The one year "anniversary" of the day I was admitted to MCV to finish off the alien.
I'm "celebrating" by doing something today that I couldn't do last year. As I write this, I'm in Laurel MD preparing to meet with clients in the DC area and then will head home to Richmond this afternoon. Heck, I even got to "enjoy" sitting in DC Beltway traffic last night during rush hour. I didn't really enjoy it, but it didn't make me crazy. I didn't even notice that anyone else on the beltway was particularly annoyed by it. I did manage to receive a "blessing" from someone following me through a traffic circle near where I stayed overnight last night. Guess they didn't like the way in which I entered the circle. I waved back at them (with all 4 fingers upraised - telling you that so you know I wasn't rude in my reply).
If it were raining (or snowing) today, I could disassociate today from last year. However, the weather is similar. I'm not mopey or anything about today. Just cognizant that it's "that day." Next Friday is the one year date of getting my stem cell "rescue." We'll see how that goes.
The thing that gets my attention is that from this time last year until early January of this year, my comings and goings were at the mercy of treatment and after effects. That was a long time. It is in the past now, but as I told someone after I went through a 6 month period of unemployment over 18 years ago, "A 6 month unemployment period does not mean you recover from it in 6 months." It takes awhile to recover. I sit here and notice my peripheral neuropathy (which is most likely permanent - but nothing more than a numbness in my toes), and realize I have a permanent souvenir from my treatments.
I celebrate that my most recent blood counts are all normal, except for the platelet counts which are still below the normal range, but are at a level that if I needed surgery, I could proceed without concern.
I celebrate that some internal aches and funkiness I was noticing recently, and were similar in feeling to some of the same physical funkiness I was feeling prior to being diagnosed, have not been apparent the past few days.
I celebrate that I have a new follower on my blog who is a complete stranger to me. She has an amazing blog of her own that is very candid and very insightful as she deals with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.
I celebrate all of the followers of my blog and their amazing blogs. Look at my list of blogs I follow and you can check out their blogs.
I celebrate that this Sunday I will be singing in a quartet during both services in church. It will be the first time I've done that since before the alien came to visit.
I celebrate I will be attending another really cool event on Tuesday evening in DC, that as promised, I will share details about on Wednesday.
I celebrate that in August, I will be attending an event hosted by the good folks at MCV that is a "Day of Celebration" that honors the good work they have been doing for over 20 years.
I celebrate that I know I walk through the world with my "holy host of others." I liked that Bill Lohmann captured the comment "At all times, there was this amazing downpour of grace on me," in his article last week.
To celebrate, one has to look in the rear view mirror to see from where they have come. Allow me that and there will be more celebrations.
I'm "celebrating" by doing something today that I couldn't do last year. As I write this, I'm in Laurel MD preparing to meet with clients in the DC area and then will head home to Richmond this afternoon. Heck, I even got to "enjoy" sitting in DC Beltway traffic last night during rush hour. I didn't really enjoy it, but it didn't make me crazy. I didn't even notice that anyone else on the beltway was particularly annoyed by it. I did manage to receive a "blessing" from someone following me through a traffic circle near where I stayed overnight last night. Guess they didn't like the way in which I entered the circle. I waved back at them (with all 4 fingers upraised - telling you that so you know I wasn't rude in my reply).
If it were raining (or snowing) today, I could disassociate today from last year. However, the weather is similar. I'm not mopey or anything about today. Just cognizant that it's "that day." Next Friday is the one year date of getting my stem cell "rescue." We'll see how that goes.
The thing that gets my attention is that from this time last year until early January of this year, my comings and goings were at the mercy of treatment and after effects. That was a long time. It is in the past now, but as I told someone after I went through a 6 month period of unemployment over 18 years ago, "A 6 month unemployment period does not mean you recover from it in 6 months." It takes awhile to recover. I sit here and notice my peripheral neuropathy (which is most likely permanent - but nothing more than a numbness in my toes), and realize I have a permanent souvenir from my treatments.
I celebrate that my most recent blood counts are all normal, except for the platelet counts which are still below the normal range, but are at a level that if I needed surgery, I could proceed without concern.
I celebrate that some internal aches and funkiness I was noticing recently, and were similar in feeling to some of the same physical funkiness I was feeling prior to being diagnosed, have not been apparent the past few days.
I celebrate that I have a new follower on my blog who is a complete stranger to me. She has an amazing blog of her own that is very candid and very insightful as she deals with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.
I celebrate all of the followers of my blog and their amazing blogs. Look at my list of blogs I follow and you can check out their blogs.
I celebrate that this Sunday I will be singing in a quartet during both services in church. It will be the first time I've done that since before the alien came to visit.
I celebrate I will be attending another really cool event on Tuesday evening in DC, that as promised, I will share details about on Wednesday.
I celebrate that in August, I will be attending an event hosted by the good folks at MCV that is a "Day of Celebration" that honors the good work they have been doing for over 20 years.
I celebrate that I know I walk through the world with my "holy host of others." I liked that Bill Lohmann captured the comment "At all times, there was this amazing downpour of grace on me," in his article last week.
To celebrate, one has to look in the rear view mirror to see from where they have come. Allow me that and there will be more celebrations.
2 comments:
Enjoy your celebrations. You have indeed earned them.
- J
Greg,
The Richmond Times article is beautiful. Since I love that umbrella theme, I so appreciate your comment on the 'downpouring of grace'.
Happy Anniversary!
Post a Comment