So things have been a whirlwind at Grits & Gravy HQ in the last couple of weeks. Phew, y'all!
First, my favorite day of the whole year was November 5. Dirty, flirty thirty! I'm thirty, and I can kick, stretch and Kick! No perceptible differences than 29, but as far as I can tell time is a crafty bitch. Like one day I looked in the mirror and I looked like an adult. I noticed my face fully meshed at about age 23, which is kinda late to exit the goofy not-fully cooked, doughy in the middle phase, but awkward beggars can't be choosers.
Then I caught a cold, right after my birthday: suckity suck. I just laid about for days with achey bones and labored breathing. My best guess is that I had five pounds of snot in my head. Gross. I am a lousy sick person; I just want to lay on bed and watch crappy teevee. No stoicism, just whining.
The real kicker of the last two weeks is (suspicions confirmed) I'm going blind. On Monday I went to see a retinal specialist after a recommendation from my opthamologist. I have retintitis pigmentosa(RP), the same condition that left my father legally blind. So, my rods and cones are dying: boo. RP is incurable, and there is no treatment, yet. Dr. Patel said there is encouraging research toward a treatment. Maybe five years.
I'm so lucky! I've told my closest friends, and they are the best. I've had volunteers to tweeze my eyebrows, match my clothes for me, apply makeup and drive me around. Honestly, not having to drive because I can't sounds pretty good to me; I hate driving. My Alicia in Boston is reading books on eye disease and vision loss; she's educating me about my eyes. Her hubs, T-Rex was researching treatments being pursued in Cuba and Japan. I've had more than one offer for retreat at a girlfriend's home. How did I get so lucky?
For now, I'm gonna try and not be a mope. Truthfully, my outlook after the diagnosis is much better than before with unsubstantiated suspicions. I don't want to waste what sighted time I have left feeling sorry for myself. So......
Let's make a list of all the things I need to SEE:
1. Grand Canyon: I've heard it's "fucking majestic," (sayeth Christina).
2. Paris
3. Real mountains, up close