Training wheels are off—and updates:

Wow. I just finished making this presentable and searchable yesterday (thank you to Business Tech BFF) and WHAM! Larissa shares it on FB. Since the last post was over a year ago, I thought I’d give some updates.

Snarky calendar page from today...

The best news is that nothing is new, health wise. I still have “expected brain damage post-craniotomy with associated gliosis (inflammation of the covering of the brain where my tumor originated) and age-related atrophy” according to my MRI this week. So uplifting. Still on seizure medication for at least 5 years after my last seizure in February 2021. Still have weird pains and sensations in my scar, my scalp, behind my eyes. Still can’t tell where my feet are if I’m carrying something that blocks my view of them or multitask for shit. Balance and strength are somewhat better, thanks to Shannon (@shannonelisefit)

Driving Larissa crazy when I fail to remember things. Again. But, like the adolescent brain that I now have, I think I’m funny and...what were we talking about?

My neurosurgeon, God bless him, acknowledged that most highly functional people—like my pre-Clive self—aren’t able to return to their baseline and jobs after a brain tumor and surgery like mine. I finally feel like it wasn’t on me to somehow try harder, to do more.

Larissa’s heart is status quo. Stent in place, she’s on meds for life for her normal cholesterol, which is now even lower. A beta blocker and baby aspirin, because that’s what you do for heart attack survivors. It’s weird that I get an annual MRI and follow up with neurology and neurosurgery; yet as long as her stent is working and she has no symptoms, they don’t look at it. At all. She’s still taking call and working hard and trying to be patient when I forget to follow through on super boring house chores. I miss work even more when she talks about it.

One kid launched to college, one a senior in high school. Lots of changes in our lives and house. We’re working on cultivating adult pastimes and friendships that don’t revolve around kid schedules and activities. Not planning to move anytime soon. Still have 4 pets, although the oldest cat is crabbier than usual with her girl out of the house.

Pic of us adulting recently:

At our alma mater. With all our friends, as another Gopher alum so helpfully pointed out. But still...

Useful feedback on any tech issues welcomed. Clearly never my strong suit. Thank you again for all your support, now and over the years.