TWO MONTH KIDNEYVERSARY!

Can you believe it's been two whole months today, Dearies? I am sitting in the waiting room of the lab waiting for my turn, noticing the progress my fellow patients have made and accepting congratulations for progress of my own. Sometimes it feels like forever ago. Sometimes it feels like just yesterday. 

I have one more month of "recovery mode" and then it's on to a whole new year and a whole new life!

WoooooooHooooooo!

 

On my way to Indy to see the T-team tomorrow! Running around like the proverbial squirrel in traffic, making sure I don't forget anything! Ciao, Dearies! See you on the other side!

IN WHICH WE DECORATE FOR CHRISTMAS AND SELECT SOME CHRISTMAS STITCHY PROJECTS

Can you imagine Stewey's little tizzy-fit if he thought that THIS would be the extent of my Christmastide Decor 2021? I shudder to think of the amount of grief that would come my way!

What a game! I did, however, have a minor panic attack thinking about what it would have been like on the field after the game with 110,000 other fans. Me and the crowds? Um, not so much.

It took me ALL DAY to select these projects for my stitchy basket! I might start on something a little later, but I'm awfully tired after all of my Saturday shenanagins, so maybe tomorrow will be a full stitchy day for Yours Truly.

SCENES FROM A SPINSTER/JB THANKSGIVING

Well, I might have been just very slightly off my Ina game, but I did manage to assemble a little feast for the two of us. The turkey was delicious, and although I didn't make Sagaponak Corn Pudding this year, everything was lovely.

Today we went for breakfast, a covid booster for JB, and provisions at the Martin's. I came home and made a very good dent in my Indy stuff mess, and am happy to report that all of my clothes, toiletries, and kitchen goods are all put away. I have a few boxes of mail and about ten packages that were delivered while I was away, but I have plenty of time to get things completely sorted.

I think I'll snuggle under my Snoopy blanket now and do a little coloring before bedtime, Dearies! I did pull my Christmas stitching basket out of the cube room studio, earlier, so tomorrow promises to be a return to stitching in a big way!

Happy Friday! I hope this finds you well and safe and happy. Come tell me all about it!

P.S. Before you all think me crazy for buying four pies for two people...our ice cream shop in front of the apartment had a deal...four MINI pies with ice cream, whipped cream, and caramel. I had a little bit of pumpkin pie and a little bit of cherry, thankyouverymuch!

 

There 's a line in You've Got Mail that has been a big part of me for quite some time now about leading a small life. Valuable, but small. 

I've always loved that line, and have adapted it to my own "I lead a small, happy life", a line that I have repeated to anyone who wanted to hear it.

Now, though, I have changed it again to acknowledge the year I've had: "I lead a small, happy life with enormous blessings".

The blessings of my life overwhelm me sometimes, because I feel a responsibility to be worthy of them, and I often worry that I won't be up to the task. But grateful, thankful, blessed, and happy I remain, and on this Thanksgiving I am particularly aware of just how wonderful this life of mine is.

Thank you, Dearies for being one of those enormous blessings, and for lavishing your love, support, encouragement, prayers, and wisdom on me through thick and thin.

My wish for you is that you will be equally blessed and that life will be full of love, health, happiness and enormous blessings of your own.

BABY STEPS AND THE SPINSTER? UM...NOT SO MUCH

Apparently, I'm being tested by the universe to see if I've learned any lessons.

Nope.

I'm still trying to rule the world with my hair on fire, going a hundred miles an hour, with one eye closed, and a big vat of damn good in my hand.

Epic.

Fail.

Yesterday was just one big exercise on frustration, because I got very very little done. I decided to start by flipping my closet and putting all of my clothes away, but I got towels washed and that was about it. I had to sit down about every fifteen minutes to rest, and by the time 5:00 rolled around, I was completely wiped out and ready for bed.

Phooey.

BUT! Somewhere around 10:30 last night I flipped the script, sat upright in the big girl sleigh bed, and gave myself a little smack about the head.

I have a new kidney! 

And I don't have to cram everything into two days a week now, because I don't have to go to dialysis anymore! 

And I'm HOME in my own bed and with my own things and with everything that makes me happy all around me!

