Having returned from enjoying an idyllic week (considering the tumor in my neck) while in CA with family and friends, I experienced a punch of stark reality during my appointment with my oncologist, today. My head is, once again, working toward absorbing the harsh truth of what I’m up against. Too soon to write, any more.
👩🏻Annie
Good morning,
It’s overcast, today, on the coast with the high in the mid sixties. A pleasant change from the 90’s in the desert, mid October.
I loved being at Tony’s and Ray’s flag football games, last night. Barry had no trouble pushing me from field to field in the wheel chair. And it was wonderful being with everyone, cheering our grandsons on to two victories.
🙋🏻♀️Annie
Currently, we’re enjoying a week at our timeshare on the west coast. I’m so much busier here than usual (at home) as to be immediately very tired whenever my mind is not otherwise enjoyably occupied. Last
Today, Will and David went to a favorite restaurant for lunch while I napped on a large heating pad (following my Shakespeare class) in readiness to watch Tony’s and Ray’s football games, tonight.
I definitely have not been replenishing energy expended, over night. And an overall sense of achiness slows me down (which I do not feel at home, as the only time I’m out of the house is to go to Mayo or meet friends for dinner for a couple of hours).
Even so, other than wishing to feel re-energized, over night, I wouldn’t change anything as we’ve thoroughly enjoyed time spent with our west coast family and friends, throughout this week.
With hopes that you continue to enjoy good health as life moves each of us forward on individualized paths, day by day, that’s all I have to say for now. Except to mention last night’s breath-taking sunset, which, as you see, was incredibly amazing as if the ocean was aflame.
🙋🏻♀️Annie
“Love comes to those who still hope even though they have been disappointed, to those who still believe even though they have been betrayed, to those who still love even though they have been hurt before.
—Author Unknown”
Excerpt From The Country Guesthouse by Robyn Carr
Joyce is amongst our dear friends whose artistic talents adorn a wall within our home. Joyce is one of several friends who are ailing (she is too unwell to enjoy visits on patios, back and forth). Recently, I sent the love note below to Joyce via text:
Dear Joyce,
Though a reply is not expected while you’re feeling so very much under the weather, I thought you’d like to know certain thoughts that warmed my heart when you came to mind, today (as you do, everyday)—
You’ve taught me by example—
Having spent time in your beautiful home has encouraged me to acquire an appreciation for elegance in decor, which enhances peace of mind. I’ve acquired an expanded appreciation for art that I admire vs art that I want to live with, because each piece makes me happy, day after day. Over time, I’ve learned to surround myself with a palate of colors reflecting the vitality of my spirit.
Though my mother and Will’s mother had a naturally graceful sense of good taste, color and proportion, our friendship with you encouraged both Will and me to express both of our personalities throughout the living space of our personal environment, which has made our cheerful home completely our own.
Thank you, dear friend, for influencing me in ways that may not have come to mind had I not asked to ‘visit’ with you for just a moment, today.
With hopes that the steroids will reduce the swelling from radiation in your brain, very soon, and that your tumor remains fallow—I love you and our lasting friendship for countless reasons—
🙋🏻♀️💖Annie
Beloved by her people, Queen Elizabeth II (RIP) was the longest reigning monarch of Great Britain. With her death, her eldest son, Prince Charles will be crowned King Charles III
Well! Will you look at that—I just condensed 80 turbulent years of history, inclusive of WW II into two sentences.
And so, to be even more specific, with the decline of the English empire, The UK is still doing well.
According to Wikipedia:
“The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy.[note 2][24][25] The capital and largest city is London, a global city and financial centre with a metropolitan area population of over 14 million. Other major cities include Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Liverpool and Leeds.[26]Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have their own devolved governments, each with varying powers.[27][28]
The United Kingdom has evolved from a series of annexations, unions and separations of constituent countries over several hundred years. The Treaty of Union between the Kingdom of England (which included Wales, annexed in 1542) and the Kingdom of Scotland in 1707 formed the Kingdom of Great Britain. Its union in 1801with the Kingdom of Irelandcreated the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Most of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922, leaving the present United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which formally adopted that name in 1927.”
———————
Just a glance over a time line concerning world history shows us how nations are formed and reformed as wars for domination vs independence are fought, here and there, everywhere, again and again, around the globe. And along with our own national reforms do we hope to see leadership within the USA serving to preserve laws set in place in hopes of opening the closed minds within our populous so as to soften more hearts to embracing folks whose inner needs naturally mirror our own.
Long live our inclusive enrichment of every immigrant, who—like all four of my grandparents—worked hard to provide a life free of vicious ‘progroms’ in hopes of settling their families within nation that modeled the creation of a better life for both of my parents who followed in their parents’ footsteps as do today’s ‘Dreamers’, born elsewhere but raised on USA soil (as was true of my mother and my father). My hat is off in respectful reverence of my family’s sojourn to The USA as well as respecting ‘The Dreamers’ who prove to be amongst the most industrious student/workers throughout our nation, roday.
