Still not dead, but its been a hell of a ride...
The holidays are the holidays and steal time from of us despite the best of planning. But two days after Christmas I was down for the count and sick again. Started to get better, got back on the computer... then relapsed. Lots of visits to my specialists to figure out why, and it was determined surgery was the only thing that would help. Fine. Surgery it is. Remove the troublesome bit, begin to recover... then complications from surgery took me back out and it was another month before I felt like I could come up for air. Get the all clear, get back to the world, but changes in my medications sent me on another trip to the specialists. Get that worked out, actual feel GOOD in what feels like years, even get cleared for the big work trip/girls trip. I enjoy my ten days both beach and poolside, come back with a lovely tan (and minimal sunburn) and think life if finally getting good again...
...and end up back on my ass with both bronchitis and pneumonia at the same time, with a side dish of strep throat. I thoroughly enjoyed my time being VIP at the Tortuga Festival, and I wish I could say it was worth it, but I know I was not thinking that when I was lying on the floor struggling to breath a week later. Being a normal person existing in the world as I used to is just not something I'm destined for any longer, and I accept that, but its a lesson learned the hard way. No more festivals, no more concerts, no more airplanes. I can still travel, but by the controlled conditions of my own car. Any crowd means a mask, but I've got to be able to control my distance from people so no more pressing against the front fences of live music events.
So here I am, coming up for air again six months later. Things will be different for me, forever cautious instead of giving into whims of the heart. But in the end, I'm still here, I'm still me, so I'm going to keep writing.
