There is not much that a long soak in the tub won't fix and a good hike up Grouse is an excellent precursor to balneotherapy, I have found.Saturday was trundling along as our Saturdays usually do. While enjoying our morning cup of tea in our pyjamas, my mother called. I was delighted to hear her voice and didn't give caution to the fact that my mother only initiates a call, across the Atlantic Ocean, on the occasion of one of our birthdays. August 8th isn't a date that is of any significance in our household.
My mother got to the crux of the call quickly, "I'm going in for surgery. I have breast cancer." She was calm and matter of fact having had since early in the week to process her own emotions. Now that a biopsy had been done and the cancer confirmed, Saturday was her day to call her children and sisters to share her news. How many times that day was she asked, "How long have you known? Why didn't you tell us sooner? How are you feeling about it? What's next?"
The conversation was pretty civilised - no hysterics, no high emotion, a little cry together, a heartfelt prayer. We shared "I love yous" and hung up. The road of my life had turned sharply and unexpectedly. On one level, life continues as if the call was never received. I eat breakfast, shower and leave for my morning writing group. At a deeper level, I cry while I make the bed, stare out the window eating my yoghurt and blueberries and try not to weep on the walk to the writing group.
M's earlier suggestion that we do Grouse Grind in the afternoon was intended as a second challenge to better our time (see The Grind, July 15th). Now I see it as a release of energy and stress. We start at 1:30pm with our sure and steady steps. It's satisfying that this time we are reeling others in, few are passing us and many are resting along the trail like half-fallen comrades.
The Grind is my prescription for settling churning thoughts and emotions. The hike is plain hard and gets progressively harder. Conversation ceases and you are only aware of your breathing and your steps. You cannot think too much and eventually not all. It is a race against the clock and a discipline of your body.
However, you do see some interesting sights along the way. Particularly, as many first-timers don't believe how difficult it is. This time, we fell in behind a woman with her four year-old on her back. He wisely decided that this was more than he agreed to and, with teddy in hand, was being piggybacked up the treacherous trail. We offered to help. The tyke let M carry him but a few steps, before he wanted to return to his mother.
Waiting and watching, I noticed his mother's bubble boobs. I had time to wonder if they were motivated by vanity or the necessity of reconstructive surgery from a double mastectomy. My life had indeed turned a corner.
There's something therapeutic about pushing yourself hard and smelling terrible. Follow it up with balneotherapy and you've got natural medication with no side effects. Balneotherapy is my answer to stresses in life. I got into the hot bath, splashed the water on my face, tasted the salt on my lips and felt the salty sting in my eyes. I lay back and let the water soothe my body. Twenty minutes of soaking and I would be a fresh and rejuvenated woman ready to face the evening and better able to process the detour in my life.
