2007: Good, Bad and Ugly

When a colleague/friend approached me today to express condolences at the loss of Daisy the Whippet, she ended it by noting that this has been a pretty terrible year for me and Len. And, I thought, yes, that is true, it has been a terrible year, but it has also been a really good year.

Yes, I was in a terrible accident that I am still recovering from. And, I lost my oldest sister. And, Len's dad had painful knee surgery. And, we lost a beloved pet. But I frankly feel pretty positive about the future.

Without sounding too gooey, I have to admit that without all the hardships we faced this year, I don't know if we'd be fortunate to know just how much those around us care. I truly believe I have had more hugs in the last twelve months than in the previous 40 years.

This year woke me up to just how good my life is: I have a wonderful husband and family (which includes three precocious hounds), and fantastic friends. The company I work for is extraordinarily supportive and I enjoy my work. My body is healing, so I will soon have my health. And, I still have a job waiting for me at the best yarn shop on the planet, Knitch. (Thanks, Kim!)

As for the ugly, I have three giant surgical scars on my legs. But that's no biggie: I never liked how I looked in a bathing suit, anyway.

Daisy the Whippet, 1992-2007

Daisy the Whippet came to us in 1999, not long after we lost our beloved Dolly the greyhound. She was seven years old then, and full of energy and spunk. Emily the greyhound was annoyed at that energy and took a couple bites out of Miss Daisy early on. But, eventually the two became good roommates. When Emily passed away several years ago, we brought Scully and Maggie and Devon into our home, a move Daisy did not seem to like. But, she dealt with it, and reorganized her Whippety life around her newest roomies.

Since coming to us, Daisy lived in Michigan, Georgia, Washington and Georgia. She has the dubious honor of having peed in more states than most people.

A couple years ago, we thought we'd lose Miss Daisy, but with the help of the great Oz, her cardiologist, we managed to medicate her into relative comfort and her spunk resumed. But, she took a turn for the worse in the last few days, refusing to eat and not leaving her little Whippet nest. It was clear she was ready to cross the bridge. So, Tuesday December 11 was her last day with us. She spent it on Len's lap or on my tummy, resting and getting lots of love and attention.

We'll miss you, sweetie pie.

Let the Swelling Begin

So far, recuperation is going well. I have a good bit of pain in my muscles and I still have around 40 staples in my leg. The worst part is the swelling. My left leg is at least two sizes larger than my right, which prevents me from wearing pretty much any pants I own. So, I'm living in pajamas, and that's not a bad thing.

I had my first visit from an in-home physical therapist yesterday. She seemed happy with my progress thus far, so I guess I am, too. This first week home from the hospital is nothing like that first week back in April. I am working, knitting, blogging: Except for the Oxycontin and the fact I can stand up straight, it's almost as if nothing is different from two weeks ago.

Every day it's a little easier to move my left leg. I'm having to lift it with my hands less and less. Once the pain dies down and I can stop taking pain meds, I think I'll be fine to drive. Eventually this whole experience will be a memory. A memory punctuated by giant scars.

Home at Last

I left the hospital yesterday morning and spent most of the afternoon asleep on the green recuperation sofa. My friend, Staci, dropped by to see the new me and was witness to my walking with two straight legs -- the first I've been able to do that in eight months. Pretty exciting stuff.

Today, my plan is to do a little work. do my exercises, and sleep. Tomorrow, a little more exercise and less sleep and so on.

I am feeling really good and can finally see and end to the injury prison sentence. Until this surgery, I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to walk normally again. Now that it's over and I can stand up straight and put weight on my left leg, I know it's just a matter of time and exercise before I'm walking the hounds and back on the bicycle. It's a good feeling.

Scully and Devon are all over themselves with happiness that I've returned. Devon must have been smothering me a little during my sleep because I dreamt we put him down after he called in a bomb threat because he was afraid I'd leave again. Yes, I'm on a little pain medication.

Life is fine at Crawford Long

It's after midnight, the morning of Sunday, December 2, and the need to scratch the itch under my 'circulation stocking' has awakened me. At my age, I shouldn't even know what a 'circulation stocking' is, let alone have an itch to scratch under one. I have seen snippets of old age, folks, and it isn't pretty. At least I don't have first-hand experience with menopause. Yet.

There is something going on outside the hospital, somewhere on Peachtree Street. The muffled noises I hear through the double-paned windows sound an awful lot like the Carpenter's Union, when outside my Peachtree Street office they protest my company's landlord, Richard Bowers, for not hiring union carpenters. But it's after midnight and I'm hearing it outside my hospital, so that can't be it.

i can also hear the giant wind chime outside my window. I didn't notice it until someone pointed out it was there yesterday. Ignorance is bliss, I guess. It is beautiful, and seriously large. Like the size of a house large. It's a big wind chime.

i also understand this hospital has a lovely aviary in the lobby. I've never seen it. The quality of the food here is hit and miss. It seems to me that the weekday food is much better. My lunch today was odd. Thankfully Len was here and offered to get me something from the outstanding cafeteria so I had a nice macaroni and cheese instead.

In all, this is a nicer place to be than Atlanta Medical Center. The Emory Crawford Long folks seem to understand that aesthetics are important. It's just prettier here.

My recovery is going very well. Except a dag-ummed butt screw has started shimmying itself loose. It is a large screw that had been inserted into my left sit bone right after my accident. It's now pushing out an inch or two outside the bone, probably a result of all the activity that went on nearby during my six-hour hip surgery. I can actually see the tip under a layer of skin and butt fat. Very painful.

But, the good news is, that screw is the most painful part, and it will be unscrewed first thing Monday morning. Doc says I don't need it, so we are getting rid of it.

Otherwise, it's going very well. I've been walking using a walker down the halls here and using my crutches to move around my room when necessary. I'm exercising my left leg as required by my physical therapists. I'm on minimal pain meds, and am lucid and clear. I've even been able to do a little work while here in the hospital.

Thanks for your good wishes for the surgery. And for all the nice messages about my sister. Means a lot to me.

In return, I won't post pictures of the errant butt screw. At least not while it's still in my butt.

A Great American Hero

Evil Knievel, dead today at age 69. He and Megan had a lot in common. Evil jumped his motorcycle over cars, buses, and the Snake River. Megan drove her scooter down the big hill on 41st Street in Seattle and on DeKalb Avenue in Atlanta. Evil broke almost every bone in his body, some more than once, in multiple crashes. Megan broke maybe 5 bones in one crash. Evil beat up a pimp. Well, I don't think Megan has beaten up a pimp. But with that new leg she has a chance.

