Today was the best day. I got up early because the phone rang at 7:30 and the window was open due to the beautiful fall weather we are having, and I was waiting for the geese to land and keep me awake. I decided, after Randy and the boys left, that today was going to be a "day of firsts." The very First First would be a shower...remember, I haven't had one since my surgery 2 weeks ago today. I put a plastic bag around my bandaged foot, and boot; wrapped a hand towel in the innerness, then put another plastic Target bag around the outer foot and secured it with postal tape. I figured if water did get in, then it deserved to be in there. I propped my recovering, wrapped foot on my little foot prop Randy put in when we first moved in for shaving my legs. All went well, until I reached for my shampoo, which was out by the sink. I spied the dog's towel that covers her bed right by the outside of the shower and threw it out full-length to catch all the dripping water from the bag on my foot. SUCCESS!
I got my hair washed with no problems and realized my razor was out by the tub where I had used it last. I really didn't want to push it a second time, so I craned my neck to look at the top shelf in the shower and I spied a disposable pink Gillette razor. I was so happy. All went well to the end of my toilette, right up until I walked out the door to take out some trash. I let Mollie walk into the garage with me and realized, when I tried to re-enter the house, that the door was locked. I know you will all think I'm doofessy, but my first thought was, "Oh no! I'm locked in the garage; how am I going to get back in the house?" I recovered quickly, just like the time my key battery stopped working and my first thought was, "Oh, no, how am I going to get back into my car?" (FYI, you actually put the key in the lock. Crazy, huh?) I opened the garage door and the dog slipped out quickly and I didn't see which direction she was running, so I instantly got a picture of me limping through the neighborhood calling the dog. Thank goodness, I didn't have to go far. She came the first time I called for once. I retrieved the key from it's hiding place, and proceeded to get myself finally out the door to start my day.
The second "first" was I drove myself, by myself, to do some errands. It was quite exciting. I propped that monster truck foot on the left side of the floorboard and felt in control once again. I am telling you, people were so nice. It's just like Leah said it would be. (She hurt her foot in Japan and walked around for a couple of weeks in pain before we found out it was fractured.) People opened doors for me. They stopped way before they had to, to let me walk across the street. They insisted I go to the front of the check-out line. "It was all good," as Larry, my brother-in-law would say. I was always VERY appreciative so they wouldn't regret putting me up and waiting on me. There was a little moment that gave me pause at A.C.Moore Art Supply Store. The girl at the left-hand check out kept coughing into her hand and sniffling. I told the lady behind me, who had put me up, that I wasn't going to go to her because of her cold and the fact that I didn't want one. She just smiled. The girl then says in a loud voice...after the person checking out says, "Do you have allergies?" The check-out girl answers, in a loud voice mind you, "No, I just woke up yesterday with this cold and it just keeps getting worse." HELLOOOO! I looked at the lady behind me and gave her a knowing look, but it didn't keep her from going up to her. Needless to say, I was worried sick for her, but the good thing is, I saw her again over at Target, and told her, "Thank you, again, for putting me up, but I just couldn't go to the lady with the cold." She said, she was worried herself, but she had washed her hands. I wished her good health and we parted. I hope she doesn't get the flu, which is progressing rapidly here. I even told the lady at the Dollar store to keep the change. Money is dirty!
I failed to mention that I got the first space at every store initially, then, when I got to Target, I started feeling guilty and took space number 7. As I walked up to the doors I noticed both sides of spot number one were open. I hope the people who parked there needed those spaces more than I did.
Michael and Lonnie leave tomorrow. (Hey, check out my new counter Michael helped me install. The reader from the Cameroon is Larry...Randy's sister, Connie's husband. Is that cool or what?) I'd love to thank whomever is viewing from Sweden, but I don't have a clue who it is.) We grilled out steaks and had a lovely evening. Everyone has retired but me and I am next. I slept like a brick last night because yesterday was the most energy I have exerted since the surgery. Today is a close second. Sweet dreams.
P.S. Another first: I slept for the FIRST time without my boot on! Yea! What's next? Stay tuned.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Turning Point
I am happy to say, I got a reprimand for not blogging yesterday. It was a test to see if anyone would miss it, and my sister, Linda, passed the test. We just taught our 4 year old class in Sunday School, then went to lunch and then home. A quiet Sunday...the way they should be.
This morning I got up and started preparing for my friend Susan's lunch visit. (Lonnie and Michael, Randy's co-workers, are also in town and are staying with us, and we love it.) Susan brought quiche and I made a salad and baked a chocolate cake. We ate on the back porch and just loved being out in the fall air. After that we discussed art, caught up, and I made pesto for dinner tonight, to serve over orzo, along with a spinach Madeline dish, which is a creamed spinach dish made with pepper jack cheese, 1 teaspoon of hot sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning. There's more, of course, but email me if you want the recipe. It was one of our most favorite "new to us dishes" that we had while at my cousin's wedding in Baton Rouge last month. I added a salad and a broccoli salad a friend sent over and we had a healthy GREEN dinner. Everything was green. I will remember it for St. Patrick's Day. Oh, I forgot, a key lime pie (also sent by the same friend) and a chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. Now my back is hurting from eating too much, but it was good. It could be the limping that is throwing my back out, now that I think of it. By the way, let me know if you want my pesto recipe. I make it with my own basil picked right out of the garden. I sure wish I knew how to grow pine nuts.
I am LOVING the comments. (Thank you, La Ti Ci A! Gail, Kathy, Michael, and anonymous.) I, amazingly, actually understood how to preview comments before posting. That's why you don't see them as soon as you post them. Michael said that you do not have to go on as "anonymous" as we'd previously thought. He said that just writing in who your account is with is all you need to do...like if you use aol, hotmail, google, etc. I hope that helps. Hurry up and ask questions via email if you have to while he's here...that's one more night after this one. I am tired and am going to bed. Hope you have a good night's sleep, because today was certainly a turning point for me. I did everything I would have done without this cast on except SHOWER! One more week! I can't wait! See you tomorrow.
This morning I got up and started preparing for my friend Susan's lunch visit. (Lonnie and Michael, Randy's co-workers, are also in town and are staying with us, and we love it.) Susan brought quiche and I made a salad and baked a chocolate cake. We ate on the back porch and just loved being out in the fall air. After that we discussed art, caught up, and I made pesto for dinner tonight, to serve over orzo, along with a spinach Madeline dish, which is a creamed spinach dish made with pepper jack cheese, 1 teaspoon of hot sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning. There's more, of course, but email me if you want the recipe. It was one of our most favorite "new to us dishes" that we had while at my cousin's wedding in Baton Rouge last month. I added a salad and a broccoli salad a friend sent over and we had a healthy GREEN dinner. Everything was green. I will remember it for St. Patrick's Day. Oh, I forgot, a key lime pie (also sent by the same friend) and a chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. Now my back is hurting from eating too much, but it was good. It could be the limping that is throwing my back out, now that I think of it. By the way, let me know if you want my pesto recipe. I make it with my own basil picked right out of the garden. I sure wish I knew how to grow pine nuts.
I am LOVING the comments. (Thank you, La Ti Ci A! Gail, Kathy, Michael, and anonymous.) I, amazingly, actually understood how to preview comments before posting. That's why you don't see them as soon as you post them. Michael said that you do not have to go on as "anonymous" as we'd previously thought. He said that just writing in who your account is with is all you need to do...like if you use aol, hotmail, google, etc. I hope that helps. Hurry up and ask questions via email if you have to while he's here...that's one more night after this one. I am tired and am going to bed. Hope you have a good night's sleep, because today was certainly a turning point for me. I did everything I would have done without this cast on except SHOWER! One more week! I can't wait! See you tomorrow.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
FIELD TRIP!
Yes, indeedy, that's what I said, "F-I-E-L-D T-R-I-P! I got up this morning to Randy already having made a trip to McDonald's. (A sausage, egg, bacon biscuit.) I ate 1/4 and gave him the rest. He ate it and his too. From there, we cleaned up and got ready to go, after Randy did a quick vacuum, because I had to have my fall arrangements placed on the front doors, and they were a little messy.
Oh, I forgot. Randy's been trying to get a cold. (Where in the world did that come from? Would anyone want a cold?) So I decided it was time to try the "Medi Pot" that the ENT suggested I try to decrease my allergy symptoms. Randy would have none of it, so me being the Tom Sawyer that I am, (That is probably the best example in literary history in how to draw someone into ones schemes.) I read the instructions through and hung my head over the sink and was happily surprised that I didn't drown and it was harmless. Instructions warn the patient not to use tap water, but distilled instead. So, I boiled our water and let it cool in a glass measuring cup to room temp before proceeding.
Randy didn't hesitate once he saw how harmless it really was, so I happily poured water straight from the kettle into the container, poured in the little pulverized salt crystals, screwed the newly sanitized lid on, and handed it to him, not believing it could be that easy. He held his head down and gently squeezed, per instructions, but stopped rather quickly stating it hurt. I told him, "Good! That means it's working. It's the salt cleaning our your nasal cavities. Keep squeezing." He moved to the other nostril rather quickly and then said, "It's too hot! I need to let this cool some more." I attributed it to his sensitivity to anything that may be construed as pain, and felt the bottle myself. It was a little hot, having come straight from the kettle and all, so I suggested he leave it out on the counter until it became lukewarm. That was about 5 minutes later, after he opted to put it in the freezer instead. It must have been pretty hot because it was still warmer than I would have used. He sucked it up, literally, and it worked like a dream. Try it and see for yourself. Caution: Room temp.
After all the morning excitement, we decided we would go to the little town of Salisbury...not sure about the spelling, which is 1 1/2 hours away. Maybe 15 minutes less. A perfect little day trip in the rain. Let me pause a moment to say we have probably 10 books on things to do while in North Carolina. They are all upstairs in the library and neither one of us thought to go and get the "road trip" book before we set out.
We had to pass through the town of Advance before we got there and were happily surprised to recognize that we had been there when we were house hunting two years ago, and couldn't remember where a specific neighborhood was that we wanted to see again. We will save that for the next rainy day field trip.
