Almost March

I realized yesterday that March is next Monday. Perhaps this does not come as a surprise to anyone else, but it did to me. I was doing the yearly physical exam on one of my female patients, going over the preventive things we need to address for her health. I made the comment that when she turns 40, I want to order her mammogram. She pointed out that her 40th birthday is March 1st, this upcoming Monday. Wow! Already! Great news. Somehow, I've been mired in February and winter in my mind-
seems like f-o-r-e-v-e-r.

After my run this morning I was filling the bird feeders, cleaning up the trees that had been blown over by all of the recent snow, and trimming some of the dead stalks from my perennials. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the perennials are gearing up with new green shoots and leaves. I hadn't noticed any of that from my bedroom window, but at ground level, it is quite obvious. Fabulous to see spring just around the corner.

I spent this past w-e in Charleston with my Mom. She had fallen on her face last week, just one more thing for her to deal with during this difficult time. My stepdad hasn't been doing very well in the Rehab facility where they moved him after his latest brain surgery. However, things progressed some this w-e for both of them. My Mom's face is getting better slowly with less swelling and bruising everyday. She can drive again and even walked with me Sunday for exercise (getting her Teresa points as she calls it). And, we were able to get Brian up to sit outside, visit with their dog Dixie, converse with visitors, eat on his own, and walk (assisted) to the bathroom and shower. I am hoping that he has turned the corner and will be able to do more and more as he regains his strength. I know that eventually his brain tumor will come back-it's an aggressive bastard-but my hope is that he can go home before any of that happens.

I was struck by how odd it feels to help dress and bathe and walk with Brian. I had my own hospital days not so long ago with lukewarm showers and hospital food and interminable hours in my own little room. I was weak too, especially after that 7 day course of continuous chemo to get into remission from the leukemia. I too, could barely walk on my own, fatigued even by the act of eating. Amazing to think that without those tough times, I wouldn't be here. Boy am I glad I persevered through that and more to be here today to run through Ayr Mount park as I did this morning, to get to see all of the woodpeckers at my feeders as I write this, and to notice all of the green shoots coming up where I trimmed away the old dead stuff. That, to me, is the perfect morning, as we barrel towards March now.