Recovery

Megan was a little low on blood today so received a boost from a NutterButter Lover. She couldn't have her screw removed today because of the blood so she's first on the list Monday.

Visiting Hours Are Open!

Crawford Long visiting hours are 10 am until 8:30 pm daily. The hospital is conveniently located between the Civic Center and North Avenue MARTA stations. Parking is available in the hospital deck or surface lots in the area. For risk-takers there is a valet parking service. You must supply your own attorney.

Out of Bed

Megan walked down the hall this morning. With crutches. She sounds a little more groggy today than yesterday. She will be in the hospital until next Tuesday.

Blog Hijack

I'm back, posting for Megan. She's out of surgery and looking good. If you want to go see her send me an email and I'll tell you where she is.

Len

The Day Has Finally Arrived

Today is surgery day. In just a few hours, I'll be able to fully extend my left leg, and in a few weeks I'll get rid of the crutches. It's a good day.

Sunny Rothenhoefer 1947-2007

After several years suffering with severe heart and lung disease, my oldest sister, Sunny, passed away yesterday of a heart attack. She left behind a son and daughter-in-law and two grandchildren, her mother, and two brothers and two sisters. Sunny lived most of her life in Indiana, but moved to south Florida nine years ago. Her son and his family followed a year later. My mom told me yesterday that she thinks these last nine years have been the happiest in Sunny's life. I hope so. She was 60 years old.

Aw Shucks, I'm Thankful

Anyone who reads this blog knows I have much to be thankful for this year: 1. I'm Alive; 2. I'm Not Dead; etc., etc.

I'm pretty thankful for a lot of other things in my life, too. I have a husband who took care of me during the hardest part of my recuperation -- without a single complaint. My family (on both Len's side and mine) were extraordinarily helpful and supportive. And, I have wonderful friends, who visited me in the hospital and then when I came home. Other friends who don't live nearby called and sent cards and gifts and offered their support from afar. Those people in my life turned this terrible chapter into a very positive experience. I feel loved, I feel wanted, I feel so darned lucky. Thank you, everyone. You guys are awesome.

Surgery is a GO!

My tests came back slightly elevated, but inconclusive. So they brought in an infection disease specialist who has cleared me for surgery. Wahooo!!!!!!!

Wednesday, November 28 at Crawford Long. Oh, joy!

Can anyone help me hide my stash?

Len is starting to notice that nearly every time I go to Knitch, I buy something. He reads this blog and actually knows I have a lot of projects going, but I thought I'd acknowledge my addiction to the world. Eleven steps to go...

After more than two months and $13,000 worth of repair work, my car is back in my driveway. When Len and I pulled up to Sterling Auto Body in Decatur near the Farmer's Market, I almost didn't recognize the car as mine, it's been so long since I saw the little cutie. I immediately felt happiness when I recognized the car, and checked it all around to find the paint looks good and nothing seems amiss. And while driving it, I didn't have warning bells going off in my head about the handling, etc. They did a good job. That's how I want my surgery to go, whenever that happens.

I go back to court on Tuesday with the valet and the guy who hit my car while the valet was driving. I don't know what is going to happen there, so I'll wait and see what the judge and the lawyers do.

No news yet on the surgery. I went to Crawford Long Hospital last week for an amazing test on my white blood cells. They took blood, separated the white blood cells, radiated them, and put them back into my body. Then they took pictures of my insides to see where the blood cells went off to. (White blood cells fight infection, so being able to see where they go might tell the docs an infection's location.) I should hear something Monday.

Surgery? Not this week.

The gods are playing tricks on me.

My hip replacement has been postponed. Again.

I have some 'elevated levels' in my blood tests and my doc is determining what's up before cutting into me. He's got good reasons for the delay, but I'm still disappointed. Eventually this thing will happen. Eventually.

Counting Down the Days

My running joke these days is how excited I am to be having surgery this week, and it's not even plastic surgery!

Tuesday I return to my new doc for a pre-op visit where his staff will go over the whole procedure with me and we verify that I am healthy enough to have the surgery. I spent a lot of time in doctor's offices these last couple days getting blood work and x-rays, etc. done for this purpose. Nice to know Dr. Minter wants to start with a healthy patient!

I have already planned out my knitting projects for the next couple weeks so I have plenty to work on while I'm recuperating (that is, when I not exercising my new implant!).

Yes, I am a happy, happy girl.

OMG! I HAVE A DATE!

Okay kids, big news: I'm going under the knife next Friday, November 9!

Dr. Minter was very cool, gave me loads of information, explained the problems and how he hopes to fix them. He also said my hip is pretty messed up. My body is trying to fuse the joint with extra bone -- much longer and my body would succeed. He gave me a much more realistic recovery time: It will probably be a year before I feel back to "normal." (snicker all you like)

So, here we go! I'm finally on my way!

Yet Another Delay

I'm beginning to feel like a broken record. Every time I have an appointment with Dr. Furie, I tell folks that is when my surgery will be scheduled. And, every time I actually see Dr. Furie, he has a reason not to schedule my surgery.

I went to see said doc yesterday, fully expecting to schedule my surgery for next week, and was foiled yet again by the good doctor. No, I didn't punch him in the face like I announced I would. He just wants me to see another doctor -- one who has performed my special kind of hip replacement surgery 100s of times.

Okay. I get that. Dr. Minter will work with Dr. Furie on my custom acetabulum cup -- some kind of thing they will make once they've opened me up. Mine is a special case, not your normal everyday hip replacement, so special things need to be done for me.

One thing Dr. Furie said that I will be holding on to until my surgery finally is scheduled is that "is what we need to do to get you back to normal."

Normal? You mean I'll actually get there some day?

Okay, I can wait a little longer for normal.

So, sometime before Thanksgiving, folks. I'll keep you posted.

Work work work

It's been a busy couple of weeks at Treats. I don't often mention my day job in this forum, but it is spilling out into my after-five life these days. We are preparing for our fall event, where around 3,000 corporate real estate and workplace professionals will arrive in Atlanta for a few days of education, networking, and drinking. I am excited for this event to be over, partly because I won't be so swamped with writing scripts and editing the magazine and all the minor details I have to make sure are completed. Mostly, though, I can't wait for it to be over because right after the Atlanta event I'll have my final surgery that should take care of the pain I've been having.

