Out of the Hospital and Recovering at my parent's house

Yeah - I was discharged from Franklin Square Hospital Center yesterday afternoon. I was a little apprehensive about leaving, but mostly very happy to get out of there. The time in the hospital was good - I think that the pain medicine cocktail really helped. I had some good visitors and great conversations - everything from "what is going on over the holiday weekend" to "what is important to you and your life". After getting home, I felt a little bit of pain and did have a rough night - bo sleep was happening on Franklin Square Drive last night. I woke up feeling well and stronger. The therapist visited early in the morning, so I completed the tough exercises and well before lunch. Mom made a nice lunch and then we relaxed. It is good to be home. Good to be recovering.

On another subject, I recently read the obituary of Nick Charles, a sports anchor for CNN. I remembered him from his days in the 70's on WJZ TV. He had lots of curly dark hair. Apparently Nick was battling cancer and was told that he didn't have long to live. When asked about his plans, he said that he had a "series of short-term goals that really sustain me". I liked that. I think that many of us, when asked what we would want if we were going to die, would think in terms of a "bucket list" and if asked what we wanted in our last days of life would think of grandiose trips and adventures. Anyone who has been ill for a while, and hasn't felt well and is maybe financially depleted, knows that sky diving and trips to India to visit the Taj Mahal or climbing Mt. Everest are really far fetched and most likely unobtainable dreams. I am not against "big dreams", but I am a more practical sort of person. The idea of "short-term goals" really impressed me. We are all able to wish for something and to accomplish something in the near future. It is a more practical and meaningful desire. Things like being able to celebrate the next birthday or be part of a special moment in a loved one's life. We can all think of something in the short term time frame that we would like to be a part of or experience - a sunset or sunrise; the sound of the waves crashing against the beach; the laughter of a good friend; s'mores eaten by the fire pit; a really exciting game of Pictionary; or a conversation about something meaningful. I think that since my most recent illness in 2009, I have lived a little more "one day at a time". I needed to live that way during the tough treatment schedule, just to get through the day and not to have my hopes dashed over and over again when I wasn't released from the hospital when I wanted to be or not to be well when I wanted to be or not to be able to attend some festivity when I really wanted to attend it. It is funny now that I can put all of that in perspective. I don't know when I will die - it could be tomorrow or in 40 years. What I do know is that life is a series of days and moments and that we can not rush through them to get to the next one. We have to live and relish each and every one of them - the good, bad and in-between. All those moments and days and years are full of the experiences that make up our lives. They are all part of our short term goals accomplished. And I hope and believe that those short term goals will sustain me.