I will be honest and come right out and say it! 2023 was a hard year! I know some on you echo that sentiment and that is okay.
2023 for myself, was a lot of changes, a lot of job searching, tears, and so much more. Still even in the bad it is important to look at the good.
In March, I had my annual cardiology appointment. Before I saw my cardiologist, I had a cardiac MRI because I was due for more extensive imaging then the echo. When I was asked what kind of music I wanted to listen to, I said Christian. Lo, and behold, one of the first songs to play was Evidence by Josh Baldwin. I knew the results were going to be fine when I heard that, and I felt God and my biological sister and fellow heart warrior with me in a very tangible way. I will never that!!! The verse that leads to the chorus and the chorus goes like this.
Evidence by Josh Baldwin
Help me remember when I'm weak
Fear may come, but fear will leave
You lead my heart to victory
You are my strength and You always will be
I see the evidence of Your goodness
All over my life, all over my life
I see Your promises in fulfillment
All over my life, all over my life
The results of my MRI came back with some changes and some enlargement and very minor leaking in my aorta. My cardiologist said this could because of my Turner Syndrome or bicuspid aortic valve. He said it only requires monitoring and that it is nothing to be to be concerned at this time, and when he measured my heart using the Clinical Guidelines for Turner Syndrome, they were right in the healthy range!
In April, I put in my 2 weeks’ notice to Panera Bread after 2 years and 6 months. This was a job I thoroughly loved, and I loved my customers, and they loved me. My last day was May 2nd. When I put in my notice, I immediately gave my regular customers the courtesy of knowing. They REALLY went all out for me those last 2 weeks. I received so many hugs, cards with money in it, had one customer bring me in flowers my last day, and another customer asked if she could pray for me, to which I responded "Yes."
Then, the move! Oh, the move!!! The move was supposed to take to place in late June but the construction on the apartment was not done and the move date kept getting pushed back. The keys were given on July 6th, and the move-in day was Monday July 10th.
Two days after move-in day, on Wednesday July 12, I flew out to Houston, Texas to attend the TSSUS National Turner Syndrome Conference and was there until the following Tuesday. This was the first one since the Pandemic. There were over 600 people at the conference, and more than half of attendees were girls and woman withTS. This was by far one of the highlights of the year for me. During the conference, we learned a lot about mental health issues in TS, social issues and role-played social situations, employment issues, and physical health issues. Outside of the conference, I went to the movies 2 times with my roommates, took a bus tour of Houston, went to the Aquarium, went to the Houston Museum of Natural Science and did every exhibit there- giving priority to the butterfly exhibit where we surrounded by tons of beautiful butterflies! We had dinner at restaurants with our TS sisters, and we took a bus trip to the Houston NASA Space Center after the conference let out that Sunday!
When I got home, my nephew was here! Yay! However, I had a very routine Dr. appt the day after I got back, that quickly became anything but and it was scary and touch and go the 2 weeks afterwards until I could get the testing done, Fortunately, the results were good. I have to follow-up testing in January, but the results are not expected to change. Depending on the results, I can go on a once-a-year schedule. It is something that doesn't require surgery now but could someday.
The Sunday after I got back from Houston, and getting scary news from my Dr, I started attending a new church. This was hard. I loved my old church home so much and had been there since I was 27 and it was the church I grew most spiritually and was baptized on Easter Sunday 2019. It was very scary starting over, in a church where I knew no one and had absolutely no connections. Fortunately, that has gotten much better and is continuing to improve.
The biggest hurdle was work.... I started a job (while will remain unnamed) and was there for 5 weeks. It was a hard 5 weeks as I was not getting the hours I needed, and it just wasn't a good fit. During this time, I had interviews at child care centers by all of which I was turned down. I had many meltdowns over this situation. I continue to sometimes because I feel a little at dead-end career wise. Things turned around a little when I got a phone interview at Wendy's and was literally hired within 10 minutes. It was a Thursday night. My last day of work at the other place was Friday. On Saturday, I came in for the first part of my orientation and the rest is history. The people I work with are amazing and treat me well. I feel like I fit in and I feel loved. It isn't a cure but a band-aid. I want so much more for myself and will begin looking for what that is in the Spring.
This basically sums it up. Did you have more valleys or more mountains this year? If you feel alone in the valley, know that is okay and you are not alone. This year was hard for a lot of people for a lot of various reason- living paycheck by paycheck while dealing with inflation, moves, job transitions. We can only do the best we can with the cards we are dealt for that day. That is all we can expect of ourselves and of those around us.
As we wrap up this year, please know it is okay to go into a new year not having all the answers. It is okay to overwhelmed and sad when looking at the challenges. Acknowledge those feelings and don't run from them. Just look for the joy and light in the year, during the darkness. It may take time, but it is there however faint just the sun above the clouds on a rainy day.
Butterflies @ Olive Garden!!!!!
My AMAZING roomates!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment