I love looking at old black and white pictures. Gen Z kids grown up in digital age have little idea of the feel of the photo. I think they mostly perceive iPhone format. As long as it fits the screen. Generation X such as myself coming from the former Soviet Union have lots of black and whites reflecting their progression from Oktyabryata (Lenin’s grandkids) to All-Union Young Pioneers to Young Communist League and ….. By the time it was actually time to join the ranks of Communist Party my homeroom med school group uniformly leave communist movement. This shot is a formal summer camp picture of Young Pioneer Division in Anapa in 1981. At that time for people from Latvia to secure a spot in the summer camp on Black Sea was a dream. Artek, the most famous of Young Pioneer Camps was supposedly for the brightest and the most deserving. In actuality most of the spots were distributed for kickbacks or among those who held power. The one I went to was another camp on the Black Sea Coast. We just happened to have friends in Krasnodar who had a daughter my age and they offered me a spot. My adventures in that camp are a whole long story for another day. The reason this picture even made it to the post – everyone wears a pioneer tie (usually a scarlet red silk triangle worn by young pioneers). Typically the slogan was, “Be ready!” and the answer was “Always ready”. I am sure it meant being ready to follow communist part and fight it’s enemies. Tomorrow is my first day back to work. My mom feels I am not ready. And I feel… you guessed it, always ready. After 3 weeks of confinement I am ready to stretch my arms and get back to work. Although stretching is still limited and painful. I have used the three weeks for a lot of work accomplished and there was not a single day spent in bed. The phoenix bird in me is reborn and is ready to spread its wings!
But more than return to work I yearn going somewhere. I am thinking of the remaining 3 day weekends before the school starts and I really want the trip. I realize my own limitations – no lifting suitcases, no driving for hours. Fortunately there are 3 adult drivers in our small group. Perhaps up North – at least to Cambria. I want to feel ocean air on my cheeks (can’t say see my hair flowing in the wind :))). One more week and I will be able to submerge in water! Thinking about my last three passwords – “I will be well again” to “I will be well soon” to “On the way to recovery” the next password will be something like “Living life again”.
By the way I have restricted diet and stopped ALL supplements for a few days. And… I no longer feel tensely pregnant. I will be adding them back one by one. Today was the first time I risked a piece of tomato without burning sensation on my tongue. The recipe for oral ulcers can be found in Handy Tips
Few more last thoughts: glossitis/stomatitis is a complication of Nyzura (my antibiotics, but can happen with any other antibiotic), bloating might have the same cause.
I started doing different searches like what is survival of patients with TNBC who achieved complete pathological remission (CPR). And I have to say I like these numbers much more than the ones I had looked up previously. References
And one last last last note – 4/4 of my doctors fee I do not need radiation. Time to start living!