Monday, April 26, 2010

April 26, 5am

Can't sleep so thought I would blog. Would read my trash novel, but I have a room mate here at rehab and the light is too bright on my side of the room. Will have son bring small, hook-on- book, reading lite later today.
A few things about going for the procedure and having it done. On way to hospital with daughter and son (Julie and James) I said I would like to learn to write haiku. Didn't know how many syllables were in each line. Son had computer with him and looked it up. (Don't know what he has on his computer as we were not networked at the time). So in terms of syllables, haiku is 5, 7, 5. This was a wonderful way to keep my mind busy in the preop area, on the operating table before I was knocked out, and when I woke up. I know I wasn't writing good haiku, but what a wonderful mind exercise. Here's one:

Symmetry matters
I won't be that way later
It will be weird

Another

Today the sun shines
It will shine tomorrow too
My leg will be gone

There were some more and my daughter may have written a couple of them down. I had a nurse in the recovery area trying to come up with them too as I started babbling in bad haiku.

We did the surgery with regional anesthesia instead of general. Regional with those twilight sleep drugs means you are lucid pretty much as you go into and come out of the OR and I like that. I do want to keep thinking. Although I'm not sure I would depend on that thinking immediately as I wake up. Maybe in an hour.

I already talked about how hard Saturday was. Not sure I said something important about seeing my residual limb without all the dressing on it. I thought I had better look when the dressing came off on Saturday, because it is my leg after all. I am glad that Calvin showed me his residual limb when this process began. I was not surprised or apalled. It is a nice neat looking upper leg, goes to a few inches below the knee and then it simply ends. My observation is that it was tidy. The part that was gone had not looked tidy for a long time. I'm not likely to see it again for ten days, as I think this current dressing stays on that long. It is sort of like a soft cast. I do want to continue to appreciate it. It's gonna let me walk in a pretty normal manner. Doc here (met him last night - have to remember the name of his specialty) said that I will be able to slip the prosthesis on and off the limb in seconds. Good news for someone who is not good at waiting.

That's my morning update. It's now 5:45. Stuff is beginning to bang around in the hallways here. (The night was quiet). Wonder if I can try to sleep for another hour.

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6 comments:

  1. Hi Annie - I have been thinking about you and wondering how to get in touch, and finally I remembered your blog! I will remind the other Covenant Group members to check here for updates. How much longer are you going to be in rehab? Are you interested in visitors?

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  2. Annie - Love your haiku. Very Japanesey. An artful comment on every occasion, even when the occasion is merely fireflies at nightfall. So appreciate your blog presence as you are at the front of my thoughts. Called last week; missed you but left message. Will try later when you are "receiving" again. LOVE, Anne

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  3. Ma-

    I looked up the Haiku syllables on my phone. There one mystery solved.

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  4. Annie, you sound positive, upbeat and resolute. I've never known anyone who kept a blog about this big life change.... It is good that you focus not only on your leg, but your self - that one lives in the mind. You are teaching me a lot, and I imagine that all your 'followers' are learning, too. Keep up the good work.
    When do you want to receive a visitor or two?
    Blessings,
    Georgia

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  5. Annie, I've been watching your blog since you pointed me to it on Facebook, and Im glad to see you remain positive through this life change. You've always been strong. Keep it up.

    Sending best wishes from Minneapolis!

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  6. Haiku! Brilliant! I only ever think of haiku in moments of transcendental bliss, but that's not really helpful, is it, if you're not a natural poet. Now I have another coping strategy for the bleak, uncertain times. Keep this blog up, and you will have wiser friends before you know it.

    Pat Schuetz

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