The first thing I did today was to call Sue Silverstein and tell her I couldn’t make the Bishop Maginn High School Prom Saturday, which broke my heart but was a reflection of reality. I can’t dance around it any longer.

I will be fine, but this will take a while.

I can’t stand up for long, walk any distance, or be far from a bathroom. There is still a lot of pain and weakness. It wouldn’t be fair to the kids; it wouldn’t be good for me. Sadly, Zinnia can’t make it to lead the red carpet parade. I am so glad we helped make this evening possible; it means so much to them.

They named a fake “drink” me a called it “The Katz.” I love that school and am sorry to miss its joyful closing.

The second thing I did today was to ask a respected local therapist and friend to come to the farmhouse and conduct an energy meditation with me. I’ll explain that in a bit.

Then I sat down with Maria and negotiated a “Care Agreement” between us to articulate how we will protect her independence and work (and mine) while she helps me heal. Our creativity is important. Once we agree, it is critical that I do what I say and not frighten her by deciding to protect her or ignore our agreement.

Last week, I fell down the stairs after ignoring Maria’s plea that I wake her up and let her accompany me.

This caused severe injury to me and frightened her deeply. I realized one critical thing, even though I thought I was helping her to sleep: it wasn’t helping her to scare the daylights out of her being traumatized.

If I agree to something, I must honor it. If the agreement needs to change, it must be negotiated and agreed to.

So we worked out some details, and we’ll keep talking. I never want Maria to be a servant or full-time caretaker. Some people want or need to do that; this is not something I enjoy.

She worked hard for her life, and she needs and deserves to keep it. We are blocking out hours that our hers, the time I need to be prepared to care for myself. There’s always the Iphone. I need a lot of help, but every day, I am doing more for myself.

Then I went out to brush the donkeys and rub their ears, which has become a daily habit. They love it; it is as healing for me as anything I do or any medicine I take.

And finally, today, I came up with a healing plan  – PPQ – centered around patience, Peace, and Quiet. I need lots of rest and will get it. My Meditation Hour is expanded to three hours in the afternoon – reading, thinking, and sleeping.

I intend to keep focused and sharp, and active by working every single day, seven days a week.

That means I go outside every day to take some photos, write, and blog every day. I will keep up the Recovery Journal because it helps me focus on being well and might help others who deal with this or other illnesses and accidents.

I will take walks as often as I can for as long as possible. I will return to the gym as soon as I can stand up for a while. But not quite yet.

I have no fever and am eating more. Sleeping is challenging, it’s hard to get comfortable. This morning, I took Maria out for breakfast (she drove) in honor of our 12th wedding anniversary on Sunday, the 12th. She had a pancake; I had oatmeal with wheat toast. It was so good to get out.

The “Care Agreement” is essential. It protects Maria from being a full-time caretaker and falling behind in her work and life as an artist. She needs space to think and time to walk.

Maria and I do not get paychecks; if we don’t work, we can’t pay our bills and get anxious. Beyond that, she is not a nurse or a caretaker; she is my partner and lover. We never forget our boundaries. Creativity suffers when distracted and pressured.

She can do her work and help me in my healing. We need to take the time to carve out the time when that is possible. It is very doable; it just has to be done. And when I agree, I must honor it, or I will make her miserable and angry. In my marriages, I’ve learned a bit that through goes a long way for love.

I gave her an awful scare when she found me lying in a heap on the floor last Saturday night unable to stand up. It wasn’t necessary, and it greatly prolonged my illness. Testosterone is the enemy in my healing, as it is a danger to the world.

I want to talk a little about the energy work that our friend Mandy, a respected local massage therapist, did with me this afternoon. I first encountered energy work after my Open Heart surgery in 2014. Mandy came to the house shortly after surgery and sat with me, working with some touching and walking around me to help reduce stress and promote healing.

I couldn’t explain it, but it worked; I felt it firmly, and it helped. I fell asleep and went to a deep and beautiful place of great calm and good feeling. That happened again today.

Energy therapy is a form of complementary and alternative medicine based on the belief that vital energy flows through the human body. The goal of energy therapy is to balance the energy flow in the patient. Energy therapy is used to reduce stress and anxiety and promote well-being. Once scoffed at, energy therapy has become increasingly popular and is widely practiced.

I can’t say I know how it works, but I sure feel its impact on my body.

I had the sweetest rest and was free of pain when Mandy left for an hour afterward. I was fully clothed and said and did nothing but lie down and close my eyes. I dreamed of red clouds floating in the sky.

She did put some lotion on my feet.

I will ask her to come back if she has the time.

So this is my recovery plan as of Friday, June the 10th. I think it’s a solid plan. It balances work and rest and allows my body to fight off the virus. I will be seeing doctors regularly to backstop my project and keep me from being too stupid.

I will keep working, writing, and taking photos. I will be alone most of the time, strive for quiet and balance, be patient, and let my body heal. The only medication I’m taking is antibiotics; we think this is a Lyme disease or tick-borne illness. I’m eating a lot of rice with some mild spices. We’ll know for sure on Monday.

I know I am getting better, and I know it will take some time. Here is the opportunity to learn how to do it properly. I will keep you posted. The Recovery Journal is back almost every day.