I've been doing meditation daily through my headspace app. It's been extremely helpful. I'm less anxious, more calm and patient with the kids and sleeping better. Right now I'm making my way through the "appreciation pack" that has 10 minute guided meditation that focuses on how to appreciate what you have in your life. It's more than just listing what you are thankful for. It's more about the emotions behind those things.
After reflecting on my life, I know I'm thankful for so many things. But what it boils down to is love, comfort and safety. I have so many people who care for me, think about me and love me. I have so many people that I love and care for. Those people create a feeling of comfort for me, not only in times of need (which I've had a lot of recently) but also in times of stability. I've been cared for with so much love that it's comforting when I even think of it.
Safety is a little broader. I feel safe talking about anything I need to with Charles, which also provides comfort. I know we will always have a roof under our heads and food to eat. I have a feeling of safety with my job and career. I know our children are generally safe and happy (even if there's a small fear of a school shooting happening). I am currently "no evidence of disease" and I have an excellent medical team should that change.
Overall, I'm very happy these days. I have so much to be thankful. Of course the best time to reflect on that is 1 am. Ugh!
Showing posts with label thankful. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thankful. Show all posts
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Christmas card addresses
While I have some time to sit in bed and read, I figured I'd make myself useful and address our Christmas card envelopes. We have addresses from our wedding, 7 years ago! But could probably be updated. We're saving return labels as people send us cards but so many people sent me comfort cards in the last few months and I want to include them too. Coworkers and direct family members will probably be handed the card personally but all else will be mailed.
So anyway, if you've sent me a card in the last six months, or just want one from us (its pretty darn cute), email me your mailing address. Katie dot Bevington at gmail dot com. My goal is to send out by next week. We're including a letter too along with the pics of our cuties cause a detailed public blog isn't enough, haha.
Love you all!
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
My November Thankful Post
I was SO tired today that I fell sleep at 8pm but then it turned to 10pm and my body thought it was nap so here I am awake at almost midnight. Boo. I figured I'd write to get some stuff off my mind. I also already took an ambien so please excuse what might be rambling, misspelled, or punctuated incorrectly.
Some people are using every day of the month to remind themselves of what they're thankful in their lives. I think that's great. I'm sure I could come up with 30+ individual things, too. However, I'm not going to. That's just one more thing on my "to do" list. I want to write about one main thing (that branches into others).
I'm thankful for my health. Notice how I didn't say "I'm thankful that I'm healthy." In fact, I'm obviously FAR from healthy, as evidence by the amount of medications I take daily. However, I'm much more healthy than I was at the beginning of the year.
I distinctly remember my first debilitating migraine. It was early January. I was visiting my parents with just Grace as a special mother/daughter trip so she could go to a Princess Party with my dad. I was actually getting my hair cut and prepping mentally for two job interviews later in the month, after 6 months of applying and getting denied. That headache was the first tip off of my disease progressing. After that, I had repeats of what I call tumor-induced-migraines of various degrees, some of which caused me lay in bed in pain all day, unable to do anything useful or requiring a shot from urgent care.
So I'm thankful for modern medicine and the wonderful medical professionals I've met, continue to see, and will see in the future. I had a walnut size tumor that was invading on critical areas of my brain removed without major effects to any other brain functions. I had a textbook recovery from the surgery and retained all my mental capacities. I've been enlightened to the AMAZING support of humanity: family, friends, coworkers, and acquaintances who have helped us tremendously.
I chose to do the follow-up treatment of chemo and radiation. Other than brain swelling, which doesn't always happen, it went decently well. Yes, it was/is hard but the whole point is to extend my time before recurrence. The silver lining is that I AM getting better every day. There are some days that seem like a step-back, but in general it seems like two steps forward one step back. I am much better off now than I was on June 19th (surgery day) and the day before.
I am incredibly blessed to have retained all my abilities, learned skills, and privileges. No seizures and the ability to drive. It would be nearly impossible to work and help support my family if I couldn't drive myself. I have control over my mental capacities and all my motor skills. Even though I forget names easily, forget some words occasionally, mix up my kids' names sometimes, and have to write down EVERYTHING, I still have a decent memory and remember things from the past pretty quickly.
