Not Lyme All The Time

It has been awhile since my last blathering.   I have had a few potential postings simmering on the back burner, waiting for me to get the inspiration and oomph to finish.   All in due time I suppose.

Today, I feel like rambling about something other than the day to day realities of life.   Which these days can be a real snooze fest, literally.   Lyme and “friends” tend to rule the roost for me, but on a rare and pleasant occasion the outside world happens to collide quite nicely within my Lyme life bubble.

The month of February was filled with a mixture of activities.   Yes, I had my typical lousy and miserable days, but then we tossed in some fabulously fun family days.   My parents both turned 90 within a few days from each other.   That’s right kids – Nine Zero!   The reality of this is still sinking in.   What a blessing to have both of my parents still living, and then for them to be turning 90.   Wow!

To help our spring chickens celebrate this rather significant milestone of birthdays, my siblings and I planned to gather for what we had hoped would be a surprise birthday dinner.   I am blessed to live within a few minutes from Mom and Dad’s retirement community, but my brother and two sisters are spread out a bit.   One sister lives in Arkansas, the other is currently living in Australia, and our brother resides in Florida.   To say the least, there were no, “let’s meet up for coffee” planning sessions.  (Who am I kidding? With my family it would have been wine not coffee – ha!)   All of our scheming was done via cyberspace, and due to the multiple email and texting feeds we had going we inadvertently cc’d our Dad.   Thus the proverbial cat was let out of the bag.   Just as well I suppose, as this allowed Dad to be privy and in the loop which anyone who may know our father will understand the importance of him “knowing what’s going on”.   (written with a slight underhanded yet respectful jab!)

Surprise or no surprise, I believe Mom and Dad were thrilled to have all four kids together with them to help celebrate their momentous 90th birthdays.   Hopefully adding to their nine decade collection of memories.

It would have been even more wonderful and festive if we could have had ALL of our 38 and counting clan together, but quality time with just us siblings was completely and snorting-ly priceless.  (Side note – we are a family of loud laughers and snorters.  A proud trait, if I may say so myself.)   Roughly speaking, our little sibling gathering with just the four of us had only taken about 48 years to accomplish.  So a special thank you Mom and Dad for turning 90!

Oh the stories we shared.   We’re talking way back in the sticks with the hicks stories.  Carousing with the cousins, youthful somewhat reckless shenanigans, and a whole lot of whatnot, never to be shared – ever – again stories.   Forever locked in the vault of “you did what?”, “I didn’t know that”, “did you know that?” memories, chuckles, and snorts.  Oh my!

We did have an “extra” hanging around, as my hubby was front and center most of the time.   Despite MM being my beloved, he melded quite nicely into the crazy ranks of my family a few decades ago like he was simply meant to be there all along.  (Which undeniably he was.)   I like to think of it as our family may have lost a Mark (Mark Alan) but we have gained a Marky May.

There were five of us kids.  Our brother, Mark Alan, passed away in 1984, three days before his 29th birthday.   Our lives and hearts will forever have a void in his absence.   I am hanging on to the peacefulness that we will all be together again one day.   I just wonder if alcohol is served in Heaven?   Mark Alan used to make a mean lime daiquiri, and it was his specialty during the holidays and family gatherings.   Mine were (mostly) virgin daiquiris back then, but I later tried to carry on the tradition – once I reached legal drinking age of course. (wink wink)

Given this whole Lyme life thing I’ve got going on, I may need to revisit that tradition.  Perhaps I see a specialty sugar free and (sadly) alcohol free Lyme daiquiri in my future.  Hmmm, without the alcohol and sugar it sounds a lot like just sucking on a lime!   I’ll work on that no fun healthy version for the next time the family is all together.   I’m back to virgin lime daiquiris once again.   A little homage to Mark Alan.?

The break from my Lyme world was definitely welcomed, and the family time together was beyond priceless.   Unfortunately, reality still remains.   All of the happenings did set me back a bit in my treatment momentum.   Playing catch-up this month has not been all that fun.  Down right miserable actually, but worth every irreplaceable family memory making moment and snort!

I am thankful to my siblings for making the trek to hang with their baby sister while we celebrated our parents and strolled down memory lane.  I am especially thankful to Mom and Dad for turning 90, and for working hard toward that century marker down the road.  I am thankful for this craziness we call family!

Last but not least, a special shout out to YOU.  Thank you for following along with this little family reflection post.

Until my next Blatherings…may you share many laughs and even snorts with those you call family.

Terry?

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