Writing Encore
Hello, I’m back with my writing encore. This domain was down for over a year and now it’s up so I can write outside of the evil social media giants. A six month break from all social media! Dumped some platforms forever! Social media is limited to niche uses.
Donating blood on Fat Tuesday wearing Mardi Gras purple
Blood Donation
I was donating blood this morning. My last donation was August so I was way overdue. Purple shirt is a Mardi Gras color and today is Fat Tuesday. This is the final day of celebration before Ash Wednesday and Lent. We participated in the birthplace of Mardi Gras in North America after four years in Mobile, AL.
I started donating blood about thirty years ago because I hated needles. Hoping that a needle stick every other month would help? It didn’t. Donating was more meaningful when Connie required blood transfusions, peaking out at two pints per week. Below is her receiving her last pint in Bismarck on December 29, 2016 before heading to Mayo Clinic on January 1st. She started getting donations in August 2016 and ended when her bone marrow begin producing blood again in the spring of 2017.
Connie’s last blood transfusion in Bismarck before trip to Mayo
Jump Back in Time
Jump back in time to March 5, 2017 in the photo below. This was Day 31 after Connie’s stem cell transplant. On this big milestone she stopped daily visits at the Eisenberg hospital and started every other day visits at the Charlton clinic. She started wearing real shoes every morning after her leg swelling went down. Notice that the shoelaces skip the top two eyelets!
Connie’s first day of wearing real shoes after stem cell transplant
As I write, I envision referencing the past, both recent and distant.
Writing Encore
Writing encore, but I never really liked writing. Once Connie’s illness had a timeline, I wrote for almost a year in Caringbridge. After that, I wrote in a Word doc. Writing is difficult for me but I want to work at it, especially after I found that it helps people stay in touch.