Birthdays Are For The Living

The last time I wrote, I was excited to report I experienced hunger pangs. Well, let me tell you, I've come a long way, baby. 

When Sandy and I left the on-call-o-gist's office last Thursday, I turned to him and said, You know, I think I'm going to be able to rally on Saturday for my birthday. We need to make some dinner plans. Sandy asked me what I was craving and I told him that what I really wanted was some bolognese. With that, we both looked at one another and simultaneously said, Sfoglia. 

Sfoglia is this rustic Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side. I'm almost nervous to tell you about it because it's already hard enough to get a reservation.  I learned about this little gem while flying back from visiting Dad in FL on a Jet Blue flight. Sitting next to me was this fabulous woman poring over newspapers while laughing at me laughing at The Office. We got to chatting, one thing led to another and Maury told me she does the PR for this great restaurant and I ought to go. Little did I know when we'd land I'd turn on my phone to hear a message, Come to the hospital now, Mom's about to have brain surgery, but that's another story. After Mom recovered I made a point to check out the famous bolognese at Sfoglia and I was sold! 

I gave Sandy Maury's card and said, Maury'll make it happen and she did. We got a private room upstairs where we enjoyed a four course meal with a few friends (PLEASE NOTE, THIS ROOM IS SMALL AND THIS WAS LAST MINUTE. IF I COULD I'D'VE INVITED EVERYONE!) and instead of blowing out a candle in my birthday cake, I blew out a candle in my bolognese. Now THIS is living!! The wine flowed, the conversation flowed and the night was simply magical.

The following day, Sandy and I first left the Barbie Dream House at 3pm and went on a little shopping spree. Thanks to Dad, I bought myself a mini-iPad (funny, I just made a typo, iDad) not because I need it, but because I wanted it. (I now have four Apple devises in varying sizes.) Our next stop was Best Buy to look at TV's. Sandy not only hooked me up with gigunda smart TV and sound system to replace the old relics in my armoire, but who knew my new little iPad can basically run this TV and I think even a small country. More living!! (If you consider sitting on a couch watching movies on a big screen living. I do.)

Next stop, the diner, where I got an hour of QT with my friends Gina and Clinton who showered me with love, a homemade birthday card (made with paper and magic markers supplied by the diner) and Levaine's cookies (that's a plug for another entry, but net net, one bite and you've died and gone to heaven). Still more living!! We then went home, I made a long over due phone call, watched the Globes and Downton Abbey and conked out by 1AM. Considering I was so exhausted Friday night that I thought I wouldn't make it out Saturday, this was one helluva birthday. 

Now it's Monday, I'm 46 years old and happy and I have to start popping these friggin' pills again. I took pills 1 and 2 of my 2nd cycle this AM after breakfast. I'm feeling fine, though awfully tired, but I cannot blame the Xeloda for that. My feet are starting to blister and I can blame the Xeloda for that. After work, thanks to Mom, I visited Dr. Wu my new acupuncturist and that was definitely an experience. According to the Chinese calendar I am a "horse" (and I am going out with a monkey),  which is apparently a good sign but with it brings metal and the two key organs on which I need to focus are my kidneys and lungs. Dr. Wu spoke with me for about 45 minutes and then put about 25-30 needles in one arm, both legs and my abdominal area, and one sent a crazy electric shock through my foot. I conked out for 30 minutes and left with an appointment for next week and directions on how to keep my chi flowing. 

So here I sit, typing away, ready to take pills 3 and 4 and retire for the night. But I do not fret because it's these magical, poisonous, toxic pills that are going to help me keep on living. I will take my friend, Zulma's advice and say a prayer each time before swallowing them.

Happy birthday to me and thanks to each of you for really being the best present anyone can ask for. Just when I thought I couldn't get anymore weepy, here I weep, wondering how someone can have so much love in her life. 

I am eternally grateful.

Peace,

Liz

Birthday bolognese!