Life on Hold

 It's just the documenting part that's on hold, really.  It doesn't hurt to type as much as it just make my arm ache and takes away from my valuable time of squeezing an exercise ball or taking an hour to get myself ready for the day.

So just the highlights.

Dreaded shoulder surgery was successful.  Surgery experience couldn't have been better.  I had more actual pain with people drawing blood and putting in an IV than I did after the surgery.

At least 7/8 of my caregivers, including all the random wheelchair pushers and even the cleaning lady asked me about my "accent." Most of them placed me in GA or NC and two in Australia.  

Nerve blocks sound dangerous but aren't very. I'm a big fan.  I didn't even have to experience the blocking, or either I was asleep or under the spell of a forgetting drug.  One minute I was being cheerfully rolled through halls with people warning me it was going to get colder around the corner, and the next I was waking up clear-headed and pain free in my room.  Can't beat that! 

Less than 24 hours later, I had gotten up, twice, worked with occupational therapy, and practiced walking up and down stairs with PT .  

I had breakfast but not lunch.  Just forgot.  Looked good though.

Having an electric or lifting recliner has been a game changer also.  I sit in another chair during the day, but for relaxing and sleeping, I have my cocoon just the way I want it with just the right amount of right arm padding and all my stuff on a table to my left.   A really sweet lady on our community FB page  offered it to me.  I figured I would use it a while and pass it on, but I might get attached to  it.

Again, so little real pain that I'm worrying something is wrong.  Except for a half a hydrocodone at night, I'm doing great on Motrin, muscle relaxer for neck stiffness, and an occasional Benadryl for sleep since that one position can get a little tiring.

Daughters, granddaughters, and cats.  They have all been totally devoted to getting me better -- daughters to try to meet all my wants and needs and some things  I don't  even know I want or need. 

 Elise has been tireless in hoisting me up for 2 weeks now, maneuvering me into clothes,  fixing my sling and preparing nice meals for me.

Emily has changed dressings, reassured me of what is supposed to be happening, making me a medication spreadsheet and sorting my meds, making appointments, and entertaining me.  Who else would read me to sleep every night?  She's reading Dickens Christmas Carol, but we stop to discuss every sentence, so we've barely got to the appearance of Marley's ghost.  

We haven't had this much time together in years, the 3 of us, and we laugh so much my ribs hurt.  I almost hate to get well.

My little girls have been allowed to visit and watch a movie, White Christmas. They've already seen it twice, so there's been a lot of singing and dancing by some.

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One can watch a dressing change or see my bruises with interest while the other can't stop her tears at poor Mimi's condition.

Just not doing well with typing, so pics.

Gifts for our neighborhood heroes.

Gifts for me. One from Washington and one from Alabama.

These are neat books I got the girls from Puppy Dogs & Ice Cream Publishing.  

Beautiful cookies  made by my future PT Laura.  I know she's going to hurt me, but she makes pretty cookies.

Enjoying Life

 I guess because things are about to get real for me on Friday, or maybe it's because of the holiday season, or just any number of reasons, it's seeming like a fun time around the house lately.

Most of the time, we all go along our separate paths, just touching base here and there, but this past one week (exactly, almost to the minute), a bunch of us have had our lives criss-cross because of trauma and a kitty miracle and forced togetherness, and we're making the best of it.

I just had a series of texts with my daughter that made me laugh.

Emily: From work, asking how I am and if I need anything.

Me: Elise is helping me wash my hair today.  Can you trim my bangs tonight.  She's taking me to cardio at 12:30 tomorrow.

 Are you bringing me home or does she need to wait?

Emily: Sure. 

Can she wait? If I can stay and work, I need to work.

And by "work," I mean

I'll add more today, but that took a long time.  I hope I am properly thankful for my health and abilities if I ever get them back again!

And HereI Am

It still hurts to use my right arm but not as much as before. I might add a few pictures and call it a day.

These are my favorites:

My sweet girls are so concerned and so interested in my dilemma - any medical problems lately.  I guess it's a good thing I got them each a wheelchair and casts for their dolls for Christmas!

Katherine's art work.

I love the way she is flaunting her ability to put her arms over her head.  I can't even remember being able to do that.  I also wish my hair were that short.

Then I also got these last night.  This accident is getting a lot of attention!

I had the sweetest visitors last night!  The neighborhood welcome wagon cat Lunala found Layla and stood guard until her owners came to help.  This is the mom Kenda and her very special children, Kellen and Luca the moment they saw Layla again.

They brought her a good supply of food and toys and even a little bed.

After the retelling of her story, we realized just how close we were to not finding Layla alive.  Kenda said she was face down in the dirt under a bush and not responding.  Because of these wonderful friends along with my neighbor Jaime, she's sitting there getting her chin scratched.  What a miracle!!

Just that little bit of typing was frustrating.   I'll try to add more during the day.

Our street decorations, so far.

A Sunday afternoon visit and more fun activities.

Blog Vacation

 What a time to not get to write about all the festivities and things to remember, but it's impossible to type without the use of my right hand.

Good news is that Layla, our lost kitty was found  within a few feet of the apt and is slowly recovering from her 6-week adventure but bad news is that I took a flying leap onto the sidewalk in front of the vet's office, landing on my shoulder and fracturing my humerus in multiple spots.

The pain is real, so I hope to stay out of trouble for awhile.  My surgery is scheduled a week from today, on the 11th, and that's going to take care of my December quite well.   It's slow and painful to write, so I won't be doing much of that, but there have been bright spots amid all this that I hope to mention. I also have two excellent caregivers in my two daughters.  Sometimes they seem almost excited at telling me what I can and cannot do.

I'll be thankful for everyone's prayers these next few weeks and also for the family of the sweet young ER doctor who took such good care of me on Tuesday.  He had a cardiac arrest on a bike ride on Wednesday and died. So very sad.