Good Days

  One of the phrases cancer survivors use is that "I have good days and better days."   On good days I wake up.  The ups and downs of survival keep me honest.  I would like to imagine that I can work as hard as I did prior to cancer.  The reality is that I am older and my body has been through some trauma.
  It is important for us to recognize limitations.  That is not to say don't try to exceed those limits, but to be realistic about your expectations.  I tend to push very hard and then pay the price of more pain and fatigue.  I am not an old man, but I am not a spring chicken.  Before cancer I would wake up early,  work hard most of the day and then play hard until late at night.  I have come to recognize that taking time to rest is essential.  Duh.
  I feel angry at myself when I sleep late.  I am learning to let that go and recognize that my body and mind need rest.  I want to teach motorcycle safety again but I do not think I will provide excellent instruction if I am tired, grumpy and in pain.  It sucks to realize my limitations but working until ten o'clock on Friday and getting up at five thirty in the morning on Saturday is not the path for optimal performance.  One of the keys to being a good instructor is patience.  I am not very patient when I am hungry, angry, lonely or tired.
  I can give myself a better day by scheduling more objectively.  I guess the lesson for survivors is to realize your limits and set yourself up for sucess.  If I wake up, walk, study, stretch and exercise I function well.  This requires time and adequate rest.  The term adequate changes depending on how hard you work the day prior, stress, temperature and other factors.

One of the ways to make sure you have better days is to count your blessings.

I woke up.

I woke up under a roof.

I woke up under a roof that is not on fire.

I woke up under a roof that is not on fire with people I love.

Once I start the process I realize how cool it is to be alive.  Today is a better day.