It started in January (2018) with a trip to see our daughter in Calgary and take her, her boyfriend, and his son to Banff for the weekend to celebrate her 30th birthday.
In February and into March, Al and I fulfilled a bucket-list trip to Hawaii. We were on Oahu (Waikiki) for 6 days and then on Maui (Kihei) for 9 days. What a fabulous trip that was.
Over the summer we stayed put for the most part...enjoying our pool and visits with friends who had not seen us for months. :)
In September, Al and I drove to Nashville to fulfill Al's (un-confirmed) bucket-list adventure. It involved attending Music Row Happy Hour at Margaritaville. (This is Sirus XM's live broadcast of The Highway on Friday afternoons.) We enjoyed the fabulous vibe of Nashville and I found myself tapping my toes a few times - despite my slight dislike of country music.
When we returned, we rested a bit then drove out to our daughter's to help fix up her basement and do some of the "honey-do" stuff that needed her Dad's help and tools. We left there and drove through the US mid-west, stopping to visit Montana and South Dakota. Beautiful, big sky country!!
At the end of October, my daughter and I travelled to Iceland for a 5 day adventure. Beautiful, but strange, country with geysers, waterfalls, geo-thermal powered everything, and a penis museum. LOL!!
When offered a mom and son trip, my son decided he would rather do something with his girlfriend - and Al and I - of course. No offence taken... a mom and son trip can be a little awkward... so we went on a bucket-list trip for him. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. At the archway into the park, he proposed and she said YES! So now we will have a wedding later this year. :)
Al and I just returned a week ago from Las Vegas. A well-deserved break following the massive stroke and subsequent passing of his Mom at the end of January. :(
~~~||~~~
It was a whirlwind year...and intentionally so. You see, I am 4.5 years into my remission following my stem cell transplant. The expectation is that I will get 5 years before the cancer starts to wake up and requires a different treatment. <sigh> That does not mean I plan to exit this planet anytime soon. It does mean that I would be on different meds. It will likely involve weekly hospital visits for injections or iv's. My current protocol of maintenance chemotherapy is a pill everyday and an iv infusion once every 3 months. I mange my side-effects and can travel pretty much anywhere I want.
The truth is: I got scared. I felt like my time was running out. I wanted to go places and do things and make memories with everyone. I was a little bit manic. I spent a lot of money, but I made the most wonderful memories!! The important thing is that I lived my life. I LIVED MY LIFE!!
This year, the whirlwind winds down. I will dial back the crazy - just a bit. I am going to Arizona in late April-early May with my college girlfriends; but that is the only adventure on the books right now. I have calmed the fear. I am content. I have had my mid-life crisis and we all survived.
I do advocate doing this though. If you have the means, just live full-throttle for a year. Do the things you want. Eat the delicious food, drink the fine wine, buy those fabulous shoes!! Indulge for a bit. Life is so short. Don't be one of those folks who say "one day I will..." and then die before they get the chance to do it. DO IT while you can.
Thanks for taking this journey with me. I love you all. Your support is what keeps me buoyed in rough waters. xo
2 comments:
You're one incredible soul. And I couldn't agree more, feasting your eyes on new sites and travelling with those you love is pure magic. So grateful you take those leaps instead of living in fear XOX
Linda, it has been great following your story over the last few years and yes, this last year sounded amazing just like you! I hope your remission period lasts far longer than 5 years so you can continue your adventures!
Post a Comment