I'm really glad the event is in Atlanta this fall, because traveling would be really difficult for me at this time. By the time our spring event comes around in San Diego, I should be fully healed and easily able to travel. I'm glad, too, because I'm excited about going to San Diego. And, a week or two after I return from California, I head off to Scotland to wallow in all things wool. Not a bad way to go through life...

It's finally beginning to feel like fall here in Atlanta, and I'm motivated to sew up all the pieces I've knitted this year and turn them all into sweaters and whatnot. I've finished two things this week alone, and I can think of three more that I can work on next week. Then, I can start on some new stuff!

Why I Have No Children

Woman Delivers 17-Pound Baby

'Nuff said about that.

Surgery Update
Yesterday's surgery went well. I slept about 20 hours after I got home. The amazing thing is, I've been having a lot of pain in my left leg for the last few weeks and just chalked it up to the fact it isn't healing well. Nope. It was the infection. I feel so good today. I had no idea. Hurray!

Yes, it SUCKS to be me!

The surgery I've been waiting and planning for has been postponed, but -- ooh, lucky me -- another surgical opportunity has popped up! I asked Dr. Furie to have a look at a lump near my incision site this morning. It concerned him so he referred to Dr. Mason to determine what it is. Turns out it's an infection that has abscessed and I need immediate surgery to remove all the bits. FUN. The best part is, this requires general anesthesia! So, I'll be at Atlanta Medical Center Wednesday morning at 6, preparing for another day in a drug-addled state. At least I'll be good to go tomorrow afternoon and back to my version of normal by Thursday.

Now, that my rant is over, I can relax. I do feel better now.

Another Delay

I'm really bummed this morning.

Today was my appointment with Dr. Furie where he was going to set a firm date for my final surgery. But, my CT scans show there is still a little unhealed fracture in my acetabulum, so Dr. Furie says we have to wait another month before setting the date.

I'd been internalizing a lot of my discomfort because I knew the surgery would take care of so much -- I figured another couple weeks and it would be over. Alas, I have to wait until the first of November to get this thing done.

I hope.

Bad Car-Ma

Earlier this week, I saw an accident happen. Yesterday morning, my friend Erin called to tell me she crashed her car, and last night a valet driver attempted a U-turn while parking my car and another car slammed into it.

What a week.

There I was last night, minding my own at a trendy downtown restaurant with some co-workers, giving our now-former colleague, Marie, a proper send-off. I'd only been there about 20 minutes when the valet people came to get me to talk with the police about my car. Obviously I'm not responsible for anything here, but the owner of the valet company tried to say he wasn't either.

It seems it was my driver's first day and he wasn't technically an employee. The valet owner nearly convinced the cops to arrest the kid for auto theft when I stepped in and explained that I gave my keys to a valid employee of his company. That employee gave me a ticket and I paid the valet fee. That employee MUST have given this kid the keys to my car and told him where to park it. So, yes, his company is responsible.

The cops agreed and cited the kid for unlawful U-turn and my good friend, Ashley, made sure the valet owner gave us all his insurance information. No one asked for mine and I didn't provide it.

My brand-new car is hurt pretty bad (the driver's side is crushed and the rear wheel is turned in and two airbags went off), but aside from some airbag burns no people were injured, so that's the important thing here. I called my insurance company and they said they'd take care of me and go after the other guys for their money, so I'm cool, if not a little put-out. I already have a new rental car, a much less-tricked out version of my own Mazda 3.

The thing that burns me is that I looked for handicapped parking first and when there wasn't any, I used the valet (there was no other option). And, I had to pay $5 for some kid to park my car on the street, not even in a real lot. What a scam.

Deja Vu All Over Again

As a matter of pride, on the days I work in my downtown Atlanta office, I drive there on DeKalb Avenue. Why? Because that's where I nearly lost my life in the accident all those months ago: Being able to drive down that stretch of road makes me feel strong somehow, like I can lick any fear.

But, after this morning's commute, I won't be driving down DeKalb again for a while.

Not far after I passed the infamous Rocky Ford Road intersection where the middle lane changes direction depending on the time of day, I noticed a car in my lane ahead of me (that would be the right lane, because, I'm not so fearless as to drive in the middle lane and risk some other idiot coming at me from the other direction) that had its left blinker on.

We approached a stoplight and there were no cars in the center lane. When the light changed green, the car ahead of me pulled out just a little like he/she was waiting for oncoming traffic to clear. I just kept wondering what that person was thinking, making a left from the far right lane.

Just as the driver fully entered the turn, a car came from behind us and slammed into the car.

It appeared no one was injured, so I continued on. I know I should have stopped, since I was clearly a witness. But the fact is, being so close to that accident and watching it play out made me nauseous. I knew I'd vomit if I stopped.

Clearly, the car turning left was at fault.

But, this morning's accident happened to someone who, like me, was confused by the center lane directional change. Those roads are dangerous.

How many people need to die/get seriously injured and how much damage needs to be caused before the DOT finally puts an end to this practice?

As for me, I'm sending a letter to the DOT to complain about these dangerous roads.

Swallowing My Pride

I finally did it. I got a temporary handicapped parking permit for my car. It's pretty difficult for me to walk through grocery-store parking lots, and since I've been going out alone more and more I decided it was time.

I got an affidavit from Dr. Furie to verify that yes, indeed, I am injured. Then I took it to the DMV today to get the tag. After standing in line behind several other people using walkers and crutches (including a man who must be the oldest human driving), I handed over my ID and the affidavit, and minutes later had the permit.

I haven't used it yet, but I am sure it will come in handy in the very near future. Thank you DMV.

I'm a Yarn Whore and Happy for It

My knitting friend, Debbie, was recently talking about a family trip to Scotland. I was excited for her, but didn't hear the whole story. A few days later, my other friend, Alice, excitedly told me she was going to Scotland with Debbie.
Now, I was intrigued.
I went home that night thinking, "How can I get myself invited on Debbie's family trip to Scotland?"
Turns out, it isn't a family trip at all, but a knitting trip put on by a Scottish woman who runs a Pittsburgh yarn shop. (Don't ask me how I thought it was a family trip -- I'm still trying to figure that out.) Anyway, when Alice clarified that for me, I became VERY excited and she sent me the info.
I approached Len on the idea and he simply said: "You better get your passport renewed quick!"
The very nice Scottish lady (whose hometown is a big part of the trip) told me there were a couple spots available still, so I'm IN! I'm going to Scotland for eleven days next May, with my good friends Debbie and Alice! Scottish yarn, here I come!

