Sunday, March 13, 2011

Three Beautiful Things 03/10/11: Kidneys Lousy -- Life Good, Mac Talk, Black Talk

1.  Yesterday, I learned from the nephrologist that my kidney function has slipped some more. The news rattled me.  BUT, today I started my work day at 7:15 and had my first of about dozen or so individual conferences with students and their writing at 7:40 and the medical news melted away and I felt joy all day long working with students, talking with them, doing what gives my life so much purpose and meaning.  Yes, it's hard work.  Yes, it's good work.  This good hard work refreshed my perspective, got my focus centered on the present, and I realized that even though my general health is in decline, I still feel great, my energy is good, and I enjoy my work and so much else in my life. 

2.  The conversation over dinner at Billy Mac's tonight was full of vitality, with conversations ranging from the teaching of poetry to a trilogy of novels by Margaret Atwood to wonder at how the Ducks were manhandling UCLA.

3.  It was a great day, but I was a bit dispirited.   I thought of the perfect cure to sweeten my thoughts and help me laugh as I fell asleep:  Lewis Black.  It worked.  I laughed at loud at three different You Tubes of Lewis Black ranting and slept peacefully.

1 comment:

Jeanie said...

I love your Three Beautiful Things. So uplifting.

I'm sorry about your kidney function decreasing. Even expecting it, in me, I was still kind of shocked when it went to 12% and I was still hopping around like I didn't know any better. Now, about 4%.

I got the green light last week to start using my fistula. With real needles. It's scary. But I've broken the record for use of a catheter (18 months).

Maybe I should start writing 3 beautiful things - well, I DID start bowling. It is wonderful to not revolve around a fussy kidney.

Keep up the great work and I will be always checking in.

My email is jeaniespok@gmail.com (I think you have a different one from work)