So I said my gratitude prayers again and gave myself a little pat and promised myself that I would just do what I could do and when I got tired I would stop and rest and be grateful that I could do so and just stop my moaning and kvetching.

I actually think this has more to do with the fact that I'm not 22 years old anymore. Age brought a lot of changes to me fast, and the transplant threw into specific relief the differences between being able to clean the entire house, run errands, get dressed, and go out cavorting...all on a Saturday...and having to take a nap after folding some towels.

So yes, the Spinster Stitcher is learning the baby steps and celebrating each and every one. I'm going to finish my damn good and see where the day takes me. And if it takes me back to the big girl sleigh bed...so be it. 

What can I say, Dearies? I'm a slow learner and always have been. Don't worry...I'll get it together eventually, and until I do, I am really really super mindful of my obligation to take care of myself and this kidney. As my beloved Dr G would say "You've got a new life now. Don't eff it up".

ALL. DAY. LONG.

 

SILLY, STUPID SPINSTER

I had one thing to do today.

One thing.

Get up, shower, get dressed, and go get labwork done.

But what did I do instead? Got up, TOOK MY MEDS, had coffee, watched the vsin with JB, and then headed in to get ready for the day.

Uh, Spinster? You've been doing this for almost two months now. YOU CAN'T TAKE MEDS BEFORE LABWORK! YOU TAKE MEDS AFTER LABWORK! Remember? The very first thing you did when you arrived at the hospital was go to the lab and get labwork done. Then you checked into clinic, had vitals taken, then went for breakfast AND TOOK MEDS, then back to clinic to meet with whatever doc was on rounds to go over the labwork and get your bandages changed!

Two months of the exact same freakin' thing, and I go and screw it up the minute I get home.

What in the world has happened to my tiny little brain, I ask you? 

Oh well.

Yesterday was a bit of a bust in the Eagle-watching department. We went for breakfast and then drove out to the Four Winds Casino to go to what we thought would be their sports book, with a betting counter and TeeVees with all of the games on.

Nope.

Just a counter, but no sitting areas or TeeVees. I am guessing that they will eventually add a full sports book, but for now...not so much.

So we came home and JB watched the NFL Red Zone and caught parts of the game that way. I was just a big fat ball of tired, but I gutted it out and stayed out of the big girl sleigh bed until 9pm rather than take a four or five hour nap at 3:00 that would have kept me up too late.

Today I am hoping to get myself showered and dressed, and then I'm going to run an errand for JB and hopefully come home to start tackling all of the Indy stuff that needs to be put away. I think I should concentrate on laundry first, since some of those close need to be tucked away until Spring to make room for Winter clothes, but we'll see how much I get done.

Happy Monday, Dearies! Can you believe I got to lounge about this morning instead of having to go to dialysis?!

WooooooooPeeeeeeeee!

AND THEN THE SPINSTER STITCHER GOT DRESSED

I confess, re-entry has been a bit rough. I honestly cannot remember a time when I have felt more exhausted in my life, and my entire body feels like I have been dropped from a medium sized building. I'm sure that it is all the result of the drive home, going up and down the stairs, getting used to a completely different bed, and adrenaline leaving my body, but oey vey...it's been a blurry few days.

Thanks to a diligent JB, I am behaving myself very nicely by staying hydrated, eating carefully, and getting lots of good rest. Today, he asked if I might like to go out for breakfast and then to watch the Eagle's game, and rather than look at him like he's crazy and stay in pajamas all day, I got myself showered and dressed.

Clothes and proper shoes feel very odd, since it's been all comfort all the time for the better part of two months (and the four years before that), so I am learning to adjust to proper underthings (also known as bra and underpants), as well as jewelry.

Speaking of...I have finally decided on the item that will commemorate my transplant.  JB wanted to buy me a necklace with "930" on it, but I asked for a wide band ring with IX XXX XXI instead. Fortunately, it appears that Roman numeral band rings are readily available on the etsy, so now all I have to do is select which one is me. (For the record, I am aware of the Tiffany Atlas collection, but I'm afraid that's a little far outside the budget). A $39 band will do very nicely, indeed.