We finally got there and it didn't look like much initially, but we just took one turn and there was TOWN. I love Town...any Town that looks like this one. Old buildings, with lots of places to eat and browse for gifts and antiques. People out walking in the rain made me want to walk, but I didn't. We had Mollie with us and I don't want to test Randy's patience with having to carry the dog everywhere, after he's taken such good care of both of us for the past 10 days. Plus, I really don't need to be tipping into shelves, etc.
We found a little barbecue place for lunch, called Richard's, not to be confused with Little Richard's, one of our local joints. True to form, it had a red vinegary covered coleslaw included in the bun with the pulled pork, which is what sets North Carolina barbecue apart from other barbecue across the nation. Needless to say, it wasn't as good as Red, Hot & Blue's Barbecue pulled pork sandwich, but I am trying to stay open-minded, as I don't want to fall into close-mindedness anymore than I already am as we head into the mind deteriorating years. (I'm reading 2 books to help me in this endeavor. Will tell you the name of them if they work.)
Speaking of Red, Hot & Blue. It was voted #1 for barbecue in the D.C. area this past week. We are very happy. A radio station was asking for votes for BESTS and people voted on line.
Other than quaint houses and Town, there wasn't much else in Salisbury. When I can venture up the stairs with confidence, knowing that I can get back down safely again, I will explore the glories of the town and let you know more. Ah, here's a little piece of history I picked up from a sign: Andrew Jackson studied law under a local attorney there for 3 years and "was admitted to the bar." Who would have known...
Randy wanted me to make sure that you knew that after I yelled at the doctor yesterday, he, the doctor, said he only wanted to make sure I would be ready to wear 4 inch stilettos when I could finally walk again. I gave him a hard look and told him I never wanted to wear them to begin with. He just shrugged and said, "Well, just in case you ever do." I guarantee I won't.
AND, lest you think the doctor was a little rough on me yesterday, everything could have gone a lot better if I had just let Randy exercise the toe a little harder. Who would ever think they would risk having all their handywork destroyed just so the patient can recover more quickly? (Or is it quicker?) It's still an enigma to me. I am now able to bend the toe all the way back and half way forward. Progress.
Oh, I forgot. Randy's been trying to get a cold. (Where in the world did that come from? Would anyone want a cold?) So I decided it was time to try the "Medi Pot" that the ENT suggested I try to decrease my allergy symptoms. Randy would have none of it, so me being the Tom Sawyer that I am, (That is probably the best example in literary history in how to draw someone into ones schemes.) I read the instructions through and hung my head over the sink and was happily surprised that I didn't drown and it was harmless. Instructions warn the patient not to use tap water, but distilled instead. So, I boiled our water and let it cool in a glass measuring cup to room temp before proceeding.
Randy didn't hesitate once he saw how harmless it really was, so I happily poured water straight from the kettle into the container, poured in the little pulverized salt crystals, screwed the newly sanitized lid on, and handed it to him, not believing it could be that easy. He held his head down and gently squeezed, per instructions, but stopped rather quickly stating it hurt. I told him, "Good! That means it's working. It's the salt cleaning our your nasal cavities. Keep squeezing." He moved to the other nostril rather quickly and then said, "It's too hot! I need to let this cool some more." I attributed it to his sensitivity to anything that may be construed as pain, and felt the bottle myself. It was a little hot, having come straight from the kettle and all, so I suggested he leave it out on the counter until it became lukewarm. That was about 5 minutes later, after he opted to put it in the freezer instead. It must have been pretty hot because it was still warmer than I would have used. He sucked it up, literally, and it worked like a dream. Try it and see for yourself. Caution: Room temp.
After all the morning excitement, we decided we would go to the little town of Salisbury...not sure about the spelling, which is 1 1/2 hours away. Maybe 15 minutes less. A perfect little day trip in the rain. Let me pause a moment to say we have probably 10 books on things to do while in North Carolina. They are all upstairs in the library and neither one of us thought to go and get the "road trip" book before we set out.
We had to pass through the town of Advance before we got there and were happily surprised to recognize that we had been there when we were house hunting two years ago, and couldn't remember where a specific neighborhood was that we wanted to see again. We will save that for the next rainy day field trip.
We finally got there and it didn't look like much initially, but we just took one turn and there was TOWN. I love Town...any Town that looks like this one. Old buildings, with lots of places to eat and browse for gifts and antiques. People out walking in the rain made me want to walk, but I didn't. We had Mollie with us and I don't want to test Randy's patience with having to carry the dog everywhere, after he's taken such good care of both of us for the past 10 days. Plus, I really don't need to be tipping into shelves, etc.
We found a little barbecue place for lunch, called Richard's, not to be confused with Little Richard's, one of our local joints. True to form, it had a red vinegary covered coleslaw included in the bun with the pulled pork, which is what sets North Carolina barbecue apart from other barbecue across the nation. Needless to say, it wasn't as good as Red, Hot & Blue's Barbecue pulled pork sandwich, but I am trying to stay open-minded, as I don't want to fall into close-mindedness anymore than I already am as we head into the mind deteriorating years. (I'm reading 2 books to help me in this endeavor. Will tell you the name of them if they work.)
Speaking of Red, Hot & Blue. It was voted #1 for barbecue in the D.C. area this past week. We are very happy. A radio station was asking for votes for BESTS and people voted on line.
Other than quaint houses and Town, there wasn't much else in Salisbury. When I can venture up the stairs with confidence, knowing that I can get back down safely again, I will explore the glories of the town and let you know more. Ah, here's a little piece of history I picked up from a sign: Andrew Jackson studied law under a local attorney there for 3 years and "was admitted to the bar." Who would have known...
Randy wanted me to make sure that you knew that after I yelled at the doctor yesterday, he, the doctor, said he only wanted to make sure I would be ready to wear 4 inch stilettos when I could finally walk again. I gave him a hard look and told him I never wanted to wear them to begin with. He just shrugged and said, "Well, just in case you ever do." I guarantee I won't.
AND, lest you think the doctor was a little rough on me yesterday, everything could have gone a lot better if I had just let Randy exercise the toe a little harder. Who would ever think they would risk having all their handywork destroyed just so the patient can recover more quickly? (Or is it quicker?) It's still an enigma to me. I am now able to bend the toe all the way back and half way forward. Progress.
Friday, September 25, 2009
My Follow-Up
Get ready to hear Chatty Cathy. I mean Debbie. I just got back from my follow-up appointment today at 2. I have felt so excited about washing my hair, shaving my legs for the first time, and putting on make- up and jewelry. I relished the trip to the doctor's office and just have a new appreciation for trees and the day-to-day activities of life. It was great to see people in their cars at the red lights and just know that you made their day when you flashed them a smile. I almost heard the high-pitched, "ting" and saw the light flash from the brightness of my teeth. It was a good beginning. (Let me take this moment to apologize for not writing yesterday. I was too excited about today coming!)
First things first. I perused the waiting room to make sure no one was wearing a swine flu mask or sniffling, because that was the pre-determiner of where I would sit. We didn't have to wait long, but long enough for me to strike up a conversation with a fellow surgicant. She had just had a bone biopsy done on her big toe and she was already in a shoe. I was impressed, but it made my foot hurt even thinking about having it enclosed in a REAL shoe. We did some quick comparisons. We both had just shaved our legs for the first time since the surgery, but she had washed her hair multiple times and even vacuumed, which I sure couldn't beat and didn't want to. She did say she'd paid for the vacuuming with pain. (The whole house, mind you.) Her husband had stepped outside, or he would have gotten a look from me. I did mention that it was probably good for him to learn how to take care of himself and her, as it's never too late to teach an old dog new tricks. (No, I only thought the last part.)
All the patients in the room had a foot contraption on of some kind or another. Scarlette, forget what I said about the weight. We saw a couple of modes of transportation that, yes, looked cumbersome, BUT did help the person in question, to stay mobile. One was a motorized wheelchair, and the other was a knee scooter, where the occupant, bent the operated-on- knee and rested it on the scooter; then walked the other foot. The little wheels on the scooter just went with the flow. This would be my vote, as the wheelchair was wide, and the scooter wasn't. Caution, though, you maybe could tip the scooter, but no way with the wheelchair, as it didn't appear to go over a foot per second, and it was more difficult to maneuver through doorways.
The nurse took off the bandage and I was so pleased at how good my foot looked. Yes, there's about a four inch incision going down from my big toe downward, and there was a tinge of dried blood, but that's all I saw at that point in time, along with all the thin strips of tape holding everything together. After she'd asked if Randy had been exercising my big toe, and I told her I'd thought he was a little too rough, she took it between her fingers and bent it back and forth with a force that almost made me jump out of the chair. Needless to say, after she told me that would be all the doctor was going to do-- to check the mobility of my toe--I told Randy it couldn't hurt as badly as what she had just done and I was ready to tattle to the doctor that her beside manner could use some work before the next patient came in. I could already see myself back on pain pills after I'd been so good about not using them very much. We had to have new x-rays, and then the wait.
To make things worse, there was a building right across the way, that had an upstairs window where people could see you, but you couldn't really tell if there was anyone on the other side or not. I decided to make the best of it, so I waved and entertained, just in case someone was watching, because most of the patients out in the waiting room didn't look as though they had apparent senses of humor. How monotonous day-after-day, to look down and see the same thing. " That can't be a good testimony for foot surgery," I thought. (Remember my pre-surgery commitment to have a good attitude through it all?") Randy even sent out pictures to the family of me in the chair and I was smiling.
THEN, the doctor came in. So help me. He had Dr. Welby's bedside manner and that other TV doctor's, whose name I can't remember, who was short and balding, looks. He showed me his wonderful handiwork through the x-ray, which I probably would have done a little differently had I been in charge, and told me he'd take the two pins out if they ever hurt me. (I hope and pray I NEVER drop anything on that foot considering this is the only ONE TIME cosmetic plastic surgery I have ever considered.) Then he proceeded to take my toe and...well, I have to interrupt here so you can get the full measure of what I experienced. Remember the "This little piggy" nursery rhyme, which is pretty harmless in and of itself, that we have all either had done to us or did to a little child? He took my toe, without reciting the nursery rhyme, and bent it back and forth at a speed you could not even imagine. I think he was cackling and his eyes were twinkling maniacally. He was having the time of his life! I started howling where everyone in the whole office must have heard me, and I raised my voice a little like when I used to teach school and told him to stop. My good attitude went right out the door. I gripped the sides of the chair and felt the pain of childbirth again, with the baby coming out of my foot this time. Randy was laughing his nervous laugh right beside me.
