Karen and I leave notes for each other. When I came home from work today her note started with "Happy No Chemo Day!". And she is correct. Today I did not have to go to chemotherapy. For the first time since early December, I do not have to wear a pump or sit for 3 or 4 hours while my chemo is pumped into the port in my chest. For the first time since my diagnosis last May, I have the freedom to live my life. Today is a small, but important beginning to the rest of my life, the rest of our life together. Next week, if my blood counts are good, I have my port removed, another important milestone in putting cancer behind us. From here on out, every day should bring some improvement, some relief from months of side effects. I am usually a patient man but I do not want to be patient any longer. I want to be 110% right now, damnit. The truth is I still feel like I'm 75 years old and I know I will be a long time getting back to some kind of real vitality and strength. But, I will be getting better.
Karen and I are beginning to make some plans for the summer; when to go on vacation and when to have the party. We will be putting more details about the party in a later blog but for those of you who are interested, June 19th is the day. We stopped out at the sugarbush this past Sunday and it won't be long before we start tapping our trees again. Neither us of are quite ready to begin because once you start, that is all you do till the sap run ends. No use making the season longer than necessary. We stopped at a nearby logging operation and walked on bare ground. The air was heavy with the scent of cedar and balsam fir. Karen stopped to pet each patch of bare moss we passed and we keyed out 3 species of lichens. Pileated woodpeckers laughed at us but we didn't care. We were together, in the forest, on a sunny afternoon and for that short period of time we knew there was no way our lives could be better. Each day is a blessing, or should be, and today is the beginning of many blessings to come.
Peace and love to you all
Mike
3 comments:
I can hear a voice of optimism in this blog....your feeling of being untethered physically and mentally. It is a joyous noise you are begininng to make. Still a bit tempered I suspect because it hasn't fully hit you that you have completed this arduous journey. Hearing that you are making plans for a summer vacation is the starting point and the sky is the limit. There is much life for you and my sister to live so go forth and follow your hearts delight. You say that you are blessed and you most certainly are but all of us that are your family and friends are blessed to. The Mike we know and love is still ours and we are forever grateful!
WOOOOOOHOOOOO!
Yay for you! I'm happy that the struggle is coming to an end.
Planning to come to the party. June 19th. So happy for you both! Excited to celebrate with you!
Post a Comment