Some of you may remember that I was thinking of switching to my husband's doctor. Well, September rolled around and it was time for an annual check-up, so I made the appointment. Last Thursday, I went to see her for the first time, and she did a very extensive new patient interview.
And because of a pattern of various symptoms I have, she thought there was the possibility that I had two different auto-immune disorders.
Friday, I went to have five vials of blood drawn and then I waited, wondering if life as I knew it was about to change. I knew that I'd been very tired the last couple of years, but I thought it was just because of economic stress and juggling too many things. The blood tests would determine whether it was something more serious.
Wednesday, as I continued to wait for word, I needed to get out of the house. So I got on my bike and went to the cemetery across the road from our subdivision. It's an old cemetery with winding roads lined with enormous, craggy trees, and my neighbor and I like walking and biking there. But on Wednesday, I went alone and I biked around and around while listening to music.
On one particular section of the outer loop, a squirrel was sitting in the middle of the road as I approached. It saw me coming and skittered up the nearest tree.
On my second loop, the squirrel was there again. On my third loop, the road was empty, but on the fourth loop, the squirrel was back in the very same spot. (I think some food must have been dropped there and smashed on the pavement by passing tires.)
When I made him skitter away the third time, I started laughing and laughing. And I thought, This is how I'll cope if I'm seriously ill. I'll narrow my focus to what's directly in front of me, and I'll enjoy the little things in life.
Well, yesterday we received the results of my blood work, and everything looks good according to my doctor. I don't have any new chronic conditions after all.
But I'm thinking maybe I should remember the lesson of the squirrel in the road anyway and learn to manage my life just a little bit better.
Friday, September 10, 2010
The Squirrel in the Road
4 comments:
Glad your tests turned out fine. I can just see that skittering squirrel!
So nice that you can learn such a profound lesson from such pleasurable ride!
Glad you're OK and love the message of the squirrel in the road. When I saw the title of the post I was expecting it to have something to do with indecision as to what to do next - which squirrels often do in the middle of the road, to their detriment, when a car is coming at them!
Well, a wise lesson learned from a squirrel. I learn a lot of lessons watching animals.
I am happy to hear you are well. I, too struggle with fatigue and am wondering if this is just post-menopause.
I love old cemetaries. Yours sounds wonderful to bike through. What a great place to go when you need to be alone with your thoughts.
Elizabeth
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