10/9/26
Hello, all! Happy fall (or spring, if you happen to be in the southern hemisphere!) Portland has been absolutely glorious since I last wrote to you.
I wanted to give an update on my status:
I’ve got my lumpectomy surgery scheduled for this coming Tuesday, the 13th. I have a friend who will be accompanying me that day to help. (And in case of emergency, I have another friend who has offered to be in a backup role.)
I had my pre-op appointment the other day, so I have a good idea of what to expect.
How am I feeling?
Unsurprisingly, I’ve had a variety of feelings this past month and a half or so since my diagnosis.
As one might imagine, I’m not thrilled to know that my right breast will be permanently disfigured. Honestly, facing that has probably been the hardest part about all of this for me so far. But I’ve had some good time—both on my own and in conversations with friends—to help me come to terms with it. I also had a wonderful excursion to a local clothing-optional river beach with a couple of friends, as a sort of “last hurrah” in my current body. The weather was gorgeous, and I’m so glad I was able to do that.
Other than that, though, I’m mostly feeling OK. I’ve come to terms with my disappointment about not being able to take my epic 7-month journey this fall/winter/spring. Instead, I’m enjoying the comfort of having moved back into my own space for the first time in five years(!)
Walking back in for the first time, the place looked beautiful—all my many tenants in that time have taken great care of the space. In fact, several of them even left some helpful things behind, such as an Instant Pot(!); new bedding/linens (I walked in and the bed was already made up for me!); a big fluffy blanket; lots of soap and toilet paper; a few new dishes… etc. It was a wonderful homecoming. I’ve also reconnected with several neighbors I’ve known for years, and three of them have offered food or help going to the grocery store, etc. I’m so grateful.
I’ve also been placing a new emphasis on healthy eating. I have drastically reduced my sugar intake, while also increasing the variety of fruits and vegetables I eat. (Have you all tried golden kiwis yet? OMG, life changing.)
After the first of the year, when I expect/hope to be fully healed, I might simply go back to cat sitting in Portland, and just stay here until next October, when I would take the trip I had planned for this year. Or, I might be sick of the weather by then, and try to head down to California for a month or two or three. Not sure yet; I’ll figure that out closer to that time.
For now, I’ve been having great conversations with friends, in person and by phone and video chat. And I’ve been out and about on my bike almost every day, thoroughly soaking up the weather and many of the beautiful parks in this area.
I’ll share a smattering of photos here of my recent nature adventures.
Starting pretty much now—with the clouds and rain beginning to roll in—I’ll go into hibernation-and-healing mode, resting and recovering and eating the wonderful food a recent nomadic friend made for me. I will try to keep up the blog if possible, to keep you posted on my healing. I may also work on my book; getting certified for Sholder; and my Canadian citizenship application. Those are my three main goals for these next three months.
Thanks for following along with me. I hope you’re all doing well!
—
Do you have your own dream or project, and would like some support or collaborative brainstorming about it? Schedule a free one-hour video or phone call with me!
Want to be notified of future blog posts? Use the green “sign up” button to subscribe!
Want to support my vision financially? I am in a continual process of manifesting a “salary” for the unconventional work I do in the world. You can make a one-time or monthly contribution, or even become a fairy godfunder! (Heartfelt thanks to all my godfunders, patrons, and supporters!)