Channeling health and happiness

Johannah can beat me in pickleball even though I’ve played longer, I try harder and she’s EIGHTY years old. The only reason I’m better than 73 year old Lillian is because she took 6 weeks off to perfect her eyes through cataract surgery.  Today, the 3 of us enjoyed coffee overlooking a huge water aerobics class. Lillian’s lumpectomy, and 5 years of tamoxifen (cheaper and less side effects than the aromatase inhibitors) are history that ended in 2007. Johannah’s daughter suffered a divorce right after having a baby and Johannah gave up her career as a nurse to raise her granddaughter- way more fun than the original kids-she loved staying home and being a PTA grandma.

My first patient today is about 45 years old with 6 kids. He just got done riding his Harley Davidson to Reno to meet his brother who biked from Colorado.  His work will take him to Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan and India this summer. “Exactly what do you do at Microsoft these days?” I had to ask. He exercises enough to largely avoid my office.   “I’m in charge of Access and EXEL” I demanded more detail before he finally admitted “Vice president…has a nice ring to it doesn’t it?”

My second patient has landed back at her parents at the age of 31 after completing her MBA. Her boyfriend, in exactly the same boat lives with his parents. The parents do NOT permit sleep overs. But all is not lost. The boyfriend plans to hike the Pacific Crest Trail and the two enjoyed the world cup and visited friends in S. Africa this year.

Then I had 2 boys with the same name…. A 6 month old who  held perfectly still when I checked his ears  (and wiggled constantly before and after ) and a 20 year old whose pot/cigarettes/alcohol didn’t even cause a ripple in his family due to a severely bipolar brother and a sister just recovering from addiction to cocaine/pot/alcohol/cigarettes/ADD medications ANG bulemia for good measure.  The youngest child in that family is overweight but the sweetest best adjusted kid ever. The parents cope amazingly well. The right combination of optimism, seeing that things could be worse, and steering their adult kids back into society. I actually think they’ll fully succeed.

That’s it- just 4 patients today. Aren’t you lucky?  Then Levi ran next to my bike to Crossroads and on to other errands.  He stays on the narrow sidewalks avoiding cars without a leash.

I missed breakfast and had a little salmon, 1 TBS yoghurt and some cornbread for lunch and had an excessively good mood all day.I think it’s meant to add to the positive energy Emily, Andy, and Summer are giving to Iris while they stay with her during her recovery from radiation.  She’s going to drink more water and coke and find the perfect balance of rest and activity so she has the strength to meet me and Lauren in Mexico Saturday.