Back to Work

Yesterday was my last prednisone day, so I wasn't sure quite what to expect today. But I felt pretty good, so managed to pull off a full day of work. This Thursday is Clean Sweep Day, a time the campus sets aside to go through your files and your spaces and lighten the paperwork and electronic file load, to straighten and neaten and spiffy up the joint. I appreciate the gesture, but basically one day is no where near enough time to take care of a whole year's worth of stuff.

This week, my staff are changing offices, and cleaning out took on a whole new parameter as new eyes viewed workspaces from new perspectives. I stand by to comment on stuff, answer questions, give the definitive "toss it" command. We wracked up boxes of unnecessary detritus.

In between questions, I chip away at my own space. One thing I know for sure, they tell me that this stuff I am taking will cause chemobrain, the thing I struggled with after the last round. I finally figured out how to deal with chemobrain. Every place where I interact with life must be completely organized and functional NOW if I am to stay functional when that hits. Otherwise I will be back to sitting and staring at piles of stuff and having no idea how to move forward.

So I am being quite thorough in going through my files, tossing unnecessary stuff, labeling, filing, clearing clutter, making sure I can find things and stay functional. I have a much better idea how to organize now that I have been here two years (has it really been two whole years??!!). I know what to keep, what to toss, how to make sense of all the pieces. I will capitalize on that knowledge base while I am still able to, grateful for the time to do that since we decided not to jump into big summer projects based on my treatment schedule.

I have to admit, it feels really good to think I am in control of something, even if its just my office, even though its something of an illusion. I asked my sister who is gifted at organizing to help me with the apartment, and she agreed to lend a hand. I just hope I am still up to it by the time her calendar is clear!