I'm Alive...and Well

Love, love, love Kenny Chesney's and Dave Matthews' new release "I'm Alive". What a FABULOUS song.

And it is the perfect song for me today - November 17. You see, November 17 always surprises me. This morning, I started a new job. After 18 months and 1 week as one of the millions of unemployed workers in this country, imagine my surprise that when I finally found a job (not just any job either, a job I wanted with a great company!) and was given a start date of November 17. On a Tuesday. Not a Monday. A Tuesday. The 17th...of November.

Five years ago today - on November 17th - I suffered a stroke. In fact, 5 years ago at this very moment, I was laying in the critical care unit of the ER. Among other things, my right hand would not move. Here I am, 5 years later, typing with that hand. And, if you didn't know to look for subtle cues, you probably wouldn't be able to tell that I ever had a stroke. Five years ago at this time, I kept thinking "I'm alive!".

Four years ago today - on November 17th - I had emergency surgery. In fact, 4 years ago at this very moment, I was laying in recovery. But, the results came back with good news and two weeks later, I was as good as new. Four years ago at this time, I kept thinking "I'm well!".

You might thing that for the last 3 November 17ths I hid under my covers. Nope. Didn't do that. Instead, I celebrated. If the date fell on a work day, I took it off as a holiday. My personal day of celebration of life. Nothing particularly fabulous happened on those November 17th...but then again, I didn't spend of any of them in a hospital so I was waaaaaay ahead of the game.

Then there's this year. A new job. Another new journey to take. Another celebration!

It's November 17th...and I'm alive...and well!