A visit to the doctor and coffee

Let me just say this about that. -- Richard Nixon

Today, we went to the orthopedic surgeon who fixed my fractured hip a little over three weeks now. It was a follow-up appointment and Ron took me, pushing me in a wheelchair. I don't know how he feels about pushing the wheelchair, but I know I like riding in it. A physician's assistant showed us the x-rays they took today of my hip. Wow, it was an eye-opener. Who knew I had that much metal in my body! There was a big screw down through the ball of my hip and then a big metal rod that went down the side of top bone of my leg, almost as big as the bone -- no wonder they don't want to take it out. The doctor said I was healing nicely and even though my recovery might be somewhat slowed by my MS, I could probably get back to where I was before the

accident. This was very cheering to me, even though I still don't feel like driving.

After the appointment, we drove through Grab-A-Java, a wonderful coffee place. I got a latte, which was excellent. The people who work in coffee places seem to be young and heavily tattooed with interesting hair -- I guess it's all part of the total coffee experience.  I have a well-developed and deeply seated coffee addiction but fortunately, I have a BUNN at home that can make all the coffee I can choke down. I've started to doctor up the coffee with soy milk so that drinking coffee is an unparalleled flavor experience.

When we got home, two occupational therapists gave me some practical pointers on making meals and doing laundry. I am slowly adapting to this new life and it helps to have people to give me ideas and suggestions. No sense reinventing the wheel -- others have gone through the same situation and come up with some really creative solutions.

Fame

I don't know how to put this, but I'm kind of a big deal. People know me.   I'm very important. I have many leather-bound books, and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.

Ron Burgundy, Anchorman

My husband was elected to the Dana-Thomas House Foundation board (kind of a big deal) and I tease him with this bit of wisdom from Anchorman (hilarious movie BTW). Of course fame is relative -- one can always be more famous.  And then there are those of us who are legends in our own mind...

I used to wish I was a "famous" author: if I could just get that one bestseller I'd be happy.  But then I know I'd be worried about writing the next book and seeing my "classic" on the remainder pile at Barnes and Noble.  So instead I self-published and received immense gratification from the hearing positive comments readers -  rewarding in a way no review could ever be.

Truly all human glory, all temporal honour, all worldly exultation, compared to Thy eternal glory, is but vanity and folly.

Thomas A Kempis, The Imitation of Christ

Home again

Larry, Ron and Bentley

I finally came home from the hospital on Friday after two weeks. The first week was the worst with lots of pain and confusion. The second week I started to feel better and despite a minor setback (see previous post) I was able to attend therapy and was pretty pain-free. It was then that the boredom set in. Sitting in a hospital chair every evening from 5 p.m. when we ate dinner to 10 p.m. when I went to bed made me feel about 100 years old.

Ron came to get me Friday and take me home and that night, my brothers Larry and Andrew and my mom arrived from Iowa. With Ron's help, they set about making the house workable for someone who is mostly in wheelchair. My brothers rearranged furniture, installed a new shower head, and cleared out the family room so that I can get in the house. My mom did all my laundry and we played solitaire on my iPAD.

Emily, me and Mom after a great meal

My brother Andrew made us a terrific Iowa steak dinner and cleaned up afterwards. I just sat and enjoyed the food and good company, which included Emily and Jake and their little dog Bentley. The Iowans went home this morning and Ron and I have spent a quiet day catching up.Despite the obstacles,  I am feeling wonderful about being home.

Prayer and pain

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. Matthew 2:23

At 3 a.m. last night a painful muscle spasm woke me from a sound sleep. I had been plagued all day by the spasms, missing my therapy sessions. If I relaxed and breathed deeply, gradually the spasm would cease and the pain would subside -- kind of like labor pains, but without such a positive outcome.

Worn out and in desperation, I prayed for God to take my spasms away. I went to sleep for a while and woke up feeling content and relaxed. Even though I had two more spasms, I also was able to breathe through them. I felt that God had given me something even greater than even taking away the spasms -- He had given me contentment. I felt at ease and happy with whatever would happen, safe in the love of God.

As it turned out, God also took away my spasms. They began to get less painful and now they are gone completely -- hopefully never to return. Today I was back at therapy sessions. God is always present, waiting for us to call.   He does answer prayer, maybe not in the way we ask, but often in a way that brings even  greater satisfaction than we could have guessed.

Sunny day and a set-back

The week started out great with a plethora of friends visiting on Sunday, including one who wheeled me

Simmons Cancer Institute

outside to enjoy the beautiful sunny day. We went over to the Simmons Cancer Institute  Institute and sat in the Peace Garden to talk.  On Sunday, there was a slight breeze and we relaxed in the shade listening to the brook and watching the butterflies.

