Reflections from the garden

I'm sitting outside enjoying the intermittent sunshine in Tish's thriving garden surrounded by bird chatter (perhaps magpies?) and the occasional distant airplane. The garden is a really peaceful place to relax, and there's even WiFi for me to blog (and for dad to play Words with Friends)!

It's my last full day in Hitchin and I'm reflecting on the experience and everything that led up to being here. I just filled out a patient feedback form for Taymount and I honestly couldn't think of any suggestions. As I wrote in a thank you card to the staff, they have made me feel welcome and supported from day one, and, in a strange way, I've actually come to look forward to going to the clinic each day and chatting with the nurses and other staff. I have one last treatment tomorrow, but I will miss their humor and genuine compassion. Of course, I'm looking forward to not having treatments for a while, and I'm excited to get back to my life at home.

The circumstances leading up to my stay here were rough and I would never wish them upon anyone, but we have made the most of our stay. Everyone deserves two weeks away from the daily grind and closer to oneself. Also, in some ways it's a special experience to spend 2 weeks immersed in a foreign culture (despite the vast majority of similarities, we are very attune to the cultural differences!). You know you have been in a small town for two weeks when you've: been in almost every shop and read all the restaurant menus, found little shortcut paths, noticed when shop window displays change, and become regulars at favorite cafes and eateries.

I know most of you are reading this to know how I've been feeling. I'm feeling well-rested and happy which makes a huge difference! In terms of my UC symptoms, I feel very similar to when I arrived: it's not great, but it's temporarily manageable. It makes sense that I haven't experienced drastic changes because it will take time (3-6 months) for the microbiome to re-establish itself. As I have mentioned before, I'm setting the stage and now it's time to let the good bacteria do their thing! Hopefully I will have more good news in the summer. Keep your fingers crossed!

I'm reading the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and it is all about listening to one's heart, pursuing dreams, and journeying towards one's Personal Legend. I'm really enjoying it and it seems like the kind of book that everyone can connect with and it could probably be re-read and there could always be a new interpretation. This quote from the book feels very relevant to me right now and you are all part of the universe that is conspiring to help me achieve wellness. Thank you for that.



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