An update on Murray’s health – and Happy Spring!
This will be a significant first-afternoon-of-Spring today. Significant because I didn’t expect to be alive to see it. I was going downhill so fast that after my doctor asked if I had my estate in order (a year or so ago) and a few weeks later said we could discuss long term care on my next visit, it was clear where this was going and I had made plans to ensure that long term care was not how this was going to play out.
But here we are – in the past two months my cognitive abilities have improved (I can read!), my 5-km walks are getting easier, and yesterday I began talking to friends in Haines and Anchorage about getting together for hikes this coming summer. The first photo shows Cathy and I with our first firepit of the year, 8 days ago.
I got the roof of the motorhome shovelled off and moved it out into the sunshine. I have a serious itch to hit the road, but if I do it will be something very short and close – the White Pass for 3 days perhaps.
The next photo was shot on the trails at the Whitehorse airport 5 days ago. Despite a nasty wind, it was a beautiful day to be out. I had borrowed Rosie from friends so her first foster mom could spend some time with her (Rosie was a YARN rescue – isn’t she gorgeous?)
The next photo was shot at the Yukon Wildlife Preserve 2 days ago – that’s a 5.3-km walk.
The improvements in my health largely happened suddenly the morning after a session with my osteopath. While I don’t understand what’s going on, I don’t have dementia, because this sort of improvement can’t happen. What I do have now is a light at the end of what was a long, very dark tunnel – and that light is not a locomotive bearing down on me.
“Normal” is a long way off, and perhaps I’ll never get back to where I was before I was injured in August 2019. But although I’m very delicate, I’m okay – I can do the things that really need to be done. Creative writing is beyond my abilities, as is complex thinking. While I’d love to get those back, my life is okay without them. My life still runs in 3-5 hour segments, then I need a 1-2 hour recovery nap. Travel by air isn’t possible – even with noise-cancelling headphones I can’t deal with the noise or activity of airports or airplanes.
Anyway, Happy Spring, my friends. You’ve all been very important during this journey.
The final photo was shot along Tutshi Lake in May 2012 – a favourite grazing slope for black bears.
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Mr Lundberg. I’ve been following you for years and I am sure that I have read 90% of your post’s. When I was at work i had your camera on when you were at Carcross. I was kind of sad when that went away. It is great to heard that you are doing better. I need to visit the Yukon again, but in the meantime, I will visit the Yukon thru your post’s for many more years.
Thank you, Bob – it’s really nice to hear from people who have been with me for that long. It’s hard to believe that it was 22 years ago I installed the CarcrossCam – it was a lot of fun 🙂
There was the full gamut of emotions…(in this post)… and some better off not to think about…(long term care or not) but I am so glad you are back on this particular road to a more normal life… planned motorhome trips, the e-bike, photo jaunts, walks with Kathy and the fur kids… The swing of emotions must be incredible… and this time good news… (sending the Osteopath good wishes for more breakthroughs for you) all around. I am going to have a beer too and toast you!~
As always, thank you. Yes, this went from the very dark place to a place with lots of positivity. I just have to keep in mind that I’m fragile, and could perhaps mess this up badly if I get too ambitious. It may be a good thing that my drive this morning got halted by bad weather and I was back home in less than 90 minutes.
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Murray, I’ve been following your blog for years and am so happy to learn of the improvement in your health. May you have many more adventures to share with us!
Thanks very much, Chris. I’m now looking forward to being able to share many more Adventures 🙂
Good Day from Nova Scotia Murrster , great news on your better then expected recovery process, must be that fresh air, surrounded by love, good eating, positive attitudes and miracles from above, keep on truckin and keep grabbing gears to the summit, Take care eh👍🇨🇦🍻
Hi Paul. Cathy figures it’s just the Spring light that has done the healing, and she’s never wrong (she told me that 🙂 ). We may get out for another beer or two yet, my friend 🙂
Absolutely wonderful news! May God continue to bless you. Happy happy Spring to you and Cathy .
Thank you, Patsy 🙂