Sunday, August 9, 2009

Normal: No Bones about It


What an odd week I've had! I missed being with Gracie and Jonahbear so much. The previous week with them, their parents, and my dear Muffin was so delightful, as always. For the last seven days I have been somewhat disoriented, restless and distracted. Also busy.

I have written contracts, been to the library, stretched through two Pilates hours and four Body Flow classes. I shopped for groceries, took the car for oil change, new battery, new wipers, and tire rotation, made Spanish rice, two enchilada casseroles, chicken salad, fruit salad, and veggie salad.

I delivered part of that food as a meal to my dear friend KK's home and visited with her for awhile. Green rings are the new jewelry for a group of her friends, including Moi. We wear them as a reminder to pray for KK, knowing that her vision for the future is one of a green hedge. Another member of our reunion group and I met at KK's house one afternoon. While KK rested and my friend prayed, I played the violin, because I felt that was what the Holy Spirit told me to do for her.

At Sozo training I learned about "triggers", those sights, sounds, smells, or thoughts which remind us of traumatic events from which we seemingly cannot free ourselves of the trauma, no matter how much we pray. During the learning session a woman in the group asked for us to minister to her to receive freedom from traumatic thoughts whenever she thought about her doctors who diagnosed colorectal cancer in her body over a year ago. She did received freedom! Then we went to lunch and talked for two hours about nutrition as cancer therapy, about KK's diagnosis, about her own journey to this point, about her family and their reactions, about her travel to various places to receive prayer, and especially about her current good health. Now the green ring reminds me to pray for her too!

One afternoon I spent several hours cleaning out files. Yuk! Now all those outdated papers need to be shredded. I have more space and a stack of empty file folders as a result.
My least favorite day spent with my most favorite man, Muffin, was Friday. We drove northwest to my gynecologist for my yearly checkup, blood work, bone density and mammogram. Is there anyone out there whose favorite time of year is THE checkup day? Didn't think so. Although my reports are usually quite good there is always some tension associated with the waiting--for the actual checkups and the results. Since the last bone density scan I am half an inch shorter. Two years=one half inch. That was not good news. In spite of all the exercise and supplements and careful diet, I am missing one half inch of my height, which was already about half an inch shorter than my maximum height, which was never what you would call "tall". My gym trainer was shocked as I explained this to him today. We discussed possible options about adding weight bearing exercise, and I shopped for additional supplements to maximize bone density and minimize chewing and swallowing. "I don't want to think about this today; I'll think about this tomorrow." Katie Scarlett O'Hara

Muffin and I bought yellow watermelon and black eyed peas tonight, among other lovely produce and grocery items. The melon and peas are a surprise for Nannie, who has been craving foods her arthritic hands will not prepare to eat. The peas are shelled, snapped and cooked, and the melon is quartered.

Cooking for those in need, shopping for those who aren't able, planning for the studio, waiting in doctors' offices, working out and eating carefully to promote better health, investing time in that which is eternal--these are part of my routine "normal" at this stage of my life. It bloggles the mind.