I know. I know. Just when you think life’s roadblocks are going to take a break there’s a huge landslide on the main highway. It’s funny how we never quite get used to this crap.
I’ve had a few curveballs lately that I didn’t see coming. Some people say this is exciting and we should embrace these surprise life gifts and I think that’s a good idea but first we have to figure out how to get around the damn thing.
My latest blip involved two trips to the lovely emergency room here and finally a diagnosis of something called AFIB, atrial fibrillation, a bit of a short circuit in my little heart. I’m leaning into it and am about halfway over the roadblock and I started dealing with it by going camping in my new tent.
Camping for me is like going to the spa for other people and I found the most amazing campground because of this blip. We were the only tent in the campground, it was on an undeveloped lake, the sites were spaced far apart and the weather was glorious. I decided if that is the tradeoff for AFIB that’s fine with me. The world is full of quiet and beautiful spaces and places and the tent and my small mess of camping gear loves to be in the back of the truck. I just have to step a bit more carefully on the trails, take some pills, see my acupuncturist more often, and embrace this new part of who I am.
This does not mean I am not pissed off about this but it does explain a lot of things about how I have been feeling for six-plus decades and I have health insurance and in this country that is not a given and I have counted that blessing many, many times.
I would suggest to you all that there is never going to be a better time to smell the roses than today. Spend all your damn money, forget about who might be watching and do something like throwing your bra off a busy bridge, drink the bottle of wine you think you are saving for something special, go lay naked in the backyard or better yet, the front yard, pick up the phone and call them, eat the last cookie, and if you have to go potty in the ambulance and you can’t wait just remember you can throw your pants away or wash them when you get home.
I just opened the window and sang to my birds and I hope you heard my wild song too.
