It’s been 4 weeks now and absolutely all my blood tests with the glucometer come within the normal range, I’m so happy! The treatment with my doctor in Colombia is definitely working, I feel I have more energy and the general sensation of my body is that things are working well. I’m taking homeopathic medications (as well as the “orthodox” ones), doing my diet (looking forward to next week where I can introduce one fruit!), losing weight and the most important thing: keeping that blood sugar normal in order to avoid damage to my organs.

However, I cannot slack, Diabetes has no cure and everyone who has it should be well informed about how it “works” and the things we can do to maintain a “normal” life. One of the many good things Diabetics can do for themselves is carrying with them a Diabetes ID in the form of a card, a necklace or a bracelet. I just made myself a card like this, laminated it and put it in my wallet and I’m seriously planning on joining MedicAlert. It is important to let other people know that we have Diabetes so they can help us when we need it. If you’re Diabetic teach others how to deal with you in case of emergency. Don’t be shy!

The day before I came back I had to see with great pleasure the news about 100 Years of Solitude (100 Años de Soledad) being the new selection for the Oprah’s Book Club. This book written by our very Colombian Nobel Prize Gabriel García Márquez has been called a “the first piece of literature since the book of Genesis that sould be required reading for the entire human race” by the New York Times. I just feel so proud and now I want to read it again, after many years of having had to read it for one of my Spanish and Literature classes in High School; I don’t think I enjoyed the “must” reading back then, but I’m so looking forward to getting a copy soon.

I didn’t unpack, I bummed out all day, chatted with friends, caught up with snail mail (thanks everyone for the beautiful Christmas cards!), spoke on the phone with Elisa and Fab, read Diabetes Dialogue and found a coupon to get a FREE FreeStyle Blood Glucose Monitoring System (Wowsa!), did some research and lusted over the new Ascencia Breeze glucometer (I have this one). It was a “Diabetic” day, since I’m sick with a flu and I have to monitor my blood sugar often than usual. Things are good so far, but now I’m using the pumps for my breathing; and with this COLD… Ouchie!

Patrice came back around 3, we went for groceries and then stopped at his mom’s house to drop a little gift I brought for her, and I left that house totally overwhelmed… She had quite a few nice gifts for me! A copy of Dr. Atkin’s New Diet Revolution, a wood case for my writing stuff, a package of Clarins facial products, two journal-books, gift certificates from Omer DeSerres, Famous Players and Archambault and on top of that she let me take with me her Casablanca DVD. Patrice on his side had a Gift Certificate for the Jacqueline Plante Esthétique and the Freaky Friday DVD, the apartment like a “silver cup” (Spanish saying) and lots of love, of course.

I’m no materialist… but good to be home in these conditions, ha ha!

Snow?? Ah yes! I’m back in Canada Darn it’s cold, but I’m happy to be home. The flight from Cali to Miami was a little “turbulentic” (here I am smashing the English language again), and once in the neighbor country things went smoothly, I had my picture and my fingertips taken, although I felt like someone in a Concentration Camp, walking in line, answering personal questions to some officials who treat people like God knows what and the general paranoia is worse than 2 months ago. Anyway, the guy at the “photo counter” was nice and after that I didn’t have time to get bored at MIA because my flight to Montreal was only 1:30 hours later. After browsing the news stands and buying a copy The Dim Sum of All Things (because I couldn’t find one of In Her Shoes) and a T-Shirt (because the one I was wearing was really dirty!) I went to the gate, got in the plane, had a wonderful flight and arrived in Montreal at 5:40 p.m. to find my little hubby waiting for me… Awww… It’s GREAT to be home!

More news @ 11. I have to unpack, the not so fun part.

How long has it been? More than a week, yep… My mom moved into here new apartment (which is BEAUTIFUL!) but she didn’t have her telephone line installed until today, wonderful! So I was disconnected for more than a week and the only contact I had with the outside world was my husband who called me every day on the cellphone (well, almost…). I would be lying if I said I missed the internet a lot because I really didn’t have time to miss it, between medical appointments, acupuncture sessions and organizing mom’s new place.