I am serious...once the stars had cleared from my vision, I looked down at my foot and could not believe that he had not ripped open every single surgical stitch, (which absorbs into my body, thank the Lord! If there's a silver lining, that's it.) and there wasn't blood squirting all over the place like a leaky water pipe with the water flowing full force. I told him to get me back into x-ray pronto because I knew he had just re-broken my repaired foot. He seemed to think that was funny, too. I hastened to take a look at the ceiling for blood, and another look at my foot to see if it was swelling, and did point out to him that it did appear to be bruising right before our eyes...you know, BLOOD UNDER THE SKIN, in the toe area and all around the whole foot. He didn't give it another glance. He just kept smiling and told us he'd see us in 3 1/2 weeks. And then he warned me that he was going to take my toe the next time, (Let's pause here again for a moment.) and he took my pinky toe, and just like we've all done millions of time with the "This Little Piggy" game; you know where, when it comes to the last toe and we add speed and apply pressure for extra measure, and we say, "And this little piggy went wee wee wee, all the way home;" he shook that little toe back and forth like there was no tomorrow. (I determined right then that I would figure out how to exercise that toe myself.)
We got marching orders and my new shoe I get to graduate into in another 10 days, and headed for the car. I know you can visualize what I was telling Randy on the way home. If he even thought for one second that I would allow him to touch me like that, he had another thing coming. I told him I would hurt him if he even thought about it. This, to my wonderful care-giver and husband, who gave me ice on my foot 5 days post-surgery, even though they had underlined that it only had to be done for 24 hours. (I did call the doctor's office once, after I had requested the post-surgery instructions from Randy, so I could see for myself what was allowed or not allowed. I wanted to make sure the ice wasn't hindering my recovery. You know the body seems to know whether heat or ice is needed to alleviate pain and swelling, and I certainly didn't want to run the risk of doing who-knows-what-kind of internal damage by not being cognizant of what to apply and when.)
All this to say, I get to wear this new bandage for another 10 days, then I get to discard the bandages and boot and take a shower, without covering my foot. From there, I put on a sock, not too tight, and introduce my NEW flatter, more stylish, orthopedic version of a shoe, and back to the torture chamber 3 1/2 weeks from now. I am already working myself up about that visit and how I am going to get that toe flexible without pain and destruction to my foot. I have developed a tic in my eye, in fact. Therefore I will be signing off for now, as it just beats faster the more I type. Thanks for your prayers. Please don't stop. I think I need them now more than ever!
First things first. I perused the waiting room to make sure no one was wearing a swine flu mask or sniffling, because that was the pre-determiner of where I would sit. We didn't have to wait long, but long enough for me to strike up a conversation with a fellow surgicant. She had just had a bone biopsy done on her big toe and she was already in a shoe. I was impressed, but it made my foot hurt even thinking about having it enclosed in a REAL shoe. We did some quick comparisons. We both had just shaved our legs for the first time since the surgery, but she had washed her hair multiple times and even vacuumed, which I sure couldn't beat and didn't want to. She did say she'd paid for the vacuuming with pain. (The whole house, mind you.) Her husband had stepped outside, or he would have gotten a look from me. I did mention that it was probably good for him to learn how to take care of himself and her, as it's never too late to teach an old dog new tricks. (No, I only thought the last part.)
All the patients in the room had a foot contraption on of some kind or another. Scarlette, forget what I said about the weight. We saw a couple of modes of transportation that, yes, looked cumbersome, BUT did help the person in question, to stay mobile. One was a motorized wheelchair, and the other was a knee scooter, where the occupant, bent the operated-on- knee and rested it on the scooter; then walked the other foot. The little wheels on the scooter just went with the flow. This would be my vote, as the wheelchair was wide, and the scooter wasn't. Caution, though, you maybe could tip the scooter, but no way with the wheelchair, as it didn't appear to go over a foot per second, and it was more difficult to maneuver through doorways.
The nurse took off the bandage and I was so pleased at how good my foot looked. Yes, there's about a four inch incision going down from my big toe downward, and there was a tinge of dried blood, but that's all I saw at that point in time, along with all the thin strips of tape holding everything together. After she'd asked if Randy had been exercising my big toe, and I told her I'd thought he was a little too rough, she took it between her fingers and bent it back and forth with a force that almost made me jump out of the chair. Needless to say, after she told me that would be all the doctor was going to do-- to check the mobility of my toe--I told Randy it couldn't hurt as badly as what she had just done and I was ready to tattle to the doctor that her beside manner could use some work before the next patient came in. I could already see myself back on pain pills after I'd been so good about not using them very much. We had to have new x-rays, and then the wait.
To make things worse, there was a building right across the way, that had an upstairs window where people could see you, but you couldn't really tell if there was anyone on the other side or not. I decided to make the best of it, so I waved and entertained, just in case someone was watching, because most of the patients out in the waiting room didn't look as though they had apparent senses of humor. How monotonous day-after-day, to look down and see the same thing. " That can't be a good testimony for foot surgery," I thought. (Remember my pre-surgery commitment to have a good attitude through it all?") Randy even sent out pictures to the family of me in the chair and I was smiling.
THEN, the doctor came in. So help me. He had Dr. Welby's bedside manner and that other TV doctor's, whose name I can't remember, who was short and balding, looks. He showed me his wonderful handiwork through the x-ray, which I probably would have done a little differently had I been in charge, and told me he'd take the two pins out if they ever hurt me. (I hope and pray I NEVER drop anything on that foot considering this is the only ONE TIME cosmetic plastic surgery I have ever considered.) Then he proceeded to take my toe and...well, I have to interrupt here so you can get the full measure of what I experienced. Remember the "This little piggy" nursery rhyme, which is pretty harmless in and of itself, that we have all either had done to us or did to a little child? He took my toe, without reciting the nursery rhyme, and bent it back and forth at a speed you could not even imagine. I think he was cackling and his eyes were twinkling maniacally. He was having the time of his life! I started howling where everyone in the whole office must have heard me, and I raised my voice a little like when I used to teach school and told him to stop. My good attitude went right out the door. I gripped the sides of the chair and felt the pain of childbirth again, with the baby coming out of my foot this time. Randy was laughing his nervous laugh right beside me.
I am serious...once the stars had cleared from my vision, I looked down at my foot and could not believe that he had not ripped open every single surgical stitch, (which absorbs into my body, thank the Lord! If there's a silver lining, that's it.) and there wasn't blood squirting all over the place like a leaky water pipe with the water flowing full force. I told him to get me back into x-ray pronto because I knew he had just re-broken my repaired foot. He seemed to think that was funny, too. I hastened to take a look at the ceiling for blood, and another look at my foot to see if it was swelling, and did point out to him that it did appear to be bruising right before our eyes...you know, BLOOD UNDER THE SKIN, in the toe area and all around the whole foot. He didn't give it another glance. He just kept smiling and told us he'd see us in 3 1/2 weeks. And then he warned me that he was going to take my toe the next time, (Let's pause here again for a moment.) and he took my pinky toe, and just like we've all done millions of time with the "This Little Piggy" game; you know where, when it comes to the last toe and we add speed and apply pressure for extra measure, and we say, "And this little piggy went wee wee wee, all the way home;" he shook that little toe back and forth like there was no tomorrow. (I determined right then that I would figure out how to exercise that toe myself.)
We got marching orders and my new shoe I get to graduate into in another 10 days, and headed for the car. I know you can visualize what I was telling Randy on the way home. If he even thought for one second that I would allow him to touch me like that, he had another thing coming. I told him I would hurt him if he even thought about it. This, to my wonderful care-giver and husband, who gave me ice on my foot 5 days post-surgery, even though they had underlined that it only had to be done for 24 hours. (I did call the doctor's office once, after I had requested the post-surgery instructions from Randy, so I could see for myself what was allowed or not allowed. I wanted to make sure the ice wasn't hindering my recovery. You know the body seems to know whether heat or ice is needed to alleviate pain and swelling, and I certainly didn't want to run the risk of doing who-knows-what-kind of internal damage by not being cognizant of what to apply and when.)
All this to say, I get to wear this new bandage for another 10 days, then I get to discard the bandages and boot and take a shower, without covering my foot. From there, I put on a sock, not too tight, and introduce my NEW flatter, more stylish, orthopedic version of a shoe, and back to the torture chamber 3 1/2 weeks from now. I am already working myself up about that visit and how I am going to get that toe flexible without pain and destruction to my foot. I have developed a tic in my eye, in fact. Therefore I will be signing off for now, as it just beats faster the more I type. Thanks for your prayers. Please don't stop. I think I need them now more than ever!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
I'm Getting Restless
I actually delved into my "Bag O' Fun" today. It lasted long enough for me to pull out my watercolor paraphernalia, colored pencils, sketching pencil, sketchpad, and eraser. I even surfed the web to see if I could download some painting instructions while I was at it. I EVEN went so far as to utilize one of the techniques I saw illustrated for foolproof painting. The technique is something I will pursue when my brain can hold a thought for more than a minute. I started an orange with colored pencils and that lasted about 3 minutes. I am going to have to take lessons, I have decided. I am not a self-teacher/learner.
I also pulled out my ipod, minus the instructions, which I can't seem to locate. I did get it turned on, and flashed my finger across the finger-sensitive middle to change from Christmas with Amy Grant to quite a selection of artists. I did the swirl around to turn up Yanni, and then had a time trying to turn it off. I did remember, "Press and hold," but wasn't quite sure what I was to press and hold, so I just started at the top of the dial and pressed and held until it went off. I think I can remember how I got it on and off so that is progress.
I have also determined that I have crossed over the line with my discretionary reading. I really don't like romance novels, and I have laid aside the last Nickolas Sparks book so I could read Beverly Hamel's, Bethania: The Village by the Black Walnut Bottom. Beverly is a local writer who has recently published her book about the history of Bethania, a small town about 10 minutes from here, that I recently visited. Here's a little synopsis from the back of the book. "Founded in 1759, Bethania was the first planned Moravian settlement in North Carolina, situated favorably on the Great Wagon Road of the colonial era. Bethania's narrative weaves together 250 years of history and memory, with voices from the town's white and black heritage speaking through autobiographical accounts, diaries, letters, oral histories, photographs and archival research." It is amazing how the Moravian settlers documented so much of their life's beginnings here and how it has been preserved since 1759! I got to meet Beverly at her book signing about 3 weekends ago, and she is going to help me "find my voice," as she put it, as I undertake my own historical quest about the farm we live on.
