Onward and upward

Oh, what a whirlwind this is! One moment I'm recovering, the next there's a tiny setback, so we persist through those. I won't let tiny inconveniences stop me, as exhausting as it is to always look up, look forward, keep pushing. 

I don't have much more to impart at this point. I'm just happy to be hope finishing my recovery, clean of viruses and funguses and anything else that could derail me. And I'm grateful for each of you who follow the journey and join with your prayers. It takes a village to raise a child... and a village to help a grown woman heal and thrive once again. 

I know it'll be a while before I can dance, so for now I stick with walks and exercises to strengthen and get me there eventually. 

It's hard to live under the illusion that you're mostly in control to realizing there's nothing you actually control except your attitude and how you respond to things.

So we keep fighting, one foot in front of the other, one bite after the next, working toward independence.

Onward and upward!

Where have I been these past months?

I have been "asleep" for the past few months, or more accurately, in a mental fog so thick, you can't see your nose. I am waking up in the hospital once again, learning I've been here before, and finding out there's all sorts of issues I have to face, mainly an HHV6 infection (human herpes virus 6). I have a pole with meds and fluids and who knows what else next to my bed. And I don't remember anything from round one. 

Honestly, I don't think I want to remember any of it. By all accounts, it was the fight of my life. Well, I find myself still fighting. I am a ghost of who I used to be, down to skin and bones. Hospital food isn't too bad, unless you're dealing with food aversion (why not add one more thing to the list?) I am told I wasn't so far off last time and managed to recover, so that's the goal now - get home to recover. 

I am coming out of the fog now, though I find myself in a mental loop where things repeat themselves over and over again, and I don't know which instance is reality. Yes, that's quite a bit of fun. According to me, I've spoken to my husband seven times this morning... except it's only been once. 

As I sort through all this and work on grounding myself, I also look at the time I've been here. Ten weeks so far and counting. Ten weeks I mostly don't remember. It really is difficult to keep a good attitude and hope alive when you're in the hospital this long. And yet, there's only one way forward - one step at a time, one foot in front of the other (ok, truth be told, I'm walking with my feet spread out these day to try to stay balanced. My grandma would be aghast! Ladies walk in one track).

My husband, my dad, and my girls have been troopers through all this. I rarely am without a family member in here to keep me company for a little while, in spite of the 1.5 hour drive, traffic, and all those wonderful surprises you can find in freeways in Southern California. 

I've been so touched by the many messages and support. They really do lift me up and help me keep fighting. If I don't reply to everything, please understand it isn't a lack of willingness, but a lack of bandwidth. 

As things progress, I hope to continue with updates through here. And I hope they progress enough that I can go home in the next ten days or so. The finish line is visible, please don't let it shift on me yet again.