This version of health gives me hope for a long life. I dream of seeing my children grow into wonderful, moral, happy adults. I want to foster a family atmosphere where they all want to come see us on special occasions and for no reason at all. I want my parents to be alive when my own kids have kids. I wish to grow old with my best friend and celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Only 43 more to go! {Charles, 50th wedding anniversary in Greece?} I want to see all the new inventions that will come out. I want drive a flying car! I want to play a video game in a full room of 5 surfaces of game play with your body as a remote (how awesome would that be??). I want cancer treatment to be more effective and less harmful to the healthy parts of the body.
In conclusion, I'm very thankful for MY version of health. Yes, my goal is to get NED (no evidence of disease), to be healthfully fit again and run a 5k, and to be able to care for the kids on my own more easily so it feels like a joy again instead of a chore, but I'm getting there. It's a slower process than I thought, but I'm doing better every week, sometimes day by day.
In short. I'm thankful for me and my road to recovery! Everyone should be thankful for themselves. I'm thankful for YOU too.
Some people are using every day of the month to remind themselves of what they're thankful in their lives. I think that's great. I'm sure I could come up with 30+ individual things, too. However, I'm not going to. That's just one more thing on my "to do" list. I want to write about one main thing (that branches into others).
I'm thankful for my health. Notice how I didn't say "I'm thankful that I'm healthy." In fact, I'm obviously FAR from healthy, as evidence by the amount of medications I take daily. However, I'm much more healthy than I was at the beginning of the year.
I distinctly remember my first debilitating migraine. It was early January. I was visiting my parents with just Grace as a special mother/daughter trip so she could go to a Princess Party with my dad. I was actually getting my hair cut and prepping mentally for two job interviews later in the month, after 6 months of applying and getting denied. That headache was the first tip off of my disease progressing. After that, I had repeats of what I call tumor-induced-migraines of various degrees, some of which caused me lay in bed in pain all day, unable to do anything useful or requiring a shot from urgent care.
So I'm thankful for modern medicine and the wonderful medical professionals I've met, continue to see, and will see in the future. I had a walnut size tumor that was invading on critical areas of my brain removed without major effects to any other brain functions. I had a textbook recovery from the surgery and retained all my mental capacities. I've been enlightened to the AMAZING support of humanity: family, friends, coworkers, and acquaintances who have helped us tremendously.
I chose to do the follow-up treatment of chemo and radiation. Other than brain swelling, which doesn't always happen, it went decently well. Yes, it was/is hard but the whole point is to extend my time before recurrence. The silver lining is that I AM getting better every day. There are some days that seem like a step-back, but in general it seems like two steps forward one step back. I am much better off now than I was on June 19th (surgery day) and the day before.
I am incredibly blessed to have retained all my abilities, learned skills, and privileges. No seizures and the ability to drive. It would be nearly impossible to work and help support my family if I couldn't drive myself. I have control over my mental capacities and all my motor skills. Even though I forget names easily, forget some words occasionally, mix up my kids' names sometimes, and have to write down EVERYTHING, I still have a decent memory and remember things from the past pretty quickly.
This version of health gives me hope for a long life. I dream of seeing my children grow into wonderful, moral, happy adults. I want to foster a family atmosphere where they all want to come see us on special occasions and for no reason at all. I want my parents to be alive when my own kids have kids. I wish to grow old with my best friend and celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Only 43 more to go! {Charles, 50th wedding anniversary in Greece?} I want to see all the new inventions that will come out. I want drive a flying car! I want to play a video game in a full room of 5 surfaces of game play with your body as a remote (how awesome would that be??). I want cancer treatment to be more effective and less harmful to the healthy parts of the body.
In conclusion, I'm very thankful for MY version of health. Yes, my goal is to get NED (no evidence of disease), to be healthfully fit again and run a 5k, and to be able to care for the kids on my own more easily so it feels like a joy again instead of a chore, but I'm getting there. It's a slower process than I thought, but I'm doing better every week, sometimes day by day.
In short. I'm thankful for me and my road to recovery! Everyone should be thankful for themselves. I'm thankful for YOU too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)