Every vote cast for those who believe in the preservation of democratic principles is crucial, today, if we are determined to move forward rather than backward by over-turning long standing laws that reflect respect for every person’s life in these United States of America rather than reverting to laws upheld one hundred years ago when white supremacy’s inequalities had reigned supreme. As those who focus backward fall backward in time, I applaud those of us who lead by organizing marches that focus forward as was true of Reverend Martin Luther King.
Long live democratic principles that better your life, mine and that of our inclusive progeny, day in and day out.
🙋🏻♀️Annie
Ever since the evening heat has modified, Will and I have enjoyed meeting friends for dinner on restaurant patios, every night this week. Knowing that to be true, who would believe that my lengthy struggle with cancer and chemo has been intensely debilitating for these last three years.
In prepping for our CA vaca during July and August, I’d not had the energy to pack anything in my duffle without lots of help from my friends. However last week, I packed myself up (over several days) as we plan to drive to the west coast on Sunday to enjoy another week with family at our two bedroom, two bath timeshare.
In addition to having enjoyed our cabin in the forrest up north for 45 years, our family thoroughly enjoy weeks accrued at our beautiful timeshare in Newport Beach— just 20 minutes from Barry’s house—where we enjoy this sumptuous resort near to an abundance of west coast family and friends—this, along with our cabin in the forrest, which we all enjoyed before cable and with no TV on the premises, has been the foremost satisfying decision we’ve made with the enhancement of family time in mind.
Hard to believe, we’ve been enjoying the cabin for 44 years and this ocean view condo, for seventeen. See what I mean about counting my blessings, over the main theme of my life, thus swinging my mind away from the tumor in my neck which, hopefully, chemo has been attacking, relentlessly, over these past 27 days. Tomorrow I finish this first round of my third time in need of chemo, over these past three years. And with two weeks off before my next round of 28 days begins, I plan to enjoy a glass of wine or a margarita, each evening with dinner.
This morning while texting my dear friend, Susan and my sister, Lauren (I’d received texts from each one filled with concern over not having heard from me for three days) being that they’d contacted me daily, without fail, I’d replied.
Last night, after settling myself in bed, I looked at my texts and realized I’d not texted anyone since Sunday. First time in close to three years that I’d been remiss , though not with our sons, whose calls are enjoyed most every evening as they each feel need to touch base to see my ready smile and hear strength of spirit in my voice ..
Susan has a mammogram, today, and Will is on his way to discuss his current PSA while undergoing his bi-annual appt with his urologist, who’d removed Will’s cancer-ridden prostate, eight years back, followed by prescribing radiation
I saw one of my many doctors, yesterday. Yet another blessing along with medical innovations that continue to improve the quality and length of our lives.
Recently, we’ve been aware of a string of funerals (several friends in their late seventies passed away within these last few months) indicating our need to accept our youthful spirits watching over bodies, which, over decades, have continued to age. And thus am I experiencing sound reason to enjoy the continuance of my upper range birthdays while remembering anniversaries of birthdays of loved ones, who have passed on. Within an hour we’ll attend yet another memorial service via zoom.
In short, no matter my current age, I can pine for my lost youth or focus my youthful spirit toward remaining so resilient as to cling to life for one second longer than my weakened body’s very last breath. And hopefully, no matter your current birthday, the same may be true of your choice to honor, preserve and enjoy the sanctity of your ageless spirit along with Ravi’s and mine …
2019 just before my cancer diagnosis and pandemic
Ever since Ravi’s birth, our spirits have felt as one
Why do I continue to actually feel happy, day after day?
Perhaps that’s because I choose to feel much more invested in my friendships, which prove to be many, than investing my mind with thoughts of life threatening illness, which would see me feeling fearful, angry and embittered—none of which would change anything except to inadvertently push loved ones away, resulting in my devastating no one more than myself. And so if I remain logically sound while embracing a healthy state of emotional denial then my brain is operating in a well balanced fashion that sees me counting my blessings rather than lamenting over that which fate has placed in my hands to do with as I choose.
As I’ve taught the power of logical and natural consequences to parents for more than forty years, I understand the self-empowerment of personal choice. And my choice is to feel as happy and grateful for as long as possible by occupying my mind with blessings that enrich my zest for life—blessings such as each of you, dear friends, who choose to seek out my posts, providing my voice with an attentive audience, so I’m not just whistling in the wind.
Sending each of you warm hugs, as alwaysL’Shana Tova—to a good new year
🙋🏻♀️🌈🌻🍀Annie
