As my body forces me to slow life's pace, I find myself quite aware of the details of the day. Some are lovely, some less so. My life right now has some definite lines of what is good and what is not.

Universal Not-So-Goods:
1. Unfinished tasks. Even small tasks. I remember practicing ways to break down tasks into "bite-sized pieces" when I'm teaching a new concept to students. That's pretty much every task for me on Days 3--5. For a goal-oriented, check-list loving, Type A-er, I can only roll my eyes and shrug my shoulders. I'm remembering to say the phrase, "Oh well" and to just let those silly tasks go.  
2. Brain fog and fatigue. This needs no explanation. It's exhausting to be exhausted. Days 4-8 are covered in a haze and I simply cannot nap enough.      
3. The feeling inside my mouth on Days 7-11 after chemo. It's like I've taken a gulp of tea that is too hot. But the taste-bud-scalded sensation is throughout my entire mouth and won't subside. It's very inconvenient.

I'm pretty sure I could think of more things, but I'm not willing to go there. With limited energy and brain bandwidth, I'm going to move on. Because when you're awake at 11:05 on a school night and the melt-away-in-your-mouth melatonin a friend gave you to try is waiting to do it's work and it's Day 9 after chemo (the brain fog has lifted), your Type A self is highly motivated to move forward with this post:) 

Universal Goods:
Categorically, regardless of the chemo cycle, these things are just good. No qualifiers. And to be clear, these are the parts of my day-to-day that will continue to get my focus and energy. 
1. Lotion and lip balm. There will never be too much of either at this point. 
2. Hugs. I am a sucker for them. 
3. Soup. I have at least one bowl a day. Corn chowder, potato leek, chicken noodle, tomato, vegetable, chicken gnocci, barley masala, the list is endless. And while most foods have had at least one day when they don't taste good, soup has not yet failed me. 
4. My family. Seriously, you know them, and you know I'm not wrong when I say they are incredible people with a limitless capacity for encouragement and caring. 
5. Naps in the sunshine, especially afternoon naps on the couch. 
6. Friends. It's the most humbling part of all of this, realizing how good the people surrounding me are. 

There, I've doubled the number of Not-So-Goods to Goods. That seems about right.