Happy Sunday, Dearies! I'm going to enjoy the day and hope to settle in with some stitching this evening. You'll be happy to know that I haven't touched one thing that is piled high in the dining room from the hotel room. Instead of killing myself to get it all done, I decided to take it a little bit at a time and re-organize as I go. I should be done sometime before the end of the year!

IN WHICH WE BID A FOND FAREWELL TO CS4

WooooooHooooo!

Guess which portly spinster is packed up and heading home?!

The doctor at clinic today gave me a wondetful gift. He told me to go home to sleep in my own bed, enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with my JB, and get labs done in Mishawaka and they would call me with results.

They are trying to get me into the next clinic in Mishawaka (wherein the Indy team visits my old nephrology office and we see them there), but if they can't find a space for me I'll pop back down here just for a quick overnight!

I am happy, excited, a little anxious, and a bit worried about being away from my mothership, but Beanie and I are really looking forward to familiar surroundings.

Happy, happy, happy weekend to one and all! Come tell me everything that's blowing your skirt up!!

A HAPPY FUTZINGDAY TO YOU!

Good morning, Dearies!

I had a very interesting night's sleep. As I rolled from side to side or got up to use the facilities, I automatically reached for the wound vac to make sure I wasn't tangled in the tubing or that I wasn't going to knock it off of the nightstand.

(Amazing how being tethered to something for that long can train your brain.)

I've had a lot of questions about things....like what exactly was the wound vac and did it hurt, etc. The answer is that it didn't hurt at all, but in the initial stages the changing of the dressing was excruciating. The vac didn't go into the incision....they had a special sterile foam that they would cut and insert into the open areas, and then there was a plastic sheeting barrier that they would use to cover everything. Then they would cut a tiny hole in that barrier and lay what looked like a small disc of plastic over it that was attached to the machine. This little disc basically sucked all of the fluid, etc out and allowed the wound to heal from the inside.

Another question I've been asked is about Buzzy, and whether or not they removed him. The answer to that is nope...Buzzy is still in my left arm and will remain so unless he causes heart issues due to blockages. He will eventually shrink and go to sleep and stop buzzing, but he and I will remain very good friends.

The most popular question has been "how do you feel?" I'm still making my way through the physical aspects of transplant, so fatigue and feeling a bit weak are both very much with me. My mornings seem to be the roughest part of the day, and then again in the late afternoon. Waves of absolute exhaustion kind of wash over me and if I don't find a pillow I'm miserable. But, for the most part, I think that once I am full speed ahead again it's going to be amazing!

Weight and food and overeating have been a huge issue, especially the last three weeks, but this is very normal given the dose of steroids I was on. I have been craving Combos (the little cheese filled cracker/pretzel things) and, of all things, gyros. I don't even like gyros but I have had about fifty of them since being here! They told me to eat protein to help the wound heal, and apparently what my body wanted was gyros. I've also eaten my fair share of grilled vegetables on rice, as well as steak medallions from the Weber Grill, so maybe what I've really been after was meat in general?

I am allowing myself to indulge a few more days, and then I will be right back on the stick when I go home. I do weigh myself daily and know that I've gained a couple of kilos, so I promise you I am aware and watching things carefully.

Another question is about restrictions. I won't be able to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk for about six months, and I still need to make sure to drink lots and lots of water, but dietary restrictions have all been lifted. I need to avoid grapefruit, starfruit, and pomegranate, but other than that I can eat whatever I want. Bananas are now back on the menu, and I've enjoyed one every day! (Couldn't have them on dialysis because of potassium). The weirdest thing is that I need to add things with high phosphorus in them (like dairy and chocolate, etc), whereas before I had to avoid phosphorus entirely.

Diet Coke and the like, I'm afraid, will never cross my lips again. Any type of dark cola is a big no no for kidney health, so I will stick with the diet Sprite or ginger ale every now and then and will be happy with that. 

I swear, these little kidney beans of ours are complicated little gizmos, and when you think about all of the stuff they do for us, you really have a new appreciation for the complexities of dialysis and transplant and balancing medications, etc.

Well, Dearies, it's time for me to take my first shower since surgery. I am really looking forward to it and have the big fluffy towels, the Irish Spring body wash, and the shampoo and conditioner all ready to go! I might never come out of there, so if you don't hear from me in a few days, you'll know where I am!