 In front of the building there is a sculpture of a man and women dancing together, but out of the foot of each one is a ugly streamer that encircles the dancers.  I think the stream is meant to represent the ugliness of cancer, but the fact that it does not stop the dancers, nor obliterate their beauty indicates to me that even this horrible disease cannot contain or wipe out  human beings. I think that cancer patients who are entering the Institute would be very encouraged by this.


After a wonderful day Sunday. I had four therapy sessions on Monday. They went well, but I was very tired when I returned. Then last night, I had a setback. When I got up, I experienced excruciating pain when I put any weight on my right leg. I was afraid that I had broken my leg again, but the doctor informed me that there had been no new fracture after an x-ray. . He said I should  continue therapy. Now that I know that I have not broken anything, I want to in get back in the therapy saddle.

There is hope even in a dark situation. Many people struck with cancer have survived, although many others have gone to heaven. The dancers continue to dance, encircled by disease but not destroyed.

Change in an instant

I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”- Psalm 121:1-2 

 It is truly amazing how life can change in an instant. In my case, the instant was at about 11:45 a.m. last Saturday in our kitchen in Rochester. I turned around too quickly from loading the dishwasher, lost my balance, and fell. It hurt like hell.

Fortunately, Ron was at home, and after a few futile attempts to get me off the floor, he called an ambulance  while I laid on the floor feeling kind of like the lady on TV who says "I've fallen and I can't get up."  (I will never make fun of her again.)

The ambulance came, and 2 able-bodied young men lifted me to a gurney and carried me out. Thank goodness the ambulance didn't have the sirens and lights on, or the whole neighborhood would have been out to watch.

We went to the emergency room at a Springfield hospital. After several hours and two sets of x-rays, it was determined that my right hip was broken.  A local surgeon put in a pin on Saturday night, and I have been in the hospital ever since.

On Wednesday, I was transferred to a third floor unit  specifically focused on rehabilitation. There are at least three hours of therapy every day --  so far I have seen physical, speech and occupational therapists. For the therapies, we are taken to Independence Square, an amazing miniature town featuring obstacles that wheelchair users face daily, such as bumps, curbs, and shelves that are out of reach. Yesterday, I practiced getting in and out of both the passenger's and driver's side of car. Today, I practiced dressing. I can't believe I was fortunate enough to get into this program. It is a wonderful opportunity and the therapists are fantastic.

Even though being in the hospital is often impersonal and lonely, I have many blessings, including overwhelming support from my friends and relatives. They have visited, called, sent flowers and cards, brought by gifts and food, and sent e-mails and Facebook messages.

You never know when life will change. It could be a fall, or a car accident, or a spouse who leaves, or a job lost. Whatever it is, I found that the only way to get through these crises is with God's support and loving friends.

Maddy

Maddy

According to the Springfield School District 186 website, "Research suggests that mentoring is effective in improving the self-esteem, attitudes, attendance and achievement of school-aged children. The relationship that develops between mentors and students is key to the success of the match."

Today I saw the third-grade girl I mentor, Maddy, for the first time this school year. I've been her mentor since she was in first grade, and if ever there was someone who makes me feel as though I matter, it's Maddy.  She counts on me to come every week, play games with her, just be her special adult.  She has a rough life outside school, and I'm glad I can give her some sense of self-worth.

Rise and Shine!

I will rise but I will NOT Shine...

Tom Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

That sums up my feelings this morning. However, once I was up, but I felt a lot better, so I went to water aerobics. Somehow I think that exercising in the water makes me more flexible and I  wonder how I would have fared had I started doing this sooner, when my right hand and leg were stronger and more responsive.

I came home and did a variety of housework including my least favorite chore, cleaning the birdcages. Paco always glowers at me when I change the paper in his cage and Wally the cocktail flies around chirping incessantly until I am done.

After lunch I called Ron to tell him that 2 hummingbirds were flying around the backyard chasing each other. Hummingbirds are extremely territorial and one bird has decided that he owns the hummingbird feeder and chases off the other. We have noticed monarch butterflies also drinking the nectar -- in fact they don't appears to be afraid of the hummingbirds!

While I was talking with Ron, I heard a buzzing noise and saw a wasp on the inside of the dining room window. This is probably the 15th wasp that has been inside our house in the last week. They may have a nest in our attic and it's hard telling how many are up there. Anyway, I swatted it and trapped it under a chair leg. It's kind of inhumane, but I can't seem to stomp them hard enough to kill them.


Here's a cartoon to summarize the day so far:

 New Yorker cartoons