My New Hip

It's been five months since my accident and I have just one more big step in the recovery process.

Total hip replacement surgery.

Sounds scary to me, but I'm actually really excited about getting this done. From everything I've read, it's a very successful surgery and all my caregivers believe this will be the thing that really puts me back to "normal."

I went to see Dr. Furie this morning. Today was his first day back from his own leg surgery and he looked pretty uncomfortable with all those pins sticking out of his tibia and the halo cage-type thing he has on to protect those pins that stick out. But he was in good spirits, and actually more personable than he's ever been with me.

Seeing him like that, though, sure reminded me of how far I've come these last few months. This stuff is not easy.

The x-rays showed my right tibia is doing very well, but that left hip really needs replacement. Dr. Furie won't do it until it's been six months since the last surgery -- just to make sure the original break is healed before creating more injury that needs to heal.

It looks like I'll have the surgery October 11 or so. First, I have to have a CT scan and we have to order my parts and that sort of thing. Then we will have a firm date for the surgery.

For those of you who don't know much about this procedure, this is what I can expect:
The surgeon will reopen my hip incision, move the muscles away and dislocate my hip joint. He will remove the top of my femur and the acetabula from my pelvis (these compose the ball and socket joint -- and, yes, it is as gruesome as that sounds). Then, he will remove any excess bone that has grown around the joint. He will attach the new prosthetic femur head and acetabular cup. He'll check for fit and to make sure the joint moves well. Finally, he'll sew my muscles back together and staple the incision.

The next day, I get to learn to use crutches again and very likely will go home.

If you really want to know more about the procedure, go to the edhead website for a virtual experience.

My life lesson.

Sometimes I get way too serious. Especially now as I wait for my bones to heal. It could have been so much worse. And, since it wasn't worse, does that mean I should do something more important with my life? And, if I don't do something more with my life, does that mean I'm disrespectful of my life?
I just read an article about an 18-year old boy in Michigan who died of cancer this week. In the last couple years, he had developed a following on his blog: A following of folks who felt admiration for his courage, and those who felt comforted by his irreverent attitude about his certain death. They read as he hit life milestones like prom and high-school graduation. He was an inspiration to tens of thousands.
Then, I read another article about a 23-year-old Serbian man who was eaten by a bear at a beer festival in a zoo. What kind of inspiration is that? Don't get drunk in a zoo because you might jump into an animal exhibit and get eaten?
It's a fluke that I had my accident. It's a fluke that I am still alive. I know that in the end, my only obligation is to me, and that is to live a good life. Be happy. Have fun. Be kind. Don't harm others in the process of living my life.
I think that's a good philosophy. But in truth, that was the way I lived my life before the accident. So, what is my lesson in all this?
Don't drive on the wrong side of the road.

Ch Ch Ch Changes

Len's summer internship ended last week and he starts school next week. Year two in his three-year law program. It's hard to believe so much time has passed since he first came up with this scheme.

I went to work yesterday: It was the first full day I've spent in the office since March. I was really tired when I got home last night, but not in extra pain. I went to lunch with some pals and had a couple meetings and made some phone calls and wrote an article. It was a good day. I've committed to going in on Wednesdays from now on, and adding additional days as I build my endurance.

Chuck, my physical therapist, took pity on me on Tuesday when I told him how uncomfortable I'd been. He zapped me with some electric current and some sound waves, and a good bit of the pain dissipated. Thank you, Chuck.

I finally got around to making some CDs to listen to in my car (it has a 6-disc CD player and I don't have an MP3 player). I'm old. I went through all the thousands of songs Len has in his i-tunes library and really had a difficult time coming up with a good mix for myself. In the end, I just grabbed some songs and plugged them into my player. Not so good. Half the music I don't recognize and the other half I don't like. I only knew of a few of the bands on his list. He's much more hep than I am. Clearly.

Feeling Puny

It's been a rough night at recovery central. I don't know what I did to myself yesterday, but I feel like crap. My body aches and I have shooting pain in my left hip. I felt so bad last night that I didn't go to knitting night -- and Knitch had the world's biggest sock for me to knit on! It's a sock that requires nine people to work it at a time. It started in England and is making the rounds to cities in the U.S. My chance to have a real connection to the Guinness Book of World Records and I blew it. Ah, well.

Out of Captivity

I'm currently working on a fabulous meandering cabled vest and I am really pleased with my progress. It was slow going at first, but once I figured out that while I casted on the right number of stitches for the size I wanted, I wasn't working the same size in the pattern, then things started working out. I finished the back, but made a couple mistakes in the pattern (cables going over instead of under, etc.) so I'm now reworking the back. I'm nearly finished with that side, and then it's off to the front! Since it is a vest, I'll be finished in no time! The vest is made of a lovely yarn from Debbie Bliss called Rialto, a superwash merino. The yarn splits more than I'd like, but really creates clear stitch definition -- great for a cabled work.

Next, I think I'll make myself a big v-neck pullover from the Malabrigo I have. I have a good bit of a pale water green and one hank each of natural and orange. I see stripes in my future.

I've been spending many of my Saturdays at Knitch lately. Before the accident, I spent my Saturdays there working. It's a great place for me to go, since I can stay as long as I want and I'm out of my house for a few hours. I can't easily go shopping anymore and since I just can't sit still for long periods, movies at the theatre are out. Walking around museums or botanical gardens or bicycling are all problems for me just now. So, knitting at Knitch is a great outlet for me. Thanks, Kim and Steph and Lois and Michelle and Nell and Haley, for making it such a nice place for knitters to be!

Support for Cruelty?

Anyone who knows me knows that I have four rescued dogs at home. In fact, over the years, Len and I have taken ten rescues into our family. We love our dogs. I love cats, too (but I'm allergic), and horses and sheep and llamas and alpacas (the list goes on). When we bring these wonderful creatures into our home, they become part of our family. They trust us, they love us, the need us. And, we need them. This is why it is so difficult for me to understand how people can neglect or actively harm their pets. But, people do. Fact is, there are a lot of people in this world who do not feel as I do about pets.

