After the health problems of this past year, I jumped at the opportunity to take sailing classes in San Carlos, Mexico. My winemaker husband and his brother (co-winemaker) have had the dream of sailing since they were kids...ok they really had the dream of being pirates, but this is the 1st step. As my health deteriorated this past year and possible brain surgery loomed menacingly over us, we took to writing a bucket list...a list we would attack as soon as I was better. After the meds started helping me feel better and the brain tumor reduced in size, we took "seize the day" to a very literal meaning and got on a boat immediately. I am done being afraid. I am done putting work 1st and waiting for the right time to hit that bucket list. I am done putting things off for a future time. The future is too unpredictable.
Having extremely limited experience on a sailboat, myself, my husband, his brother and my sister-in-law all embarked on this adventure with a little trepidation. The class was rigorous and 2 of the days hailed 30 mile per hour winds which in turn gave us 6 foot waves and a " A Perfect Storm" kind of thrill ride few have had. As I scream/ laughed while hanging onto boat rigging so I would literally not fall out of the boat as it heaved onto its side, waves slapped my face and life sparkled so bright in contrast to the dark clouds overhead that it took my breath away.
As I type this, tears spring to my eyes. It is difficult to express the intensity of emotions this past year has given me and to be with my family, on a boat, doing something so wild, gave me the deepest heart wrenching appreciation to be alive and feeling good. It may seem overly dramatic to be sitting in a cafe crying over how special a violent sailing experience was, my husband certainly would say I am overreacting, but I can't help feeling overtly happy at the simple fact that I feel good again. It is amazing how we take our health for granted. We stress over silly things and complain when our bodies are anything but perfect. When I compare the pain I experienced this past year, the level of sickness, it rivals a severely sprained ankle or a dislocated shoulder.
I would like to add at this time that I severely sprained my ankle and also dislocated my shoulder while on this trip to Mexico.
A walking catastrophe, I stupidly jumped off the sailboat and onto the dock, not at the safely appointed side-stays, but an aft portion of the boat, and onto a docking cleat. Please take a moment to note and appreciate all the sailing terms I just used. My ankle rolled and the instant pain of it made me sit down then and there on the dock in a daze. My leg from the knee down turned purple. It was lovely. The searing pain that pulsed through my ankle was multiplied by limping around on it. A deep burning sensation punctuated by a piercing pain became my existence. All the while, due to the medication I have been on, I could not take ANY pain pills or have any alcohol. I seriously wanted a glass of wine too. BUT, even with this pain, it was nothing compared to the pain of a brain tumor.
As I limped around, using my arms as crutches...because why would I actually go to a doctor right away and get crutches? I found myself in an awkward position trying to maneuver in a tight space, favoring my injured ankle and pushing myself up to standing...I dislocated my shoulder. I know, WTH?
With my left shoulder slumped and a bone oddly protruding forward under the skin, I attempted to move my suddenly paralyzed left arm with my right hand; the sharp pain shot like lightening through my shoulder. When I woke up, evidently having passed out from the pain, I woke my husband for help. He quickly YouTubed diagnosing a dislocated shoulder and how to reset it. painfully laying me out on the bed, sweat beading up on my forehead, my dedicated hubby braced one foot flat against my rib cage and grabbed my left arm. The 1st couple times he maneuvered my arm, I moaned in deep pain, but being that it was 2am in a house full of sleeping family members, I did not scream, I quietly pleaded that he keep trying. 3rd time was the charm and I instantly could move my left hand again. This extreme pain still has nothing on a brain tumor.
So back to the overly dramatic description of our sailing adventure. I think I have adequately demonstrated that I am NOT an over-reactor since it is clear that I can seriously keep my cool. I bandaged my ankle, put my arm in a sling and finished the last 2 days of sailing classes. Luckily some of the "jobs" on a boat can be done seated with one arm. Ya, I think I earned my pirate badge. Actually my sister-in-law had gotten a terrible eye infection days earlier so between us, we made the perfect pirate: eye patch and peg leg CHECK!
The sea may have calmed as we completed the course, but the bright sparkle of life, enthusiasm, joy and love continued to rise in me. Perhaps that is why I am pulled to cry, as if all the awe for being healthy and alive is pushing the joy right up and out of my eyes.
Enough of the corny, inspirational poster talk and more of the pirate! Let's buy a boat...arrrr! I think I've earned one.
-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com
Running on Wine; from Marathons to Rafting to "Fueling" on the Patio, We are Fueled by Vivác.
