| | The time has come for me to say "good-bye" to this xanga.
"Good-bye?", you might say, "Why in the world are you saying 'good-bye'? Don't you have more time left in China? Isn't there still work to be done? Aren't you IN China????"
Well, actually. No. I'm not in China anymore. I've come home, back to America. 2 months sooner than planned.
I have mono. The short story is this: I had a fever on the night of April 14 and it stuck around for another 3 weeks. Yes, you heard right. I had a fever for 3 weeks. I had blood work done. Chest x-rays were taken. Swabbing of the throat. More tests. Finally, about 2.5 weeks into this illness, the doctors ran another test for mono and this time it came back positive. We were still deciding whether or not I should just stick it out and heal in China when I was stricken with a secondary infection, finding out later it was a staff infection in my throat. I don't think I've ever been that sick in my entire life. Thankfully, I didn't have to teach during this time as China was celebrating May Holiday, as it would've been impossible for me to do so. My throat has almost swollen shut. It was nearly impossible to swallow, breathe, eat, or even formulate words. It was then that the decision was made by numerous individuals that I needed to come home.
And so, on May 6, I found myself getting on a plane bound for Chicago and wondering what in the world was happening to me. I was leaving and I didn't really get to say good-bye to this country ... no, to this place that I had called "home" for the past 2 years. I was gone. And now, I'm back at my home. Yet, there's a part of me that got left behind in China.
This wasn't my plan. I'd wanted more time. I had more things I'd wanted to do. I wasn't finished yet. But through all this, I know I have a father who loves me and always has my best interest at heart. Always. With that knowledge, I begin to find closure and try to bring perspective and sense to this crazy last 5 weeks of my life. And I move on.
Moving on also means an end to this xanga. I won't be posting here anymore. This is China to me. The end has arrived. I'm moving on to another place in my life. That means, for the meantime, I'll be picking up where I left off on my blogspot address. If you have that, start checking there for my random thoughts on my random life. If you don't have it, email me and I'll make sure you get it.
The end is bittersweet and yet it's a necessity.
China -- I'll never forget you. You have made your mark on my life and I just ask that I have made my mark on yours.
My wonderful team (minus Janna and Nate) ... I love you guys. Thanks for being ... my family ... for the past year and for many of you, the past 2 years.
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| | Posted 5/22/2007 12:25 PM - 45 Views
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