When you have to undergo emergency brain surgery at the
tender age of 30, friends and neighbors share surprising things about
themselves; health secrets that are hidden from anybody outside immediate
family are suddenly revealed. I felt privileged to be allowed into this area of
their lives. Now, we are members of a club where we stared death in the eye and/or
beat the odds to come out cleaner on the other side. The surgeries we had and
the maladies we suffer are not important. What I found interesting, although
not surprising, is, now, we have lists. Many call their list a bucket list, made extra popular by the Morgan Freeman, Jack Nicholson film of the same
name. As much as I love and respect those two actors, I refuse to call my list
a Bucket List. I am not
dying any more than the next person. I have friends that call their list a
“Leap List.” That does not ring true to my core either because I don’t feel
like I’m taking a leap of faith to do anything on the list. I simply want TO
DO. And for me, that is simply the most true name. It is “Life’s To Do List.” I
always had a list running in the back of my mind like an unobtrusive program on
your computer (or breathing). You don’t think about it. It’s simply there. But,
shortly after my surgery, I set forth to create a list, and do it well. I researched
the types of life lists people do and what they put on them. These items jogged
my memory of what I wanted to do and then sparked my inner desires, and I
elaborated. Soon, I had a spreadsheet. The list has been taking shape over the
last year and a half. My “to do” now has
a date next to the left when the idea was conceived & a date to the right
when I complete the activity or adventure.
One thing on my To DO List is to be a better dancer. I had
several styles of dance on the list. When one of the Daily Deals on Living Social was ONE MONTH OF
UNLIMITED DANCE CLASSES AT NADIA’S
RHYTHM ROOM I jumped on it. I purchased my deal & this month, I was
finally able to cash it in.
Let’s remember, I have limited rhythm. The limited rhythm I
do have is thanks in part to an ex-boyfriend who was Guatemalan and a gay
college friend who taught me foundational moves of club dancing. Fast forward
to December 2010- I must have surgery to remove a cerebella
tumor. Since the cerebellum is the
root of movement and balance, having it disturbed from tumor and surgery presented
balance and coordination challenges.
I wanted to sink my teeth in and go all out, but after
over-indulging in Victoria, I quickly decided if I danced every day, I might
have a small breakdown, so I decided to keep it “easy.” My first day in class
was the Cha-Cha. Here
too, I saw a challenge I didn’t anticipate… double vision while dancing. Not
knowing what to expect, I was glad I brought my prism glasses. While most take
glasses off for physical activity, I ran to my bag and put on my glasses to
prevent excessive double
vision. I knew this next month would present a unique challenge, but I wasn’t
going to back down.
