Regeneration

This hasn’t been my favorite two weeks of my life.

But I will start with the positive: Over this span of time, some incredible things have happened, especially in my work community, including a record-fundraising gala and a movie premiere. Truly fabulous.

But also… two weeks ago while e-biking, I collided into another biker. We were both safe from major danger. Though I’m nearly always in a bike lane or on the road, we were both on sidewalk when this happened. It’s actually hard to say who ran into whom. It felt like a mutual collision.

We were also very kind to one another and helped each other a lot. It wasn’t a meet cute, but it was a fall off your seat cute — or at least, nice.

But it also hurt. Big time.

I ended up with bruises, but more challenging, a lot of road rash on my arm. Remember that book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie? This has been a bit like that. Unbeknownst to me, apparently, I have an allergy to the adhesive of bandages. So on top of my road rash, my skin exploded with an allergic reaction that I’m still recovering from. And then that delayed a minor surgery I’ve had scheduled for six months.

Can someone give me a cookie? But with no ill effects?

I pushed through a record-fundraising gala and a movie premiere (I’ll probably say more about the movie soon). And during this span of time — ironically? — had the incredible invitation to give a talk about my e-biking adventure at a city event. That is, the 3,100 miles in Ann Arbor, and not the fall.

But finally, last weekend, I truly rested. And I’m taking three days off this week.

And you know what’s amazing? I’m not at 100%, but my skin is truly healing. It has made great strides in the last few days. Almost night and day. We’re not some sea creature that can regenerate limbs, but isn’t it amazing that we can regenerate skin? My immune system did this for me, warding off infection (even with a major allergic reaction, I never had that!) and repairing and creating cells. That’s wild. And sure, maybe it’s done that before in some other ways, but it’s never done this. It’s never healed road rash and an allergic reaction. How does it know to do that?

Anyway, I’m glad my body can do uncharted things. And yours does this, too. Grateful.

I plan to go 3,100 more miles with no more falls. Cookie, please?

—Renee Roederer