out of the depths . . . at last!

My 2022 and 2023 were years of highs and lows, days that sometimes flew by much too quickly and weeks that dragged their feet through endless muddy hours. 

In January of 2022, my adult son, J, was hospitalized for 12 days when he was suddenly and mysteriously unable to stand. Because he's non-verbal, I stayed with him 'round the clock, sleeping in chairs, taking bird baths in sinks, and advocating for his care as best I could. 

The hospital was overwhelmed with Covid cases at the time, and so we were relocated 7 times over those 12 days, moving from floor to floor to keep us safe as wards filled up behind us with contagious patients. 

Gradually, J regained his strength and we returned home with an enduring appreciation for the often thankless work of the men and women who care for us when we most need help. 

In the autumn of 2022, we braved a major renovation of our condo to create a more accessible bathroom for J. Coincidentally, our upstairs neighbour was renovating his bathroom at the same time. In a (not so funny) comedy of errors, the upstairs contractor managed to break the main water valve, flooding our freshly drywalled space and necessitating three days with the roar of a giant industrial fan to dry things out. While repairing the mess created in our space, the 'contractors from hell' broke my new vanity light. And then [cue duh-duh-duh music] cracked the replacement vanity light while attempting the installation. Three strikes and they were out. My own wonderful contractors made everything right and I'm still happily enjoying the bathroom of my dreams.

But wait! There's more! 

While temporarily staying elsewhere during the major phase of renovations, Covid finally had its wicked way with both of us. Fortunately, we're both fully vaxxed, our illnesses were manageable, and we had people who checked on us and brought us meals. We left quarantine just in time to return home.

Early in 2023, I began having intense pain in my shoulders, back, and hips that made walking, sitting, and even sleeping a struggle. After several months of tests, I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis and started a treatment plan of physiotherapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, and medication. I began using a cane and, eventually, a walker/rollator to get around. Thankfully, the treatments are working, the pain is no longer constant, and (most nights) I can sleep again. And I've a new appreciation for assistive devices - not things to be avoided, rather tools that mean freedom!

And then, the very best thing happened!

In August of 2023, J achieved a long-time dream when he moved to his own home, shared with new friends and supported by caregivers who truly are the very best sort of people. 

He's so happy with his newfound independence - this smile makes my heart sing.

With so much going on, books were definitely my happy place and a comforting, welcome escape. I read and listened to some excellent stories last year, including Shadow Play, a terrific new release from Peggy Blair. She brings back some characters from her Inspector Ramirez series (Simon & Schuster). This book is set in Ottawa and features a bad guy hero you can't help but root for, and a teenaged hacker-girl who helps him … well, you should read the book and find out! 

I interviewed Peggy for The Write Spot here on the blog back in 2016. You can read that interview here.

Another favourite of my reading year was John Scalzi's fantastic Starter Villain. You guessed it. I came for the cat on the cover. But I stayed for the wildly entertaining ride. What a book!

You can check out the rest of my 2023 reads, all 40 of them, on my Reading Challenge page at Goodreads. If you poke around a bit, you'll find my 2022 list there, as well.

Thanks for visiting. Here's hoping for better things in this fresh new year: health, happiness, and peace in the world. Happy New Year! 

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stillpoint... blog of Canadian author Cheryl Cooke Harrington