Outside the Comfort Zone
I love going to visit my In-Laws. The entire family is very tight knit, complete with lots of drama, screaming toddlers, teen-age angst and a big dose of deep founded love. We being the sole exception, the family lives within minutes of one another and four generations gather on a regular basis to celebrate, well, everything. About once or twice a year we travel to join the festivities.
The last time I had visited marked the start of my brain tumor and cancer battle. A seizure put me on the kitchen floor on our first night there and life changed. A CT Scan showed a sizable mass in the right frontal lobe of my brain. Because it was Christmas time, we chose not to mention the news.
Surgery, rehab, chemotherapy, depression, PTSD, a permanent limp, paralysis of my left arm and just over two years later, I am a changed person. I largely stay at home, where I feel safe and relaxed, rarely stepping out of that comfort zone. Well, an 80th birthday and family photo were reason enough to brave the outside world. I put on my big girl pants and headed to Ohio.
Don't get me wrong, I've been to my mother's retirement community in Texas but, it's set-up for the disabled, thus, not much of a challenge. The In-Law's place on the other hand is not. Stairs, toddlers, and teens...My partner became a doting and attentive caregiver, knowing I was depending on her.
The love of family is a wonderful thing. While I certainly had moments, even an embarrassing meltdown, patience and love ruled and everyone seemed to understand that Aunt Jenn has struggles now. I know the next visit will be better because while I write this blog, sequestered in my comfort zone, I wish we were still there...continuing to create ANOTHER comfort zone.
LOVE.
