Retreat

I haven't been so dilligent about posting recently.

I try to avoid the "I'm tired, so can't post write now" posts. So, instead, there is this silent void.

The lack of energy doesn't always occur in a vacuum, even when I'm sick with a cold (like now).

Sometimes, I've had a really good day, but I "used up" my energy. So there is no energy left for sitting down and composing.

Over the past few weeks, I have been fighting a cold. (not so successfully)

It feels like I'm always sick these days. It takes me almost a month to get rid of the common cold. And by the time I'm healthy, another cold seems to be right around the corner.

It's frustrating.

But I am still dilligent about attending simchas. This past month has been super busy. There was the wedding of Moshe's cousin (which I hope to post about), and Moshe's sister's son's Bar Mitzvah (did you follow that?), and the Bat Mitzvah of E (Y's & S's daughter). And we have at least three more smachot in the coming week (a wedding and two more Bat Mitzvahs).

Thank God, there are a lot of good things going on.

This past week, I really did not feel so good. Besides the sleepiness that was weighing me down, I felt like I was in a fog. I couldn't think clearly and I barely had enough energy to get out of bed. For the first time I can remember, I taught one of my beginners classes from outside of the water. (they are advanced beginners, so they were fine, but it was not the way I usually teach) I just couldn't get in the water -- I was afraid of getting chilled.

Today, thank God, the fog finally lifted. I feel much better, even though my nose is running, I can't stop sneezing, I have pain in my ears from the pressure from my sinuses, and I have pain in my chest from pneumonitis (inflamation of the large airways) -- I never even heard of that last one before!

I finally succumbed, and went (again) to the doctor.

It was totally "gam zu l'tova" (all for the best). My doctor was a tzadik, and squeezed me in. Then, in addition to diagnosing me, he agreed to listen to my daughter's lungs. It turns out that I wasn't being paranoid about her cough -- she has a-typical pneumonia. She was home sick all last week (with a virus, but no pneumonia). Over Shabbat she seemed much better and today she went to school. But, still, now she has pneumonia.

The moral of the story: always trust your instincts!

Anyway, I got permission from my doctor to attend tomorrow's retreat for cancer patients, sponsored by Beit Natan. Beit Natan is another support network, for religious women with cancer. A friend of mine told me about the retreat and convinced me to try it. It's three days (Mon, Tues & Wed) -- away from everything.

I'll be back in time to attend my friends' wedding on Wednesday night!

So, for the next two or three nights, I won't be posting.

But don't worry.

I will be having fun!


Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA