If you watch or run in a marathon, which covers 26 miles (42 km), you may see some runners holding signs that have a finishing time posted on them.  For example, the signs may say ‘2:30,’ ‘3:00,’ or ‘5:00.’ There may be a sign for every 15 minutes of completion time. 

The runners holding these signs are on track to finish in the time displayed on the sign. They are known as ‘pace bunnies.’  Sometimes they even wear rabbit ears on their hats for easier recognition.  These race volunteers keep the runners working at a pace that will help them to finish the race on their chosen time.

I would like to have an imaginary pace bunny with me while moving forward through 2013.  I would like to get the maximum amount accomplished and yet not overdo it or sink into discouraged lethargy.

Because I have experienced a lot of changes in the time leading up to my myeloma diagnosis, during intense treatments, and during the time getting back into a ‘new normal’ routine after treatment, I am often quite confused as to how to plan a day, let alone a whole year.  

It has been a few years since I was a healthy person, functioning quite well in adult life. Thankfully, after the experiences I went through, I am well again now.  Not only did I go through the toll that both the cancer and cancer treatments take on body and soul, I have also aged by a few years.

Since the New Year has rolled out its unexplored promise of new beginnings, I once again made my list of New Year’s resolutions.

It is a challenging list to make, but I have always made it, so why should this year be any different?  It’s a nice exercise to go through, even if, as ever, many of the resolutions seem to be made just to be broken!  But that is why we have a New Year’s celebration, to have a fresh start every year. 

So I would like to share some of my resolutions with you:

1. Take this year to get caught up at home from the roller coaster ride of the last few years.  Looking around, I see piles of files, UFO’s (unfinished objects, as they are known in the needlework/quilting world), stacks of music books, book cases unsorted that need my attention.
2. Learn more about the medical science surrounding myeloma, which has become one of my major preoccupations.  One of the ‘silver linings’ to the cloud of this diagnosis was that it got me into reading about this very interesting topic.  I don’t think I would know much about this topic if it weren’t for my diagnosis. 
3. Keep exercising as if my life depended upon it.  Daily walks and other exercise help to clear the mind.  Enjoying the outdoors with the new puppy certainly has kept me active.   Going to the gym and doing aquacise exercises in a swimming pool are also helpful.  Even trying out new showshoes over the holidays was good exercise.
4. Try to adhere to a healthy diet.  There is a lot of information available about eating foods helpful to one’s health.  From blueberries to omega-3 eggs and Pacific salmon, the list is long. I will search out organic food at the grocery store and remember to take my vitamins and calcium tablets. There is also a lot to learn on that topic.
5. Spend lots of time with family and friends.  After having been so focused in on my own health problems during my treatments, I want to get back in the swim of exchanging information, both good and bad, with my loved ones.
6. Do lots of interesting things and travel as far as possible, but remember limitations still exist on energy levels and the immune system.  At the same time, I will try not to take on too much.  It is OK to stay home and read a good book or work on music and crafts in what spare time I have.  I do still have real work to do, but having had a major health scare, I want to do fun things too.

So in planning ahead for 2013, I want to achieve that elusive balance.  Remembering the pace bunnies in the marathon, I would like to not go out too fast, certainly not ‘hit the wall’ mid-year, and make a strong finish 12 months from now.  I also need to remember to stay ‘hydrated,’ so I’m keeping that water bottle handy.

Best wishes to all of you, and hope you have a good year – at the pace that suits you best.

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The quotation for this month is from Albert Einstein (1879-1955), a theoretical physicist and humanist, who wrote "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving."