Yes, We Can

This morning I took my last jog in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area before checking out of David's apartment at Filbert and Baker Street for good. I have to be back in Fresno tomorrow to prepare for a labor commission hearing on Wednesday. The labor commissioner denied my request for a continuance even though the attorney for the other side stipulated to the request. Oh well. Just do it.

At 6 a.m. this morning there was a drizzly fog, almost like a light rain, swirling around. I had jogged a bit yesterday but didn't have the energy to go too far. My expectations today weren't high -- just do what I feel like. I made it all the way to Hoppers Hands on the Golden Gate Bridge without a single walk-and-breathe break, then turned around and made it all the way back to Presidio Park without any walk-and-breathe breaks. In all I went about 6 or 7 miles, and I am sure I could have done 10 without a break. But to do that I would have had to bypass my Starbucks-in-the-park latte. (O.K. Bruce Porter, I confess. I was projecting my addiction for good coffee on you. Nothing like a pumpkin spice latte and a slice of lemon loaf from Starbucks, eh?)

In prior jogs I always set goals to reach a certain marker before taking a walking break. Today I blew through all the markers. It was weird, but after I blew through a couple of the markers my body relaxed and it felt like I had an extra lung. I guess when you're just trying to hold on to get to the next marker you get tight, which increases your pain, which diminishes your capacity, which limits you in every which way. This morning was a definite breakthrough for me physically, mentally and emotionally. Last week I didn't think I had it in me to finish a half marathon on November 8; Today I am sure I can do it.

Sue has had a similar breakthrough. There were a number of days in this stem cell transplant ordeal where Sue did not think she could do this. She used phrases like "I can't do this" and "I'll never do this again" and other phrases too colorful to mention. But she has broken through the physical and emotional barriers; Today she is sure she can do it. For all intents and purposes, she has done it.

And for the politically astute among you who recognize the "Yes We Can" phrase as an Obama campaign phrase, I really don't care if you voted for or didn't vote for President Obama. And in my opinion it isn't material whether he turns out to be a good President or not a good President. What's important to me, as a republican in my brain, and as a democrat in my heart, and as a civil libertarian at the core, is that, as a nation we have had a breakthrough of a barrier.

So, yes, we can. Yes, we will.

P.S. Sue's numbers today have gone through the roof. Her WBC jumped from 4.6 yesterday to 11.2. Her ANC jumped from 4.3 yesterday to 9.96. One of the criteria for discharge from this hospital is if you have an ANC count of 1.5 or more for three consecutive days, or if you hold an ANC of 5 or more for one full day.