I went to see Mona Lisa Smile with my two best friends tonight. Midori, my life-long friend and Martha who was my best friend during my University years. We had fun, we enjoyed the movie (who can resist Julia Roberts’ smile?) and we finally gave ourselves the chance to go to the executive side of the cinema, ha ha! I’m going to miss them a big deal, especially Martha with whom I just reconnected a couple of weeks ago, after a long time of not seeing each other, but thank God there’s internet.

I will be in Montreal by the end of the week, I’m going to miss Colombia and my people a lot, but I think it’s time I go back home: Canada. And yes, Kim, I do have my new ID card *wink*. Once in the cold place, I have a lot of catch up to do… ayoye! But the first thing I’ll do is give a HUGE HUG to Elisa who has big exciting news: BABY! Congrats!

It has been quiet in here. Hello? Anyone reading? Anyway… I’m going to stay in Colombia longer than expected, just a few extra days because I’m under medical treatment and I have a bad ear infection, so the doctor said flying wasn’t such a good idea; thank God for travel insurance! My mom is the one who doesn’t care much about the ear infection, ha ha… As long as I’m here with her and now with the new house, moving, organizing, she needs help although I have to admit that I’m of little or no help at all because I’m feeling very weak.

The good news is that the treatment with alternative medicine is working wonders, I feel much better, I’m not depressed anymore and I’m losing weight. On the other hand, my friend who’s a doctor too removed my earwax because my ears were so clogged I was not hearing well and I was kind of used to it, but now I have improved hearing and wowsa… My ORL had told me I produce too much wax, but my friend kind of laughed until she saw what came out. Don’t go all “Ewww” because wax is not dirt.

I’ve spent the last couple of days catching up with my e-mail and I think I’m good for now. I better go and watch my nephew who’s roller-skating outside “with my permission”. He’s quite the politician… “Tía Tiz, can I go play outside, under your conditions?” — Such a joy. I hope everyone is doing well.

My mother is far from being perfect, but I can assure that she has reached a state of virtue only a few human beings are capable to achieve. No, I’m not exaggerating. No, it isn’t because she’s my mom… She’s just too good to be true. Of course she has her flaws, but her good deeds make up for that and well, we all need the balance.

How many of us can say that we can hear our family and friends complaining for hours, day by day, without criticizing them instead of trying to understand and at a given moment… avoiding or ignoring them? Not many. But she has a friend who calls every day crying and complaining and she just feels a great deal of compassion; I don’t have a friend I can say can hear all my complaints without getting tired or bored… Oh well, I have my mom Anyway, she’s amazing.

But one of the things I love the most about my mom is that she taught me to say “Thank You” and to be grateful for even the little things in life. I don’t care if there are some human beings out there calling me “an ungrateful brat” for they are judging that way because of one situation that doesn’t describe my character. The truth is, I’m thankful because my mother taught me very well to say “Thank You” and because no matter how cold and dismissive people are toward me, I will always be capable of showing that I care, even if they don’t even say that precious thank you.

No, nothing happened. These are just reflections I make, especially after the holidays. These are reflections I make because I know somewhere, out there, there are more people like my mom and I’m hoping to cross paths with them.

What are the chances, in a city of 3 million people, to find one of your best friends after years of not being in contact? Especially, when that friend moved to Argentina and you moved to Canada? It happened to me today… I still can’t believe it! My best friend from University, Martha, was right there, waiting to cross the avenue when I saw her and I screamed her name. We hadn’t seen each other since I got married and then we lost contact because she was pursuing her degree in Plastic Surgery in Argentina. I didn’t know she was here, she didn’t know I was here and I had the idea of trying to contact her family to ask about her and I had this wonderful surprise today.

While I post this entry, I’m chatting with her. She’s telling me about her life, her family, her new boyfriend (a little brainiac who studies in West Virginia) and I’m just so happy… because of this and because I’ve started treatment with my Dr. here in Colombia, alternative medicine, lots of acupuncture, neural therapy and natural medications to fix me up. I’ll be with this Dr. until I go back to Canada and then, from there, I’ll continue through the distance. Even if I’m one of the people who is most against it, I’ve started the Atkins Diet because I need to reduce the fat in my body in order to help my pancreas, but this is not a long term thing and is very well controlled to avoid any damage to my kidneys and so on. I’m good, I was VERY depressed, but I’m better now. And now I have a reason to celebrate… finding my friend!