Bye Bye, 2025

You can quietly head out the door.

Well, it started positively in the form of short trips away: fresh memories of a magical beach stay at Ohope Beach, long beach walks, and a couple of short ones with Les: good food, good company and a good time.

The Whakatane Heads, which hold many memories for both of us from childhood to adulthood

Then February hit.

Still managed a few beach walks, even had a cheeky fantail/pīwakawaka keep me company

Then the universe pulled the proverbial rug out from under us. Les’s spleen decided to rupture, needing it’s removal under emergency surgery. No warning. That alone was enough to rattle my nervous system. We knew from then on that life was about to get more real.

April brought another challenge.

In the form of a terminal status, his Primary Myelofibrosis was progressing to Acute Myeloid Leukemia, a diagnosis that shattered our sense of normalcy and deepened our emotional strain. Serious illness has tiers of ‘seriousness’, so we were to find out. Our relationship with Hospice began not long after that news was given. One of the more positive sides of a terminal illness is the people we have dealt with through Waipuna Hospice. Les has had a few short stays at Waipuna since I last wrote a blog post.

Anyone who’s lived through having a partner deal with a terminal illness knows it’s not for the faint-hearted.

This year tested us both like no other, not too dissimilar from having too much sugar on Christmas Day and dealing with challenging family members. Thankfully, neither the sugar nor the family was an issue this year, as Les slept most of the day and I sought out mind-calming activities like gardening and reading. Not even a long walk was involved.

Not the day I had planned for us, though enjoyable just the same, I have concluded that focusing on small moments of connection helps build happiness and resilience, even when the whole day feels like a write-off. Since our reality can change within hours, cherishing these tiny moments becomes vital. Eventually, Les and I enjoyed some time together from early evening.

So honestly? I’m ready to shut the door on 2025.

In December, we saw life from different angles, like this praying mantis on a cosmos, one of the flowers I’ve grown this year in our communal garden.

No fireworks. No dramatic burn-down. Just a deep exhale.

As we head into a New Year, I know 2026 will continue to test our resilience, pushing us to find new ways to cope and grow after loss. It will honestly be a year of stark contrasts as I continue to support Les and also train to compete alongside some of my basketball team at the Pan Pacific Masters Games in Australia during November 2026. A recent news article describing how SWISH began and how unique our group is can be read here:NZHerald.