I want to tell you more, but I am not ready, as I am still in the interviewing process and everything has been delayed due to my recuperation. BUT, I will share that I have met the most WONDERFUL, cooperative, open people I have ever met in my life. I do not know what makes me feel as though I am spiritually connected to this state and its people, other than my father, whom I never knew because my parents divorced when my sister Pam and I were babies; he lived in Asheville a good part of his life, along with my grandparents, aunts and uncles and their families. (Pause where I paused with the commas, and you'll get my drift.)
As soon as I get the go-ahead from the doctor this Friday, and a more foot-friendly contraption on my foot, I am going to venture back upstairs where "THE BOOK" is stored and start sharing some of my "Meditations from Brookberry Farm." In fact, that will be the title of this next series of blogs, unless something more monumental comes along. By the way...no pills last night or today! I didn't get to sleep until 1:30, but who cares! It's not like I had to get up at the crack of dawn.
Come and visit us and I will take you to Bethania and recount all the history I will have hopefully retained by the time you get here. Winston Salem is full of wonderful stories that portray its past and present. We can discover it together!
I also pulled out my ipod, minus the instructions, which I can't seem to locate. I did get it turned on, and flashed my finger across the finger-sensitive middle to change from Christmas with Amy Grant to quite a selection of artists. I did the swirl around to turn up Yanni, and then had a time trying to turn it off. I did remember, "Press and hold," but wasn't quite sure what I was to press and hold, so I just started at the top of the dial and pressed and held until it went off. I think I can remember how I got it on and off so that is progress.
I have also determined that I have crossed over the line with my discretionary reading. I really don't like romance novels, and I have laid aside the last Nickolas Sparks book so I could read Beverly Hamel's, Bethania: The Village by the Black Walnut Bottom. Beverly is a local writer who has recently published her book about the history of Bethania, a small town about 10 minutes from here, that I recently visited. Here's a little synopsis from the back of the book. "Founded in 1759, Bethania was the first planned Moravian settlement in North Carolina, situated favorably on the Great Wagon Road of the colonial era. Bethania's narrative weaves together 250 years of history and memory, with voices from the town's white and black heritage speaking through autobiographical accounts, diaries, letters, oral histories, photographs and archival research." It is amazing how the Moravian settlers documented so much of their life's beginnings here and how it has been preserved since 1759! I got to meet Beverly at her book signing about 3 weekends ago, and she is going to help me "find my voice," as she put it, as I undertake my own historical quest about the farm we live on.
I want to tell you more, but I am not ready, as I am still in the interviewing process and everything has been delayed due to my recuperation. BUT, I will share that I have met the most WONDERFUL, cooperative, open people I have ever met in my life. I do not know what makes me feel as though I am spiritually connected to this state and its people, other than my father, whom I never knew because my parents divorced when my sister Pam and I were babies; he lived in Asheville a good part of his life, along with my grandparents, aunts and uncles and their families. (Pause where I paused with the commas, and you'll get my drift.)
As soon as I get the go-ahead from the doctor this Friday, and a more foot-friendly contraption on my foot, I am going to venture back upstairs where "THE BOOK" is stored and start sharing some of my "Meditations from Brookberry Farm." In fact, that will be the title of this next series of blogs, unless something more monumental comes along. By the way...no pills last night or today! I didn't get to sleep until 1:30, but who cares! It's not like I had to get up at the crack of dawn.
Come and visit us and I will take you to Bethania and recount all the history I will have hopefully retained by the time you get here. Winston Salem is full of wonderful stories that portray its past and present. We can discover it together!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
This and That
I had my surgery a week ago today. I hate to tell you I didn't have my post-op appointment today after all. It's not the drugs making me forget, or anything other than the fact they moved everything up a week and I had piles of cards with different dates on them. Just a little misunderstanding on my part. Leah asked today how long I would be in a cast. I don't know. She said she couldn't believe we knew so little. (Especially since we question her and Matthew to death about details of their everyday lives.) She didn't add that part; I did.
Well, you can bet your boots I'm going to ask questions about everything when we finally do get to the doctor's on Friday at 2. I ventured out to the breakfast table for dinner tonight for the very first time in a week. I was in the mood for Chinese food, so Randy stopped on the way home from a couple of hours at work, and got yummy chicken things, lo mein, fried rice, and a shrimp/lobster sauce. I am happy and stuffed!
I have been remiss in thanking Lonnie, our coworker, for a big act of kindness. He drove here from VA last Thursday to pick up something for work, and brought dinner for us that he had pre-prepared, and it was delicious. It was called canneloni, and was made up of ground veal and steak, basil, ricotta, garlic, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese & manicotti noodles. He poured a delicious tomato sauce over it, along with a white Bechemel sauce, made of cream, garlic, flour, butter & nutmeg. Yummy! We had enough for two days. Also, I haven't properly welcomed my newest "followers," Carla and Ody3. Glad to have you aboard. Michael, who is ody3, will be here next week and will walk us all through "How to comment." Can't wait!
I went on a field trip today to the front yard. Randy wanted me to see the azaleas in bloom. Craziest thing I've ever seen. We actually have bulbs growing again. Can't wait to see if they will bloom twice. I also hobbled out to the back patio to see how beautiful the backyard is looking as fall approaches. The rain has been nothing but good for us, unlike in GA and surrounding areas, EXCEPT FOR THE MOSQUITOES! One came in with me from outside and buzzed one time in my ear. I AM BACK IN TOWN. One swat and he is G-O-N-E, and I don't mean out the door.
Finally, Matthew has resurfaced after quiet for the past three days. His sister taught him how to schedule all his classes on Tuesdays/Thursdays. He's been able to do this for the past 2 years. Leah did it all through school. It takes some juggling, but it can be done. Our conversation was interrupted by a horn honking; him telling me he hoped he wouldn't get hit by a car; and then, "Gotta go. Gotta ride." I usually sit quietly in prayer for about 3 minutes after such a call, before I tell Randy to call and see if he's alright, and he of course always says, "I'm not calling," so I have to. (He didn't drive to class because there are ATO pledges who are anxious to pick up their big brothers when summoned. I am so thankful that there is no more hazing. And if you think I'm being facetious, read the newspapers to see what happens to any fraternity caught in the act.)
Well, my three minutes are up. Catch you tomorrow.
Well, you can bet your boots I'm going to ask questions about everything when we finally do get to the doctor's on Friday at 2. I ventured out to the breakfast table for dinner tonight for the very first time in a week. I was in the mood for Chinese food, so Randy stopped on the way home from a couple of hours at work, and got yummy chicken things, lo mein, fried rice, and a shrimp/lobster sauce. I am happy and stuffed!
I have been remiss in thanking Lonnie, our coworker, for a big act of kindness. He drove here from VA last Thursday to pick up something for work, and brought dinner for us that he had pre-prepared, and it was delicious. It was called canneloni, and was made up of ground veal and steak, basil, ricotta, garlic, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese & manicotti noodles. He poured a delicious tomato sauce over it, along with a white Bechemel sauce, made of cream, garlic, flour, butter & nutmeg. Yummy! We had enough for two days. Also, I haven't properly welcomed my newest "followers," Carla and Ody3. Glad to have you aboard. Michael, who is ody3, will be here next week and will walk us all through "How to comment." Can't wait!
I went on a field trip today to the front yard. Randy wanted me to see the azaleas in bloom. Craziest thing I've ever seen. We actually have bulbs growing again. Can't wait to see if they will bloom twice. I also hobbled out to the back patio to see how beautiful the backyard is looking as fall approaches. The rain has been nothing but good for us, unlike in GA and surrounding areas, EXCEPT FOR THE MOSQUITOES! One came in with me from outside and buzzed one time in my ear. I AM BACK IN TOWN. One swat and he is G-O-N-E, and I don't mean out the door.
Finally, Matthew has resurfaced after quiet for the past three days. His sister taught him how to schedule all his classes on Tuesdays/Thursdays. He's been able to do this for the past 2 years. Leah did it all through school. It takes some juggling, but it can be done. Our conversation was interrupted by a horn honking; him telling me he hoped he wouldn't get hit by a car; and then, "Gotta go. Gotta ride." I usually sit quietly in prayer for about 3 minutes after such a call, before I tell Randy to call and see if he's alright, and he of course always says, "I'm not calling," so I have to. (He didn't drive to class because there are ATO pledges who are anxious to pick up their big brothers when summoned. I am so thankful that there is no more hazing. And if you think I'm being facetious, read the newspapers to see what happens to any fraternity caught in the act.)
Well, my three minutes are up. Catch you tomorrow.
Monday, September 21, 2009
The Little Things in Life
It's ironic that the neighborhood Bible study ladies have requested that our new study be on the book, "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World." I am amazed that I am getting to live out the book's premise two weeks prior to the first class. It's about women achieving balance in their lives in the midst of the tyranny of the urgent. It's very holistic sounding, addressing ones spiritual, mental, emotional, intellectual and physical components. (I do not use the word holistic in a new agey way as some might assume.) I am loving this quiet time to reflect on the needs of others and in view of myself and how I relate to them.
Everyone has been very kind to me and it's just a healing foot. Since my attention has been caught by all the things outside this room, I am so thankful it's just a healing foot. In the last week, I have heard of many deaths, mostly of those who have lived long, fulfilling lives; new names that are battling breast cancer, which seems to be spreading like wildfire across our nation, and pending decisions that will determine the quality of life for many. I am thankful that I can be still and KNOW that HE is GOD, and pray for those in need with a new vengeance, just as I know people have been praying for me. Reciprocity is a good thing. I hope we can all practice it consciously and voluntarily, without having to have something bad happen to let us know how it feels not to have it.
My foot's getting better. I felt an itchy sensation and thought, "Oh no! I've heard about tickles under the cast!" Thank goodness, it was on the outside of the cast. I am so thankful for these little things. They all add up you know.
