Life Balance: a feat we try to achieve while searching to be the best that we can we, while simultaneously raising our children to do the same. This is the equilibrium in our inner life force whereby our heartbeat matches the divine force that exists all around us. When this life balance peaks, our sense of peace, joy, love and wisdom acts as one with our very soul.
Today was a very special Thanksgiving. I imagined it just last week, the turkey all cooked, the side dishes steaming, the family gathered, and me giving thanks for getting a really good job after 8 months off. I was going to count my blessing for so many friends; Mark getting a job, Lorain's Dad pulling through so they could do the big trip up to Northern Canada, Tim's treatment for meslthemioma, for help for Lisa's sister-in-laws brain tumor, for Laurie's son in the Coast Guard and Carla's 2 sons in the Navy, for Donna's husband Sam's foot injury, for my mother-in-law's recovery from breast cancer, for Mary's help on her dissertation, for a full-time teaching job for Denise, for a new pharmacist job for Biljana in Orlando, for the new job for John, blessings for my friend's Yvonne and Dan helping my husband and I get new jobs, for Matt's Dad's healing from cancer, for Nate's Mom's hysterectomy, for Chris's battle with Guille Barre syndrome---so many people have really been helped this year and I am so grateful, but all along I was really going to give thanks for ice chips.
Yes, ice chips. What a blessing, the cold and the wet. Heaven. I had my first full week of work last week and came in Monday for a short holiday week. Pain in my side, no big deal, same pain I have had off and on. Did a 2 hour meeting, suddenly felt like puking. I haven't puked since I was 8. No, really I thought? Really? Yup, all over the bathroom. Had to have my new boss drive me to the emergency room. Want me to pull over he asks? Nope, just drive faster, blahhhhhh, all over his Ford Expedition. What a way to make an impression on the new boss, puking in his truck. Get in there, 8 hours of tests, they tell me I have a large cyst, go home and call your OB guy in the morning.
I try to stay home, but I can't get any pain medicine to stay down what with the puking and all. I am in more pain then it took to birth my 16 pounds of twins. I am shaking and screaming and making all kinds of promises to God if he would just take the pain away. I have DH drive me to closer emergency room, get more tests, get lots more medicine, have a woman come in to do a sonogram at 2 a.m., get my OB guy out of bed at 3, lots of fun. DH drives back to emergency room number one at 4 a.m. to get the cat scan of my 4th dependent, a cyst the size of Nebraska. Seriously, it was 12cm by 20cm. I am pretty sure they had to get a crane to take it out. It was so big, they put in a zipper for ease in removing the next one. I tried to get a tummy tuck while they were down there, but my OB/GYN said no two-fers, this wasn't Wegmans BOGO sale.
All in all, from the first puking on Monday, to ice chips on Tuesday at 10, it was 34 hours without liquids or food. Nothing, because everyone was sure I must need surgery for something, but was it kidney stones, my appendix or a cyst, no one could decide on for a whole day. Finally, they sent me to LALA land to dream of Tim Horton's large black coffee at 8 p.m. Tuesday. I was never so grateful for ice chips at 10.
So, as usual, I find it really amusing that I finally get a job to only need to leave due to a surgery. My friend is convinced I am just trying to milk the system. Unemployment was out, so now you need disability? What next she laments, Medicaid? A Handicapped sticker for your limp from sitting on your butt all year?
Yup, I give thanks for all my friends who know me so well and give me grief when I am sick. Here I am taking it easy again. But I am home, and I am so grateful.
Have an amazing Thanksgiving.