IN WHICH WE ARE OFFICIALLY SANS MEDICAL APPENDEGES

WooHoo! I'm officially free from all things accessory in the medical department! Today they removed the wound vac and sent me on my way with a simple wet/dry bandage and instructions on how to properly change it myself.

Lovely Andy the Surgeon came in and gave it two thumbs up and said he was very happy with how the healing has progressed, and the Nephrologist went over all of my numbers and felt very good about a departure date of next Tuesday, barring any unforeseen complications.

So, Dearies, looks like I am on my way to being able to head back to Granger just in time for Thanksgiving!

A very happy day, indeed!

FIVE YEARS...

 

SOME PONDERINGS ON A DREARY SATURDAY MORNING

Good morning, Dearies.

I've been thinking a lot about my postings these last few weeks, and for some reason feel compelled to clarify some things and apologize to all of my fellow kidney transplant warriors out there.

You all know me, so you know that I have a pair of rosy colored glasses stapled to my face. I try as hard as I possibly can to be upbeat, positive, and put a Mary Poppins happy spin on everything and view the world from the top of a glitter-covered rainbow.

(At least that's how it goes in my head, anyway.)

But being a kidney patient on dialysis and then a kidney transplant patient is hard.

Excrutiatingly, mind-numbingly, awfully, terribly, ridiculously hard.

If you've read this here blog since 9.30.21 I would imagine that it might have looked like my time here has been one big Indianapolis vacation. I've been super blessed in every way with a fabulous team at IU, my beloved caregivers watching my every move, financial resources (thanks to all of you) that have allowed me to stay here rather than drive back and forth, lots of flitting about and excursions to nail salons, Targets, bookstores, restaurants, etc, and what would appear to be lots of fun.

I've tried to keep this light. And as humorous as one can, given the serious circumstances. (A naked homeless man trying to break into the hotel room window two feet away from me seems funny now, but I can honestly tell you that I have never felt fear like that before in my life).

The pictures of my abdomen cut open are on my phone and in my medical chart and if I happen to catch sight of the early ones, I just about pass out from the horror of them, and the bumps, bruises, and scars I'm sporting from central lines and an inert Buzzy are daily reminders that...yes...something significant really did take place here.

This was not an easy experience in any way. Physically, the pain and discomfort and weakness and general feeling of ugh from all of these new meds knocked me completely out, and I am still fighting brain fog and the feeling that I've been dropped from a semi-tall building. 

Mentally, my tiny little brain seems to have shut itself down, since concentrating on anything harder than opening a bag of pretzels is completely beyond me. I've had entire conversations with Rich or Denise or Cheryl or my sister that I can't remember for the life of me, and the other day it took me a half hour to try to remember why I had walked into the little kitchenette.

I won't even try to explain the emotional toll this has taken, but I promise you that you don't know a sleepless night until you've been presented with the fact that another human person died and you got to live because of that. Or how you replay a nasty conversation you had in which crap comes spewing out of your mouth uncontrollably, while all you can do is sit there and watch it all take place....completely horrified that you have the capacity to be so utterly...mean.

At the moment, the financial impact of this transplant is well over two million dollars. My share of that is significant and I will be paying these bills off for a very long time. The wound vac is approximately $100 per day out of pocket (my portion of insurance), meds are going to be $400 per month for the rest of my life, and the deductibles and out of pocket maximums will be significant. Yes, my kidney fund enabled me to live here in Indy while recovering, but it also covered things like parking at the hospital and gas for caregivers, and meals and groceries, and stupid incidentals like the iron tablets that are a prescription but not covered because they come over the counter, etc. My peace of mind that there was money there to use is a gift that I will be forever grateful for, but this is going to have quite an impact for quite some time.

I'm saying all of this because I realized that it has read like one big crazy adventure that I've stumbled my way through with grit and good humor,  but the truth of the matter is that I honestly don't know how I survived this. Don't misunderstand me, please. I will NEVER be able to find enough humility and gratitude to adequately express in the face of being given a new life, but this is...by far...the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.

