Good riddance, 2010

If only 2010 had been as entertaining and attractive as our friend here.

On the down side, and there were many, 2010 will go down in my life annus horribilis.  That is to say that in 48 years of ups and downs, 2010 wasn't simply a bad year, it was the worst year I have existed throughout.

2010 started out with a bang with a gall bladder attack that landed me in the hospital twice.  On the second encounter, as I lay on the operating room, drugged out of my mind, my last thoughts were about Mr. Peenee (that was good) and how unlike this room  - where they were about to fillet me - was like the glamorous operating rooms on Grey's Anatomy. 

In April, I had to make decision to put my beloved JRT, Bertie down after seventeen years of love and fun.

In August we found out that my mother was keeping her medical condition from us, and that she had advance pancreatic cancer that had spread to her neck, her lungs, her stomach and ultimately, her brain.  September was spent in constant motion as we rushed between home, work, the hospital, the rehab facility, doctors offices and radiation, not to mention the struggle to keep her focused, manage her care and make medical decisions.

In October we got her home, which was her wish, but her cancer spread and her mental state declined.

She died in November, leaving me, leaving us.  I summoned the courage to be there for her, and was at peace when she left, but I miss her every day.

Through out it all, three things kept me chugging away. First, I allowed myself the luxury of taking charge and found comfort in making decisions that were difficult, but right to choose.  Second, my wonderful, wonderful husband was at my side supporting me.  Three, I have wonderful friends around me, in person and on-line.

Frankly my dears, I would never have made it through this year without you.

So as we close out 2010, I wish you and yours the very best for the coming year; may 2011 be a year of wondrous things for you and yours, that good fortune and good health envelope you, and most of all, that we keep our sense of humor.