Going Home

I’m looking at the mountains of Sierra Madre. I can see them from my window at the hospital. It looks like it’s going to be a nice day.

My doctor said I can go home today.

I’m smiling, yet I have tears in my eyes. Is it really over? Am I really well again?

Of course I will have to eat antibiotics for another week, and probably take some pain medication. But I can go home.

I’ve been sick almost two weeks now. That’s half of my vacation in Mexico. From life’s perspective it’s a really short period of time. But when you are really sick, the concept of time changes. When you sweat in high fever, tossing and turning in your bed, feeling pain all over your body, minutes seem to last hours and hours seem to last forever. Or when you’ve been on the verge of unconsciousness for a day, it feels like you just closed your eyes five minutes ago.

I want to thank everybody who has been thinking about me, praying for me, sending me messages or writing on my Facebook, commenting on my posts and pictures. My last blog post was the most read post ever, so that shows me that people do care. You have helped me to smile through this time. I’ve learned that kind words, smiles and caring touches can really make a huge difference in one’s life.

Staying in the hospital gave me a lot of time to think. About life, what is important to me, what to be thankful for. And I’ve realized that I have absolutely nothing to complain about. There are a lot of people who spend most of their lifetime in a hospital; or people who are seriously sick but never receive hospital care or medication.

I’m lucky in so many ways and humbled by the fact that I’ve done nothing to deserve it. And I’m thankful for this experience I had, how it made me view my life in a different way.

But today. Today I’m going home.

"Ollaanko enkeleitä toisillemme, siipiesi suojaan saanko painaa pään? Jos oomme enkeleitä toisillemme, saamme rakkautemme kestämään."

- Jope Ruonansuu, "Enkeleitä toisillemme"