Outcomes

I could not have asked for a better outcome. I am almost 3 months out from my surgery now and I have my life back--whole and intact. Last week I was offered and accepted my full time hospice job again. My re-orientation and transition back to work has gone well, and it's gratifying to be welcomed back by my coworkers and the voices (those on the phone of people I have only "met" that way). My memory is good, I have energy, I don't need naps, and I have no pain. It's a

blessing every single day to fully realize how fortunate I am. There were so many times during the past year when I sat with unknowns and wondered what would happen. Now, it seems like I gained much more than I lost during that time...a change of perspective and ability to see that it was just a trying period of time that passed, as all difficult things do eventually.

Yesterday I talked to the very, very nice Erin at Dr. Kopell's office when I needed to change my follow up appointment. It was great to hear her voice again. She was happy to know how well I am doing now, and it just reinforced again how, for so many reasons, I went to the right place for my care. Seems like a small thing, really, but sometimes all you have is that voice on the phone. Now that I am working again, I get to be that voice on the phone for people, and I hope I am providing people with that solid, reassuring feeling that I got from Erin.

I've been enjoying the gardens at home every day after work and am so pleased with how things are growing. Last summer during my haze, I dug up and planted an area near our main door that I called my "greeting garden." The first year you never really know for sure how it's going to turn out since you are sticking things in here and there and cannot be certain how they'll do. But this spring everything is up, identifiable and thriving. Fitting--seems like a good parallel to how things are going for me, too.

impatiently waiting

Every day I go out a couple times for a walk around the yard, inspecting the perennial beds for signs of growth. A lot has been happening, but it has not been consistently warm here yet, so it seems painstaking to me at times.   I know I am not alone when I saw I just want spring to come and stay!

Developments

About 15 years ago I bought a sleeper sofa from a furniture store that was going out of business in Beaver Dam.   That couch has now seen better days, but is still sturdy and exactly the couch I want.    This week I decided to finally follow through on my plan to get it reupholstered.  The queen sized sleeper is going to be removed and there will be some kind of insert put in its place, which will make it easier to move.  In this picture I am holding the fabric samples for the couch itself and the pillows.  That fabric in front makes me unbelievably happy--big round flowers and pretty tans, oranges and cream colors.   So I paid 1/2 down and am on the work list, waiting our turn and expecting to have it done sometime mid-summer.    This process was so much fun and stress free compared to the job of couch shopping and paying out pots of money for something that's probably not made as well as the couch that already fits us!

Liz went to prom last night although you would not know that by the pictures on our camera.   She had it with her, with the promise of taking at least 10 photos of her and her friends as they got ready, etc.  (I was told not to go to prom since next year it will be her Junior Prom and a bigger deal).  When she came home there were 4-5 pictures of couples dancing and I really only saw one girl's dress full length.  And not one single picture of Liz!!  Grrrrr. 

Yesterday Sarah and I scrapbooked all day and I finished the 2007 family album called "Random Acts of Meind-ness."   Last year with the TN going on I did not scrapbook very much so I got behind and less organized on things like that, so I have a great feeling of satisfaction to have completed this book.  Sarah gave me some great 6x6 paper and her companionship all day,  so it was a gift all the way around.

We adopted two cute bunnies this weekend.  Someone from Jeff's mom's work needed to find homes for them because of an upcoming out of state move.  They are little lop eared bunnies with very calm and sweet dispositions, and they are adjusting well to their new rabbity life under the pines in our backyard.

The best news is that I am going back to work this week.  There are some details to work out first, but I am heading back to hospice to do the same job I was doing before all of this disability happened...I feel like I have almost come full circle.