Paris et Versailles dans le printemps

Our last full day in Paris:  Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

After sleeping in a bit, Robert, Katrina, and Alexander took the train to Versailles.  Since I had visited Versailles with Robert 20 years ago, I didn't feel the need to go again (how much does the history change, after all?).

  

Through the magic of the internet, I reconnected with a college friend, Eric Stevenson, who lives in Paris (and recently got dual US/French citizenship).  Eric was the student body president at the University of Arizona back in the day and he is simply one of the most hospitable, kind, and interesting people I've ever met.    He is planning his second trip around the world, inspired largely through his experience as a passenger on the US Airways plane that Captain Sully successfully landed on the Hudson River.  Photographs of him on the left wing of the plane and media interviews were everywhere.

I met up with Eric at Le Tuillerie Jardin and caught up on 25 years of living.  We had a very Parisian lunch and traveled into some multi-cultural neighborhoods.  The people of Paris are quite friendly, contrary to some stereotypes perpetuated in the U.S.   Eric pointed out that the custom in France is to greet someone with "bon jour" before diving into a request, question, or statement.  American visitors often launch into their question or request without saying hello.  That throws the locals off, understandably.  I saw it occur many times once Eric pointed this out to me.  WE, the Americans, are often unintentionally rude.  Imagine that!

Robert and the kids caught up with us in the late afternoon and we had a happy hour in Eric's wonderful home on the 25th floor near the Seine.  The skyline views were breathtaking.  Eric shared binoculars with the kids and challenged them to identify all the major features of Paris.

We then went to a creperie where we enjoyed savory crepes or dinner followed by dessert crepes.  The kids were in heaven and we had fun all around.

     

Many of the french foods are topped with a fried egg!


That night, we packed up and prepared for a quick flight to Madrid.  We are so excited to see my sister Chrisa, her husband Jaime Valero, and their beautiful children.  Bon soir!

Looking for the Bright Side of Life's Challenges

This time of year has always caused more angst than joy for me. More obligations in work, family, and social aspects of life in a compressed time period (not to mention when the nights are longer -- less daylight) would tip me into the "winter blues."

This Christmas season, living with Polycythemia Vera (www.mpdfoundation.org) and its lovely side effects, I'm forced to re-set expectations and focus on getting and maintaining a reasonable level of healthiness. And guess what? The earth is still rotating on its axis even though I'm doing a fraction of what I've done in past years.

Searching for the bright side of living with a chronic, invisible illness, I've found a few:

1. Being immunosuppressed is a great reason to avoid crowded shopping areas and people you don't care to see. Getting a bargain is not worth getting a virus. And most people do not wash their hands enough!

2. Fatigue/exhaustion during the day provides opportunities for mandatory "cat naps." Ahhh... the oft-misunderstood delight of a brief respite during the day!

3. Family and friends are impressed with your accomplishments that previously would have barely attracted notice. So glad you came to that meeting! Dinner was great, mom! Thanks for making that extra trip when I forgot my project at home...

4. Someone else (like a wonderful teenage daughter) will do a lot of the gift wrapping that caused me great last-minute stress in previous years.

5. You get to know all the lab techs, nurses, and physicians with weekly/bi-weekly visits. You are not just another nameless co-pay in the health care industrial complex.

6. "Chemo brain" is a great excuse for forgetfulness. What was I going to tell you? Why did I open this drawer? Didn't I tell you ...?

7. While you don't get preferred parking spots, you can "fake it" pretty well and decide how public you want the illness to be. Since you don't look "sick" people don't assume the worst and bombard you with knowing looks of pity or fear.

8. You appreciate the "good" days so much more than ever before -- being able to go places, work, be an active parent and spouse, be a friend... No more taking healthy life for granted!

9. Side effects are just another way of forcing you to to pay attention to the present. Annoying? Painful? Frustrating? Yes! Yes! Yes! Living through this in the moment, step by step, is part of the journey.

10. Chronic illness is like a loofah sponge -- it forces you to shed the flakes from your life. Life is too short and time is too precious to spend on people / activities / thoughts that do not contribute positively.

So there's my Top Ten benefits of living with a chronic illness.
Please add others ... I'm interested to learn from you, too!

Sending best wishes for a Happy Hannakah, Merry Christmas, Sublime Solstice, Happy Kwanzaa, and all other celebrations you enjoy this time of year.

with peace and love,
marina