I got up late this morning and am having tea and breakfast before I shower and go to the Christmas Day meeting here in town. I like to go to these meetings, because I've noticed that they are usually full of newcomers who are suffering high stress at this time of year. I think it's good to have some old-timers there, it balances the meeting a bit more.
As of May this year, I was told by my surgeon that I had six months to a year to live. (This was challenged and disputed by my oncologist, who said I could live for years with cancer in my lymph nodes, with regular chemo) I wasn't sure if I'd live to see another Christmas. My last CT scan was clear, so it may still be in my lymph nodes, but the rest of my body is cancer free at the moment.
That's pretty much the best Christmas present I can recall receiving.
I'm grateful for time with my beloved Robert, who can make me laugh no matter what the circumstance. I'm grateful to be alive, and feeling well, and also because I'm getting a port installed in my shoulder this coming Tuesday. I've developed a ferocious allergy to the adhesive in the plastic bandages used to cover my PICC line, so it's coming out, and a port is being put in. I can't wait - the port sits just under the skin, so no more bandage changes, no more wrapping myself up like a sandwich before showering, and NO MORE ITCH!
The itch from the allergy has been driving me to distraction. But it will be over soon, and my arm will feel much better.
I'm grateful for Al-Anon, which is where I learned about the practise of gratitude.
Bless you all, and Happy Christmas.
Hope your Holidays were calm and clear sailing.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year coming up
Christmas is the time I expect newcomers - I think it can really put pressure on us who live, or have lived, with alcoholism. The projected media image of the perfect family occasion, and how we should all confirm to it, is really difficult and can be overwhelming when we see how far short we can be of achieving it. Thank goodness for Al anon meetings to help me get through it and get some positivity.
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