Day 88
Debbie returned to Atlanta this morning for the last time, and John and I have a busy week still to go. As she was on her way, our neighbor, who is a dean at Tech, called to ask if some students could come do a service project on our yard tomorrow. There is a house down the street that I call "Boo Radley's" because it is deserted and overgrown. I think ours might be reaching that point by now. Anyway, and of course, I said, "Yes, please, and thank you so much."
Being gone so long has taken its toll on so many things, and it is so nice to have kindness like that from a neighbor. Living in the city is a hard life. There are so many thing one may take for granted elsewhere. City services are only intermittent and things like police patrols require one to pay off duty officers to respond because - well, I suppose it would amount to bribery if it weren't sanctioned by a system that doesn't work. I lived for a short time in Mexico City and it was the same way there, only bribery seemed to work.
All that makes it all the more kind when you can answer the question, "Who then is my neighbor?" and point next door. So far I know we have one tree half down, another that looks like it belongs in Pisa, no grass in some places and a little shop of horrors elsewhere. The roof miraculously still doesn't leak, but we now have a swimming pool for a basement. I dread seeing what the storms and careless backers have done to Debbie's car. There will be a lot of the thngs I've taken for granted to put back together.
Among them, for me, will be tending to a growing need for some in-person management of staff and responsibilities at work. Some work is better done without quite all the interruptions of the office. Other things can't be done well from a continent away. All in all, I figure it has taken me an extra hour here for each office hour to continue to do a creditable job. Starting at 5:00 AM and working through to 5 or 6 here, with gaps now and then for clinic visits, has helped, but some things I am responsible for need personal attention as home.
Leukemia may reside in one body, but it affects a great many. I've been thinking about the many ways I've seen and experienced that. I've learned that,for me, sleep may be optional, and can be appeased with occasional winks. Cleaning, even beyond what might satisfy the harshest white-gloved mother-in-law, and cooking for the appetite challenged, have reminded me how so many working mothers live. A sailboat can travel faster than the calculus of wind, wake and water will allow in a broad reach if you work it like a board and ride with the surf. I've had many days when the chemistry of health and hope have had that effect for me here. One thing has mattered most here and it has helped my mind to be able to put that first. Having only one car has probably helped me in the physical sense. Afterr I dropped off Debbie at the airport, I put in almost 5 hours biking, and I still was able to cook up a late lunch for John.
This last week will be busy with packing, shipping, medical tests, exit meetings and - just possibly- removal of John's Hickman line. There is more to share, but not for tonight.
Still, at least and most of all, John is coming back and that is worth it all. Apart from getting back to life
Being gone so long has taken its toll on so many things, and it is so nice to have kindness like that from a neighbor. Living in the city is a hard life. There are so many thing one may take for granted elsewhere. City services are only intermittent and things like police patrols require one to pay off duty officers to respond because - well, I suppose it would amount to bribery if it weren't sanctioned by a system that doesn't work. I lived for a short time in Mexico City and it was the same way there, only bribery seemed to work.
All that makes it all the more kind when you can answer the question, "Who then is my neighbor?" and point next door. So far I know we have one tree half down, another that looks like it belongs in Pisa, no grass in some places and a little shop of horrors elsewhere. The roof miraculously still doesn't leak, but we now have a swimming pool for a basement. I dread seeing what the storms and careless backers have done to Debbie's car. There will be a lot of the thngs I've taken for granted to put back together.
Among them, for me, will be tending to a growing need for some in-person management of staff and responsibilities at work. Some work is better done without quite all the interruptions of the office. Other things can't be done well from a continent away. All in all, I figure it has taken me an extra hour here for each office hour to continue to do a creditable job. Starting at 5:00 AM and working through to 5 or 6 here, with gaps now and then for clinic visits, has helped, but some things I am responsible for need personal attention as home.
Leukemia may reside in one body, but it affects a great many. I've been thinking about the many ways I've seen and experienced that. I've learned that,for me, sleep may be optional, and can be appeased with occasional winks. Cleaning, even beyond what might satisfy the harshest white-gloved mother-in-law, and cooking for the appetite challenged, have reminded me how so many working mothers live. A sailboat can travel faster than the calculus of wind, wake and water will allow in a broad reach if you work it like a board and ride with the surf. I've had many days when the chemistry of health and hope have had that effect for me here. One thing has mattered most here and it has helped my mind to be able to put that first. Having only one car has probably helped me in the physical sense. Afterr I dropped off Debbie at the airport, I put in almost 5 hours biking, and I still was able to cook up a late lunch for John.
This last week will be busy with packing, shipping, medical tests, exit meetings and - just possibly- removal of John's Hickman line. There is more to share, but not for tonight.
Still, at least and most of all, John is coming back and that is worth it all. Apart from getting back to life
