Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Tuesday; 6 days to go

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit." ~Aristotle.

"All we see of someone at any moment is a snapshot of their life; they’re in riches or poverty, in joy or despair. Snapshots don't show the million decisions that led to that moment." ~Richard Bach

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Today I head to the hospital to visit my Anesthesiologist. Each day ticks closer to the day of my surgery and as it does it makes me more and more nervous. Being home this week was the best decision I could have made even though financially it’s put a huge burden on me. But the price I pay for that is nothing compared to being able to express how I feel when I feel it. Hopefully it puts me in a good place before this surgery.


That is my goal, to have my mind and spirit be in a place of peace the day I go under so that no matter what I can relax knowing that this is the way it’s supposed to be.

Keep in mind, when I had my procedure done at Loyola in 1994, it took me 6 months to get to that place. I’m trying to get there in little under a week.

As each day passes I also begin to move to the next stage of my fear, which is the 4-day wait after the surgery where they tell me if I have any more cancer in me. After the surgery, those 4 days will seem like an eternity.

I’m a planner. I plan things out methodically. I plan in my mind the map I’ll take for my life and the choices I’ll make as I go along. I even plan for the times I wont be able to plan, allowing myself some room for uncertainty so that when the time comes I know at least, what the bottom line goal is so that I can make the best decision on the fly if I have to. I cannot plan for this. There is nothing I can do to plan for the possibility of cancer in me beyond what is to be removed. The furthest planning I’ve gotten there is that I would have to move home. I guess even the planning of something like that, is just too awful for me to think of.

On a side note, my nights have become full of intense dreams that are my inner working of my fear. My mind is being barraged with these thoughts and as such my dreams now are the ground in which the torments and struggles of all I feel are being worked out. The mind is an interesting tool; I hope it works out my battles for me, because they are tough at times.

I try everyday to plan for the positive. It’s been beaten into my head by a thousand people. Believe me I do try, but on a day to day basis it’s still hard. Yesterday was hard. Yesterday was full of pain, tears, and realizations and the thought that I was SOOO thankful I didn’t have to be at the office as I had a meltdown. Maybe today will be better. Maybe not, but it is what it is (to coin my bosses phrase, and in this setting it somehow fits). This week is my mental health week. And that means anything and everything can and probably will happen.

I wont be making anymore plans this week. It will be day to day spur of the moment. I do not wish to make plans that I cannot keep. I hope those of you near me (geographically anyway) understand that.

So today is another day when I will try again. And that’s all I can do right now.

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WELL WISHES

I hope you all have a beautiful day. I hope somewhere something makes you smile. Life is full of beautiful moments designed solely to uplift, you just have to open your eyes (and I do too).

You are a blessing to me…
XO

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AND REMEMBER


Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. ~Buddha

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wish so much that I could be there for you and I hate the fact that I can't. Just know that thoughts of love and strength are always coming at you across the miles. And you know, its ok to not always be positive. That's a part of life to. You need to acknowlege your fears, not repress them. This is a big deal.
Im glad you were able to get this time off work. Right now its more important to focus on YOU and not some idiots phone service. Now go try and relax and play that nice new computer game...lol!

Kelli said...

I have been thinking of you this week and I'm also really glad you were able to take a mental health week. Mrs.B in AZ is right YOU are much more important than a job.

I completely hear you on the planning/need to plan everything situation. I am the same way (Vigro!) I want plans and I want plans to fix those plans if they fall through. And it is so very hard when you can't make plans when things are out of your control. While I do not want to compare your illness with my moving back and forth between cities, I can certainly relate to a feeling of helplessness too when you can't control an outcome.

I'm trying really hard to focus day to day and if that gets too hard I focus hour to hour. I figure I can at least plan by the hour and that gives me a weird sense of comfort.

You are a strong woman and please remember, people - even those you wouldn't know if you passed on the street - are thinking of you and sending good wishes your way. I'm one of them. Be well my friend and enjoy the week.

Anonymous said...

Funny, in a former position, my co-worker and I lived by "It is what it is..." Sometimes I hate that saying. Perhaps I echo your thoughts when I say, "Why can't it be what I want it to be?"

I'm sorry you have to wait 4 days...how can we help the time pass? I can flood your inbox with all the sappy feel good e-mails I get on a regular basis. At the very least, they will make you laugh.

You should plan a vacation or a party for the end of the year - that will give you something to plan for and look forward to at the same time!

Anonymous said...

I like Jules' idea.... plan a trip to AZ!!! At the end of the year when the weather there is crappy it will be gorgeous here and you know I'd love to have you.

This is 47

In my acquired wisdom I've accepted: 1. That it's OK to admit I like girly things 2. That it's OK I didn't post this ON...