Thursday, February 18, 2010

Choosing only what I want

I'm on a mission to clean up my house. And I have help. ha ha ha. This job is too big for one person. I marvel at how one person could accumulate so much stuff!

There are the clothes. I don't have very many that fit right now and that is okay. I can live with fewer clothes. And I'm not crazy about the ones that don't fit anyway. Except the jeans. I really need some jeans that fit. Being fifty something, healthy and wearing hand me down jeans is suddenly bothering me a great deal. I am terribly grateful for the jeans that came from a friend when I was first able to wear clothes. But a shopping trip is in order.

That is one of the questions I asked at the clinic Tuesday. "Is it okay for me to go in a store and try on clothes?" Julie (nurse practitioner) looked at me like what's the question. Just live like a normal person. She even suggested water aerobics to help with my feet and strengthen my arms. No lakes but a swimming pool is okay.

My counts were good. Up. Hemoglobin is 9.6 now. Haven't seen that number in a long while. White cells are normal. Absolute neutrophils are normal.

I am very conscious as I go through the house, the remaining cartons and bags, the stuff that is "restored" to its place, that I can choose what I want to put back in my life. Everything was taken away and now I am carefully putting back in only what I want.

That is how I am finding I can live with less.

Lori came up and helped me this week. We went through the bins in the front room. We arranged the furniture in the front room so it is usable. I can sit in there and read the paper which I love to do occasionally. When there is a sunrise--which we haven't had for a while--the sun comes in the windows and I don't need a lamp.

Today was brilliant. The sunshine was fabulous.

My potassium was low for some reason this week. More bananas I think. I have to take potassium pills and those things are big honkers. Even cut in half they are enormous. I used to have to cut them in half just to swallow them. But I will be more conscious of my diet and at my next visit it will be normal. And I can do without taking another honking big pill. Tonight I made potato soup with 3 good size potatoes and then I ate every bit of it. I'll bet my potassium is normal tomorrow. Too bad my clinic appointment isn't tomorrow.

So I will continue making my choices. I truly miss having fresh flowers in the house. Not so much the plants, but the flowers.

~Cathi

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The use of Words like normal, sunshine,bananas,are all signs of a great recovery. Trust me ,I have done a lot of reading on this and know what Im talking about.
Loving You
Nedra Lou

gail said...

Cathi,
You get to define normal for you as you fit things back into your life. Throwing out the useless and keeping the treasures is such a nice way to redefine the choices you are making.

But, knowing that your blood counts are NORMAL is incredible news no matter what!

Sending you lots of love!

-gail

Nancy said...

I hope to emulate your choice to only include now in your life what you choose is worthwhile, as I move into my new house and next stage also.

Love ya!
Nancy