Spring News

Spring is on its way, and I am trying to channel the spirit of the season and be hopeful.

We are in the midst of spring break. I am having a hard time feeling like it is a vacation because I still have to go to hyperbaric treatment in the mornings which means that we can't travel.  I am working on feeling grateful for the time at home, and less sad and bitter about being trapped. I look forward to these daily appointments coming to an end in mid-April. I want to believe that this was worth it, and that I am much better than I was when I started. I have not fallen in a long time, I am managing stairs well, and I am maintaining well. Between the steroid treatment, hyperbaric treatment, acupuncture, and physical therapy, I am much stronger. 

I had my infusion and routine appointments 3/31/21 (another spring break treat!) and things are fairly stable. I have some med changes on the horizon which are primarily targeted at helping to boost my low mood and associated depressive symptoms. I will also see an allergist because I am experiencing difficulty breathing and thus relying on the inhaler more than ever. We continue to work on getting a PET scan approved by insurance. The new approach is to go through a private center in the Bronx and see if their ways are more effective. We shall see.

While I am tied to NY for the break, we have had some nice visits recently and enjoyed a few post-vaccine hugs. We enjoyed a wonderful visit from Austin & Caroline. We brunched with the Brumby-Keiths, and Chris' mom was our first overnight guest in over a year. We are thrilled that the CDC, NY, and Hackley are all changing the rules for vaccinated folks and travel; however, hospitals are not. I can't imagine that this is actually a workable solution for either patients or employees. I asked about it at my appointment and was told that lying is the best option. So that's where we are. I hope you are feeling good about those covid questionnaires keeping us all safe.

Being at home for the break means that we have time to do chores. Last week, we tidied up, did a bit of spring cleaning, and did some work-work as well. We have also gone back and forth to IKEA a few times for some new dining chairs to go with a new-to-us dining table. We did try to find time to do some pleasant things (mostly in the form of walks). We were able to spend one day driving up to Olana and walking around the park and the sky bridge.

The biggest excitement is that we (finally) closed on our first house. We have quite a bit of work to do before we can put beds in it, but we are pleased to have some projects and a new focus for our energy. I am a bit overwhelmed by it all, and I am lucky to have Chris to help ground me.

The best news is that Chris will be transitioning to a new role as the History Department Chair. He spent the last few weeks preparing and interviewing. We had some stressful moments waiting for the news, and we are thrilled that it worked out. He is sadly leaving his post as Dean of the class of 2024, but looking forward to a new adventure.