Ya Gotta Know When To Fold 'em

We gave it a valiant effort.  We had committed to three hours of qigong a day for a hundred days.  At first, like all new things, it was energizing.  We seemed to actually need less sleep, which was a good thing, considering how intense it is to add three hours of something to already-filled days.

By day forty, it started to become apparent to me that the intensity was not sustainable.  I realized that as much good as I was getting from the practice, there was no way I would continue doing so many hours after the hundredth day.  It was only another three days or so before it became very apparent to me that we were already at the point where the healing of this qigong was possibly being offset by the exhaustion that we were experiencing.  When one person is trying to get healthy and the other is trying to stay healthy, rest is at the top of the list of necessary activities.

It wasn't easy for us to give up our goal.  We both have streaks of perfectionism.  We're both first children, and sometimes it seems that we have points to prove.  We've gotten over all that - at least in this instance.

We don't have our new rhythm yet, but now that I don't do every qigong exercise every day, I am realizing how much good each one does for me.  I want to incorporate them all into my life - just not all of them every day.

Meanwhile, Michael has been training a new assistant for the last three or four weeks. You know what that's like - lots more work in the hopes that it will pay off in the long run.  Hopefully, it's an investment that will soon allow him to have more time to take care of himself.

Because of the things I write (or don't write), you may be thinking that Michael is not overtly trying to rid his body of the cancer.  Au contraire!  Besides doing all he can in order to build up his immune system and overall health, Michael is doing some alternative things to rid his body of cancer cells.   I will not divulge these things for a number of reasons.  But rest assured that we have read tons of information, and Michael is taking the route that makes sense to him.

I admire Michael's unwavering commitment to his health.  He has given up some of the food he enjoys, along with his couple-of-times-a-week wine, and he has added stuff that is not so enjoyable.  He has surrounded himself with a large assortment of medical people.  Every one of them is impressed with his knowledge, his understanding, and his willingness to do what he's doing.

Yesterday, I hiked and ate and talked about life with friends.  Then it rained - a blessed moment when you live in Colorado -  and my son came over for dinner.  Before the day began, I had felt like there was too much to do and here I was, taking the day off.  After a day of play and an evening of rain, I was renewed.  Today I don't mind doing all of the things that yell to be done. 

It all comes and goes, doesn't it?

I am enjoying this pedestrian crossing sign that is near our house.  Someone, somehow turned off lights in it so that the correct fingers are "folded", making it say, "I love you" in American Sign Language.  

I love you, too!!!