A friend brought over about 3 dozen roses today, fresh from her beautiful garden. Long stemmed roses. It was quite relaxing to watch her actually place the florist tape over the top of the vase, forming a grid, then placing each rose into it's proper square. I will try to get Randy to take a picture so that we all can enjoy them. They smell delicious. I wish there was a hard piece of candy that had a rose flavor. Hmmm. I think the Japanese, who are known for their hard candies, have come up with it after all. (I remember the flavor when I was there.) I wonder if there is such thing as a bottle of Rose Flavoring. Let me know if there is.
Aunt Connie and Uncle Larry (Randy's sister and her husband) also sent a beautiful arrangement of flowers today. Lilies, roses, carnations, chrysanthemums and the most beautiful filler flowers I can't identify, although I've planted them in my garden before. Summer season's breath is changing quickly to that of fall. I LOVE IT! There's a little nip in the air, and I catch in my peripheral vision near the window, about one leaf falling per day.
There is a saying written in beautiful gold script above our stove that always seems to catch new visitor's attention. It says, "The simplest things remind us of all that we have to be thankful for." I hope that it will be true for all of us.
Everyone has been very kind to me and it's just a healing foot. Since my attention has been caught by all the things outside this room, I am so thankful it's just a healing foot. In the last week, I have heard of many deaths, mostly of those who have lived long, fulfilling lives; new names that are battling breast cancer, which seems to be spreading like wildfire across our nation, and pending decisions that will determine the quality of life for many. I am thankful that I can be still and KNOW that HE is GOD, and pray for those in need with a new vengeance, just as I know people have been praying for me. Reciprocity is a good thing. I hope we can all practice it consciously and voluntarily, without having to have something bad happen to let us know how it feels not to have it.
My foot's getting better. I felt an itchy sensation and thought, "Oh no! I've heard about tickles under the cast!" Thank goodness, it was on the outside of the cast. I am so thankful for these little things. They all add up you know.
A friend brought over about 3 dozen roses today, fresh from her beautiful garden. Long stemmed roses. It was quite relaxing to watch her actually place the florist tape over the top of the vase, forming a grid, then placing each rose into it's proper square. I will try to get Randy to take a picture so that we all can enjoy them. They smell delicious. I wish there was a hard piece of candy that had a rose flavor. Hmmm. I think the Japanese, who are known for their hard candies, have come up with it after all. (I remember the flavor when I was there.) I wonder if there is such thing as a bottle of Rose Flavoring. Let me know if there is.
Aunt Connie and Uncle Larry (Randy's sister and her husband) also sent a beautiful arrangement of flowers today. Lilies, roses, carnations, chrysanthemums and the most beautiful filler flowers I can't identify, although I've planted them in my garden before. Summer season's breath is changing quickly to that of fall. I LOVE IT! There's a little nip in the air, and I catch in my peripheral vision near the window, about one leaf falling per day.
There is a saying written in beautiful gold script above our stove that always seems to catch new visitor's attention. It says, "The simplest things remind us of all that we have to be thankful for." I hope that it will be true for all of us.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Hot Wings & Cream Puffs
Today is Sunday, the day we start off by teaching 4 year olds in Sunday School; only Randy was minus a teacher this AM, but he picked up a mom who subs, along with her 9 year old daughter. All went well. No putting rubberbands around necks until there's a red line; no eating the play-doh; only a tell-tale sign of someone possibly using the sand box as a kiddy-litter, so that was cleaned and put away for the rest of the day. That was fine. Randy brought out the big guns for entertaining--the bean bag and pretzels. It is amazing how enthralled children can stay when there's a bean bag involved. Add pretzels and they're yours for the rest of the hour. All you do is position the chairs in two rows facing each other and give "the best sitters" 2 turns to throw the bean bag up to a higher window ledge. If it sticks, you get a pretzel. This being their first time and all, they didn't have any winners, but Randy gave them pretzels anyway after he saw them attempting with a little more concentration than he had previously seen.
I failed to ask him about the lesson about Phillip and the Eunuch. Hmmm, I need to do that. Plus, I'd like to know if he asked them questions about the story prior to their throwing, as I would have done. "Make every lesson a learning lesson," is my motto. (I used to teach 3rd grade. I can't help it.)
I've decided to put off talking about the book until after I see the doctor on Tuesday at 2. I should be all talked out about the mundane art of healing by then and will be able to get on with life as we all know it.
My friend, Susan Kreider, who worked with me at First Baptist Church of Windermere, spent the afternoon with me. It was wonderful catching up. We laughed, and laughed some more over fond memories we have shared. She's older than me, but she has a facebook page and took me on to catch up with some old acquaintances. ENLIGHTENING to say the least. I don't think I'm ready to venture there yet. I do like my privacy, believe it or not.
Randy took the dog out for a walk and came back with hot wings and cream puffs. Unexpected, but a nice surprise. He even had a story to go with it. He had walked down to our neighborhood pool to see how many people were there, since today is the last day of the pool season. He walked up to the gate, and there was our neighbor, Joyce, asking if he'd like some hot wings. He told her no, but she insisted and we got cream puffs thrown in for added measure. Needless to say, I will be sending him out much more often during the dinner hour from now on. (Just kidding. Everyone has been so wonderful about inquiring of our needs, and Randy has everything under control.)
BTW...Randy said he did get the lesson in, but they had a hard time understanding about the Eunuch's chariot, since they've never seen one. They did understand that a scroll is an old-timey Bible, so that's progress.
To close, I hope you all have unexpected surprises like hot wings and cream puffs this week.
I failed to ask him about the lesson about Phillip and the Eunuch. Hmmm, I need to do that. Plus, I'd like to know if he asked them questions about the story prior to their throwing, as I would have done. "Make every lesson a learning lesson," is my motto. (I used to teach 3rd grade. I can't help it.)
I've decided to put off talking about the book until after I see the doctor on Tuesday at 2. I should be all talked out about the mundane art of healing by then and will be able to get on with life as we all know it.
My friend, Susan Kreider, who worked with me at First Baptist Church of Windermere, spent the afternoon with me. It was wonderful catching up. We laughed, and laughed some more over fond memories we have shared. She's older than me, but she has a facebook page and took me on to catch up with some old acquaintances. ENLIGHTENING to say the least. I don't think I'm ready to venture there yet. I do like my privacy, believe it or not.
Randy took the dog out for a walk and came back with hot wings and cream puffs. Unexpected, but a nice surprise. He even had a story to go with it. He had walked down to our neighborhood pool to see how many people were there, since today is the last day of the pool season. He walked up to the gate, and there was our neighbor, Joyce, asking if he'd like some hot wings. He told her no, but she insisted and we got cream puffs thrown in for added measure. Needless to say, I will be sending him out much more often during the dinner hour from now on. (Just kidding. Everyone has been so wonderful about inquiring of our needs, and Randy has everything under control.)
BTW...Randy said he did get the lesson in, but they had a hard time understanding about the Eunuch's chariot, since they've never seen one. They did understand that a scroll is an old-timey Bible, so that's progress.
To close, I hope you all have unexpected surprises like hot wings and cream puffs this week.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Not so "pain free Friday night"
I have awakened the past two nights at 1:10. The first night, I made sure all was well after feeling a little throbbing in my foot, then went back to sleep. Last night, it wasn't so easy. The pain just kept getting worse and worse, but it was still not as bad as it could be. I just drifted in and out of sleep, not wanting to awaken Randy unless I absolutely had to. (He's starting to look like Jon Gosselin from Jon & Kate, Plus 8, the reality tv show that is making the news these days. Shorts, T shirt and steamer trunks under his eyes from lack of sleep.) He's afraid he's going to bump my foot, he says.
Finally at 6 AM, I started to feel nauseous. (Eating in bed is not conducive to good digestion; therefore we have introduced a new pill...Prilosec, which, if taken an hour before I eat a meal, will hold the food down in my stomach as opposed to feeling like it's only made it as far as my medulla oblongata. I hope I have the right body part, but I think you get my drift.) I figured I'd better get him up to go and get me a bowl before he had an even bigger mess on his hands. Needless to say, I took my pills and drifted back into la-la land for 4 more hours of sleep. He wasn't so lucky, but I have an idea he's about to watch football with his eyes closed.
Holding true to my word, I have investigated the world of blogging today. My, I am long winded compared to everyone else, so I am going to stop here and start reading again. I've ordered two books from publisher Kevin Watson's website...Press53.com, and can't wait to start reading and reviewing two of his newly published books, one of which he wrote himself. I am hoping for insight into how this book I'm writing is going to play out. I feel as though I could write 3 books just on the information I have. I think tomorrow I will share how all of this came to be. In the meantime...take good care of your feet. You only have 2!
Finally at 6 AM, I started to feel nauseous. (Eating in bed is not conducive to good digestion; therefore we have introduced a new pill...Prilosec, which, if taken an hour before I eat a meal, will hold the food down in my stomach as opposed to feeling like it's only made it as far as my medulla oblongata. I hope I have the right body part, but I think you get my drift.) I figured I'd better get him up to go and get me a bowl before he had an even bigger mess on his hands. Needless to say, I took my pills and drifted back into la-la land for 4 more hours of sleep. He wasn't so lucky, but I have an idea he's about to watch football with his eyes closed.
Holding true to my word, I have investigated the world of blogging today. My, I am long winded compared to everyone else, so I am going to stop here and start reading again. I've ordered two books from publisher Kevin Watson's website...Press53.com, and can't wait to start reading and reviewing two of his newly published books, one of which he wrote himself. I am hoping for insight into how this book I'm writing is going to play out. I feel as though I could write 3 books just on the information I have. I think tomorrow I will share how all of this came to be. In the meantime...take good care of your feet. You only have 2!
Friday, September 18, 2009
Widgets and Such
Oh my goodness. I decided today I was going to branch out into discovering the world of blogging. Surely, the fact that I have somewhat blogged for four days now qualifies me to branch out into the nether-blogging world even deeper. My "followers," for the most part have posted pictures, and I haven't even completed my profile yet. That is partly due to the fact that the pictures are stored on the computer upstairs as opposed to this one, and I don't want it to look as though I am settling with a picture of me and the snow dog, which is one of the few pictures Randy has stored in this computer. (That would be the dog made out of snow that the lady next door created. We were so impressed, Randy had to take a picture with me standing beside it.)
