I still can't believe it.
Two years ago tonight, I had my house/life ready for some sort of invasion; the enemy (friend? I wasn't sure) was coming for an extended visit. Surgery was scheduled in 11 hours.
I'd spent almost 2 solid months getting ready. I had cooked ahead and frozen meals. I had my handicapped hanger. I had retrofit my bathroom in a manner that would have made any 98 year old proud. I had all essential belongings attached to my nightstand with VELCRO (which still makes me alternately laugh and think "*that* was awesome(ly neurotic) planning, Pam" - LOL).
I even had crap on my list like "Have best friend (bless my best friend ... if anyone deserves to be a saint, it's her) remind me to put body jewelry back in if I don't remember.".
Triple redundancies were in place to recover solo, and my mind was going 1000 mph: I was *certain* I'd forgotten something crucial that would derail my entire recovery.
For those of you facing surgery/recovery tonight, I just want to tell you - there's NOTHING that critical. People told me that, and I thought they just didn't get it.
Life won't stop while you step off the merry-go-round, and it'll be right there waiting when you feel you're ready to rejoin the playground.
If anything's indicative of how this all-consuming focus will eventually fade, I didn't snap to my "anniversary" until I'd written the date about 8 times this morning. The biggest testament I can afford my experience is "I don't think about my back".
How absolutely *stunning* that still is to me ...
Pam
Two years ago tonight, I had my house/life ready for some sort of invasion; the enemy (friend? I wasn't sure) was coming for an extended visit. Surgery was scheduled in 11 hours.
I'd spent almost 2 solid months getting ready. I had cooked ahead and frozen meals. I had my handicapped hanger. I had retrofit my bathroom in a manner that would have made any 98 year old proud. I had all essential belongings attached to my nightstand with VELCRO (which still makes me alternately laugh and think "*that* was awesome(ly neurotic) planning, Pam" - LOL).
I even had crap on my list like "Have best friend (bless my best friend ... if anyone deserves to be a saint, it's her) remind me to put body jewelry back in if I don't remember.".
Triple redundancies were in place to recover solo, and my mind was going 1000 mph: I was *certain* I'd forgotten something crucial that would derail my entire recovery.
For those of you facing surgery/recovery tonight, I just want to tell you - there's NOTHING that critical. People told me that, and I thought they just didn't get it.
Life won't stop while you step off the merry-go-round, and it'll be right there waiting when you feel you're ready to rejoin the playground.
If anything's indicative of how this all-consuming focus will eventually fade, I didn't snap to my "anniversary" until I'd written the date about 8 times this morning. The biggest testament I can afford my experience is "I don't think about my back".
How absolutely *stunning* that still is to me ...
Pam
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