"Hey," came a nudge from the other side of the bed last night. "Hey, we didn't dance today."
My darling hubby was quite right -- and reminding me to honor my ritual of dancing: Every. Single. Day.
Still, I was tired. We both were processing the information from a week of doctor's appointments. We had walked 3.6 miles in the morning (my first complete turn (since getting out of the hospital) around our up-and-down-filled training loop, which we've run ruts into preparing for multiple long-distance treks). We had two amazing love-filled interactions with close friends (Thank you, Bill and Jeannine; and Chip, Reis, Kenny and Paola). I had just finished a fun and uplifting book. It was late. How committed was I to this ritual of mine anyway?
But, Cliff was right. We hadn't danced today -- and the day was coming to an end. This was no good.
From his side of the bed, a sudden, electronic glow illuminated the ceiling. Cliff was trolling Sonos for dance music . . .. Then, amid the strains of some pop-rock song unrecognizable to me, he simultaneously was turning on his bed-side lamp and getting to his feet with a little head bop (I swear).
The music grew louder. It definitely had a strong dance beat.
"What is this song?" I giggled, joining him mid-swing.
"My Life Would Suck Without You," came his snickered reply.
"What? How do you even KNOW this song?
"I don't," he assured me, "But I love the title!"
So we shuffled, twisted -- and yes, even leapt -- to Kelly Clarkson's song from a decade past. I had a funny mental picture of an audience of voyeuristic coyotes and owls trying to make sense of the crazy shadows hopping about our bedroom windows. Oh the fun!
And as the song ended and we crawled back into bed, here's what I knew for sure: It was joyous. It was happy. It was a reminder of the power of TeamBoltz: When one is tired, the other picks up the slack to recharge the team. When one is down, the other has a smile, or a touch, or a word of encouragement that lifts the team. TeamBoltz takes two.
So yep, ♫ "We belong together now (yeah); Forever united here somehow (yeah)" ♫ (Warning: Link at your own risk -- this song floats on a very strong ear-worm!)
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When I awoke this morning I was full of energy and good thoughts. For breakfast, Cliff fixed me avocado toast with an egg on top. We walked 4.2 miles today! We delighted in the spontaneous flight of the lesser-goldfinches as they lifted from their feast among the late-summer wildflowers when we passed. We enjoyed the company of the ever-fluid and athletic Illy on the loop. And we collected Munro for the "mailbox" run -- about as far as his stubby little legs will carry that puff-coated body once the sun crests the Sangres. What a wonderful new day!
Progress update:
A week of more tests (PET scan & another MRI) and doctor's appointments (a new primary care manager, and again with my oncologist, Dr. Rixe). The news this week was a little tougher. My cancer, in its current state, is not operable. I have multiple lesions on my liver and more lymph node infiltration than previously thought. But, there's still good news: my peritoneum and lungs remain clear. So the treatment plan will follow what Dr. Rixe previously described as the longer, tougher route: Six months of chemo therapy -- still slated to begin on 9 September -- and further consideration of local options (surgery, ablation, ultrasound, etc.) to remove any remaining cancer as we go forward. So, maybe we won't have all the cancer out of my body by Christmas, 2019, but there's still plenty of 2020 left for the Via Francigena!
Quote of the Day:
When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It is to enjoy each step along the way.~ Wayne Dyer
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| Celebrating forty (plus) years of friendship when Chip and Reis visited yesterday |
😊VIA FRANCIGENA, 2020!😊
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