I didn't get very far, because they (the blogger people) don't make it very simple using vocabulary like "widgets" to help explain how to format the thing. So, I'll start earlier tomorrow and just tell you how my day went today.
For the most part, it has been Pain Free Friday, I'm happy to say. I've gotten quite a few phone calls; had a couple of visitors; received some balloons and cards, M & Ms and nuts, with some beautiful creeping fig thrown in. I truly am very touched by everyone's kindness, and have renewed my goal to pepper all of my concerns for another with food in the future. No pun intended. My hairdresser sent over a pile of Nicholas Sparks books and I've already finished the first one. I'm usually sobbing halfway through his books, but not so this time. I even saw "The Notebook," which seems to be coming on all month throughout the day, and what is stranger still, is the fact that when I tune in, it's always the same place where James Garner and his movie wife are sitting outside the hospital, where she is a dementia patient, and she hadn't known their children who had visited that day. I usually cry at the part where she starts to understand SHE is the main female love interest in the book he has been reading to her whenever she experiences a lucid moment. (She wrote it for her family knowing she would reach the point of no return with her memory.) I didn't cry this time. I didn't even have to choke back tears. I haven't even felt the first hint of a sniffle with "The Choice," the book I just finished. I won't tell you about it, but I think Nicholas needs to expand his horizons a little more before the next book. He's becoming a little too predictable.
Which brings to mind the Julia/Julie movie that is out. I recommend you go see it if you haven't already. I know Randy regrets taking me the first time, because it ended up costing him a small fortune as I just had to have a Le Creuset 5.5 stockpot from France, if I was ever to make boeuf bourguinone the way Julia Child did. (And it had to be cherry red just like Julia's, which, when I think about it, may be orange.) I had Leah browsing all over the internet to find a store where I could get the very best price. All the way to Baton Rouge last month, I had Randy programming in Le Creuset outlet stores into our guidance system, as I have found out that the only thing that makes a 1st a 2nd is a scratch. Of course, I preferred the firsts, but I also found out that the company will replace either for free. How ironic that the closest store with FIRSTS for the very best prices is in Burlington, NC, about an hour from here. Randy told me he'd take me on the upcoming Saturday if I could wait, and wait I did. We got up that Saturday morning and headed toward Burlington, with Leah in tow, who was visiting from Florida. We stopped at Replacements, Ltd., and found my Lenox Christmas cups and her Kate Spade china on sale. What an added bonus that was; then headed on over to Burlington, where I was not disappointed. The saleslady had already helped me over the phone and everything I wanted was pre-purchased and ready to go. It was hard to walk out knowing there was so much more on sale than what I had bought, but Randy got a cherry red Le Creuset tea kettle, and we did add a braising pan to our list. I truly could not justify another thing, because one really doesn't need cast iron to boil water, which is pretty much all I use pots for.
Next on my list was to find Julia's boeuf bourguinone recipe and lo and behold, I found one that had been simplified by a Julia fan. I copied it and it is sitting in my butler's pantry waiting to be made when my foot is "heeled" as Bo said. My first "follower," Mary Kevin, even went so far as to order Julia's cookbook from Amazon. Lest I forget, she found herself over in the Burlington area shortly thereafter, and ended up getting her own cast iron dutch oven, along with orders from other neighbors, so there is a rainbow of representation of Le Creuset here in the neighborhood. (Green, blue, orange for Clemson, and red.) I can't wait to see which color produces the best flavors. Will keep you posted. Bon appetit!
I didn't get very far, because they (the blogger people) don't make it very simple using vocabulary like "widgets" to help explain how to format the thing. So, I'll start earlier tomorrow and just tell you how my day went today.
For the most part, it has been Pain Free Friday, I'm happy to say. I've gotten quite a few phone calls; had a couple of visitors; received some balloons and cards, M & Ms and nuts, with some beautiful creeping fig thrown in. I truly am very touched by everyone's kindness, and have renewed my goal to pepper all of my concerns for another with food in the future. No pun intended. My hairdresser sent over a pile of Nicholas Sparks books and I've already finished the first one. I'm usually sobbing halfway through his books, but not so this time. I even saw "The Notebook," which seems to be coming on all month throughout the day, and what is stranger still, is the fact that when I tune in, it's always the same place where James Garner and his movie wife are sitting outside the hospital, where she is a dementia patient, and she hadn't known their children who had visited that day. I usually cry at the part where she starts to understand SHE is the main female love interest in the book he has been reading to her whenever she experiences a lucid moment. (She wrote it for her family knowing she would reach the point of no return with her memory.) I didn't cry this time. I didn't even have to choke back tears. I haven't even felt the first hint of a sniffle with "The Choice," the book I just finished. I won't tell you about it, but I think Nicholas needs to expand his horizons a little more before the next book. He's becoming a little too predictable.
Which brings to mind the Julia/Julie movie that is out. I recommend you go see it if you haven't already. I know Randy regrets taking me the first time, because it ended up costing him a small fortune as I just had to have a Le Creuset 5.5 stockpot from France, if I was ever to make boeuf bourguinone the way Julia Child did. (And it had to be cherry red just like Julia's, which, when I think about it, may be orange.) I had Leah browsing all over the internet to find a store where I could get the very best price. All the way to Baton Rouge last month, I had Randy programming in Le Creuset outlet stores into our guidance system, as I have found out that the only thing that makes a 1st a 2nd is a scratch. Of course, I preferred the firsts, but I also found out that the company will replace either for free. How ironic that the closest store with FIRSTS for the very best prices is in Burlington, NC, about an hour from here. Randy told me he'd take me on the upcoming Saturday if I could wait, and wait I did. We got up that Saturday morning and headed toward Burlington, with Leah in tow, who was visiting from Florida. We stopped at Replacements, Ltd., and found my Lenox Christmas cups and her Kate Spade china on sale. What an added bonus that was; then headed on over to Burlington, where I was not disappointed. The saleslady had already helped me over the phone and everything I wanted was pre-purchased and ready to go. It was hard to walk out knowing there was so much more on sale than what I had bought, but Randy got a cherry red Le Creuset tea kettle, and we did add a braising pan to our list. I truly could not justify another thing, because one really doesn't need cast iron to boil water, which is pretty much all I use pots for.
Next on my list was to find Julia's boeuf bourguinone recipe and lo and behold, I found one that had been simplified by a Julia fan. I copied it and it is sitting in my butler's pantry waiting to be made when my foot is "heeled" as Bo said. My first "follower," Mary Kevin, even went so far as to order Julia's cookbook from Amazon. Lest I forget, she found herself over in the Burlington area shortly thereafter, and ended up getting her own cast iron dutch oven, along with orders from other neighbors, so there is a rainbow of representation of Le Creuset here in the neighborhood. (Green, blue, orange for Clemson, and red.) I can't wait to see which color produces the best flavors. Will keep you posted. Bon appetit!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
I guess all good things must come to an end sometime or another
It's Throbbing Thursday for the foot, so I am hoping it's Free from Pain Friday tomorrow! It could be so much worse, so I certainly am not complaining, but I am going to sign off for now so I can head right into tomorrow today.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
DAY 2 AND COUNTING
I want to start out today's blog by thanking everyone responsible for helping me become an official BLOGGER:
Michael Bleser, a true blessing with two Ss, for helping me get this blogging thing going. It was very easy to do. Being a baby boomer, I am wary of anything that plugs in and requires something of you afterward. I even know how to EDIT thanks to him.
Our daughter, Leah McCann, for sending out the link to everyone since I had no clue about what to do next. She even told me how to star it up at the top so I can just click on the star rather than call her everyday to figure out where it is. So thoughtful of her.
Kevin Watson from Press53, who suggested I start a blog to begin with. He is a local publisher that a friend suggested I go hear at the library one stormy night a few months ago. I went in spite of the torrential rain, wind and lightning, and drove straight into sunshine right outside of Brookberry Farm, our neighborhood whose history I am chronicling. A good life lesson, and well worth the time. I am now a blogging tool. (Who wants to be a fool? Certainly not I.)
The "friend" who suggested I go hear Kevin speak to begin with, and who has been more of a help than he will ever know, Bo Gray, IV. He is very blog savvy, as are Michael and Kevin.
And lastly, Mary Kevin Miller--my very first follower! I'm not quite sure what that entails, but I sure hope it's something good, like a trip or something. She certainly deserves some kind of recognition for taking the plunge...not knowing if her identity will be assumed by another or not. (She said it was very simple and very little is required.) My sister Linda and Michael have followed suit and Leah is now following at my request. BUT, she did tell me one does not have to sign up as a follower just to read the blogs. To tell you the truth, I think I would just stay on an "as read" basis until this stuff is fool proof. I would love to hear comments, good and better, so feel free to email me at your leisure. A big thanks to my sister- in- law Connie, who said she experienced a multitude of feelings as she read yesterday's blog. That's what writing is supposed to do, correct?
All is well with the foot. No pain as of yet. Tomorrow and Friday are the true tests, and I am hoping for the best. I am more concerned about the weight I must be putting on, as Randy is bringing in food every time I turn around; hence the crumbs in the bed and on the floor, but our dog Mollie is loving the extra morsels. (6:05 PM...sorry to announce I just took my first requested pain pill. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.)
In regard to the mosquito that came in with us yesterday from the car. I didn't hear it again last night after Randy administered the pain pill that I didn't need. Since only the females bite, I am hoping it was a male and has met its demise in another room in the house from lack of nourishment. Anybody ever read the children's book, "Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears?"
That may not be the exact title, but I believe it said only the females even buzz, but I wasn't sure so I can't have complete assurance of its gender. Anyway, I kept my water glass covered to make sure there would be no temptation for larvae laying. (I just read that once the larvae hit the ground and there is no more water source, all is well.)
Today wasn't near as exciting as yesterday, but I am loving the down time. I have my Bag O' Fun close by and have yet to touch it. I hope I get to learn how to use my ipod the kids gave me 4 years ago for Christmas, along with the digital camera we got in Hong Kong 5 years ago. If I have any time after that, I am going to learn how to work my recorder...no, I did not say TAPE RECORDER. If it had a tape I would be fine, but it doesn't. It just records and I have to transcribe it all. One of my interviewees has a very distinct dialect and I want it captured for the book because she is so precious. Dragonware is not known to pick up those details, so I am enjoying typing every word whenever I get a chance.
