Full Moon & Snow & Brain Surgery

All good things are happening in this opening of December. The full moon slid along a pale sapphire-blue sky at 6 a.m. and the deep snow invited me to step out and play. No matter that it is bitter cold. Last night I called my "play" friend, Barb, to tell her I was standing in the living room, no lights on and the moon was so bright you could see every tree's shadow and I wanted to rush out in it like I would have when I was 23. Barb exclaimed, "Oh, you sound so good!" I guess I have been so consumed with writing my memoirs and focusing on all my little disasters like going to the neurologist that I sometimes forget how stunning winter is in Colorado. I can't miss out. I'm definitely going to snowshoe this afternoon and absolutely this weekend!

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The scary visit with Dr. Leehey was not so scary. I am on a new drug therapy until I can get in to start the process of deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery. I started a dopamine agonist called Mirapex. It has already allowed me to reduce my carbidopa/levodopa by 400 mg.!!! Additionally, Dr. Leehey said I was an excellent candidate for DBS. I am young, healthy, strong, with no cognitive impairment. I have to be screened though, which will include testing for cognitive impairment. When I asked if I would have to do trigonometry my support group (which consisted of my mom, my friend Liz and my husband, Tony) in unison roared out: "Oh..she's real cognitively impaired," or some such outburst which momentarily threw the good doctor off track. She's very prim and not used to such rowdiness. My group was also complaining about my weight and Dr. Leehey, who is a pale bone herself, assured them that the typical DBS patient regains at least 10 pounds. That extra poundage would put me in size eight pants, thank you very much.

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It was a joy to have my mom here. She is like my older sister Laurel and never stops moving. She cooked every meal, cleaned the kitchen continually, did all the grocery shopping. In turn, I took her to her beloved breakaway Anglican Church, St. Francis up in Estes Park and listened to her opinions on gay marriage and reverse racism. I will let the reader guess as to where she stands on those particular subjects. Needless to say, the discussions were heavily disputed by my husband & I and the conversation ended with no resolution. Thus, we are a microcosm of what has been happening in our country. Some issues will never be resolved.

But this is a bright blue day and I am feeling happy. Namaste!