First, a quick review of my July goals:
Spiritual:
- Continue to focus on daily prayers and gratitude: In addition to which,I was able to attend the monthly prayer meeting, so, met and exceeded my spiritual goals!
Environment:
- Continue
to declutter and deep clean and organize one room each month. July's
room will be the 3rd bedroom, which functions as a guest room, crafts
room, and storage room: I decluttered 500 items (from throughout the house), but didn't finish deep cleaning and organizing the 3rd bedroom. I will continue with this room in August.
Daughter:
- Support her as she juggles working full time and being there for me while I undergo radiation treatment: She's doing well and the need to come down as frequently is becoming less as I near the end of my treatment.
Family:
- Most contacts will be on the phone or on-line, again: In addition to the phone calls and emails, etc., there were several visits from one of my aunts and cousins; went out to lunch with my half-sister; met other relatives at the prayer meeting.
Friends:
- Contacts will be mostly on the phone and on-line: Again, in addition to the phone calls and emails, went out to lunch with one friend, had a visit from another friend, and met more friends at the prayer meeting.
Career:
- Continue to work from home: Celebrated 33 years of working at my present place of employment! Went to the office two days, towards the end of the month.
Finances:
- July's budget will include more medical co-pays and
parking fees as I start daily radiation treatments; also airfare for
daughter's visits home: Finances worked out well in July.
Health:
- Health will be the focus again. I had two medical appointments today. I will start my daily radiation treatments next week: I started the radiation treatments and have got through more than half way through them with minimal side effects.
Time Management:
- This month's focus will be managing my medical appointments and getting my office work assignments done on time: Managed to do both.
Leisure/Crafts/Hobbies/Me-Time:
- Continue to knit and sew, read, etc.: I didn't knit or sew or crochet much. I did read a bit and played a lot of Mahjong on-line!
Moving on to my August Goals:
Spiritual:
- Attend August Monthly Prayer Meeting; continue with daily prayers and gratitude.
Environment:
- Continue to declutter; deep clean and organize the 3rd bedroom and family room.
Daughter:
- She has completed 2 months of full time employment and has adjusted nicely; as my treatments come to an end, she will not need to come down as often, either. We will continue to keep in touch by phone and on-line.
Family:
- Call aunt on her birthday; make and send her a card; give a ride to cousin to monthly prayer meeting; meet family members at the prayer meeting.
Friends:
- Call neighbor on her birthday/make her a gift; meet other friends at monthly prayer meeting; keep in contact with other friends by phone and on-line.
Career:
- Continue to work from home while treatments continue; make plans to go back to the office towards the end of the month.
Finances:
- Continue to be mindful of spending.
Health:
- I am almost 2/3 of the way through my radiation treatments; I've 11 more treatments to go. I've also another appointment with the medical oncologist in August and an appointment with the dermatologist, as I've developed a rash on my face. Also continue with healthy eating, getting sufficient exercise and sleep.
Time Management:
- This month's focus will be managing my medical appointments, getting my office work assignments done on time, and developing a routine when it comes to accomplishing housework, etc.
Leisure/Crafts/Hobbies/Me-Time:
- Read one fiction and one non-fiction book; resume sewing the two quilts I have in progress, make birthday cards and gifts.
What are your goals for August?
Well done, Bless. 33 years with the same employer is almost unheard of these days!
ReplyDeleteMy goals for August at the moment are only to get reacclimated to driving a child to school early in the morning and having to pick him up mid-afternoon. It'd been a year and a half (since my daughter got her driver's license) that I hadn't had to do it and I wasn't missing it! The plan is to drive him but I always have the option to have him ride the bus in the mornings, which I might end up doing because drop offs are always crazy.
Another goal is to get organized in the garden for Fall/Winter. I've started seeds this past week but I need to think of what I'll plant where. I also need to plan where I will want to plant wildflowers come the fall.
It's my daughter's last year at home and she won't have classes on Mondays so she and I had talked about taking day trips to observe nature together. So when she's back next week, I want to sit down with her and plan some trips together and put them on the calendar so they actually happen.
I hope you have a fantastic August!
Thanks, Nathalie. :)
DeleteOh, I don't miss those school runs at all! My daughter was bused for part of her elementary school and all of middle school, but not high school. I drove her and picked her up (after I got off work; she had to stay on campus until then), all four years of high school AND all four years of undergrad! She didn't get her license until spring of her senior year of undergrad!
Good of you to be planning your fall/winter garden and nature outings with your daughter. I know you will both enjoy those outings and the memories you'll be making. :)
Such a lot of positives and achievements in that list Bless. You really are inspirational managing to keep yourself, family, home, and work all ticking over.
ReplyDeleteCan I ask, but don't feel obliged to answer, do you have to pay for all your treatment and did you have medical insurance that covered it? Also what would happen if somebody couldn't pay? I always wonder if people are still treated if they can't afford it.
We don't have to pay for anything apart from prescriptions, but I'm thinking maybe you get seen quicker over there. Although having said that my couusin found a lump in her breast and was admitted to hospital within the week. 11 years later she's still going strong :) I hope asking about the finance side isn't too personal a question and as I say don't feel obliged to reply. xx
Thank you, Suzanne. My goal is to maintain as much balance in my life as I can.
DeleteYes, I have medical insurance which covers most of my treatment costs. The only caveat is, with the type of insurance that I have (called an HMO, or Health Management Organization, as opposed to a PPO or Preferred Provider Organization), I have to use health care providers in the network, as opposed to a doctor of my choice. I do have to pay a co-pay for visits to the doctor's and there are co-pays on my prescriptions (until I reach a certain amount, after which my prescriptions are free till the end of the year) and every so often, I am billed by the cancer treatment clinic for the difference between what they charge and what insurance pays. One of the down sides to having an HMO is one has to have what they call a primary care physician (PCP) and the PCP needs to issue referrals if you need to see any specialists (like the oncologist) and it needs to be authorized by the HMO, etc. Often, there is a bit of a wait before these things get done.
There are county-operated hospitals where people without insurance may go to be treated, although, I believe there are some charges. There might be payment plans and some of the hospitals that are run by religious organizations will review a patient's claim of inability to pay and either reduce or waive the charges (or, at least, they used to).
So happy things are going well for you. Your goals are doable, and you have done a great job.
ReplyDeleteThank you Judy. I have learned to keep the goals doable. :)
DeleteGood job with your goals! I have no real goals for August. Hopefully the job will call me soon so I can start! And I can't wait for this divorce to be over and done with, but I have no idea when that will happen. Bubby has his Urologist appointment in a couple of weeks so hopefully the doctor will actually show up this time! I'm definitely calling next week though to check.
ReplyDeleteI hope August will be a good month for you, Jess. The start of a new life. Yes, good idea to call about Bubby's doctor's appointment!
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