I'm usually submitting this around 11 PM or so, but not much is probably going to happen for the rest of the day, so I will sign off for now and give you a little piece of advice I'm going to keep myself--Don't wear pointy shoes!
Proverbs 4:25-27 “Look straight ahead and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.”
Michael Bleser, a true blessing with two Ss, for helping me get this blogging thing going. It was very easy to do. Being a baby boomer, I am wary of anything that plugs in and requires something of you afterward. I even know how to EDIT thanks to him.
Our daughter, Leah McCann, for sending out the link to everyone since I had no clue about what to do next. She even told me how to star it up at the top so I can just click on the star rather than call her everyday to figure out where it is. So thoughtful of her.
Kevin Watson from Press53, who suggested I start a blog to begin with. He is a local publisher that a friend suggested I go hear at the library one stormy night a few months ago. I went in spite of the torrential rain, wind and lightning, and drove straight into sunshine right outside of Brookberry Farm, our neighborhood whose history I am chronicling. A good life lesson, and well worth the time. I am now a blogging tool. (Who wants to be a fool? Certainly not I.)
The "friend" who suggested I go hear Kevin speak to begin with, and who has been more of a help than he will ever know, Bo Gray, IV. He is very blog savvy, as are Michael and Kevin.
And lastly, Mary Kevin Miller--my very first follower! I'm not quite sure what that entails, but I sure hope it's something good, like a trip or something. She certainly deserves some kind of recognition for taking the plunge...not knowing if her identity will be assumed by another or not. (She said it was very simple and very little is required.) My sister Linda and Michael have followed suit and Leah is now following at my request. BUT, she did tell me one does not have to sign up as a follower just to read the blogs. To tell you the truth, I think I would just stay on an "as read" basis until this stuff is fool proof. I would love to hear comments, good and better, so feel free to email me at your leisure. A big thanks to my sister- in- law Connie, who said she experienced a multitude of feelings as she read yesterday's blog. That's what writing is supposed to do, correct?
All is well with the foot. No pain as of yet. Tomorrow and Friday are the true tests, and I am hoping for the best. I am more concerned about the weight I must be putting on, as Randy is bringing in food every time I turn around; hence the crumbs in the bed and on the floor, but our dog Mollie is loving the extra morsels. (6:05 PM...sorry to announce I just took my first requested pain pill. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.)
In regard to the mosquito that came in with us yesterday from the car. I didn't hear it again last night after Randy administered the pain pill that I didn't need. Since only the females bite, I am hoping it was a male and has met its demise in another room in the house from lack of nourishment. Anybody ever read the children's book, "Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears?"
That may not be the exact title, but I believe it said only the females even buzz, but I wasn't sure so I can't have complete assurance of its gender. Anyway, I kept my water glass covered to make sure there would be no temptation for larvae laying. (I just read that once the larvae hit the ground and there is no more water source, all is well.)
Today wasn't near as exciting as yesterday, but I am loving the down time. I have my Bag O' Fun close by and have yet to touch it. I hope I get to learn how to use my ipod the kids gave me 4 years ago for Christmas, along with the digital camera we got in Hong Kong 5 years ago. If I have any time after that, I am going to learn how to work my recorder...no, I did not say TAPE RECORDER. If it had a tape I would be fine, but it doesn't. It just records and I have to transcribe it all. One of my interviewees has a very distinct dialect and I want it captured for the book because she is so precious. Dragonware is not known to pick up those details, so I am enjoying typing every word whenever I get a chance.
I'm usually submitting this around 11 PM or so, but not much is probably going to happen for the rest of the day, so I will sign off for now and give you a little piece of advice I'm going to keep myself--Don't wear pointy shoes!
Proverbs 4:25-27 “Look straight ahead and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.”
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
B-Day
No, it's not my birthday. It's Bunion Removal Day! And my, there were quite a few of us...7 in fact. I asked the anesthetist, "Why?" and he said, "Because all you baby-boomers are getting older," and that was enough said. My friend Karen, who went through a liver transplant a few years back, reminded me how fortunate I am not to be familiar with hospitals at this age. We thank God all the time for our health, and I especially am thankful that this was an elective surgery that I initiated.
So far, I don't regret it. I didn't get to sleep until 3 last night because I was contemplating all the things I needed to do before we left at 10 AM. I finally let it go and fell asleep on the couch until 6 AM, then hopped in the bed until 8:45. I was instructed not to shave my legs or cut my toenails 3 days prior to the surgery, but I ever so gently shaved my legs this AM, praying all the while I wouldn't nick anything and be found out. I did not cut my toenails though! NO WAY!
My friend, Nanette, delivered a delicious looking fresh-hen-egg-right-off -the-farm casserole prior to our leaving, which we are eating tomorrow night. She is the queen of organic, so I am really looking forward to it. (Dr. said keep it bland the first night, so Randy prepared steamed shrimp over rice pilaf (with a teeny bit of pesto for flavor because they said no greasy, fried or spicy foods) and we had leftover green beans with dry toasted french bread and fresh strawberries. It was a beautiful plate and very flavorful. Can't wait for tomorrow's smorgasbord. He is loving this care-giving stuff...at least on day 1.
My friend, Susan, and her daughter, Sydney, delivered a REAL homemade pumpkin pie; real in the fact that she picked out the pumpkin herself. The vendor told her she might be able to get 2 pies out of that one pumpkin, so 4 pies later and bags of real pumpkin in the freezer-- enough to make 14 more, she's set for fall cooking. I am proud of her.
Flowers, notes, visits, emails, and phone calls heralded our return home. Thank you all for caring. Everyone near and far has volunteered to help, but I'm telling you, Randy is in his element. My friends, Brenda and Gail, and my sisters, all who live out of state, have volunteered to come and play nurse, and I'm very appreciative of that. My new NC friends, with the Brookberry Farm Bible study group leading the way, make me just feel loved to pieces. I am blessed. Bruce from CA just said, "Enjoy the meds."
We got there ahead of time and I want you to know, I have had peace throughout this whole thing...well, anyway, up to going to the bathroom for the first time, which I have put off the whole day. I decided I needed to do it by myself, and I did. All went well, until I got back into bed and felt a twinge of what could be described as "beginning pain." Needless to say, I played the NEW "What if..." video again, and could actually feel the blood clot going up to my heart. False alarm now that I'm all propped up and back in bed. I don't know about you, but re-breaking my foot sounds better than putting Randy through the old bedpan routine. My blood pressure was even normal with no morning pill, which is highly unusual, and my pulse was in the 70s, and that's the most unusual.
Let's get to the good stuff. They gave me my own pajamas, made out of navy blue paper stuff akin to inner facing, which I am wearing now because they are so comfortable, along with the fact they sent me home in them. Randy has complimented me over and over about how good I look in navy blue, so I am seeing some new clothing in my future--navy blue of course. All the prep was a piece of cake and I met a bunch of "new friends." I made sure everyone was qualified in doing what they were supposed to do. (OH, I forgot to tell you I pre-tied a pink ribbon around the toe in question. I've heard the horror stories in the news about what could happen.) What made me feel good was they made me initial my pre-surgery foot and put a dot on the big toe in black marker. I wanted to put a smiley face on the toenail I was so happy they were taking such precautions, but I just decided against it as I didn't want to distract them in any way. They even spoke louder to emphasize it was THE LEFT FOOT, just so everyone in the room was all on the same page. I'm telling you right now, if you EVER have surgery on ANYTHING, introduce this procedure to your surgical team if they do not already implement it. It will give you a lot of confidence in THE TEAM and you can take that last deep breath into the face mask with great joy and anticipation for a good outcome.
I was a little cranky that they awakened me so quickly, as I was just about to find out something I had been wanting to know something more about. Don't ask me what it was. I can't remember, but I know it was good and could have been beneficial to my future in the long run. No, it wasn't lottery numbers, as "You've got to play to win!" and I don't. It was something better. I will let you know if I ever remember it.
My new best nurse friend, whose name I can't recall, gave Randy all the post-surgery rules and off to home we came. Got up the porch stairs just fine, even though I now realize if we stay in this house into retirement we will have to have a ramp installed, but not today. That gives me a few years to design something that doesn't look as though it was just installed by the children on a weekend visit to make them look and feel like they care. I got in bed just fine; propped my foot 6 inches above my hips and have been holding court ever since via phone, email, flowers, food, visits and U.S. mail. (I think I'm starting to repeat myself, but I know you'll understand.) I'm thankful I haven't died and gone to heaven, but I am reaping the blessings nonetheless.
There is one kink in the whole day...a mosquito followed us into the house because we had to hold the door open for so long, and it has been buzzing me off and on all afternoon. I am hoping that it has flown into another room and dies prematurely as Randy is not taking this as seriously as he should. I'm starting to get a little warm and do not feel comfortable about poking my good foot out for air. (I can't believe he doesn't remember that his dad's secretary was bitten by a mosquito years ago and died.) I think the mosquito is back for an almost midnight snack, and I do not want to awaken Randy rudely with a slap, as his head is exposed and he is not on watch as I am. (I hope I don't scare him to death when he wakes up and sees the sheet pulled over my head to keep from being bitten. I REALLY need him right now.)
I actually made a mistake on the first blog, and could have on this one, but I am attributing today's mistakes to the pain pill that Randy just gave me per the nurse's instructions. I really don't need it, but he will have none of that, Nurse Ratchett. The mistake was on the sentence that said the doctor assured me he would only cut in the places needed, not just one big slash. (Sweet Michael has taught me how to edit since then, so I spend more time on that than actually writing the blog each day.) Well, Randy's already snoring and I am going to have to wake him up eventually for one more bathroom break...make that two. Mollie needs to go out one more time too, before all is quiet once again. Love you all! Thanks again for the prayers more than anything. God heard each one of them and gave them back to me in LOVE. LEAH & MATTHEW, you have been good concerned children. Leah, EVERYONE near my age is very thankful that you sent them the link, as once I sent it, I had no clue where it went. You should have been a detective. Sweet dreams!
