So, my last post was something fairly festive. I had just discovered that my treatments for Diabetic Macular Edema has improved significantly. When I started the whole “eye injection journey,” I was getting them to 4-week intervals. Over the course of the past ten years, in conjunction with exercise, weight loss and continued blood sugar management, my most recent appointment on December 19th was a 14-week interval. This time around, my doctor advised that my eyes were clear and pushed me up to a 16-week interval. On this next appointment, he will be re-assessing my eyes based on the interval, to decide whether I can come off the injections or whether 16 weeks may have been too much. For someone who’s been getting needles jabbed into his eyes over the past decade, this was a big deal. It gave me some augury of thought that 2026 may be a pivotal point where things will turn around. However, and as I’ve often said, life rarely cares about one’s plans.
About an hour AFTER my last post, I checked out of my hotel and made my way to my vehicle. Because of the inclement weather, I had taken our SUV, which is our usual family vehicle. I was parked in an unfamiliar area of the hotel’s parkade, and my driver’s side was flush against a concrete pillar. As I was backing out, I had my eyes aimed towards the passenger side in order to avoid the other parked cars. I cut my wheels too early and the front driver’s side corner of my vehicle “kissed” the concrete pillar. Under normal circumstances, it likely would have caused some dents, scraped some paint and maybe cracked a few parts. But given that it was -35 degrees Celsius and colder than the devil’s balls, the fiberglass fender shattered like a cheap chandelier. The front driver’s side bumper, fender and headlight were damaged. Upon initial inspection, everything was solidly fastened in place and I felt confident that the vehicle could be driven safely. I took the road towards Regina. Here’s a pic of the vehicle…
The big problem with modern vehicle is simply this; even if this potentially looks like it could be remedied by fastening everything back together, the reality is much worse. Repairs to get the vehicle back to how it was will likely cost thousands of dollars. Merry fuckin’ Christmas to me… Perfect. I travelled back to Regina, in extremes storm conditions, no less, and stopped at the appropriate dealership. They confirmed my fears, as well as the potential cost. I left the vehicle with them. Repairs are still outstanding. Then, and shortly after getting back home, I came down with a brutal cold that had me on my ass for the duration of Christmas and a few more days after that. Once I started to feel better, the element in our oven gave out and no longer works. The stove tops still function but the oven doesn’t, which means we can’t bake anything or cook anything large-scale. Not ideal for a household of four people. So, there’s that.
And then, to add icing on the cake and because I was feeling better, I brought my sons to an indoor play park with obstacles and trampolines. During a heated obstacle course race with my oldest, I bounced too hard on one of the trampolines and got thrown sideways. I landed with my left kidney against a wooden base on one of the obstacles. At the time, the wind got knocked out of me and I had assumed the pain would pass after a bit. But the following day, the ache in my back remained. Over the course of the past few days, it’s not only remained but deepened. Obviously, I don’t believe anything is broken and I don’t need medical attention. But it was certainly a wake-up call to show that I’m no spring chicken and can’t heal quite as quickly as I used to. Hopefully, after a few hot baths and some time, it’ll heal up but it’s making it quite hard to do everyday chores and even bend down to tie my shoes.
2025 has been a whirlwind of chaos. My father made it through a coma in May as a result of pulmonary issues. My mother no longer recognizes me and is now living in the same care home as my father. My last two trips home have been a negative roller-coaster and dealing with the aspects of later adult life that we all get to, eventually. But the last month has just been a few added thorns in the black roses of my life. Luckily, my children are in good health and my home life is good. As I step into 2026, I’m hoping for happier things, better things. ☯️
The Blogging Buddhist 