Starting Over Again
Once upon a time there was a woman who had a chronic illness. She lived through chemo and prednisone and when the pandemic struck, she started dialysis. Some days she stared at the TV and some days she dreamed, but she had forgotten to write.
Then one day, she woke up. She looked around and saw the desk with papers. She saw her dog. She felt the sun on her skin and the breeze sweep by her face.
I would like to say that she started writing immediately, but she was a stubborn cuss and was more interested in looking through the social sites, watching others live their lives. But there was a hole in her that needed to be filled.
So stumbling a little on the keys, she began to put into words what was wordless.
How can you tell someone the simple joy of being able to roll out of bed, stand on your feet, and walk? There are times when she hadn't been able to walk. Today she can walk. Today she can see. Today she can hear the sounds of the birds as they fly around her head.
You see, one of the side effects of heavy chemo and prednisone, is that you feel the world gray and your emotions dull. After many years of being on immuno-suppressants, you wonder if you will ever enjoy the sight and smell of a rose.
Today I've been off immuno-suppressants for over a year. I've been off prednisone for over five years.
Today I can write.