and she emerges from the fog

hi, friends. anything going on while i was gone?

guess what, i'm fine! i'm typing one-handed, so this'll be a short note, but thanks to everyone for your good wishes and good advice. they held me in good stead. much to say but not a lot of manual dexterity to say it. suffice to say that i am really lucky to be a middle class person with access to superior health care in a research setting. damn.

went as well as it possibly could, i think. i feel extremely grateful for the good care i received, and as soon as i am out of this sling, i'll be penning some thank you notes. my nurses were, quite simply, fantastic -- kind, efficient, funny, protective. my doctors, responsive and careful. who could ask for more. i'm happy to be out of there feeling so relatively unscathed.

db's been his usual wonderful self in keeping me fed and on the correct pill schedule, making me tea, bringing me juice, tucking in my blanket, the whole routine. i have spent the better half of the last 24 hrs in the world's most comfortable recliner. thanks, parents-in-law! my work peeps sent a plant basket so large it takes up half my table. (will post pic tomorrow) i'm hoarse from being on the phone all day. everyone is wonderful. 

my arm hurts. owww. i have a pain pump attached to me that is delivering 0.07 ml of a morphine-derivative (?) every hour. i could stand a little more. it comes out tomorrow, as db gets to show off his bandage-ripping-off skills. tonight, i'm still be-slinged and recently be-percoceted so i've be-come be-sleepy. must be off. thanks again for the well-wishes! very kind of you to write. a demain...

Comments

[David]

ae, if we're at war, why aren't the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay POWs? Glad you're feeling better!

[Diane]

Glad to hear it. And now that it's a done deal, I'll tell you what happened to me when I had my foot surgery: They didn't put enough painkiller in my IV, and when I woke up...well, think about it.

Howwever, I was in a fabulous hospital and several doctors knew me and kept checking in on me. Even the food was good. All in all, it wasn't that bad until they carted me to "learn how to use your crutches and get around" classes--that I didn't like.

It will amaze you how much you need both of your arms.

I'm really glad you're okay, but I knew you would be.

[ae]

David, as always, good question! Slowly but surely getting better, thanks!

Diane, so sorry to hear about the lack of painkiller when you woke up. The way my nurses and anesthesiologist were talking pre-op, I thought I might be in the same boat. Luckily, no. I did feel slightly out of breath though, which was odd, and the nurse had to remind me to breathe a couple of times (!), but that didn't last long. I'm slowly discovering all the ways in which I take two arms for granted, though I'm being good about forgetting that I am right-hand dominant! Thanks for your good thoughts, and I appreciate your good advice, as always. =)

[Josef K]

So glad you're better! Love the mini-jungle.