A recent article in the AJC, it was reported that 200 people rallied in support of Michael Vick, angry that he has been vilified for his alleged role in a dogfighting business. They held up banners that read: "We support Michael Vick, a Human Being, over Dogs." They are angry that the Falcons and the NFL don't stand up to the Humane Society and PETA.

Folks, you backing the wrong guy in this fight.

Regardless of whether you care about dogs or not, if the allegations are correct, Vick broke the law. He participated in multi-state gambling and broke animal cruelty laws.

Not cool behavior.

Nike and other companies have dropped Vick as spokesman. Why? Because they don't want the buying public to associate their brand with these activities. I can't blame them for protecting their businesses. And, I can't blame the NFL if they decide to drop him. That kind of behavior is bad for the NFL brand and bad for their business, too.

The protesters have a good point that others in the NFL were only temporarily suspended or given minor punishment for breaking laws like buying drugs and obstructing justice (in a double murder case). Maybe those guys should have gotten bigger punishments.

Let's wait to hear what the courts say.

Feeling Good

Len doesn't seem to have botulism after all. We do have a can of Kroger brand hot dog chili sauce on our counter though -- not sure what he plans to do with it. Hmmm.

Injury update: I'm feeling pretty darned good these days. I can sit for much longer periods without discomfort and can almost straighten my left leg enough to walk on it. Every now and again I feel extra stiffness and pain, but I'm really seeing progress and can finally see the light. Hoo-rah!

I'm using my birthday gift card from Len for the first time today. I'm getting a facial at Key Lime Pie spa. Can't wait. When I can straighten out my leg and lay comfortably on my stomach, I'll use the rest of the gift card on a massage. Finally! I get to enjoy my 40th birthday!

No Spoilers Here

I always order the Harry Potter books way in advance so they are delivered to my door the day they are released. No standing in line wearing some Hogwarts-related costume for me. Unfortunately I neglected to consider that delivery when I arranged to visit my mom last weekend. No worries, the book was waiting for me when I arrived home and I pretty much did nothing else but read until I was finished with "The Deathly Hallows." It's not great literature, but J.K. Rowling does tell a good story. It's simple and straightforward, with lots of action: That's probably why it has such mass appeal.
Me? I like stories about good and evil, about growing up and learning about life. That's pretty much the gist of the series. Plus, there's all that action I mentioned before.
This last book was definitely a lot more grown up than the others, with Harry turning 17 and all. He faces a lot of grown-up problems and has to learn to make good decisions. Great lessons: I'm glad so many kids are reading these books.
I'm a little sad there won't be another installment, but I'm sure Harry will live on in fan fiction for years and years to come.

Botulism?

Len and I eat a lot of white meat turkey dogs. We just love 'em. Add a little of Castleberry's hot dog chili sauce and a Kroger light hot dog bun, some mustard and onions, and you have a decadent chili dog for fewer than 200 calories.

We last had these delicious treats July 3. In fact, I think I ate them for something like four meals in a row. So yesterday's news that Castleberry's issued a recall due to botulism is really distressing.

Len has been complaining lately of blurred vision. He's also been feeling a little achy. These are symptoms of botulism poisoning, so of course he is worried he has it. (Nevermind that I ate far more than he did of the dogs, and I have no symptoms.) He's calling our general practitioner today for an appointment.

He says I have to apologize for not taking it seriously when he's diagnosed with botulism poisoning.

If he has it, I will.

Back to the Sticks

It took a while for me to really get back into knitting after my accident. It wasn't until the painkillers were completely out of my system before I could complete a row successfully. But I'm back to knitting every day and I might even start finishing some projects! I wanted to post some pics of my latest work, but I am embarrassed to say I don't know how to download pics of my camera. Len will have to assist.
I've been hanging out at Knitch a good bit lately, trying to reacquaint myself with the yarns and just get back into the swing before returning to work. It's so nice to have a lovely spot away from my house to sit and knit with friends. I'm just so glad that place exists! It's better than therapy!
Speaking of therapy, physical therapy is going well, if painfully well. My stiff left leg is getting more range of motion and at last night's knitting group at the Highlander Pub I even straddled a picnic table bench with only a little difficulty. I am looking forward to being well so I can actually do some toning exercises. My legs are looking a little lumpier these days.

Under the Knife...Again

Today I had a follow-up appointment with Dr. Furie. My knee looks great, but my hip doesn't. I go back in August for further x-rays and a CT scan and we will schedule the hip replacement surgery.

Even though I told myself this was an almost certainty, I secretly expected my hip to heal well and the replacement surgery would not be necessary. I'm pretty blue today.

It seems the bones in the joint are not forming smooth connections. The last couple weeks I have noticed this weird feeling in my hip like bones were loose and scraping together. The x-ray helped explain why it's been feeling this way. Nothing is loose, but bones really are scraping together. Kinda like artificially created arthritis.

Anyway, the surgery will happen some time this fall, after all my other injuries are completely healed and at a time that doesn't conflict with Len's school schedule or my work schedule. Maybe mid to late September? If not then, then it will be after my company's big fall event (which requires me on my feet for a week), sometime in November.

Good news is recovery is much easier than what I have experienced thus far. I should be using crutches within a day or two of the surgery and perhaps walking without aid 4-6 weeks later.

I'm As Tough As Pudding

Physical therapy is a lot harder than I thought it would be. When Chuck, my handsome physical therapist with the trendy hair, gently pulls or pushes on my legs, I smile through gritted teeth and clenched fists. Geez, this hurts! And then, a couple hours after I leave, my whole body aches and I really need to sleep.

Yesterday, an older lady (she appeared to be in her 80s) came in for therapy. She was very slowly moving an arm exercise machine while I moved my legs from side to side, holding myself up on grab bars. As I hobbled out the door when I was finished, I heard her say about me, "I had no idea she was as bad off as that!" An 80-year-old lady with physical problems is feeling sorry for me. Great.

Today, another older lady was in for shoulder work while Chuck worked my legs. She asked how I was injured and I told her and asked how she was injured. She's a BIG sports fan, you see, and she was watching the Manning boys in the SuperBowl and didn't want to miss a thing so she ran to the restroom during a commercial. On her way back, she slipped on her oxygen tube and broke her shoulder.

Chuck probably sees a lot of old folks.

If an 80-year old and a woman on oxygen can do this, so can I.

Sheesh! I need a nap!

The last two days have been quite eventful.