On my first clinic visit I met a guy that had seemingly sailed through his transplant, and he was driving and walking and working and living life as though nothing had happened, and I was thoroughly depressed that I was a hot mess of pain and confusion and neediness and couldn't get out of a wheelchair.

I expressed this to one of my nurses...that I felt like a total failure because I was still so incapacitated...and she got about an inch from my face and said "You just had a kidney transplant. We cut you practically in half, tore through muscle and tissue, pulled stuff out of the way, and sewed a new organ into you that your body wants to kill. We are pumping you full of medications that would strip paint off of a semi-truck, are demanding that you drink your body weight in fluid, and are pulling and poking and prodding you to move and come here to this hospital and sit in waiting rooms and doctor's offices when you can barely stand to sit upright. If you don't think this is the hardest thing you will ever do in your life, you have 't been paying attention. Don't you dare compare yourself to another patient. This is your journey and yours alone. Honor it by be honest enough to admit how damn hard it is".

So I guess that's what I want to say. This is a very big, very hard, very scary thing, and like our friend told me when I made light of dialysis....I am a jackass for making light of it. I can be grateful and I can tell you funny stories from my day, or I can do little happy dances over milestones that I'm achieving, but I also need to acknowledge what a huge freaking deal this has been.

I owe that to the doctors and nurses.

I owe that to Rich, Denise, Cheryl, and my sister.

I owe that to every person who has expressed support and love and encouragement.

I owe that to all of you

I owe it to every patient who has survived and fought through recovery from illness and surgery and treatment of any kind.

And, most importantly, I owe it to myself.

Thanks for indulging me, Dearies. I'm going to head down for a little breakfast and het on with my day. It's cold and dreary here in Hoosierville, so methinks it might be a bed coffee and Netflix kind of day. Stay tuned to see what kind of trouble I can get into!

IN WHICH GOD DIDN'T LAUGH AT MY PLAN!!

WooHoo!

Well, Dearies, we have a plan! And, it is almost exactly the same as my super duper secret plan that I hoped and wished would come true!

Three more clinic visits here in Indianapolis and I can look forward to going home on Tuesday afternoon, November 23!

The wound vac will come off on Tuesday, a home health nurse will be arranged to make sure the incision continues to heal nicely with just regular gauze bandages, and I will be able to do my follow up visits with the post-transplant team at my nephrologist's office in Mishawaka!

I was honestly planning on weekly trips back and forth for quite some time, but my recovery is going well enough that the docs can watch me remotely with labwork and telephone visits.

The weekend is upon us, and my plan includes lots of resting, lots of stitching, lots of coloring, and thanks to some time spent at the Barnes and Nobles, lots of reading!

I hope you have an amazingly fabulously wonderful few days! Come tell me all about YOUR plans!

FUTZINGDAY SUCCESS

I lounged most of the day yesterday, and at 3pm finally got myself together and headed down to do laundry. This time, I sat the the Great Room lobby area at a big table in front of the fireplace to wait for the sploshing to finish, and I'm happy to report that I stitched the time away!

The lighting was perfect for me to be able to see through the dark brown aida, and the addition of the special cloth Miss Charlene gifted me years ago that is white on one side and dark on the other also helped tremendously.

Needless to say, I was very happy to be able to play with needle and thread again without too much difficulty.

An early dinner from PF Chang's (pepper steak on rice thankyouverymuch) was the perfect ending to a perfect day. My meals were all significantly better yesterday, so I celebrated the fact that I stayed on track. I crave protein and have been eating gyros and steak on rice and grilled chicken on top of salads...all of which are recommended by my team to heal. Once I get home, however, it will be back to a bit more stringent diet of salmon, eggs, and lots and lots of veg and fruit.

Today is starting slowly, and I will eventually need to get cleaned up and dressed for Cheryl's arrival. She will be here at noon and then we are going for manicures and pedicures at 1:00 up in Castleton at a beautiful place we found there. An indulgence for me for sure, but one that I am going to enjoy and view as part of my recovery. I can't quite bend enough to take care of my toes myself, and having my hands groomed will be a nice little mental boost, so I am going to just appreciate it rather than feel guilty.

