2017 Turdnado

Hello from this last day of 2017. My brain is doing the fun thing of reflecting on all the disappointments of the past year. There were some positive moments, for sure, but generally it was a downhill slog. The thing I feared happened: most of the gains I'd worked for evaporated as my health deteriorated. Plus our collective psyche has been damaged by the toxic political climate, hitting all of us in very personal ways.

I try not to focus on the strength that allowed me to persevere. It's a mixed blessing, and one that makes me appear more independent and less alone than I am. The losses of this year hit me hard--lost health, lost friendships, lost long-term relationship--and adding them to my life-long grief list doesn't feel good at all. I'm not sorry to be alive and sane, don't get me wrong, but life is still tremendously difficult.

Practicing good self care helped, though. I finished and wore the Water breakup shawl last week: it's very soft and cozy. I'm unabashedly my own weird self. And friends online and in person are the joy in my life.

Water posed on my Christmas tree

Top left: April's Peepicide; Top right: brownies for Sweetie

Bottom left: Xmas tree; Bottom right: my new hat!

Instead of looking back I'm focusing on Jan 5th's Awesome Rheumy appt. The thought of her examining my hands makes me want to cry, but at least my symptoms are visible? I have no idea what the next step will be. Brain in a jar is sounding pretty good right now but she probably has a couple ideas before we take that step ;) Being able to walk, think, sleep soundly, and socialize are my giant unspoken goals.

If this post sounds conflicted...well that's because I am! Teetering between optimism and realism, trying to hope for the best while bracing for the worst, living in the moment unless that moment is miserable in which case distract-distract-distract, and questioning the meaning of it all: that's me summed up in one terrible run-on sentence.

May we all have a better 2018. May love win.