Extractions And Distractions

I haven’t thought much if at all about the big day in roughly a week or so, but I find now it’s creeping into my head, slowly but inexorably.

When I have thought about the day, it has always been in an objective and somewhat disconnected view. Bone marrow extraction is a relatively trouble-free and uncomplicated procedure, from all I’ve been told and all I’ve read. There can be a bit of a recovery period, but with some good luck, I’ll be below the median on the bell curve. And in thinking about the recipient, you gauge the chances for ultimate success and remission.

Of course there’s the negative, the dreaded “what if” - you have to take that into consideration regardless. This is hardly the run-of-the-mill “paper or plastic” type of decision by any means.

During those moments I have thought about that day, I’ve viewed it somewhat similarly to how I view a running race, as I’m toeing the line waiting for the starting gun to fire. Similar to my of thinking about this procedure, I have a somewhat disconnected yet objective view of the race to be - general notions of pace, weather considerations, the locations of aid stations, my level of training prior and other particulars.

In truth, I really don’t know what’s going to happen until I have made the needed steps to reach the finish line, the end point. And that seems true for almost everything in life - each event has its own unique experience and has its own unique outcome.

Like the run race, I find there’s no sense dwelling on the negative here. I just look forward and try to embrace the most positive result possible. Of course, there is much more on the line here than mere personal best times or missing a mile marker to record a split. This could be a life changer.

And God willing, it will be, and in a very, very GOOD way...