Danda, James is 8 months old already! From what I can tell they just get better with time so you are in for some good times! I am glad to see that you are emotionally making head way tackling the ups and downs of your treatment. It is a balancing act and surely you will fall off the beam sometimes, but you seem to be able to get back on it much easier these days. You are amazing~! don't give up! I know this is hard.
Humor?! Who wants humor? It is about all I can muster up right now given that I have spent the last two hours at my computer trying to figure out reasons customers returned my bedding in the month of march more so than they did last year and all I have been able to deduce is that they just don't like it! Talk about finding a needle in a haystack I give up!
First Bay swim of the season:
Jeff and I hosted a great brunch at our place on Easter Sunday. Jeff thought of it after the fact, but we were meant to host this holiday as long as we lived in our house--Easter on Easterby! It was meant to be! I've got to tell you as Summer is upon us, there is no where I would rather be than the Bay area. Wildflowers are in bloom, the water has warmed to 52 degrees and living in Marin you aren't hampered by the fog of San Francisco—life is good!
That same weekend I had my first swim in San Francisco Bay! I coaxed Jeff to come with. Of course he was getting over a cough so I felt badly asking him to come, but he seemed to be up for the challenge. I made him tea in a thermos so he could sip it to keep warm while I paddled from buoy to buoy. Of course it is not enough that I was jumping the in the Bay for the first time, I had to bike over the bridge to complicate matters! We biked over in the traffic of tourists crossing the bridge along with gusts that would cause you to stand still as you weaved around the pylons.
As we neared Aquatic Park I kept telling Jeff I thought this whole thing was a bad idea. It was cool, very breezy and if I was too cold when I got out of the water we would have to bike home. Playing the coach role he kept telling me it would be fine and we were not turning around. I needed that because I was really feeling like I should have brought my wetsuit. It is like a safety blanket! I never end up wearing it, but it is there just in case. But think about it, am I really ever going to get out of the water and try to stuff my wet self into neoprene?! Let's be realistic!
We arrived, I stripped down right as a team of Team in Training triathletes were coming out of the water all talking about how cold it was-must have been their first swim in the Bay based on their reactions. And without another thought I put my caps on and walked determined to the water like I did this all the time. With tourists snapping pictures I just walked in the water and thought to myself have I lost my mind?! Do I usually wear a wetsuit this early in the season?! What the heck am I doing, I am never going to make it to the first buoy and before you know it I was there (head still above water mind you). As I treaded water to get my bearings an older woman-let's say in her 70's elegantly breast stroked past me with her flowered swim cap-I might be making the flowered swim cap part up, but my body was in a state of shock so I was not in my right mind. I gurgled out to her, " Am I going to be ok?! Am I going to warm up?" Politely she replied, "You'll be fine. Start swimming." "Right." and down my head until my whole body was submerged in the icy waters. I spent the first five minutes fighting with my goggles as I tried to create a good suction as I knew I would never endure the swim with leaky goggles. Finally goggles were on and I was swimming.
Took me quite some time to settle into my rhythm, but I got there and it was great. It was windy that day so the rippled water broke over by arm as I stroked hard to keep on course. I call days like those washing machine days because I swear that is what it would feel like if you were on permanent press in the washing machine. Lots of bubbles and turbulence.
Despite everything I managed to swim the requisite mile and half in 45 minutes...just in time to get out before hypothermia set in! Chattering teeth and stumps for feet I mounted my bike and Jeff and I rode home! One step closer to the main event!
That same weekend I had my first swim in San Francisco Bay! I coaxed Jeff to come with. Of course he was getting over a cough so I felt badly asking him to come, but he seemed to be up for the challenge. I made him tea in a thermos so he could sip it to keep warm while I paddled from buoy to buoy. Of course it is not enough that I was jumping the in the Bay for the first time, I had to bike over the bridge to complicate matters! We biked over in the traffic of tourists crossing the bridge along with gusts that would cause you to stand still as you weaved around the pylons.
As we neared Aquatic Park I kept telling Jeff I thought this whole thing was a bad idea. It was cool, very breezy and if I was too cold when I got out of the water we would have to bike home. Playing the coach role he kept telling me it would be fine and we were not turning around. I needed that because I was really feeling like I should have brought my wetsuit. It is like a safety blanket! I never end up wearing it, but it is there just in case. But think about it, am I really ever going to get out of the water and try to stuff my wet self into neoprene?! Let's be realistic!
We arrived, I stripped down right as a team of Team in Training triathletes were coming out of the water all talking about how cold it was-must have been their first swim in the Bay based on their reactions. And without another thought I put my caps on and walked determined to the water like I did this all the time. With tourists snapping pictures I just walked in the water and thought to myself have I lost my mind?! Do I usually wear a wetsuit this early in the season?! What the heck am I doing, I am never going to make it to the first buoy and before you know it I was there (head still above water mind you). As I treaded water to get my bearings an older woman-let's say in her 70's elegantly breast stroked past me with her flowered swim cap-I might be making the flowered swim cap part up, but my body was in a state of shock so I was not in my right mind. I gurgled out to her, " Am I going to be ok?! Am I going to warm up?" Politely she replied, "You'll be fine. Start swimming." "Right." and down my head until my whole body was submerged in the icy waters. I spent the first five minutes fighting with my goggles as I tried to create a good suction as I knew I would never endure the swim with leaky goggles. Finally goggles were on and I was swimming.
Took me quite some time to settle into my rhythm, but I got there and it was great. It was windy that day so the rippled water broke over by arm as I stroked hard to keep on course. I call days like those washing machine days because I swear that is what it would feel like if you were on permanent press in the washing machine. Lots of bubbles and turbulence.
Despite everything I managed to swim the requisite mile and half in 45 minutes...just in time to get out before hypothermia set in! Chattering teeth and stumps for feet I mounted my bike and Jeff and I rode home! One step closer to the main event!
Danda, you are one step closer to what seems like your main event as well. Getting through your last chemo treatment will be one phase down. Although their will be more treatments and different obstacles in the next phases you should begin to see this as a major obstacle you have overcome! You have broken the ice so to say and are more prepared to the take the coming months in stride knowing you have come a long way from the first day your were diagnosed. Keep reminding yourself of how far you have come! I love you whole hearted!
Lex
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