The acknowledgement to my book….
So I have been spending a good amount of time thinking about my dream of writing a book… the book that would reach out to other folks who have struggles with their bodies and spirits…
So in an attempt to circle the wagons on all the self help books that say lead with certainty… I’m writing the forward to my book first… here goes:
It not only takes a village it takes a team.
To Harvard (a.k.a. Dr. K) for the sleepless nights, the million phone calls, the amazing care, the kind heart and the trust in medicine as both art and science, you have gone above and beyond what one doctor should ever have to do to try and get a patient healthy. You are the truest and best example of everything a doctor should be and I am eternally grateful every day that you are mine. Thank you seems so insignificant…
To Dr. F., you are the doctor every girl needs, you are an amazing doctor and mother. You understand how difficult it is to wear both hats and as a patient I always feel that you “get it” completely. Thanks for understanding what I mean when I tell you I can’t get off the couch…. You are a dream.
Then of course, a big round of thanks to all my family, friends and miscellaneous support staff for keeping the trains running semi-on schedule.
One of many examples is a recent visit from the best part of my extended family. A shining star was in town visiting me this week. It’s kind of hard to explain, but my mom was engaged to Shelly and Laurie’s Dad… the marriage never happened, but I scored some amazing soul sisters. I was 15 and Shelly was 21, the first time we met, and we just clicked….now we are a long way from 21, but we have a very special and enduring relationship….I love these girls… and Shell just rolled in Sunday and took over, she made tea, cooked, explained subtraction with m&ms, held my hand when I was nauseas, did yoga, made PB&Js for the kids, and we walked and talked….
But, more than anything, I just basked in her light… Don’t you just love the girls in your life who make you better, who see you at your best, when you are not sure that you are, and just love you for all the right reasons… Shell is my sister… We share the same view of faith, of God, of his endless light and love, and his healing grace. I find when I’m with her the toughest weeks aren’t so tough. Shell is a gift, a walking talking gift, she has the grace of the spirit and it shines through… and laughs when I drop the F-bomb.
We were riding in the car and she was telling me this embarrassing story about her, the tango, a dear girl friend, her delicious man, Italy and a lot of wine…. We were at a stop light, in my smoking hot grey beat up Honda mini van with booster seats, drinking our grande, skinny single shot vanilla latte and I was laughing so hard I was coughing, like the ugly cough, tears pouring down my face and we can’t stop. And this very serious looking girl in the mini van next to me with very expensive sunglasses gave us the evil eye… which just made me laugh all the more, cause life is too hard not to laugh until you cry, given the opportunity…
Now all that said, that car ride lead us to the parking lot at Harvard’s office to pick up yet another stupid prescription, this time for my heart… kind of ironic… I’m laughing as I type this cause of this wonderful moment, picturing my girl dancing… and us laughing in the car, well it’s just too much, and exactly what I needed.
When I get permission to tell the whole story I will… it is just too funny… I mean, shut the front door funny….
So this is our life, we make it work, we laugh, lord how we laugh…. As the wise one Tim Gunn tells us, “make it work”.
Lord Tim, I’m trying!
Namaste my friends, Namaste….