by Cheryl Batavia

The Colors of My Life

Photo by Marco Forno from Unsplash.

The Colors of My Life

When I was five,

I looked up at the sky,

and my favorite color was blue.

When I was fifteen,

I wandered woodland ways,

and my favorite color was green.

When I was thirty-five,

I paused to smell the roses,

and my favorite color was red.

When I was sixty-five,

I swam in the sea,

and my favorite color was aquamarine.

Now I am seventy-five.

I look up at the sky,

and a rainbow paints the colors of my life.

Copyright© 2024 by Cheryl Batavia

I Have Missed You So Much!

I have been on an extended break due to health issues. This poem was written in early August to mark my 75th birthday. I wanted to share my birthday poem on WordPress at that time, but I knew I still wasn’t quite up to blogging.

When I went to my cardiologist, I was told that I was healthy and didn’t need to go through routine tests this year. I had experienced an extremely mild heart attack 18 years earlier and had years of good test results after that. I had no reason to suspect that anything much was wrong with my heart.

Ten days later, after several days of horrible “indigestion,” I ended up in the emergency room with a massive heart attack. On August 26, I had quintuple heart bypass surgery. I had spent twelve days in the hospital.

Women have different heart attack symptoms from men and often experience heart attacks as “indigestion.” Unfortunately, that can delay going to the emergency room, allowing the problems to get worse. That was my experience. It is practically impossible to distinguish heart attack symptoms from indigestion. Even the emergency room once misdiagnosed me with indigestion after 3 hours of monitoring and intensive tests. We must never be embarrassed to go to the emergency room with chest pain, even if it turns out to be just indigestion!

Robert and I both have multiple health challenges, and we look out for each other, but this time, we were both quite ill at the same time. Ill as Robert was, he made me a salad the day I came home from the hospital. Thank you, Robert!

My two wonderful daughters came from their home in Dallas for a week and took excellent care of me. I did the walking I was supposed to do, and for a while, my recovery was going well. The typical recovery time from open heart surgery is about eight weeks and is very intensive.

After a couple of months though, I started feeling ill and ended up in the emergency room again. Two of the five grafts in my heart were 100% blocked, and I had to have them stented. I was in the hospital for four days this time and slept in a reclining chair because I was unable to lie down without chest pain until after the angioplasty.

I felt very tired and weak for several weeks after that, but my energy has begun to return. Some days are better than others. I am building up my walking distance again. Today was a warm, sunny day, and I walked outside for thirty minutes.

Even though I am not quite up to speed yet, I miss my blogging friends terribly. I may not be able to post often or read posts and comment as much as I would like. Please be patient with me, and know that you mean a great deal to me.

Thank you to those who inquired about my health while I was on break and those who wished me well.

Soon I will report on some ongoing projects I have been working on.

A belated Happy New Year! May 2025 bring you and your family good health, happiness, and success! ❤️

53 Comments

  1. Unknown's avatar

    Omigosh, Cheryl! I got tears in my eyes reading this. I have thought of you often, truly. You know, I also thought about contacting you, and should have, but, I’ve found some have their reasons for being away and don’t want to be bothered.

    Your poem is lovely and I am delighted to read your words again. Happy 2025, and may the new year bring you and Robert good health and calm.

    Much love and hugs! Eugi 💗

    Liked by 1 person

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  2. Unknown's avatar

    I can hardly believe the heart problems you describe, Cheryl, because you were so healthy, swimming in the sea with your daughters. But it seems things can change in the blink of an eye. Still, all is well, and what ends well, and I am happy for you. I wondered why you disappeared but didn’t feel I could ask without seeming rude.

    I love your beautiful poem and your talent is to be admired.

    All the best health-wise in the year 2025 for you and Robert!

    With love, Joanna

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Unknown's avatar

      Joanna, thank you for your lovely comments and good wishes. I am thankful to be alive and able to continue writing.

      One thing that has entertained and encouraged me this year has been feeding the birds and watching them from my window. I will post about that soon. Thank you so much for helping me get started on an activity that brings me endless pleasure.

      Much love,

      Cheryl 🩷

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      1. Unknown's avatar

        Thank you so much, Cheryl, for your gracious reply! I am happy that you love feeding and watching the birds as they provide so much entertainment. I am looking forward to reading your post about it.

        Much love, Joanna x

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Unknown's avatar

    I’m so happy to see you back here, Cheryl!🥳

    Happy New Year, 2025!🎈🎈🎉🎉
    I actually realise that the new has begun…after receiving your wishes.

    The poem you shared, it’s wonderful. I can’t think of writing something at this age.
    But you did it very well.
    I wonder how our choice & taste of colours change with the time. And that makes complete sense!

    Reading about your health journey…I can only imagine how challenging these recent months would have been…for you…for your family.
    There must be many complexities… and I would like reflect on the positive side instead.
    IT’S ‘YOUR COURAGE’ TO BE OKAY AND STAY FIT…WHICH HOLDS YOU STRONG UNITED AND MOVES YOU…

    I wish you good recovery and lots of happiness.
    Keep smiling and laughing!😀

    Namaste! 🙏🏻

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  7. Unknown's avatar

    Oh dear! Cheryl, you went through so much and most of us were unaware. I feel awful that I did not get in touch with you during this time. I would see you pop in sometimes at others posts and assumed you had cut back on blogging. How wrong I was!

    What a lovely poem and I am so happy that you feel you can ease into blogging gently.

