I’ve been meaning to write this post for over a month. We moved to Seattle on June 1st of last year, and the one year anniversary of our move has me reflecting on the journey it’s been. It is not a small decision to pack up everything you own and move your family and entire life halfway across the country to a new city where you know almost no one.
The last year has held some of the highest highs and some of the lowest lows. We’ve spent the last year discovering our new city and the beautiful Pacific Northwest. We’ve also experienced some of the biggest challenges in our lives mostly in regards to our health.
An unexpected stay in the ICU in the spring due to a random brain bleed triggered a cascade of issues. I haven’t spoken much about the toll that my brain bleed took on my mental health, but to put it mildly, I experienced levels of anxiety I did not think were physically possible. I was extremely restless to the point I could not even sit down to watch TV. I had terrible insomnia and recurring catastrophic thoughts about that state of my brain. I did not believe my family or doctors who told me over and over that I would recover from this. It was an awful time, and my family saw me at my absolute worst. I could see the fear and uncertainty in my kids’ eyes, and it was so hard to get through every day, heck, every minute, without breaking down.
Once my brain began to feel somewhat normal again, those thoughts and the extreme anxiety dissipated, life began to feel normal again. Unfortunately, the stress of the prior months triggered a flare in my Crohn’s Disease which I’ve had for the past fifteen years. After several bouts of severe cramping and vomiting, I finally made the difficult decision to do another round of prednisone which was a last resort for me. Danny actually picked up the prescription and put in the cupbaord for several weeks before I finally decided I needed it. Although I dislike taking it and the side effects, the prednisone got me through the worst of my flare, and I finally began to eat again without worrying about whether I would spend all night hovering over the toilet. I’ve also recently started a low risk biologic medication called Entyvio to reduce gut inflammation. I’m finally feeling better and hopeful this medication along with reducing my stress will get my gut back to normal.
These health challenges came at probably the worst possible time. We needed the help of family to care for the kids since Danny had to work, and I was basically useless for two months. Never have I felt the loss and separation of family than during this time. I will forever be grateful to our families who dropped everything to come to Seattle and help us.
In the past few months, I wavered about our move. Was it the right decision? We were so far away. Danny, who is much more steadfast and level headed than me, especially in times of crisis, remained confident in our decision to move to Seattle. And once I finally began to feel like myself again and was able to return to my normal activities, I remembered why we made the decision to move. We wanted to live in a city that was walkable with access to nature.
I truly love living in Seattle. I love being able to walk everywhere, I love that it’s a bit gritty and weird. I love that we have access to the most beautiful scenery all over the Pacific Northwest. I love going camping and hiking in the summer. I love our neighborhood and how we are just a short drive into all the city of Seattle has to offer. I love our weekly farmer’s market and the coffee shop down the street. I love how I can drive five minutes to the beach. I love riding the ferries. This city just fits us. I know we are in the right place. We are happy here.
We never know what the future will bring, but for now, we will stay in Seattle. We are renting a house but will possibly be looking to buy in the next year or so with hopes of staying in our current neighborhood. Seattle really shines in the summertime, and I’m so excited for all the adventures we have planned.
If you’re considering a move, I want to be the first to tell you, GO FOR IT. It may not work out, but it may be the best decision you ever made. Life is short; live it, take risks, follow your dreams. Seek out the opportunities that feel right to you, and just go for it.
