43.

Here's what it looks like:

So, what does it feel like? Remarkably, and unsurprisingly, exactly like 42. You'll have to excuse the beach hair in the photo, which I didn't crop even though I'm not thrilled with that particular view of my thighs. But it's me, so there it is.

Notice how you can't even see the scar in that photo (even if you click to see the larger version)? That's so cool. Of course it's still there, but I think I'm the only one who ever sees it anymore. No one else gives it a moment's notice.

On to specifics: the marble in my the side of my neck subsided a few days after I posted about it, so there's clearly a reactive node there, regardless of whatever else is in there. But my neck has really been bothering me a lot lately, and whether it's because there are new nerves growing back in or something else going on, I have no idea. I'll find out soon enough, I think.

I had a reprieve from my RA for most of my vacation. At least, I think of it that way. I took one Aleve most nights because of all the various things I was sleeping on then, not one of them could be called comfortable, and the Aleve helped me to wake up in the morning without that familiar hit-by-truck feeling. A few days before we left, when the really killer humidity moved in, my RA started to flare a bit, even with the Aleve. I stopped taking it when I got home, and I'm having issues that I'd peg as 3-4 on the pain scale.

The main problem is my sciatica is back in a big way, and I'm not having any luck putting my hips back into alignment the way I used to be able to. I'm having nerve issues all down my left leg, and my toes are numb a good part of the day. It's annoying.

Sometimes, the toes on my right foot get numb, too, which makes me think that maybe there are some calcium issues going on... just another thing to get checked out in in Houston in a few weeks.

My digestion calmed down remarkably over vacation. I didn't have any acid problems at all (even with drinking Manhattans nearly every weekend!), and everything just seemed to be working OK. Since coming home it seems out of whack, again, but I was thinking that the NSAID in the Aleve was probably helping (ironically) my gut, too. So I might go back on it...

... even though Aleve whacks out my blood sugar and gives me a huge appetite and I'll end up gaining weight, which I don't want to do. I did put on a few pounds, I think, over vacation, but after a few days home again I'm back to where I was when I left.

My salivary glands are unhappy right now, lots of tingling and general ick. I feel obstructions in my throat high up near the lump and down near my scar.

But I have energy, and I've managed to get everything I needed to get done, done: tonight was "meet your teacher" and I had all the supplies ready (only missed one item out of a jillion, so that's OK), and made the pizza and cheesecake and had everything ready for a nice dinner when we finally got home. The teachers are all nice, but it sure is odd to think of having all three kids in school all day long!

Friends and family called to wish me a happy day, and I miss everyone even while I'm glad to be home. There's still so much to do, but fortunately plenty of time to do it in, I think.

Another year. I do wish I could make Time Stand Still:

freeze this moment a little bit longer
make each sensation a little bit stronger
experience slips away...