    A very happy new year to you and Robert. May this year be a year of good health. Take good care of yourself. Please don’t hesitate to reach out. Much, much love to you. ❤️

    Liked by 1 person

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  8. Unknown's avatar

    Cheryl, thank you for sharing your journey and this wonderful poem. I’m so moved by your strength and determination throughout these challenging health experiences. Your openness about heart health and recovery is deeply valuable, and I admire your spirit in getting back to walking and reconnecting with your blogging friends. I wish you continued healing, strength, and many vibrant, colorful moments ahead. Stay well and surrounded by love. ❤️

    Yours,
    David

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    1. Unknown's avatar

      David, your comment touched my heart. Thank you so much.

      I hope sharing my experience encourages people to go to the emergency room sooner rather than later when they have chest pain that does not resolve with treatment for indigestion. Heart attacks can have many seemingly unrelated symptoms. Women especially, may not have the left arm or jaw pain typically experienced by men.

      All the best to you and your family in 2025. 🌈

      Warm wishes,

      Cheryl

      ❤️

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  10. Unknown's avatar

    Oh my goodness, Cheryl. This you both have kind of been through the proverbial wringer. I’m glad things are at least better. You two are doing what my wife and I do – patience, together. Together is the byword.

    For anyone reading this. Indeed, heart attacks do not always match what is depicted on TV. I wish people knew this. I was having bizarre, intermittent pains. My NP ran all kinds of tests, always going back to the EKG. Normal. She sent me to have a brain scan. Normal. Then early one morning I awoke to something different. Awoke my wife, called 911. In the ER having a heart attack the EKG was normal.

    Keep working it together, my friend, and things will work out. Happy that you’re back. – George

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    2. Unknown's avatar

      George, thank you for sharing your own heart attack experience and perspective. It is incredible that your EKG showed nothing!

      In my case, plaques that did not show up on tests ruptured and blocked the arteries in my heart. Medicine is not infallible, is it?

      I am happy that both of us have the support of those we love. It can make all the difference in our quality of life.

      Warm wishes for 2025.! 💕

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  11. Unknown's avatar

    Cheryl – thank you for the catch-up on your tumultuous year…certainly more than you and Robert bargained for. Serious business – before, during and after – going through all you have. I am relieved you are both on the ‘other side’ of this and yes, have each other to to lean on (along with those devoted daughters of yours!).
    And in all of this, your new color of choice is ‘rainbow’…yes, that is so ‘you’. 🙂

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  13. Unknown's avatar

    Oh!! That’s what I was wondering about not seeing you for long. Take good care of yourself, the Mountain Girl. Belated happy new year to you too. 🌹

    Explicit wording to decode your sentiments with a magnanimous coherent conclusion thereon. Thanks a lot, Cheryl. 🙏

    Liked by 1 person

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  15. Unknown's avatar

    t’s so amazing to see you back on WordPress, Cheryl. I’m beyond thrilled to hear that you’re recovering well after everything you’ve been through. Your poem is stunning, by the way. I love how it celebrates the colors of your life. You’ve been gone for way too long, and I’m so grateful to have you back. Don’t worry about posting often or anything like that – just take care of yourself and know that we’re all here for you ❤️🫂

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Unknown's avatar

      Ritish, your kind comment means so much to me! I am enjoying being back, and I know I will never be able to catch up, so I will just do my best in the present and enjoy communicating with my friends on WordPress.

      Warm wishes to you. Have a great week ahead! 💕❤️💕

      Liked by 1 person

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  17. Unknown's avatar

    This is a beautiful poem for your 75th birthday, Cheryl. I’m so glad you were born! You Are an amazing woman and I’m so glad your back after going through so much. Thank God you are here and persevered and are doing well! Your words are so important particularly for women to here. I just had a good friend, having the same issues and they sent her time a few times but it continued to persist. Finally the last time they went to put a stent in but it turned out she needed open heart surgery. I am so glad you are back and may this year be a year of rainbows and love, health and happiness. You deserve it and truly post when you can, we’re always here! You always bless our lives and our page with your light, dear friend! ❤️

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    1. Unknown's avatar

      Thank you, Cindy.

      I hope your friend is doing well after her surgery.

      Your good wishes mean a lot to me. I am very happy to be back! I know I am not superwoman, so I will try to do what I can and no more.

      Take care, Cindy! 💕🌈🎶💐

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  18. Unknown's avatar

    Wow, you have been through a lot. Best wishes for your continued recovery and Robert’s as well. Glad see you back at it, just don’t push yourself, we want to enjoy your wonderful poems and takes on life for the long run.

    Liked by 1 person

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  21. Unknown's avatar

    Hi Cheryl, I am so pleased that you, and your hubby, are pretty okay again. Phew, I am saying! Lovely, lovely poem – all those colours. I am smiling!

    (sorry I was so late to read this before)

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  22. Unknown's avatar

    Thank you for sharing your poem, Cheryl. It is a beautiful reminder of the stages of life and the experiences we can have along the way. It is good to hear from you, and I pray for continued peace and progress through your and Robert’s health challenges. 🙏

    This year my wife and I had our first child, and I read your poem about colours while thinking about what our son might like as he grows up, which really struck me deeply – the amount of love one we can have for a child is astounding!

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Unknown's avatar

      Thank you, Hamish, for your beautiful comment. Congratulations to you and your wife on the birth of your son, a life changing event, as I am sure you are discovering!

      I remember the moment, as a young mother, that I first realized what fiercely protective feelings parenthood brings.

      Wishing you all many happy, healthy years together! ❤️

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