My New Marathon

My New Marathon

Sunday June 21, 2015 7:30pm

The marathon before the marathon. Sitting in my hospital bed on the eve on my discharge. So many different emotions I am feeling. Excited, relieved, over joyed, scared and even sad. Why sad? Maybe because I am beginning a brand new chapter. A chapter I do not yet completely understand. I leave behind the old me and in many ways that makes me sad. I leave behind this very small room with my bike, my garden below and the familiar routine that for so many days has been a little bit of a comfort. A relationship with each of my nurses, who have all been amazing. The attention from the brilliant doctors making their rounds every morning. What has changed since the day before, what is new today and what can I expect maybe tomorrow. This time the tomorrow is to say good by and I hope to never see you again. Never see you again - and that makes us all happy.

Scared of what is to come and excited at the same time. In the many pages of my journal I have archived my daily adventures. Mostly to help with my memory loss that has plagued me during my many months of treatment. These past weeks have been the hardest part of this journey. Now it's time for the marathon. A marathon of healing. Unlike other races a marathon must be attacked with a slow and steady pace.

I run a 5k race with intensity, always pushing to increase my personal record by the slightest tenth of a second. I am running a new marathon, the marathon of life, this requires a slow and steady pace. Healing comes daily but slowly. You win your marathon with patience. My marathon of life pushes me to improve my physical need to run a footed marathon. I will record each small step I take as a victory over my last step. The hours I sleep are strengthening my new immunity. Today I will walk the block and every day after. Adding steps as my body allows.

Patience will allow me to win my marathon of life and RUN my marathon on foot.