So far, I don't regret it. I didn't get to sleep until 3 last night because I was contemplating all the things I needed to do before we left at 10 AM. I finally let it go and fell asleep on the couch until 6 AM, then hopped in the bed until 8:45. I was instructed not to shave my legs or cut my toenails 3 days prior to the surgery, but I ever so gently shaved my legs this AM, praying all the while I wouldn't nick anything and be found out. I did not cut my toenails though! NO WAY!
My friend, Nanette, delivered a delicious looking fresh-hen-egg-right-off -the-farm casserole prior to our leaving, which we are eating tomorrow night. She is the queen of organic, so I am really looking forward to it. (Dr. said keep it bland the first night, so Randy prepared steamed shrimp over rice pilaf (with a teeny bit of pesto for flavor because they said no greasy, fried or spicy foods) and we had leftover green beans with dry toasted french bread and fresh strawberries. It was a beautiful plate and very flavorful. Can't wait for tomorrow's smorgasbord. He is loving this care-giving stuff...at least on day 1.
My friend, Susan, and her daughter, Sydney, delivered a REAL homemade pumpkin pie; real in the fact that she picked out the pumpkin herself. The vendor told her she might be able to get 2 pies out of that one pumpkin, so 4 pies later and bags of real pumpkin in the freezer-- enough to make 14 more, she's set for fall cooking. I am proud of her.
Flowers, notes, visits, emails, and phone calls heralded our return home. Thank you all for caring. Everyone near and far has volunteered to help, but I'm telling you, Randy is in his element. My friends, Brenda and Gail, and my sisters, all who live out of state, have volunteered to come and play nurse, and I'm very appreciative of that. My new NC friends, with the Brookberry Farm Bible study group leading the way, make me just feel loved to pieces. I am blessed. Bruce from CA just said, "Enjoy the meds."
We got there ahead of time and I want you to know, I have had peace throughout this whole thing...well, anyway, up to going to the bathroom for the first time, which I have put off the whole day. I decided I needed to do it by myself, and I did. All went well, until I got back into bed and felt a twinge of what could be described as "beginning pain." Needless to say, I played the NEW "What if..." video again, and could actually feel the blood clot going up to my heart. False alarm now that I'm all propped up and back in bed. I don't know about you, but re-breaking my foot sounds better than putting Randy through the old bedpan routine. My blood pressure was even normal with no morning pill, which is highly unusual, and my pulse was in the 70s, and that's the most unusual.
Let's get to the good stuff. They gave me my own pajamas, made out of navy blue paper stuff akin to inner facing, which I am wearing now because they are so comfortable, along with the fact they sent me home in them. Randy has complimented me over and over about how good I look in navy blue, so I am seeing some new clothing in my future--navy blue of course. All the prep was a piece of cake and I met a bunch of "new friends." I made sure everyone was qualified in doing what they were supposed to do. (OH, I forgot to tell you I pre-tied a pink ribbon around the toe in question. I've heard the horror stories in the news about what could happen.) What made me feel good was they made me initial my pre-surgery foot and put a dot on the big toe in black marker. I wanted to put a smiley face on the toenail I was so happy they were taking such precautions, but I just decided against it as I didn't want to distract them in any way. They even spoke louder to emphasize it was THE LEFT FOOT, just so everyone in the room was all on the same page. I'm telling you right now, if you EVER have surgery on ANYTHING, introduce this procedure to your surgical team if they do not already implement it. It will give you a lot of confidence in THE TEAM and you can take that last deep breath into the face mask with great joy and anticipation for a good outcome.
I was a little cranky that they awakened me so quickly, as I was just about to find out something I had been wanting to know something more about. Don't ask me what it was. I can't remember, but I know it was good and could have been beneficial to my future in the long run. No, it wasn't lottery numbers, as "You've got to play to win!" and I don't. It was something better. I will let you know if I ever remember it.
My new best nurse friend, whose name I can't recall, gave Randy all the post-surgery rules and off to home we came. Got up the porch stairs just fine, even though I now realize if we stay in this house into retirement we will have to have a ramp installed, but not today. That gives me a few years to design something that doesn't look as though it was just installed by the children on a weekend visit to make them look and feel like they care. I got in bed just fine; propped my foot 6 inches above my hips and have been holding court ever since via phone, email, flowers, food, visits and U.S. mail. (I think I'm starting to repeat myself, but I know you'll understand.) I'm thankful I haven't died and gone to heaven, but I am reaping the blessings nonetheless.
There is one kink in the whole day...a mosquito followed us into the house because we had to hold the door open for so long, and it has been buzzing me off and on all afternoon. I am hoping that it has flown into another room and dies prematurely as Randy is not taking this as seriously as he should. I'm starting to get a little warm and do not feel comfortable about poking my good foot out for air. (I can't believe he doesn't remember that his dad's secretary was bitten by a mosquito years ago and died.) I think the mosquito is back for an almost midnight snack, and I do not want to awaken Randy rudely with a slap, as his head is exposed and he is not on watch as I am. (I hope I don't scare him to death when he wakes up and sees the sheet pulled over my head to keep from being bitten. I REALLY need him right now.)
I actually made a mistake on the first blog, and could have on this one, but I am attributing today's mistakes to the pain pill that Randy just gave me per the nurse's instructions. I really don't need it, but he will have none of that, Nurse Ratchett. The mistake was on the sentence that said the doctor assured me he would only cut in the places needed, not just one big slash. (Sweet Michael has taught me how to edit since then, so I spend more time on that than actually writing the blog each day.) Well, Randy's already snoring and I am going to have to wake him up eventually for one more bathroom break...make that two. Mollie needs to go out one more time too, before all is quiet once again. Love you all! Thanks again for the prayers more than anything. God heard each one of them and gave them back to me in LOVE. LEAH & MATTHEW, you have been good concerned children. Leah, EVERYONE near my age is very thankful that you sent them the link, as once I sent it, I had no clue where it went. You should have been a detective. Sweet dreams!
Monday, September 14, 2009
My First Blog
I think it's interesting that at the age of 55 and two months, I am formulating my first blog...especially since it is on the eve of foot surgery. I am having a bunion removed from my left foot. I was feeling fine about all of it until the pre-op appointment and the nurse reminded me that they were going to break a bone in my foot, realign the bone, then shave off whatever was still protruding after the realignment. She was quick to assure me that the doctor would only cut where needed. I would be in a cast for three weeks and was warned repeatedly not to get it wet, bump it, or fall on it as I could re-break the bone. I have an allergic chronic cough as many of you know. The more she talked, the harder and louder I coughed. She asked me if she was making me nervous. YEAH! Everything liquid in me was flowing down my throat!
I want to assure you that I am not nervous in the least at this moment. I will be tying a pink ribbon around the correct toe just to make sure there is no mistaking which foot gets the attention. I also called today just to make sure that a remnant of a blister will not hamper the operation, as the letter she sent home with me put the fear in me about open wounds. They didn't expound on what would happen if there was one, but they didn't have to in my case. I played the video in my head, and suffice it to say, it wasn't a pretty picture...in fact, everyone around me was crying.
Enough said. I instantly turned those negative thoughts into glad ones. Randy and I teach 4 year olds in Sunday School, and we have a little girl who recently had a cyst removed from her neck. She was so happy about going to the hospital and having surgery. I asked her if she was even going to get to have stitches. She responded with glee, "YES!" I was even getting excited for her, but I knew that getting the stitches out would be far worse than having them sewn in, since the area would have been numbed. So we all prayed for her and awaited her return to class. About three weeks later she shows up with a piece of tape over the little half inch incision. She couldn't wait to show all of us. The girls looked with interest; the boys not so interested because it wasn't worse. Dare I ask if it hurt? She was still dancing with joy that she'd had surgery, so I ventured to ask, "Did it hurt?" She looked at me with the biggest smile and said with gusto, "YES!" I determined right then, that is the way I am going to go into this surgery tomorrow. I've been jumping up and down whenever I think about it, on my left foot especially, these past few days,, so I can remember what it feels like to have full mobility.
By the way, I am blogging about this because my sister Scarlette, and my neighbor Ian, are contemplating going under down the road. If for some reason, all does not go well, this will be my last blog on this subject, so...let's hope for the best! My word! I get to wear a cast! And have people wait on me! I'm not having anymore babies, so I hope to take full advantage of all the attention. I do wish I could have my friend, Brenda, dress in her nurse's uniform and take care of me as she did when I had my wisdom teeth extracted 32 years ago. (She never did get her nursing degree, but she had a terrific bedside manner and that's all I really needed.)
I want to assure you that I am not nervous in the least at this moment. I will be tying a pink ribbon around the correct toe just to make sure there is no mistaking which foot gets the attention. I also called today just to make sure that a remnant of a blister will not hamper the operation, as the letter she sent home with me put the fear in me about open wounds. They didn't expound on what would happen if there was one, but they didn't have to in my case. I played the video in my head, and suffice it to say, it wasn't a pretty picture...in fact, everyone around me was crying.
Enough said. I instantly turned those negative thoughts into glad ones. Randy and I teach 4 year olds in Sunday School, and we have a little girl who recently had a cyst removed from her neck. She was so happy about going to the hospital and having surgery. I asked her if she was even going to get to have stitches. She responded with glee, "YES!" I was even getting excited for her, but I knew that getting the stitches out would be far worse than having them sewn in, since the area would have been numbed. So we all prayed for her and awaited her return to class. About three weeks later she shows up with a piece of tape over the little half inch incision. She couldn't wait to show all of us. The girls looked with interest; the boys not so interested because it wasn't worse. Dare I ask if it hurt? She was still dancing with joy that she'd had surgery, so I ventured to ask, "Did it hurt?" She looked at me with the biggest smile and said with gusto, "YES!" I determined right then, that is the way I am going to go into this surgery tomorrow. I've been jumping up and down whenever I think about it, on my left foot especially, these past few days,, so I can remember what it feels like to have full mobility.
By the way, I am blogging about this because my sister Scarlette, and my neighbor Ian, are contemplating going under down the road. If for some reason, all does not go well, this will be my last blog on this subject, so...let's hope for the best! My word! I get to wear a cast! And have people wait on me! I'm not having anymore babies, so I hope to take full advantage of all the attention. I do wish I could have my friend, Brenda, dress in her nurse's uniform and take care of me as she did when I had my wisdom teeth extracted 32 years ago. (She never did get her nursing degree, but she had a terrific bedside manner and that's all I really needed.)
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