Cherish Redefined…

Popping in quickly to update you and asking you to join me on my latest journey—back to the hospital.

My infamous six-day hospital stay in January left me with a badly damaged bladder, slowly healing from a horrific chemical burn. After another procedure that was unsuccessful, I had surgery that went well, but was again hospitalized for eight days to address an infection. In the coming hours, I will have another procedure that we hope will proclaim my bladder to be fully healed. Once again, though, I will need to be hospitalized for at least seven days to treat a bladder-related infection.

Too much information?

Sorry. But I’m weary. I’m tired of “rising to the occasion,” “staying strong,” and “riding the waves” that seem to have no end.

And yet, I ponder.

Shocker, right? No really, it’s how I process life. No matter how hard I try to be quick-minded and decisive, I’m a slow. . . pondering. . . processor.

So I thought about my word of the year that is supposed to guide me—CHERISH. In my column, I declared:

Cherish is a warm word. One that ignites the heart to expand with gratitude for something that has already happened. — Becky Galli

But when I mentioned it to my deep-thinking counselor, he ended our chat with an unexpected question:

What will you cherish this week? At first, it stunned me. Could I cherish something in the future?

But it works! As I sit here, face wet with tears, anticipating another procedure and another hospitalization, that question actually dampens my dread while nourishing my hope!

What will I cherish in the days ahead? There are so many things to consider!

I will cherish the kind nurses, attentive doctors, responsive aides, and especially the gentle phlebotomists.

I will cherish my aging iPad, my trusty iPhone, my multiple battery packs, and my addictive word games.

I will cherish the pleasant voices taking my meal order and remember to offer a compliment when the coffee or a meal is particularly good (their reactions are priceless!).

I will cherish the times when nurses or aides offer to bring me early morning coffee from the floor, especially during the hectic 7 a.m. shift change.

I will cherish each expression of care—the cards, texts, emails, calls, visits and thoughtful remembrances.

I will cherish my friends, family, caregivers and folks like you, my subscriber family, who sustain me with encouraging words and thoughtful deeds. Love this reminder from a long-time “remote” friend:

I will find things to cherish, look hard for them each day.

For now, I will cherish tomorrow’s sunrise, wherever it may be.

And on we go. . .

P.S. THIS JUST IN… Successful procedure this morning!! The urologist said my bladder looks very, very good! Still in the ER waiting for a hospital room but very grateful for this major step forward! Thanks in advance for your prayers for healing and peace as I navigate the next steps. I’ve learned I cannot do this alone.

P.P.S. I so enjoyed my conversation with Louise Phipps Senft on the Blink of an Eye Podcast, where we talked about what it really looks like to keep going when life changes in ways you never saw coming. We explore grief, resilience, and my journey through Transverse Myelitis—how writing helped me make sense of a body and story transformed. It’s an honest, heartfelt conversation about moving beyond survival and gently redefining what’s still possible.