Something just wasn't right

 Something just wasn't right this holiday season.

As a matter of fact, something just wasn't right about 2023.

Seems so much happened even when the pandemic was supposedly over and we were encouraged to kick-start our lives again as if nothing had happened.

But I couldn't do that. I'd lost two dear friends in 2023 and still feel their absence keenly. 

I'd had some health issues, the main one requiring hysterectomy surgery on November 29, 2022. I walked into the hospital feeling fine and then came home to recuperate for weeks from the aftereffects. Who does that? Who voluntarily gives away months of one's life in exchange for the removal of an annoying mass on an old, tired ovary? Me.

Once surgery was in the rear-view mirror, along came demon sciatica. It's a crippling malady that totally puts your life on hold. Walking, sitting, standing, lying down... everything is painful. Six weeks of physical therapy were for naught. In fact, PT made the pain worse and finally the therapist suggested other avenues... like a pain management practice or surgery (again!!!).

I won't bore you with the saga of my attempts to get an epidural to relieve the pain. It went on and on and on... until finally in July, I received the first injection. Relief lasted about two weeks; then the pain returned. The second injection a month later provided even less relief. It was discouraging to say the least.

Then suddenly, the pain disappeared. By the end of the summer, I was doing well... just a twinge first thing in the morning or last thing at night, but pain-free the rest of the time. Either the injections had worked or the sciatica had resolved itself. I didn't care which.

Then on December 7th, along came a brief bout with vertigo that caused me to fall on the hardwood floor and bang my head. A visit to the ER ensued, where I was pronounced okay, no head injuries, no concussion. But for days, a headache persisted and made doing anything a chore unless there was a lot of Tylenol involved.

So back to my introductory sentence. Something just wasn't right when the holiday was suddenly upon us. Christmas shopping was done online; cards barely made it in the mail in time and my customary family letter was composed by my nine-year-old cat (with a bit of help). The tree got trimmed and the house decorated, but the specter of doom hung over everything, every day. What would be next? 

Worst of all... why didn't it feel like the Christmases of past years? My daughters, son-in-law and grandkids were with us for the holiday... we had lovely dinners for which I was not responsible. Should have helped. 

But nothing did. Nothing brought out the "Silver Bells," "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" spirit. There was no snow (not a bad thing, really) and my various ailments kept us from a lot of visiting and taking part in holiday activities. 

It's 2024 now... the start of a new year. I'm determined it will be a good year. I'm determined to take charge, rev up my positivity and meet the challenges with confidence. 

Something tells me something will be just right by next holiday season. At least I hope it will.