Friday the 13th is NOT a bad day!

I am happy to say that I am still standing (and sitting) much straighter today and hope this will continue at least until my next appointment with Dr. Mike on Monday.  I'm not planning on pushing myself by doing too much as I do not wish to make things worse, as is what I usually tend to do.  Not this time!  I'm going to allow others to help me as much as they can and enjoy the "pampering" since I know, or at least hope, this flare up won't last too much longer.

Today is my 43rd birthday, so Friday the 13th is not a wicked, bad, evil day!  It's just another day, folks.. but for me, today is somewhat more special.  I really don't celebrate my birthday too much and the highlight has become reading the beautiful messages left on my wall on Facebook from friends and family.  My day began in perfect fashion with a phone call from my dear tía Lucy (aunt Lucy), although I was awoken at the ass-crack of dawn of 8am.  She calls me each year on my birthday and just hearing her sweet voice brings the biggest smile to my face, no matter what time it is.  Her sister, my beloved tía Sonia, called me around 1pm to add her happy birthday wishes and brought tears to my eyes.  She is such a lovely woman and I am very fortunate to have these two women in my life, although they are so far away geographically.

Tía Lucy, me and tía Sonia.. 2010 (they celebrated my 41st b-day with me)

From my aunts' phone calls to messages from various cousins, nieces, nephews and friends, to my parents calling and deciding they would bring pizza and cake so we could celebrate together later this evening, today has been a very good day.  My body is still very weak and hurting and I'm not up to going out to eat, as I would have liked, but I'm fine with eating at home with Mom and Dad.  I choose not to make an issue of such unimportant matters.  I'd much rather focus on what I have in my life, and that is two relatively healthy and loving parents and how I am still able to live on my own, despite minor set backs in my health.

Oh my goodness!  How could I forget about Dorraine!  She brought me not one, but two birthday cards.  The first one caused my eyes to tear up so I was fully expecting to break down crying as I took the second one out of the envelope but no, I my face broke out in a smile as I laughed.  The front of the card had a shirtless man sitting on a motorcycle wearing only jeans and the message she wrote.. well, it's private!  I'm still giggling over that card.  She knows me very well!

So today isn't quite what I thought it would be, but that's alright.  The plan had been to go to my favorite Thai restaurant which I have been craving for months, but I can go there at a later date.  Life does not end because I was not able to go there on my birthday.  There is always next week, the week after, next month or later.  Besides, the pizza my parents are bringing over is fantastic!  What could be better than pepperoni pizza, cake, diet 7up and sharing it all with my wonderful parents?  Nothing comes to mind, so let the celebrating begin.☺