southern Caribbean cruise and reconnected with dozens of dynamic humans that have positively impacted my life.
Riding in a Mardi Gras parade is just one of many experiences that I have been blessed with since I’ve gotten sick. I see myself slowing down, but I also realize that I continually find myself in a place of gratitude for even life’s simplest things.
If you’d like to know more, I welcome the follow on YouTube or Instagram. If you feel inclined to help support my Bucket List or contribute towards my Out-of-Pocket medical expenses, a dear friend set up a GoFundMe.
Thanks for dropping by. We have fun here. All are welcomed.
And a big thank you to WWLTV News New Orleans for this beautiful feature they did about my ride with the Krewe of King Arthur!
Shannon's Sunflowers 
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