Well I am back in London, like it or not. It feels strange to say the least.
Time at home wrapped up pretty well if a bit emotional. I had a nice send off by the girls on the Swifts which was great. They really are so much fun and such a good team of which to be part- inspiring and inviting - I do hope to be a more permanent fixture at some stage, as I promised I would become. We had a good and hard long run the net morning which was a challenge, but good fun. Needless to say, my efforts in running struggled a bit the rest of the week without them!!
I had to miss track to go with Dad to his appointment with the oncologist. It was a fairly positive one I guess - things on the inside still looking about the same: heart function weak (despite being twice normal size!!) hence lots of fluid buildup, but lungs looking about the same if not a bit better. He got an Rx for a new pain relieving patch and we were laughing at the fact that they give discounts even to people who make $150k!! But he got it and seems to be helping ease his knee and leg pain. He also went in a couple days later to get the fluid drained off his belly - in all they got nearly 4 litres!! That is literally like a good-sized baby! No wonder he has been feeling tired and a bit bloated and heavy. A relief they got that much since last time they tried it didn't result in much.
So I guess I felt okay leaving him like that, at least knowing that things hadn't gotten worse. He continues to surprise the docs, which I think is a good thing but he admitted being a bit concerned about it - if things turn bad again, how do we recreate what we did this time?
Saying goodbye was a bit shaky bur not quite as emotional as I had expected it to be. Dad and LP and JM took me out there and there were definitely tears shed but I think we all felt a bit better due to the fact that I will be back pretty soon. I am so glad I booked that trip - it is a light at the end of this tunnel for me, not that in any way I expect that goodbye to be any easier!
The journey home was about as bad as it could have been. I stayed a night in seattle with CM which was nice - good to see his set up and meet his roomie, etc. But that night I got ridiculously sick and had to get up about 4 times in the night. And I am not a good sick person, spending most of the night moaning and tossing and turning. I don't think either of us slept more than an hour before I got up at 5:30. The airport was pure madness too, demanding way too much energy than I had. Luckily I survived and managed to sleep most if both flights, feeling quite a lot better by the time I arrived.
After delays and all normal airport drama, I got to paddington about 2 hours later- didn't know that MJ would have tromped to the station to find me only to have me show up late!! Finally made it to his and gathered up Mr Art Vandelay and all his accessories. Riding through the early morning London streets was not the nicest welcome back- often times I get a thrill from the urban-ness, but this time I just welled up, missing home. Luckily it was a gorgeous day or I might have turned right back around! (ironic in that it was chucking it down at home then). The flat was in a state that can only be recreated when left unoccupied for six months- not anyone's fault, just grimy and dirty. The kitchen stunk to high heaven, and still does due to the small infiltrators of the Rodentia family - buggers better have enjoyed it since Mr Art has been instructed to take no prisoners!!
Anyway, I spent most of the day tidying up and trying to unpack - kept myself busy so as not to get too down. It was a really nice day and while a run was always on the list of things to do, I couldn't face it for some reason.
I missed my friends and loved ones, and I wanted to be in that mindset, I guess, so I didn't want the sun in my face or the the accomplished feeling. I wanted to mope.
But I woke up bright and ready at 5am today, despite efforts not to. And it seemed like the right thing to do, since it couldn't get done any other time. So off I went for an easy run to reacquaint myself with urban running.
I left the IPod behind since the old one due to replace the two newer broken/gone ones was charging, plus I didn't see it being the best idea when I'm used to the calmer streets of Spokane. And I should try to soak it in.
Differences/observations include but weren't limited to:
- it didn't feel nearly as easy as I thought it should have, seeing as I spent 6 months running an extra 2500 ft up.
- I don't usually get hollered at by bums in Spokane.
- the anonymity of urban living allows a lot more trash to accumulate on the residential streets of London- one would think people still wouldn't want to litter up the streets they live on, but that's apparently not true.
- I can't run nearly as fast on the streets here
- while the hills of Finsbury Park might be fairly comparable to those or my normal hilly rural route at home, they are not nearly as picturesque or enjoyable.
- there is just way too much to pay attention to when running in a huge city, which really takes away from how much someone can immerse him/herself in the experience itself. But it is still a preferable mode of transport to this bus on which I now sit (not to mention I would have been there ages ago had I been running!)
Anyway, this is quite a ramble and not nearly on the inspirational, thought-provoking level the last one was on. I just have to throw myself back in it- the whole London experience. Whether I want to be here or not, I am here, at least for the forseeable future, and it won't do me any good to wish otherwise right now. So as I run to the track tomorrow night in seemingly grotty Wood Green, I'll try to keep the clean Spokane air in my head and let myself be here too.
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