I, Throughout Time

Image by AF-Photography via Flickr

I, Throughout Time

I am ending this blog-a-day in the month of May challenge with one last meme, this one a timeline from the last 15 years. I was amazed how many important and interesting things have happened in the past 5, 10 and 15 years. As I tweeted earlier today:

There are years that ask questions and years that answer. ~The Buddha

I think I see this pattern as I completed this meme. Perhaps you will too...

15 years ago, I:

1. Was living alone in a rented condo in the Palms neighborhood of West Los Angeles when the Northridge Earthquake struck on January 18th.
2. Discovered on the day of the earthquake that I was no longer in premature menopause.
   
3. Received and clung to false hope that I could get pregnant based on information from my gynecologist. What I later learned (see 5 years ago): having regular periods doesn't mean you can get pregnant, nor does ignoring the fact that you had lots of chemotherapy with the advertised side effect of infertility.
4. As a single woman, bought the home I live in on Coolidge Ave. in the Mar Vista neighborhood of West Los Angeles in July 1994.
5. Made a conscience and deliberate decision to take a hiatus from my family and go incommunicado for a while as I tried to make sense of my life and where my family fitted into it.
   

10 years ago, I:

1. Buried my mother after she died on March 14 from metastatic colon cancer. She was 61 years old.
2. After my mother's death, devoted the next five years to taking care of my Dad who had Alzheimer's disease, making sure he was getting the best care possible at the assisted living facility where he resided by visiting frequently and unannounced.
   
3. Passed the written and oral exams and became a licensed clinical social worker in the State of California.
   
4. Celebrated my first wedding anniversary with my husband Robert.
5. Stayed up for 24 hours watching Peter Jennings on ABC ringing in the year 2000 around the world. Hosted a New Year's Eve/Day party at our home that my sister Romi and LYLAS friend Cyndie attended.
   

5 years ago, I:

1. Visited Robert's Grandmother, Aunt Judy and partner Brian and Uncle Howard, Aunt Dena and cousin Evan in Vancouver, Canada in July.
   
2. In the Fall of 2004, began exploring family-building options with Robert after receiving a confirmatory diagnosis of infertility secondary to my cancer treatment in 1988.
3. Tripped-and-fell in October 2004 and began my journey with chronic pain, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and thoracic outlet syndrome ... which continues to this day.
   
4. Buried my father after he died on December 22 after a short hospitalization from complications due to Alzheimer's disease. He was 70 years old (and would have been 71 if he had lived for 9 more days.)
5. Saw my sister Amanda and brother Eric at my father's funeral on December 30 (have not seen or heard from them since). Met my nephew Evan and niece Danielle (Eric's children) for the first time (have not had any contact with them since). Spent time with my Aunt Peggy (my father's youngest sister) who also came out for the funeral from Illinois.
   

2 years ago, I:

1. Tried the standard treatment for Hepatitis C. I had to stop after three weeks after I came down with multiple infections, treatment side-effects and was hospitalized on September 11, 2007.
2. Discovered that I am partially color-blind, a probably side effect from the neurotoxic chemotherapies I received in 1988 to treat and cure my leukemia. I do not notice in "real life" any problems identifying colors...
3. Was diagnosed with dysautonomia, another probably side effect from the neurotoxic chemotherapies I received in 1988 to treat and cure my leukemia. My symptoms include: fast heart rate, lack of sweating when it is hot, feeling dizzy when switching from sitting to standing, heat intolerance and cold hands.
4. I entered two writing contests: The Short-Short Story Contest sponsored by Writer's Digest Magazine and My Great Life Story Contest sponsored by Glamour Magazine.
5. Joined Meetup.com to find *very* local (i.e. super close to me) groups that I can participate in. Since joining, I have participated in monthly book groups and a small dog group.
   

1 year ago, I:

1. Broke my foot on March 16, 2008.
2. Was diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency (which I still have).
   
3. Celebrated my 20th year of cancer survivorship.
4. Started to make a transition from devoting so much time to "treating" my FM/CFIDS to learning how to "live my best life" with FM/CFIDS.
   
5. Was contemplating this quote from Randy Pausch:

   "But remember, the brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.

6 months ago, I:

1. Was celebrating a "little" Thanksgiving alone with my husband Robert. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.
   
2. Decorated the outside of the house for Christmas in a new fibro-friendly way, my first attempt since becoming disabled in October 2004.
   
3. Made yet another phone call to the attorney handling my mother's estate, which still has yet to be distributed, now over 10 years after her death. The delay is due to the mess she made of the wills, trusts, powers-of-attorney and "financial plans" she completed after my Dad's Alzheimer's diagnosis and her codicil she executed 3 months before her death where she left a portion of her estate to the Catholic Church.
   
4. My article The Big Fix: Los Angeles’ New Animal Spay and Neuter Law was published in the South Mar Vista Neighborhood Association Fall newsletter.
5. Headed out to Las Vegas for a week-long vacation, the first time I had been there since becoming chronically ill in October 2004. Caught the Madonna Hard Candy concert at the MGM Grand Garden Arena while we were there.
   

Yesterday, I:

1. Woke up and my husband was home with me because it was Saturday.
2. Ate meundo for breakfast from Pepy's Galley.
3. Hung out with my best friend Cyndie who came from Chatsworth to spend the afternoon/evening with me. We went shopping at Petsmart, we met Robert at Mar Vista Lanes and ate dinner at Pepy's Galley and then went back to our home and played Carribean Stud poker until 1:30 am in the morning.
   
4. Walked my dogs with Robert.
5. Kissed my husband goodnight before I went to sleep.

Today, I:

1. Woke up next to my husband ... because it was Sunday and he didn't have to go to work.
2. Celebrated my 11th wedding anniversary with my husband Robert.
3. Ate a special anniversary dinner for two at the Chart House in Marina del Rey at 5:30 PM.
4. Finished 31 days of our blog-a-day in the month of May challenge.
5. And will kiss my husband goodnight before I go to sleep.

Tomorrow, I:

1. Will wake up to an empty bed, because it will be Monday and Robert will be at work by the time I get up and start my day.
   
2. Check my cell phone for the Brunswick Morning Report (to find out which dog did what when Robert takes them out at 6:30 am).
3. Talk with/tweet with/IM with Cyndie before, during and after she goes to work from 3:30 pm to 12 midnight.
4. Will spend some time in the late afternoon in the garden planting seeds for cucumbers, corn, radishes, beans and other summer vegetables in my containers.
5. Will kiss my husband goodnight before I go to sleep.
   

I found this meme here: http://thedailymeme.com/lost/found/000483.php#more