Yesterday, I bought a car, and today I started rehab.

The car decision was the result of a long internal struggle with whether to buy a car that I truly like and want to drive or to buy a car that makes a strong statement about fuel efficiency. I think I hit a nice compromise with the Mazda3 hatchback.


The Mazda3 is great fun to drive (or so Len tells me, since I won't actually get behind the wheel until it is delivered Tuesday), has loads of space for such a small car, and has great styling inside and out. I'm very excited! The Prius just didn't thrill me, once inside the MINI I found it to be cramped and weird, and the Honda Civic Hybrid was my top choice until I got inside the Mazda. At 30 or so mpg, it's not as fuel efficient as some of the others I considered, but it is more so than some of the other cars I considered for their drivability. I was not officially able to drive, so Len did the testing for me. We have similar driving likes and dislikes, so I trust his judgment. Besides, I really loved my Madza Miata, and Len tells me it has similar road-hugging qualities. The first place I'll get to drive my new wheels is to physical therapy.

Which brings me to today. My PT guy, Chuck, checked me over and moved my stiff muscles and had me do several exercises. Then he gave me a home exercise program and instructions on proper use of crutches. I walked around the office on the crutches for a bit and then we made arrangements for my future appointments. Easy, peasy.

Well, easy until I got home and slowly started using the crutches here. Oh man, does my body ache from this morning's movements! And, using the crutches is hard work! I'm beat already!

But, as I've said before, this is so worth it -- and a long time coming. I was beginning to think this day might never arrive. But it has, and I'm okay! Normal is just a few weeks away!

The First Day of the Rest of My Life

I've really tried not to fall into the "when this happens, my life can begin again" trap, but my physical therapy starts Monday and I really feel like my life is about to begin again. As it is, I can't even go out the front door to pick up the mail, but once I'm using crutches or a walker I can exit any door I choose. A lot has happened these last three months, so it's certainly not like my life has been at a standstill. I've experienced quite a lot, I've learned a lot about myself and the people around me, and I've changed as a person. As I recuperate, I'm moving back to my body-modest ways, but I'll never be as concerned about hiding myself as I once was. In fact, I kinda like my giant scars -- they are part of who I have become.
So tomorrow is the big day. The physical therapy will be painful and difficult, but so worth it. I'll never be the same, but hopefully I'll be better in some ways and just different in others.

Cancer Blows

My brother-in-law, Dennis, was diagnosed with Bladder cancer last year and underwent surgery to remove his bladder and prostate in December. He was to start chemo, but was too ill until recently. Unfortunately, the cancer has spread to his legs and he starts chemo in a couple weeks. He's been my hero since I got into the wheelchair, since he's been in one for the last 24 years. He's helped me not feel sorry for myself and he and my sister Paula have been very supportive.

His doctors are not very hopeful, but he is, and he feels good right now.

That's everything.

Eco or Gas Hog? That is the question.

This car-buying thing has gotten to be a tougher decision than I ever imagined.

I want a fuel-efficient car, but I also want something fun and cool. None of the hybrids really make me excited, but I can't deny that 50 mpg for a Prius is pretty darned spectacular. I don't think the car is ugly, but for its spaceship interior, the outside is a bore. We drove a Prius, as well as a Highlander this weekend (Len drove, I just slid over from the chair into the seat). But the Highlander is an SUV and we just aren't SUV folk. They swish and sway too much and are simply too bulky. Not for us. The Prius we drove was a rental car from the dealership because they'd sold all they had in stock. Cavernous inside -- absolutely huge. But the cloth seats were pretty dirty, and we'd have to get leather. One trip and the hounds would destroy the interior. I'd be happy with leatherette, but leather is all that is offered.

Isn't there some disconnect between a car that was designed from the ground up to get super-efficient gas mileage -- a "green" vehicle -- that offers leather interior? Anyway, it bothers me.

But, does that mean I should go way to the other side and get a 2005 BMW 325i sedan? Same price as the Prius, with 4 years left on its BMW certified used car warranty, and to hell with the gas mileage and tree-hugging ideals. I used to have a 3-series, Len's hand-me-down when he got the Saab wagon. It's a really nice exciting car, but geez, talk about conspicuous consumption!

I've wanted a Mini Cooper for years. I almost got one when I decided to spend about 10K less and get another car I wanted forever, a Mazda Miata. I loved my Miata, but sold it because when we moved to Seattle and I worked from home, we decided we'd be a one car family. I bought the scooter while we lived there.

The problem with the Mini is Len. He thinks it's a kid's car and just doesn't like it. Fair enough. But it gets pretty good mileage at 35/40mpg, and it has reasonable cargo capacity for such a small car, and I really like it. I guess we just have to drive one. Maybe that will change his mind.

Two Weeks, Five Days

The night before my appointment with Dr.Furie, Len asked what I'd do if Dr. Furie told me I had to wait longer before getting out of the chair. I told Len I'd punch Dr. Furie in the face. When it came down to it, I chickened out.
I have to wait until June 25 before beginning physical therapy. Dr. Furie's face is intact.
My knee is great, but he doesn't want me putting all my weight on it -- by waiting, I'll be able to balance the weight between both legs. He's right and I hate it, but I don't want to risk prolonging the healing even more, so I'll abide.
My hip is re-growing way too much bone. When I have the hip replacement, Dr. Furie says he'll zap my hip with a little radiation to stop the bone from growing all around the joint. Yowza!
Still, I'm in good spirits about the wait to walk. I'm resigned to it now and I just have a new goal day. I made the appointment already for my first PT treatment at the hospital a couple blocks from my house. Two weeks after that, I'll see Dr. Furie again for a follow up.

Time Heals

When I first came home from the hospital, I was out of sorts. I was sad and in pain and not at all myself. I'd cry because Len would have to take care of my every need. I was humiliated by my lack of independence. He kept telling me that I just needed to wait things out and I'd be better and he was right.

I feel like my old self again. I'm sleeping in my own bed again. I need Len for fewer and fewer of my daily activities. I'm relatively pain free. And, I'm anxious to get back to work.

I just need to get out of this wheelchair.

Tomorrow, I see my orthopedic surgeon again for x-rays and an exam. Considering how well I'm doing, I believe physical therapy will begin then and I'll be learning to walk with a walker or crutches or something. I might finally get out of this blasted chair!

