It is off to Mt. Sinai today to finish cycle 4 of CRD.  I pushed the schedule up this week to Wednesday/Thursday instead of the usual Friday/Saturday so that I can hop a plane to Florida later and spend time with my family – Helene, kids and Grandma Natalie and Grandpa Ike.

Having Cancer has had the impact on my life of trying to be a superhero ALL THE TIME.  I don’t want any weakness to show through the cracks in my creaky bones.  From day one I set a course that nothing, NOTHING would be different.  I would go to work, take care of family, coach basketball and soccer, fulfill my volunteer duties on the JCC Board and Investment Committees, get my treatments, go to acupuncture – NOTHING would change.

This week my bones were fine but my brain was not!  Too much – I am looking forward to some R&R over the next few days.  At some point the stress of trying to be NORMAL just wore me down.  I felt as if all week I was one step away from the edge.  If nothing else this week has taught me that it doesn’t take a superhero to fight Cancer.  We all have the ability to do it.  We all face long odds in something in our lives.  Everyone has shit to deal with.  I have to take some time to relax, recharge and reorganize in all aspects of my life.  Cancer is a bump in the road.  I can be normal without being EVERYTHING to EVERYBODY.  I have to do the things that make me feel NORMAL and that way I can be NORMAL to everyone else.

I should have taken a week off this week and been with the family in Florida.  I felt work tugging at my bones.  I felt disorganized before the week began and felt I needed some BRAD time, some WORK time but what I needed all along was FAMILY time.  I just wish I would have realized it sooner.

So many thanks to Grandma, Grandpa and Helene.  The kids are having a fabulous time.  Everyone is on the run to different activities every day.  I can’t wait to join them tonight!

Next week we take the myeloma markers, the week after that my second PET CT scan of the bones, week after that a check up with Dr. J.  But THIS WEEK?  At least the REST OF THIS WEEK?  NORMAL.  R&R.  Family … I am on my way!

#bradstrong