Love 40

In 14 weeks of treatments  - 70 days...You traveled 1800 miles,  had approximately 15  blood treatments, 25 hydrotherapies, plenty of ozone, multitude of supplements, reduced the swelling in your liver and spleen, decreased the calcified lymph nodes in your neck, and swam a total of 50 laps....and two weeks after leaving Phoenix - you did the unthinkable - you played 30 minutes of tennis - yes folks you heard it here, and I even managed to sweat!  More correctly my body actually responded to being warm and cooled itself by sweating -

Its my favorite part of the Amazing Race, the finish line, and normally Phil Keoghan is grinning widely while summarizing the adventure for the million dollar winners - in 30 days you traveled though 5 continents -  8 countries -  52,000 miles - you have officially won the Amazing Race.  Well, I may not have won a million bucks, but the old saying never gets old that if you don't have your health you don't have anything - and tonight as my left wrist shook, and my backhand didn't look half bad,  I was able to be on an indoor court without after 5 minutes feeling light headed and dizzy - I was in absolute awe - and I still am finding it hard to believe - I sure felt like those 14 weeks in the desert I have a victory to show for it...

Tennis is not high on my list of enjoyable sports - the idea of purposefully putting yourself in the beating sun on a cement like surface has never much appealed.  And then don't get me started with the little matching skirts and the all to common clique like atmosphere a tennis court and club has historically drawn   - the magnetic force of grown up mean girls disguised under the veil of sportsmanship - but tonight as I was hitting that little yellow ball across the net - the way it felt to "hit" something" - I got it - and for the first time in forever there were moments where I actually felt strong.  There is nothing better than feeling strong.

As I am home now, I'm a bit shaky and feeling a little light headed, but I did it - perhaps I have seen a little bit of light - at the end of this very long tunnel - I was out in the real world tonight - I was able to leave the house, run into two old friends and "chit chat" and I was able to do something a year ago would be unthinkable - a year ago trying to watch a half hour of tennis in a muggy indoor court would have left me overheated and weak.  As we left the court tonight, for the first time it all felt worth it - the time, the money, the fevers, the oh so unpleasant blood treatments - deep breathe of relief - it felt worth it and driving home in the moon lit sky the world didn't seem so black - tennis anyone?

Foot Race to the Finish

addendum...just went to grab a glass and i can hardly lift my arm....and it feels good!  hoping tomorrow isn't a crash...