August Already?

Today is Thursday, August 1, 2024 and I can’t believe how fast the summer is flying by! It’s been a month since my last post and here’s a quick recap of what’s happened since then. First, after waiting for ten days for the biopsy results of my endoscopy to come out, I headed to Amiri Hospital on July 10 to pick up the report and take it to the gastroenterologist to read me the results. Thankfully it was nothing serious, just the beginning of gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD) and he assured me it was nothing to worry about, especially since I wasn’t feeling any symptoms. He told me to ignore it for now, wait for my next annual endoscopy, and report back to him if I start feeling any symptoms (heartburn, upper belly or chest pain, trouble swallowing, etc.)

A few days after that Ali, the kids and I travelled to Abu Dhabi and Dubai for a quick 5-night trip. First thing I did was make sure I packed enough medication (and even extra, just incase!) We went to watch the USA basketball team pre-Olympics showcase in Abu Dhabi. It was AMAZING! Honestly, I forgot how much I enjoy events like this…The energy of all the fans pumped to come see these superstars, the superb athleticism we were witnessing, the excitement in my kids’ eyes for being in such a setting…. I was so grateful to just be able to be where I was, having a fantastic time, surrounded by my family. I kept thinking of where I was a year ago and where I am today…I couldn’t believe it. I was filled with so much gratitude. Of course the place was crowded with a lot of people, but I was always masked and as careful as I could be the whole time. We also took the kids to the theme parks in Yas Island which was a lot of fun for everyone. We’re an adrenaline junkie family and theme parks are always exciting for all of us. As scared as I was to get back on a rollercoaster (it’s been two years since I last went on one) I’m so glad I overcame my fear and decided to get on the first one on the first day. I was unstoppable after that hahaha. The entire trip felt like one adventure after the other. We had some calmer moments, like going to the Louvre Museum which I highly recommend for anyone visiting Abu Dhabi. Overall, we had a lovely time and I’m so grateful I had the energy level to keep up with Ali and the kids the entire duration of the trip.

A few days ago I went to Amiri Hospital early in the morning for the my 3-month blood work check up. Ali came along with me which was a nice change from going solo. The hospital was so quiet and everything was super efficient. Once I finished at the laboratory we headed to the 6th floor to see my doctor. I hadn’t seen her since May so it was nice to catch up and tell her about the past few months and how I’ve been feeling. She was pleased to hear about my travels and to see that I’m physically and mentally feeling much better. I asked about when we would start weaning off my immunosuppressant medication and she said most likely around January. She wants to start then because it would have been 1 year since I stopped the cortisone medication…And the weaning will be a very, very gradual process to make sure my body is able to handle the lesser dose. She refilled my medication prescription and we headed to the pharmacy to pick up my supply of pills for the next two months. My bloodwork results came out yesterday and الحمد لله everything is in order. My protein levels are slightly on the lower side, but nothing alarming. I just need to work on upping my protein intake in the coming months. Hopefully in 3-month’s time, when my next bloodwork is due, we’ll see those numbers normalize.

On another note, my daughter Yasmine will be traveling next week with her football team for a training camp. She’ll be in Holland for two weeks and I’m really going to miss her. Hamad and Shaikha have also asked if they could travel with their grandfather to Cairo for two weeks before school starts and I’m really going to miss them too. I can’t help but feel the same way I felt last year when the kids left for the summer but this time I’m definitely in a better place mentally so I know I got this. Plus it’s only two weeks, and knowing how much fun they’re going to have is definitely a reassuring feeling. On personal level, I’m seriously looking into, and considering to continue in the coaching program I started in March. Yes, I graduated from the introductory course but now I’m looking into the certification program. It’s a longer and definitely more intense program. I know it’s something I really enjoyed and would love to develop my skills even further. Let’s see how things go!

اللهم إن كان هذا الأمر خيرا لي فاقدره لي و يسره لي ثم بارك لي فيه.