EZEKIEL

HE WAS AT SRS LAST WEEK TALKING TO MY LADIES AND THEIR FRIENDS.  TODAY HE WAS SITTING AT THE PUZZLE TABLE AND OFFERED TO MOVE BUT I HAD THE SUNDAY PAPER SOMEONE LEFT.  NO TV GUIDE.  I WASN'T PLANNING ON MORE PUZZLING.  I PLAYED EARLIER.

TAKING MY TIME I DECIDED TO WASH AT THE LAUNDROMAT B4 SRS.  I WAS UNCERTAIN ON SWIMMING.  HAVING OPTIONS IS WONDERFUL.  I DON'T HAVE TO KNOW.  ON ARRIVING AT SRS I CALLED PCH.  I PUZZLED TIL I REMEMBERED I NEEDED TO PAY CITY AND CONSUMER CELL.  SO I WENT UPSTAIRS.

HE ASKED ME SOME QUESTIONS ON WHY I WAS THERE AND HOW I LEARNED OF THE SENIOR CENTER.  SO I TOLD HIM HOW MOM WAS REQUIRED BY KAISER TO TAKE AN ADULT ED CLASS IN CONJUNCTION WITH COUNSELING AFTER HER SUICIDE ATTEMPT 1993.  AND HOW AFTER I HURT MY BACK I USED THE GYM AND STARTED HANGING OUT OBSERVING LIFE.

I HADN'T THOUGHT OF THE LONG JOURNEY B4.  I FIRST STARTED GOING TO THE LIBRARY AND THE MALLS TO BEAT THE HEAT DURING THE SUMMERS.  IT WAS TOO NOISY AND BUSY AT THE SENIOR CENTER.  I HAD TO BE HEALTHIER TO TOLERATE THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE.

AUG 1989 I MOVED HOME TO TAKE DAD TO KAISER FOR HIS APPOINTMENTS FOR PROSTATE CANCER.  NEXT YEAR COLON CANCER AND A NEW CRISIS EACH YEAR.  I KEPT TELLING MYSELF THEY'D GET BETTER AND I COULD RESUME MY LIFE.  DAD DIED SEPT 1999, MOM MAY 2001.

2001-2003 I WAS VERY SICK FROM TAKING CARE OF THEM.  I SERIOUSLY HURT MY BACK AND WAS BESIEGED BY MY SISTERS.  2003 I HAD EXPLORATORY SURGERY AND HAD A 30 YR CYST REMOVED.   I WAS BEDRIDDEN FROM THE BACK INJURY TIL 2007 WHEN I CUT TIES WITH MY SISTERS.

I STARTED TAKING MY LUNCH DURING THE HOT SUMMER DAYS.  SOME DAYS THE LUNCH ROOM HAD EXTRA MEALS AND JESSICA WOULD ANNOUNCE FREE LUNCH.  I COULDN'T AFFORD TO SPEND MONEY.  I WAS BARELY GETTING BY.  KAISER INDIVIDUAL HEALTH INSURANCE WAS $900/MO.

 MY HEALTH FINALLY STARTED IMPROVING WHEN I STOPPED HOUSE AND YARD WORK.  UNTIL THEN I WAS JUST MISERABLE, RUNNING ON DETERMINATION.  T KEPT UP MY SPIRITS AND TOOK ME TO EMERGENCY TWICE.

LOOKING BACK, I'M GLAD I KEPT GOING.  I'VE HAD TO COMPLETELY CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT.  THE HARDEST THING TO DO.