…and five hops back. I loved hopscotch as a child, and whiled away many an hour tossing a pebble and hopping, jump-turning, and hopping some more. I feel like I am in a Felini-esque hopscotch game, where the pebble flies out of bounds and the numbers are all out of order. I have discovered the hard way that recovery from six months of chemo is not the automatic, slam dunk, flick of a switch, immediate wellness I had been anticipating.
I had my Herceptin infusion at the Mayo yesterday, and the chemo nurses all commiserated, but let me know that my discomfort and incapacitation was normal, and perhaps better than many if not most. No one tells you that going in. Psychologically, that might be in the patient’s best interest, at least going in. But coming out the other side is an entirely different story. So be it. I am finally able to function a little every day, which is a huge improvement over the last three weeks. So far, no residual effects from the “mini infusion” of Herceptin, so I’m very happy about that, since I have ten more infusions to go.
So, enough of the negativity and complaints. I am blessed to be this far along in the process, with the worst definitely behind me. I am looking toward the future, and planning my life in my “new normal”. I am finally acclimated to the concept of retirement, and am soooo looking forward to creating a new daily schedule and life agenda that revolves around my interests and needs without the stressful responsibility and distraction of generating revenue to support overhead in two states, further growth of the biz, and the uninterrupted compensation and benefits to employees. Good-bye to all of that stress, which is so important to my continued recovery and future health. And bless all entrepreneurs everywhere, including my dear H.
In my first congnizant act of becoming a retiree, I applied for Social Security yesterday. Facing the reduction and elimination of retirement benefits is disheartening after investing into the program for over 40 years. Just another residual from the financial debacle perpetrated upon us lowly worker bees…but, I am determined to be positively pro-active and celebrate this final chapter. So, here’s to creating a new life in the new world and rejoicing in survival! Love and light to all.
Apr. 11, 2013
Judy Richter 