Hello friends,
Total Eclipse of the Heart has been stuck in my head for a week now. My dad and I keep weaponizing it against each other. When I finally get it out of my head, he'll mention it again. To get him back, I do the same. I thought it disappeared for good, but just now, as I was starting this newsletter, my dad attacked. Dad, I know you're reading this. You're the worst.
In other news, things are on an upswing. I still haven't found the perfect strain of medical marijuana that helps with all my symptoms yet, but I think it's helping nonetheless. My stress and anxiety are way lower than usual, and I generally feel optimistic about life. I have a plan. I may not be executing it as well as I'd like, but I have a plan. That's more than I've had in a long time.
It's interesting to see everyone posting about fall, sharing photos of leaves turning, and talking about how excited they are to get back into their favorite sweaters. We're still getting highs in the 90s here in Florida, with the feels-like temperature often at or above 100. September is still summer, with heat and humidity as oppressive as ever. It's a reminder that we all move at our own pace. Florida does have seasons, even if they're too subtle for outsiders to notice.
Summer in Florida is like winter in the north. Going outside is a nightmare; the cool kiss of air conditioning is far more comfortable. Everyone moves slowly, too hot to put in much effort. In the coming months, though, when the weather cools down and the humidity slacks off, then we come alive.
I don't know what the future holds. I don't know when my leg will improve or if I'll respond well to the new treatment I'm starting soon. I don't know if my plan, as excited as I am about it, will yield the desired results. I don't know if Total Eclipse of the Heart will ever get unstuck from my head. What I do know is that right now, I'm doing okay. I understand that the subtle shifts add up. I know, or at least I believe, that someday things won't be so hard.
Until then, I'll be here,
Yardena