Pot pourri...An update, An inspiring story.

I have noticed in this life that sometimes things will get [or at least feel like they are getting] stagnant, or routine for what seems like long periods of time. But then, suddenly, there is a whirlwind of activity. Events (that are usually, but not always, out of our control) begin to occur and before you know it, change -lots of it- has touched you. Some of it is good, some of it is bad, all of it must be dealt with.

In the past 4-5 weeks a lot has happened in my life. I have traveled on an airplane for the first time, and visited a foreign country. The side effects of that trip alone have brought much change in my life. The most noticeable one, for me, is the way my relationship with my previously mentioned 15 year old Son has changed. He did not attend the trip with me and the time apart has done magical things to both of our perspectives towards each other. Our relationship since my return has been one of loving, understanding, and caring for each other in a way that we have not done (either of us) since he was much younger. [before he became a "teen-age Parent hater"] I've had lots of ups and downs with regards to my health, vomiting and fatigue (although we seem to have stopped the vomiting) I had to do another enema, it went much better than last time, but still not as much fun as say...not doing it! I've had to stop driving. My Doctor is concerned because of the blurriness I am getting as a result of the cancer in my orbital bone. So, I've had to stop working again as well and start all kinds of new tests and medications, including chemotherapy.

Chemo is an interesting treatment. There are a lot of different Doctors with their specialty knowledge that get involved to ensure that the treatment I am receiving is the best one suited for me and my unique condition. An orthopedic surgeon almost put the kibosh on my chemo because he believed that he had spotted a crack in my right hip bone on my most recent CT scan, which, if true, would require corrective surgery. But he took a plain x-ray and determined that it was okay for now and the chemo could proceed. He still wants another CT scan in 4 weeks, which kinda has me worried, but hey, take em as they come. Too much worry at one time is impossible to bear. The chemo treatment itself seems to have gone well. No adverse side effects have reared their ugly head as of yet, although I've been told to expect things like hair loss, brittle and discolored nails, mouth sores, maybe some rash, but so far all is good. Fatigue is my main battle right now. I've been sleeping like a cat ever since the treatment, more hours asleep than awake, but it feels good. I don't know how long to expect it to last, hopefully not too long, I'd like to get back into the world of activity again as soon as possible. But then there's the "quarantine". My immune system being weakened now by the chemo, I have to avoid all illness of any kind. If I get a fever I need to go directly to my nearest Hospital to be treated immediately. [Do not pass GO, do not collect $200.00.] It's pretty serious shit.


Anyways, I think I've rambled on enough and I wanted to end this post with what I think is an inspiring and heart rending story. One of those "circle of life" kinda things. Or, at the very least, another example of how (possibly) the idea of six degrees of separation is all we have.

Life really is a magical and mysterious experience. One of my very close friends recently lost his Mother to an incurable illness. A sad and tragic thing, but I'm glad that I can be here for him, to support and love him, and I hope that I have helped him through it in some small way.
On the other side of my "world" another dear and old friend of mine, one who has been struggling a little bit with finding decent employment that is also close to home, just started a new job that fits that criteria and low and behold...it's the position previously held by my first friends Mother! Astounding! (to me, at least.) It amazes me sometimes, how the energies flow, how sometimes there is familiarity in places you would never expect as voids get filled with new life.