In anticipation of my getting out of said chair, I have ramped up my interest in a new vehicle. Len and I went to a Toyota dealer Sunday. They had sold all their Prius models, but had Camry Hybrids and Highlander Hybrids. Len was quite taken with the Highlander. Great gas mileage for an SUV, loads of room for hounds and accompanying hound stuff, and not too large (for an SUV). The Highlander Hybrid gets better gas mileage than our Saab wagon. Lots to think about...

No Time in the Pokey

Yesterday afternoon was my court date. Apparently since I was unable to accept my ticket at the scene of the accident, I had to appear in person in court to accept my fate. Len hired a lawyer to represent me because I was still unable to appear at the first scheduled date. The lawyer was there to postpone it a month for me. He was also there yesterday for me.

As I have explained before, I was going the wrong way in one of those lanes that change direction of travel. I was confused and paid a hefty price for it. Anyway, I was cited for improper lane change. I planned to plead guilty and pay the fine.

But, no, Mark Gaffney the lawyer said, let's see how this plays out. Turns out the judge was one of Mr. Gaffney's law professors back in the day. Then, the "victim" (wasn't that ME?) never showed up, and the case was dismissed. Whoa! No fine, no record, no inflated insurance rates? Hurrah! Best part is, my time began at 5 p.m. and we were in the car by 5:11. Who knew Atlanta traffic court was so efficient?

The Invalid Invalid

I often joke with Len that I feel like an invalid (as in not valid) invalid. But, it's really not funny.

As a person in a wheelchair, however temporarily, I observe the actions of the people around me -- how they interact, what they do -- and I must say I am appalled that folks don't have more compassion or understanding when it comes to the handicapped.

I get stares from grown people who should know better. I know what they are thinking when they see me: "She's so young, I wonder how it happened. That poor woman." Etc. Truth is, people see me and other injured folks as a reminder that anything can happen, and it frightens them. I know because I have felt that way.

Innappropriate stares from the able-bodied isn't where it stops. To add insult to injury, life for the handicapped is a thousand times more difficult because very little accommodates their needs.

I recently went to a nearby fabric store to purchase a couple items for a project. The giant glass doors were not automatic, so I had to push them to get in. I made it, though, and I placed a basket on my lap and began to shop. I got stuck in an aisle and items protruding from the shelves nudged my basket to the floor and everything spilled out. No one was around to help, so I struggled to get the items from the floor. I paid and backed my chair to the door to push out when a young man walking by outside saw me and opened the door for me. (Very nice!)

I will begin physical therapy next week, and there is a facility just two blocks from my house. I thought it would be great to just wheel down for the therapy, but nixed the idea when I saw that the sidewalks in between are not built with the mini-ramps needed at the intersections. That, and the fact the sidewalks are very uneven means I'll have to be driven to sessions. Two blocks.

I can't reach the top shelf of my refrigerator. I can barely wash my hands in the sink because it's too high. I am using the smallest wheelchair available for adults and I only just fit through the doorways in my house.

This weekend, Len and I went with some friends to the annual Decatur Arts Festival. Half of the booths were in the grass and poor Len pushed me hard to get me through. At one point we had to turn and go all the way around a line of booths that we had just passed because there were steps at the end. We had to go back to where we started just to get out.

There were loads of people there and when some people saw me they pushed through in front of me -- like I was a city bus that no one wanted to sit behind in traffic. By rudely pushing through ahead of me, they saved themselves a good two seconds. At one point I said loudly, "Don't mind the woman in the wheelchair. She doesn't matter."

Come on, people. Life is difficult enough for the disabled. Why make it more difficult? My legs don't work right, but otherwise I'm exactly like everyone else. I matter.

I'll be out of this chair soon, thankfully, and I will again join the ranks of the able-bodied. But, I won't push ahead of the wheelchair-bound, and I won't avoid their eyes. Instead, I'll smile as they pass. Just like I would any other human being.

I am not a drug addict!

Okay, so I've been taking some pretty serious narcotics for pain since returning from the hospital, including oxycodone and such. But about a week ago I decided to do only over the counter painkillers and tried Aleve, which worked for the most part. Last night though, I fell asleep before taking my nighttime dose. And this morning, I passed altogether on the pills. I have not had pain medication of any kind since 7 a.m. yesterday. I feel some discomfort, but not enough to do anything about it. I'll take the occasional pill when I expect a particularly arduous day. Point is, I was on heavy narcotics for eight weeks and I'm glad to be free of 'em.

One more box to check off in my recuperation plan.

Nerve News

I went to see a neurologist this morning. Dr. Mishu was very personable and likable -- Dr. Furie has a lot less personality. I went to find out what kind of damage had been done to my nerves in my left leg and foot. I have a condition called "foot drop" which means I can't raise my left foot. I also a good bit of tingling and numbness in that foot. Sometimes I have pain, too.

Dr. Mishu and his nice nurse practitioner asked a lot of questions and poked at me for a while. Then Dr.Mishu did an electric current-type test to see if he could stimulate my foot. He explained to me that a nerve is a lot like a copper electrical wire that is wrapped in plastic coating. A nerve has a coating as well. If the coating is not damaged, but the nerve inside is, there is the chance for the nerve to grow back through the coating. If the coating is severed, then thing become much more complicated.

The damaged nerve is called the peroneal and is located on the back of my knee and down the outside of my calf and into my foot. The electric impulses to the back of my knee did, indeed, stimulate my foot and spontaneously my toes rose up. That means the coating around the damaged nerve is intact, meaning the nerve can grow back. He also believes there is not damage to my sciatic nerve.

HURRAH!!!!

This will take time, he further explained, because nerves grow at a rate of about 1 millimeter per day, or about a centimeter every 10 days, or about an inch a month. I have no idea how much damage there is, so I don't know how long it will take for the nerve to reconnect to itself.

But, I don't really care. I had resigned myself to living with a limp for the rest of my life. So this is fantastic news!

Dog Pile

Four dog beds. Maggie lays on three. Daisy, Devon, and Scully share the fourth.