Tomorrow will be another clinic visit and dressing change. I am really hoping that we can start to narrow in on a schedule for the next part of the journey. If all goes according to plan, the wound vac will come off next week and then I can head home that weekend and just come down to Indy once a week or once every other week to see the team. Then, my visits will be once a month up in Mishawaka at my old nephrologist's office.

But I don't want to get ahead of myself and try to plan or control, because we all know what happens when I do. God laughs and points me in an entirely different direction, and my tiny little brain fritzes out and drama ensues.

So....surrender and trust the process.

Tomorrow will be 34 years since Mom died, and then Sunday will be 5 years since Stewey died. I feel them both so much lately, and know that they have been here pulling me through...thank goodness!

Happy Thursday, Dearies! I hope life is swell for you and that your corner of the world is cozy, happy, healthy, and wonderful! Come tell me all about it!

TIRED, BUT CLEAN AND HAPPY

One minute I'm fine and functioning like a real live adult human, and the next I'm face down in a pillow so tired I could cry. My energy levels are completely inconsistent and unpredictable, but according to the doctor I saw yesterday this is completely normal and part of the healing process.

I forget that I'm still "healing" and that I have an open incision on my lower region that is still pretty significant. It is getting better each and every day, to be sure, but it's still an open incision of some significance and is taking a lot of my stamina to heal.

Today I am going to focus on rest and eating well, and when they come to clean the room, I'm going to head down to do my laundry and sit outside for a bit to enjoy some fresh air. I don't have any other "should dos" on my list, but there are a few "want tos" like stitch, color, and feel better.

So that's it for me today. Still doing very well and getting good reports from clinic (creatinine 1.2) and weight holding stable since admission, but just a little low on the oomph scale today. 

What's new with you?

IN WHICH WE MILESTONE ALL OVER THE PLACE

 

Happy Tuesday, Dearies!

I'm here at the hospital....all by my lonesome today! I actually got up, bathed, and dressed, and then convinced JB that I might do well to drive myself to the hospital for clinic today. Besides, I argued, why should he spend his entire morning sitting in waiting rooms and cafeterias, when I can do so quote happily by myself and gain a little more independence in the process.

Nothing new to report at this moment. I've had labs drawn, vitals taken, and will see the team and get my wound vac dressing changed in a few minutes. Or hours. The timing of clinic is entirely unpredictable, so me sitting here by myself is actually better, since I don't have to fret about a caregiver being bored or wasting time, etc etc.

I am trying to convince everybody to allow me to ride out the remainder of my stay here on my own, but logistically it doesn't make sense. There will be plenty of time for me to revert back to my hermit spinster ways when I get home, so for now I guess I should just suck it up and be grateful.

Still not much stitching, I'm afraid. My hands are still a bit shaky and clumsy. I'll put in a few more minutes again this afternoon, but I think it's going to be a while before I'm back to full speed ahead.

I hope the day brings you lots of fun and frolic. Come tell me all about life in your little corner of the world!

SATURDAY SPINSTER RECOVERY BLISS

 

THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY SPINSTER SHENANAGINS

I've never stitched in bed before, but last night I grabbed my stitchy light and needlepoint and enjoyed a little time with needle and thread before hitting the hay.

It was wonderful.

And today my bracelet arrived. This little beauty will be a life saver if I should happen to need emergency help and I am unconscious. It says that I am a kidney transplant recipient and gives IU's number so the first responders can call and make sure they don't administer anything that could hurt the new beanie.

Rich is here and going to catch up on some work while I take a nap, and then we might venture out for an early dinner.

Great news at clinic today! My numbers all look great and I have been released to drive! As a matter of fact, I drove us home from the hospital! Another milestone!

If all goes according to plan, they will remove the wound vac in a week or two and then I will be able to go to clinic once a week on Fridays only. That means that I should be able to go home sometime during the week before Thanksgiving barring any complications.

So all good news today, Dearies! The weekend is upon us, so I hope you will have lots of time to do all of the things and come tell me all about it!

THURSDAY...RESTING

 

FUTZINGDAY...I THINK

Very rough night last night, Dearies, so I am a bit draggy this morning. Nothing serious...just some tummy issues that are to be expected with all of these new meds on board. I am lounging and resting and calling this a recovery day today, so all will be well very soon.

