Sunday evening

To the park with Jessie this morning. I woke up early, so early in fact that we had to wait a bit before we went so that we would not arrive in the dark (the park is supposedly open dawn to dusk). We saw the sun rise. Silver mist still lay shining on the meadow. Creatures were not stirring. I did my T'ai Chi form.

I made it through the Yom Kippur fast, aided I think by sleeping yesterday morning unbelievably late (for me): 11:30 a.m. Well, I did get up for a while - from 7:00 until around 8:00, reading. Then lay down on the couch and woke up at 11:30. I made it to synagogue at 12:00 noon. Services went until 3:00 p.m. and started again at 5:00 p.m. I came home and took another nap and went back at 6:00 p.m. Services concluded about 7:45 p.m. It is amazing what 26 hours without food or water does to those of us who are used to having both food and water at hand at any hour and all hours. Sobering liturgy, to paraphrase: On Rosh Ha Shannah it is written and on Yom Kippur it is sealed: who will live and who will die, who will die at his appointed time and who before his appointed time, who will grow wealthy, who will grow poor, who will die by fire, who by water, who will become lowered and who will be raised up. A year ago I went into Yom Kippur aware I had a medical "issue" - within weeks, I was in surgery, received the cancer diagnosis, etc. Now, here I am, NED - no evidence of disease. I think what Yom Kippur does for me is remind me not to take anything for granted.

I am wondering how cancer "survivors" count their "survival" - from their diagnosis? or from the end of their treatment? If from diagnosis, I am coming up soon on one year.

Next Saturday there is a morning program at the hospital where I had my surgery and cancer treatment for gynecological cancer survivors and their family. I have signed up. I heard Dr. R will be there. David likely won't go with me as he'll just be coming home from work, but that's okay. I have ambivalent feelings about it but think I will likely attend.

Meanwhile, on the home front - I am making plans for a trip to Atlanta, hopefully for my grandson's 4th birthday (Halloween). And as of yesterday, we have not had a working television for a week. We cut off cable and because we don't have a digital-ready TV, no TV whatsoever. An interesting week. We have watched movies. It seems like we have a lot more time.

21,000 people in Connecticut have already or are on the point of running out of 99 weeks of unemployement. The "poverty" level for a family of 4 is $22,000. $10,500 for an individual. Where would that individual live? What would that family of 4 eat?

I don't understand human beings, not forgetting that I am one, too.

Peace.