Think Pink

If you're lucky...

this is one of two posts for the day.  Yesterday I dug in my heels and tried to get back on track on after a bizarre second half of the week.  I am typing full throttle as I was over "the club" on sunday morning and had been left unsupervised at home, and so, removed it.  Truly, an industrial strength bandaid is all that I really need. There are public pictures up on my flickr so you should be able to see the hand, should you have that gory desire (I so would if you posted gory photos).  Actually, and as many have pointed out, it's not all that bad, superficially.  It was the DEPTH of the original wound where the trouble came about.  Today I see a hand therapist for my splint.  I already HAVE a splint, so I am hoping that all I need are a few adjustments.  They are also supposed to remove the bandaging.  Heh.  Maybe I'll get a patient initiative discount on the visit since I did that part for them. 

but enough about the hand.

Atkins bit the dust Wednesday afternoon after a horrible anesthesia experience.  Upon awakening to an EYEBALL SPLITTING headache and nausea that made me want to urp my toenails, I came home and crawled into bed for another 3 hours of healing sleep.  I did wake up feeling better, and needed a painpill, which requires some form of food in my tummy. The evil Chedder Chex Mix sat upon the shelf and it sounded SOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOD.  You know what I mean.  That "I have felt so so incredibly rotten but the taste of this and ONLY THIS will make me feel better" feeling.  Oh and it did.  It was SO GOOD.  And then I took my pretty white pain tablet and aaaaaaaaaallllllll was well.  But really, despite SOME carbs I didn't really go all out overboard until last night.  When my husband forced me to eat a fully loaded Sorentoes Pizza with him.  I didn't want to.  I fought and fought.  But with one hand injured I was rendered mostly helpless, and alas, I ate MUCH of it's cheesy toppinged goodness.  But today is a NEW DAY, and I'm back on the healthy wagon.  I did restart my walks yesterday, and I am still down 14 lbs.   It could be worse.  It's going to be better.

More good news is that my house stayed very, very well maintained while I was incapacitated.  I pat my back to some extent because I am feeling better organized than I have ever felt before.  I pat my hunky husbby's back (and his tushy a few times for good measure) because he took over completely during a very, very stressful week for him without my little escapade.  And I chalk some of it up to the fact that my kid's weren't here very much Wed-Sun. Poor things.  Their little world got all tilted wonky-doo.  But I am trying to remedy that some now that *I* am feeling normal again.

(Did I mention that with my right hand I carried a copy cup by spanning my hand over the top?  heh. I SO could not do that at this time last week.)

My wonderful mommy sommy sent a delicious little paper gift yesterday, that today will be traded in for green paper of the spendable kind and with it I shall purchase for myself things of a totally frivolous nature. 1) Drawing pencils--as I plan to spend some time mastering the are of drawing people. As you can see, after a LONG haitus, I took some time this weekend to draw again.  It felt good, why did I stop? 2) Knitting needles and yarn--as I plan to take up a new hobby.  3) Gardening goods--as the growing season is rapidly approaching and I intend to meet it head on.  Oh soon, soon my friends you will be seeing pictures of little growing plantlets, and it will make me SMILE!  We will be starting with sunflowers and that will be fun for both the girls and I. 

But now I hear yawning and stirring, which means little critters will soon be walking around my house, frowsy and warm from sleep and wanting breakfast. 

Tune in later--I really AM posting a bookish post later TODAY!

Talk to the Hand

I thought maybe a Visual was in order for what I have to say today.  If you look closely at this picture, you see the nerve that runs just on the outside edge of the index finger and along the webbing of between the finger and thumb.  That is the nerve I severed just over a year ago, and looking more closely at all the nerves that lay bundled in that area I can count myself very blessed that I didn't do further damage to the hand when the knife went in.  Now I don't know what you know about severed nerves but they are funny little things.  The one in my hand is one of two in my body.  The other severed nerve runs along the back of my arm from my shoulder to my elbow, and is a result of the surgery I had years ago during my cancer stint.  The funny thing about severed nerves, is that they never heal back quite the way they were.  In fact, it's difficult to get them to heal at all, but your nerve never really stops acting like it was acting all along in the first place.  Despite the fact that I haven't had any feeling in the back of my arm for over a decade, that nerve still occasionally fires off a signal which feels something akin to laying a hot poker along the back of my arm.  It's not actually working, but it's still there, and it still wants to work in the way it was created despite the fact that it has been cut off.  My finger is a little bit different.  Here the nerve ends were ressected, but never really healed smoothly together.  Most days my finger tingles gently all day long unless something comes into direct contact with it, then you get a sharper tingle, not unlike when an appendage falls asleep.  It's not exactly comfortable, but you get used to it after awhile.  It would be a lot easier if the nerves just died off completely and left no trace of the fact that they ever existed to begin with, but the human body is made to work together as a unit, and when one part is not functioning the way it should, the body will continue to remind you that all is not well, all is not well, all is not well.  Even if there isn't anything left to do to fix the problem.  Even if that little uncomfortable reminder goes on for the rest of your life.

Friendship is like that sometimes too.  You can try to shut it off, but some part of you will always remind you...all is not well....all is not well.......

Peaceful

beach 032
Originally uploaded by mommybygod.

It's hard to type so this will be short. I posted some beach pics over at flickr (this is a sample). They are all public, if you want to see them. My house is empty until this afternoon so I am in for all the one handed fun I can handle!

Deja Hand

Home and typing one handed though mainly because all my fingers are numb. Surgery went well and fast though anesthesia wasn't my friend today. one week until I get the splint. Two weeks until the stitches come out. I heard a rumor of 14--we'll see.

And this is my post surgery pick me up. A little nose pretty. I'm worth it.

Looking for the Blessings

By this time tomorrow it will be all over.

also

I have two px's --one to fight infection (hands are UBER prone to this) and one for pain

one causes diarrehea and one causes constipation

they ought to cancel out and I'll poo as normal

You really have to look for the blessings sometimes

What a hand! What Hand!

WHAT A MIGHTY FINE HAND!

WOOTY WOOT WOOOOOO!!!!

yeah I got other stuff to say, but news this big deserves a post of its own and I also have 752 things to do that I couldn't do with a cast.

No, I don't have my full range of movement yet, nor have I resumed all feeling, but we expect both of those things to happen in the weeks and months to come.  In the meantime I AM FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!  and it just doesn't get better than that!

Brownies and Lattes and Splints...oh my!

***If you linked here to see "The Meaning of Life" entry--click here***

Have you ever had a really rough day and you know you are looking really way to funky for public consumption, and then you actually see yourself in the mirror and really, it's worse than you thought....

Let's be Honest

shall we......

Silly

ok. I admit.  I am doing better. Thank you for all of your hugs and sweet thoughts.  And thank you to those who simply kicked me in the pants when i needed it.  I have a ton to say, and lack the speed to keep up with it...

Amputee

I think a mistake was made in the operating room.
I think instead of my hand, they amputated my inspiration, my sense of humor and my smile.