Leap Year and Birthday Blues

Most of you probably aren’t aware of this, but I have a leap year birthday. I was born on February 29th— a day that only exists once every four years. Meaning that come February 29th, 2012, I will be turning five years old.

                

I have defied all medical statistics and odds since childhood— a constant anomaly. In recent years, friends, family, lab techs, doctors—you name it— have all decided that my medical odds are the way they are because I was born on such a rare day.

It is an odd concept if you think about it. I am always in that “less than 10% of people experience___” category. I have had religious figures tell me that the birthday and the path my life has followed is symbolic and for the greater good, so to speak. I am not particularly religious, but it is an interesting thought. My birthday screws up blood banks whenever I go to/am forced to donate, it confuses cops when they run my license (good or bad? Have yet to figure this one out…), it has caused computer malfunctions in offices and labs all over the place. Hearing that I’ll never have to worry about my age is always a good laugh, too.

In the past, I’ve always done something ‘big’ on my real birthdays— a small trip, a party, something to celebrate the actual day. So here I am. Sitting in bed doped up on medication and my birthday is 10 days away. I have no plans and no energy to create plans, let alone follow through with them. Friends keep asking what I’m doing and I just don’t have any answers. How can I commit to have people over or go somewhere when how I’m feeling has been changing so drastically by the hour lately? That and even the thought of how exhausting throwing a party would be is exhausting in itself.

I really wanted to go to New Orleans for my birthday weekend (not far from Tallahassee): get a little crazy, drink a little too much, enjoy the culture of a new place and cross it off the bucket list. I have been itching for a real vacation (a clearly much needed one), but I don’t have the time nor the financial means to do anything of the sort. It’s been a long while since I’ve been able to let go and have fun. To be honest, I don’t remember the last time I did. Writing that made me a bit sad, to realize I can’t remember the last time I had some serious fun. I remember the last few times I’ve tried to do something “normally fun,” but each little expedition just ended before it really began with tears and pain medication.

Sara over at GirlwithGuts recently wrote about similar birthday blues and I fully support her conclusion that no matter what kind of a day my birthday falls on— good or bad— there will be cake. Cake and no tears. No pity party here.

What’s your favourite way to spend a big birthday while in a severe flare? Share your thoughts below via Disqus comment box!

12 Notes/ Hide

  1. cranquis said: Happy 5th! :)
  2. taletreader said: I usually get together with a few good friends and we watch a couple movies with a warm blanket and a glass of wine. It’s simple, you can still eat your cake, and if you want to get drunk, you still can. BTW, my birthday’s the 28th :)
  3. chroniccurve posted this

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