Figuring out how not to overdo things is hard for me, as it has always been. Yesterday was nuts with appointments, procedures, and then laundry, so I probably should have paced myself a bit better and saved some energy for today.

Here's what I call my scooter:

I got this as a means of carrying things and giving me a little extra stability when walking long distances. I am walking and moving and such very well without any assistance and have been since leaving the hospital, but I cannot lift anything and needed a way to tote things without doing so if I went to clinic by myself. This little gizmo also gave me the added security of a little seat to park myself for a rest if I needed it, and the psychological benefit of having it has made all the difference.

Today is going to be quiet and healthy. I'm going to pay particular attention to food choices today and concentrate on frequent small meals of good proteins and lots and lots of lemon water to keep me plump and hydrated. 

Baby steps.

Happy Futzingday! Do something futzy and come tell me all about it!

LAUNDRY DAY!

Who knew that doing one's own laundry would be such a joy?!

My clinic visit was busy busy busy and very swell today. First up was a visit with Dr Goggins. My creatinine level was 1.1 -- the lowest it has been since approximately 2004. All of my other numbers are also good, but I am retaining a bit of water from the steroids (and probably all of the good salty protein), so a little Lasix on board will fix that toot sweet.

The wound vac dressing change took place without the help of any pain meds for the second week in a row, and the wound is looking very very good indeed. The nurse thinks it might be totally healed within the next week or two...about a week ahead of schedule! 

(I do have very gruesome, very graphic, very horrifying photographs of the incision to chart its progress, but those are going to stay in perpetual lockdown. Even for this TMI spinster who shares all of the intimate details of her life....they're a lot to take in.)

From there it was time to have the stent removed that was keeping things flowing smoother in the bladder regions. The prep and wait for the doc took longer than the actual removal, but I was able to view my innards on a TeeVee, so that was pretty cool.

(I was not, however, allowed to keep the stent as a memento of my visit. They're kinda funny about stuff they pull out of you around here, and didn't appreciate my "I'll fashion a lovely bracelet out of it" humor.)

And then, finally, the central line was removed. This one was a bit of a doozy, since it was in there pretty good and required the significant hand strength of the lovely doctor Brandon Black to tug what turned out to be a rather large gadget out of my right chest.

(More jokes about jewelry went unappreciated.)

At long last, we were back in Cheryl's van headed for some lunch before her return home. We went to a Greek restaurant this time called Greek Islands...a favorite of Miss Jane from Guild, so I thought of her the entire time I ate what I think must be the 50th gyro I've had since being here.

(I'm starting to think Angel must have been Greek or liked gyro, since it seems to be one of two things I have craved consistently since surgery. The second is the steak medallions, grilled veggies, and rice from the Weber Grill.)

Many of you commented about the fireplace in my room. It is, indeed, very pretty to look at, but unfortunately, not operational. I think it has something to do with covid and not getting inspected or installed properly or some such other reason, but I'm happy it's there.

This hotel is, sadly, in very bad shape mostly, but they did manage to remodel a few of their rooms not too long ago, and I am fortunate enough to now be in one after my uninvited visitor incident. I cannot say enough good things about the staff here....they are clearly working as hard as they can to run a property that has seen better days, and for the most part do an incredible job of it, but that first room I was in?

Um....should probably be closed and redone.

Once the laundry is done, folded, and carted back up to the room on my little scooter, I am going to don clean pj's and nap, snooze, and stitch the afternoon away. I did not sleep last night in anticipation of today's appointments and procedures as well as the Prednisone, so resting it will be for the next day or two.

My Rich returns on Thursday! He has been traveling a bit on a long-ago planned trip with his son to LasVegas, and then to see his mom in Mew Jersey, so it's been quite some time since I've clapped eyes on him. I am hoping that he sees a dramatic improvement in me, and I can't wait to get out and about with him to show him what I've discovered of Indianapolis this far.

I'll close for now, Dearies! As always, I really want to thank you for the outpouring of love and support and good wishes and kindnesses and generosity that have been such an enormous part of this journey! I literally could not have done it without you.

Thank. You. From. The. Very. Bottom. To. The. Very. Top. Of. My. Heart.

AND THEN...SHE STITCHED