Time for a break

Published on by Jane
Waiting Socks, Working

They did their job well during chemo last time — every time I looked down at my feet I felt better, and they kept me warm, too. Two treatments down, five to go.

That photo will have to represent all the knitting I’ve been doing. I haven’t had time to photograph the three hats in Malabrigo and two in Morehouse Merino that I’ve completed for this year’s Knitters Review Retreat charity project. I don’t have a picture of the Honeycomb Hat in The Knitter’s Book of Yarn that I made for my own hairless head in a lovely plummy shade of Sundara’s Aran Silky Merino. (Hmm, my hat looks almost like Clara’s!) I’m trying to finish the second blue Hedgerow sock for one of the Remarkable R’s before we leave for Rhinebeck on Friday. She wore the first one last year, so I think it’s about time she had the pair, don’t you?

Rhinebeck is my goal for the week. I’m working my way towards it in a methodical way. Do this much at work. Get that many hours of sleep. Pace myself with the laundry and the errands. On Friday afternoon I’ll be fetched by Judy and the R’s, and off we’ll go on our yearly adventure. Road trip + yarn and fiber sniffing + good food x four friends = a blissful blast! I hope to get to spend a little time with Jen, Martha, Lanea, Beth, and Purlewe, and I hope I’ll run into lots of fellow knitting friends.

It finally occurred to me that I am in dire need of a break from my life. Just a wee one will do for now. My world has been constrained since June, confined to a little corner. I spend all my time tending to the necessary concerns of my health and my spirit, which is as it needs to be. This is my chance to break free for a little while, and it comes at at time when I have some energy and I’m experiencing relatively few side effects.

The chemo cycle starts again next Thursday. At the beginning of all this, when I counted the days on the calendar, I was relieved to find that Rhinebeck and the KR Retreat fall in between treatments. That one-week delay made all the difference! I don’t want to mess up the schedule, so I just have to make sure I take really good care of myself, and that my blood counts stay high enough each week (there’s only so much I can do about that, but I like to think I am in charge of my bone marrow, you know).

Time to get on with the day, I suppose. There’s work to do at the store, and since I’m grateful for every spare bit of energy I have for it, I’m happy to do it!

13 thoughts on “Time for a break”

  1. how wonderful that you can go to Rhinebeck! And that it falls on a calmer week between treatments. hurrah.I just know that Judy and the R’s and you will laugh and grin your way from the first moment of the weekend until the time you return.Have one of them snap a photo of your lovely Sundara plum yarn hat :-)sending you a big ((hug)) and so many healing thoughts.. It’s so wonderful that you get this mini break from the world of treatments and blood counts.

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  3. This sounds like just the break you need. Did you know that being around all the fiber and yarn at Rhinebeck actually improves your blood counts? Yep, I’m sure of it. I’m sorry I’ll miss you, but I’m glad I’ll be there for your next reward, the retreat. Give your bone marrow a great big hug for me.

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  5. I’m so glad you’re getting a break and that you get to share it with the R’s and the sister and the friends and the fibers. Stroke some cashmere and think of me.many hugsb

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  9. Sending healing energy your way!Have a great time at Rhinebeck. So jealous, I wanna go *sniffle, sniffle, whine*Have a great time!

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  10. Jane, so good to see you blog! I have been checking for updates and was just about to email you to see you you were doing. You are such an inspiration.I only live a an hour and a half away from Rhinebeck but we always seem to have other things going on whenever it happens. Have a wonderful time, dear Jane. Healing hugs and much energy to you!

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  12. Hi JaneGood to hear from you,it sounds like you are taking good care of yourself.The Sundara ASM on your head must feel very soft.Have fun at Rhinebeck!

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  13. I’m so happy you get to take a break from your life! I can remember from years past how much you love the Rhinebeck experience. Have a wonderful time! Much love to you, sister.

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