I'm a Truck Girl Now

Wow! It’s already been 6 weeks since I last sent a newsletter?! I guess time flies when you’re as busy as we’ve been. Today, I have a brief update for you regarding my husband’s battle with ALS and some original fiction that I hope makes you chuckle. Thank you for being here!

Kealoha Update

Since my last update, Kealoha and I traveled back to the mainland for two more stem cell treatments. Each treatment left him feeling exhausted, but slightly less than the one before. Kealoha is in fabulous spirits, smiling and being goofy with me all the time now. He feels more like himself now than he has in years. If nothing else changes for the better, I am grateful just for this! However, I believe we are now in a slow and steady healing phase. It’s only a matter of time before he’s feeling stronger.

It’s hard to describe the changes we’ve noticed because, honestly, they’re so small that I’d understand if you thought we were imagining them. But they’re there. They’re not consistent, though. It’s little things like when he’s speaking, and suddenly a whole sentence comes out with strength, increased volume, improved annunciation and clarity. Then goes back to “normal.” Or when I think I’ve just imagined him walking down the hall with no issues in his gait, so I do a double take. But then his gait returns to “normal.” Other family members have commented, unprompted and almost nervous to bring it up for fear of false hope, that he seems better somehow. Even his skin looks clearer, his smile wider, his eyes brighter…

After everything we’ve been through and everything we’ve learned, I try not to waste any time or energy questioning or doubting. Fear = what if. Faith = even if. I feel at peace knowing God is with us and we have an army of friends and family praying for Kealoha. I believe he will fully recover in time! KEEP GOING, KEALOHA!

Life on Maui

Once Kealoha finished his third stem cell treatment, we returned to Maui where we both immediately felt at home. I can’t believe we get to call Maui home now! It’s gorgeous, the life force is tangible, and our house feels like an oasis. One of my favorite parts of the day is just after we wake up, when the birds are chirping their energetic little songs and the sounds of our water features are bubbling on for the day. I love opening our windows and letting the fresh island air sweep through our room. It’s invigorating. And the people of Maui are the friendliest ever! Our mailman hand delivers our mail!!! I’ve yet to meet someone on this island in a bad mood. The locally grown produce is delicious (my new favorite fruit is lychee!), there are so many fun spots to explore, and the sunsets are divine.

With Kealoha doing better and sleeping soundly again, I’ve been sleeping better, too. I’ve finally caught up on rest, and now it feels like our new normal is a much lighter place than before. I have much more energy now and in the last few weeks have experienced a surge of creativity! I feel imaginative again after years of being in a deep, dark hole. I feel the sun on my skin and inside me, lifting my spirit and giving me strength. Thank you, GOD! I can breathe again.

I’m a Truck Girl Now

So, after Kealoha and I got married, I traded my car in for a Toyota Tacoma in preparation for island life.

It. Is. Gorgeous.

I’ve never had a truck before, or driven one, but as soon as I got behind the wheel for a test drive… it felt like I was a Na’vi from Avatar connecting with a wild beast who only my soul could tame…

I got the truck that day and had it for about two weeks before we shipped it to Maui. It took two months to arrive! So you can imagine how exuberant I was when I got to drive her home (and give her a car wash).

And now she’s here!

Today’s flash fiction is inspired by the funny things that started happening once I became a Truck Girl. I wonder how I managed without a truck before. Enjoy!

TRUCK GIRL

So, you’ve bought a pickup truck and cannot wait to drive it.
You hoist yourself into the cab, sit back, and forty-five it.

You notice other vehicles make room to let you pass.
You didn’t have to honk your horn or zip by them with sass!

The Universe aligns for those who’ve purchased their first rig.
Get ready—you’re a Truck Girl now! It’s one heckuva gig.

Friends will call you all the time to ask you for a hand.
Your four-by-four extended bed is always in demand!

You’ll barely fit in drive-throughs. Parking spaces will feel small.
You’ll purchase ALL THE BUNGIES ‘cuz they’ll help you pack your haul!

Ratchet straps and coolers, camping gear, and first aid kits.
Jumper cables, power tools—you’ll pack whatever fits!

Your newfound zeal for off-roading will lead to epic quests.
Soon, you’ll find new friends who share your outdoor interests.

And should you scrape or break a nail, you’ll smear that sh*t in dirt.
It’s fine, ‘cuz you’re a Truck Girl now! And Truck Girls don’t get hurt.

Gas Station attendants will begin to learn your name.
You’ll see parallel parking as a high-stakes Truck Girl game.

Mud will be a fashion statement, always on your boots.
You’ll love the sweat and messy hair—them’s Truck Girl attributes!

Your curbside cookout cohorts will don you the “Tailgate Queen.”
“What’s that smell?” your friends will ask. You’ll boast, “It’s gasoline.”

You’ll drive three towns away for coffee just to “test the tow,”
And claim your truck could haul the moon to folks you barely know.

If the bed you sleep in most requires you to climb,
Why not sell your house and be a truck girl all the time?!

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