2008: What a Year!

2008 is not a year I will easily forget, even though there are a few things I would like to forget.
The year started out with me being diagnosed with ITP, a rare blood disorder. For three and a half weeks I was hospitalized, poked, stuck and probed until ITP was determined. After being released and home for a month to recoup I returned to work, teaching.
New York is a happening place and this spring it took on an added buzz because Pope Benedict XVI was going to visit. Crazy me wanted to go down to St. Patrick’s Cathedral to try and catch a view of the Holy Father. What was I thinking? I still had a little difficulty standing for long periods, not to mention, where were the bathrooms!
Life barreled on and I slowly started feeling like a real person. I continued with making dolls and looked forward to taking part in Doll Days in Mt. Vernon. I had a doll pattern that I had put off making and thought now would be a good time to tackle it. July arrived and I was now free for the summer. Since I illness I decided that I wasn’t doing any workshops or classes this summer, I wanted to concentrate on me and getting well.
One night while working on Genie, my nose started to bleed and it took forever for it to start. Panic was creeping around the edges of my physique, was this the start of an ITP flare up? After a visit to Dr. Ahgo’s office my worst fears were realized, my platette count was taking a nose dive. Here it was the end of July and I was back in the hospital, again! At one point I had a nose bleed that lasted more than twenty-four hours. Needless to say I need a blood transfusion. After six units of blood and several doctor visits we were all in agreement that the spleen had to go. Surgery was scheduled for the following weeks. My platette count had stabilized so I was able to talk my way out the hospital for the weekend.
I got to attend Dolls Days and was able to finish Genie to add to the group of dolls I planned to display. It was great being with my group, Needle Knows Dolls and meeting with other doll makers and then there was the shopping. Let’s face it we love to create, but we all live for the hunt of finding just the right fabric, pattern or bits of embellishments for our projects.
Tuesday found me at Einstein-Monte and a date with Dr. Bellmore and company, Rambo was leaving and peace was going to be restored to the kingdom. Dr. Able had a little difficulty locating my veins for the anesthesia. With the exception of the bone marrow test, this was the most painful part of this whole ordeal. I was grateful when the mask was placed over my face and I was told to breath deep, I didn’t have to be told twice. The next thing I knew I heard Maureen’s voice telling me that she would be my nurse while in recovery. Through my feet I could see the clock and couldn’t believe that it was 4:30p.m. I went under around 11:00a.m. I was released the following afternoon; such is the technology of laparoscopic surgery. A few weeks later it was time to start school. I was moving slowly, but the outlook was great.
Finally, the political conventions are over and the campaigns can begin. In the Democrats’ corner is Senator Barack Obama, for the Republicans’ it Senator John McCain. For the first time there is an African American running for president on a national ticket. We are in a historic time. Hillary Clinton our senator from New York was poised to be the first woman to run for president on a national ticket. She and Obama fought tooth and nail for the position, primary after primary. Obama won and history was still made. Just when the country was saying wow to this event, McCain selects the governor of Alaska to be his running mate. Who the hell is the governor of Alaska? Answer, Sarah Palin. Now we are still on the history road.
Haven’t had time to make any dolls or quilts, school is keeping me hopping. Election night arrives and I’m not going to sleep until I hear whose going to be our next president; this is too important for me to miss. As usual I’m checking papers and keeping track of the vote on NBC. Earlier in the day I voted before going to work; the kids were off but teachers had to report for staff development-ugh! My polling place is in the basement of my apartment building. I ran downstairs and jumped on the line to vote. It didn’t dawn on me that I had cut the line until I happened to look back and saw that the line had stretched way into the parking lot. No one got upset and for that I was grateful. Later, I took a cab to work and was moved by the sight of long lines of people waiting to vote. Parkchester had joined the thousands of people across the country coming out to exercise their rights as citizens, voting.
As the evening wore on I watched the map color in red state then blue state. It reminded me of one of my colleagues who told the story about a student doing an exit project on gangs. The student was excited to see that there was a map that showed the influence of the Crips (blue) and the Bloods (red).
Brian William’s voice broke through my thoughts as he announced that our 44th president was Barack Obama. I sat there listening, but not believing my ears or my vision. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes and kept blinking. This was one time when I could not truly share my joy with Dan, because he had voted for the other guy. I think he understood my elation, but he could never feel the same way, because I was a child of the sixties. I had marched and protested so that he could have the ability to vote for McCain. I never thought that I would live to see a black man elected president of the United States, but here it was and I was here! To God be the glory! I pray for our country and for this man we have elected, may God be his guide and protector.
Yes, 2008 was some year. I’m glad that I was able to see it and be a part. Now, on to 2009! Happy New Year!