Patience

March 10, 2026

Photo by Duane Mendes on Unsplash

Noah came home from spring break last week in a cast on his foot after a jumping injury that will sideline him for a few weeks. It was not the kind of souvenir, nor a memory, anyone hopes to bring back from a competition, but he is taking it in stride and focusing on healing up.

Gabriel came down as well, and for one day we had all three boys under our roof again. That does not happen often anymore, so it felt good. Really good. Having the house full, hearing their voices and laughter moving through the rooms again, gave my spirits a real boost. There was also some exciting news mixed in with the visit. Gabriel received his assignment to the USCG Cutter Bear, which is based out of Portsmouth, Virginia. That puts him only a quick drive away from Noah.

Knowing that the boys will all be relatively close by, just a few hours from home, brings a sense of comfort. After years of watching them scatter out into the world to find their paths, it feels pretty special to have them all within reach.

The weekly Nplate injections to boost my platelet count, along with Nivestym to stimulate bone marrow production, appear to be doing their job, just at their own deliberate pace. My numbers continue to inch upward week by week, which is encouraging, even if the progress feels slower than I would like.

Slow recovery, it seems, is simply how my body works now.

History has shown that my system takes its time bouncing back from the chemotherapy treatments I endured before. Those drugs did what they needed to do, but they also left their imprint. Bone marrow, the quiet factory responsible for producing the cells that keep our blood healthy, does not always restart overnight. Sometimes it needs time, support, and a great deal of patience before it settles back into its rhythm again.

Patience, however, is not one of my natural strengths.

I am someone who likes movement, progress, and momentum. I enjoy being out in the world, seeing friends, sharing meals, and catching up. I miss the routine of going into the office each day, walking the halls, and having conversations that happen naturally rather than through a screen. Those everyday interactions, the ones we often take for granted, are things I genuinely miss.

Right now, patience is the assignment.

While my counts are still recovering, I have made the decision to keep my world smaller for the time being. A quiet dinner here or there with a few close friends is manageable. Sitting around a table with people I trust, sharing stories and laughter, is something I can safely enjoy.

Large crowds, however, are a different matter. Packed gatherings and busy spaces carry risks that are simply not worth taking right now. With my immune system still rebuilding and my platelet counts not yet where they need to be, something as simple as catching a virus, or even sustaining a minor injury in a crowded environment, could set me back.

The situation reminds me at times of the early days of COVID. There is the same sense of stepping back from the world for a while. Familiar places and activities feel temporarily out of reach. Life continues moving forward, but I am observing parts of it from a bit of a distance.

This time the timeline is personal. The pace is dictated by my body rather than by public health guidance. Each week my lab numbers tell a small part of the story of recovery.

The good news is that I feel good. My energy has been improving, and I am happy with where my weight is right now. Mentally, I feel ready to push things forward again. I am eager to increase my cardio and begin building my strength back up.

There is still one lingering issue that I need to address. I continue to deal with drop foot, which has slowed some of my training plans. Physical therapy is scheduled to begin in a few weeks, and I am hopeful that it will help me regain strength and stability there as well.

For now, recovery continues in small but meaningful steps. My body is rebuilding, even if it prefers to do so at its own pace. Patience may not come naturally to me, but it is clearly part of the process. Each week brings a little more progress, and that is enough for now.