It's Christmas Eve and today marks exactly one year since I was bitten by a bat and required the rabies vaccine series. I'm sitting in my dining room watching a lovely gentle snowfall, and my husband is out walking the dog (sadly, I still can't join them.) I can ride a stationary bike, but long walks and spending any extended amount of time standing....the legs still aren't right, and low energy and fatigue are still a problem. Housework that used to be done in a day or two has now become a constant effort broken down into smaller daily task lists. But I'm still here, the siezures have stopped, the brain fog has abated, no more auditory hallucinations, only rarely hypnic jerks as I fall asleep after an unusually taxing day, and I didn't die of rabies. Last week I was strong enough to stay by my daughter's side and be her avocate through a serious medical crisis. Today I will enjoy the company of three generations of family, of which I am the "Grand Old Matriarch." Life is not perfect, but I'm very grateful.