Arizon…aaaaaah!

As you all know, I am a real ocean girl. However, the one thing I love more than the ocean is the sun…and you can never have too much of it in the desert. I have always loved Arizona and view it as a place of real healing. The dry air always makes me feel so much better.

We had a Linn Family Bar Mitzvah to attend last week so Dave’s family rented a beautiful home in Scottsdale for the week. We had such a nice time together. We celebrated my 40th in style with a special spa day for the “girls” (my mother-in-law and sisters-in-law) and a very nice dinner. I also got to spend a special day with my friend Kristin at my favorite spa of all time...The Golden Door Spa at Boulders.

I have decided to stay another week to focus on “rehabbing”. I am spending a lot of time swimming, eating well and spa-ing. It has been truly delightful. A much needed time of reflection. I am truly starting to “embrace” the new me and all of the good and bad that comes with it (I am alive = yes! My body is still so weak – no!”)

I really can’t complain as I am so happy to have made it here. When I was sick, thoughts of getting to Arizona are what would often cheer me up.

You know life is good when your biggest decision of the day is:

Sun or Shade?

Scrub or Massage?

Pool or Hot Tub?

Steam Room or Sauna?

Smoothie or Pina Colada?

Rather than view this as a vacation, I am viewing it as a “change of scenery”. I am preparing many of the outlines for my speaking engagements in the coming weeks. I am very excited to be speaking at the American Airlines Women in Aviation Conference as well as at New York University and as part of Labaton Sucherow’s Women’s Initiative.

I had really hoped to spend a month or two in Arizona to focus on my healing but right now my treatments prohibit me from doing so (or, I should say, from feeling comfortable doing so). I am hoping that I can get to a better place health-wise and perhaps spend a few more weeks/month here in October when we are back for yet another Linn family Bar Mitzvah!

I have truly maximized the length of my stay. I return on Tuesday the 12th to spend all day Wednesday in the hospital with blood tests and my 6 week scans. On Thursday I receive the results and, assuming all is headed in the right direction, I have chemo that day. I am hoping that my tumors are dying due to my lack of stress in the desert and that I will get great reports back!