Sunday Afternoon Adventures

What a lovely day it is here in Atlanta, Georgia. There's not a cloud in the sky, it's 80 degrees and there is a nice breeze. I know all this because Len and I went out today. I showered and put on clothes and Len wheeled me out to the car.
We drove past my accident site on Dekalb Avenue (I didn't get upset because seeing it did not trigger a single memory!). The accident happened in a different spot than I'd imagined, and with all the construction going on, I didn't really recognize it anymore. One less thing for me to fear!
Then, we went to Oakhurst to the Universal Joint for sandwiches for lunch. We sat outside under a shade tree and it was lovely. Across the street from the restaurant, we saw several people in wheelchairs gather from different directions. It was like a MeetUp group! I didn't join in... they seemed a lot more mobile than I am. Besides, I only belong to the group on a temporary basis.
After lunch we came home and each took a nap.
Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Pain Management

I'm taking weaker painkillers these days and fewer of them, so I am beginning to feel a good bit more discomfort in places that were pain-free before. Understandably, it freaks me out when I feel a new ache in my right hip, since that caused so much trouble in the hospital. Yesterday, I was rubbing on my right sit bone (you cyclists out there know what that is) and comparing to to my left. I felt the tip of it move! Oh, my God! I was going to have to go back to the hospital! I tearfully asked Len to check it out, and he said,"That's your fat moving around, Megan." So I re-checked and sure enough, it was no bone fragment, it was fat.

I gotta chill out.

I'm getting a little stir-crazy not being able to get up and go whenever I want, so I seem to be focusing on my aches and pains and what they might mean. I think that's making Len a little crazy because he's having to talk me down several times a day.

So, today I finished reading "The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs," and started knitting again for the first time in several days. I wish I could sit outside to knit because it's such a lovely day, but I can't seem to stay in the chair long enough to make going outside worth my while. I do open the front door and sit for a while each day. I say hello to neighborhood joggers as they pass and dog walkers.

Can You Ever Have Too Much Information?

Since I've been laid up with only the internet as my connection to the outside world, I've been researching my injuries and what the doctors did during surgeries and what I can expect in the future. In particular, I found this interesting interactive video that allows the user to be the doctor during a hip replacement surgery, something I expect to have in the next several months. Thing is, I have a lot of hardware in that hip and chances are I won't be able to use it without a lot of pain. And, even if I don't have pain when I go to walk on it in a few weeks, chances are I'll develop arthritis there fairly soon. Hip replacement surgery has been shown to very successfully eliminate arthritis pain and the folks who have it tend to start using a walker the day after their surgery. So, I'm not terribly concerned after all about the likelihood that I'll need the surgery.

I also found out that people who suffer the kind of injury that I have to my knee, a tibial plateau level 5 fracture, tend to develop arthritis there because of the damage to the cartilage and the bone. It's not clear to me yet whether a knee replacement will remedy arthritis pain caused by that kind of fracture, however. More research...

Good Times...

It's been a great, but painful, weekend here at Injury Central. Lots of important progress was made these last few days, but with that activity comes a lot of soreness. No pain, no gain.

I showered for the first time since the accident on Friday, and it was a wonderful thing. Sunday, I put on real clothing, pants, shirt, undergarments, the whole nine. Len took me out for a stroll around the neighborhood, too. The circuit is made up of slight inclines and declines, so Len did all the work. I was just there for the ride. The sun and breeze did me a lot of good. At one point, though, we hit a huge bump in the sidewalk that nearly knocked me out of the chair, and caused me great pelvis pain. It stayed with me until well into the night last night, but this morning I'm good.

Scully is home again (THANKS Suzy and Clark for everything!!!). She stepped on my sore foot once or twice, but she's really being gentle around me. In the three nights since she's been back, she has slept in the dog bed next to my sofa. Every now and again she'll try to get up on the sofa, but she's actually listening to me when I say "no." She's a good girl.

I think I overdid the activity, though, and was sore all weekend. I have several restrictions on moving my left leg: Don't cross over the other leg, don't bend more than 90 degrees, etc. With all the transferring from chair to sofa to chair I did, I'm sure I came close to violating once or twice, so I need to be very careful. Today, I'm taking things easy and see where that gets me.

WARNING! Graphic Images Follow!

Now that Scully is home and my family is intact again, I thought it was time to reflect on the injury in pictures. Some of these are hard to view, so consider yourselves warned.

Len took this first picture on my cellphone at the emergency room on March 26, 2007, just hours after my accident. Note I am still in the neck brace and sandwich boards. Frankly, I think I look dead. Thank goodness looks can be deceiving.



Next, here I am in the Intensive Care Unit in the first few days after my accident. Notice the traction stuff? That leads me to the next picture, a close up of the rod they put through my left femur to stabilize my leg. Connected to the rod is the traction system, pulled down by weights at the end of my bed. After my first pelvis surgery, when the nurses accidentally dropped me while transferring me to the potty and re-dislocated my pelvis, the doctors had to add a second set of traction. But this time they went through my tibia, below my knee, because they had already used my femur.

When I was moved to a regular room, I had a lovely view of Atlanta. I don't see it in this picture, but from my room I could see my downtown office building. The other thing you don't see here is the helicopter pad, just outside my window. Since Atlanta Medical Center is a category 2 trauma center, there is a lot of helicopter traffic there, to bring in injured souls. The view was lovely, but the noise could be pretty distracting at times.

After I was in the hospital about a week, bruises started to appear all over me. To illustrate, here is the bruised underside of my arm. I didn't feel pain from the bruising, but the pain may have been masked by the mass amount of painkillers I was taking. Both arms were bruised like this and I had several mysterious bruises on my legs and even hands. Never saw a thing on my neck or face, though. Helmets rule!

Finally, and this is probably the grossest image, this picture of the side of my butt was taken just before the staples were removed from my hip.
This was just a couple weeks ago, just after I returned home. Those first few days were hard physically because I was taking smaller doses of painkillers. They were hard mentally because I really thought that as soon as I returned home I'd be better.

I'm still not there, but I will be.

The wound there is about a foot long and still causes me problems. The scar on my knee looks a lot like this one, just no staples and not quite as long.

Ooffph.


Finally, here I am in my own bed just after I returned from the hospital.

Now, that these pictures are up for the world to view, I can just log on to see how far I've progressed.

Splish Splash!

I took a shower today. And, I feel better than James Brown!

Len moved a sofa and arranged a wheelchair ramp so that I could get to the bigger bathroom with the big shower stall today. He put my plastic bench half in and half out. It was a little awkward at first, but I managed to get from the chair to the bench and slid inside the shower. Hot water running through my hair. Knowing I rinsed all the soap out. Exfoliating my face. You can't imagine how wonderful it feels to be truly clean again!

Plus, now that Len's exams are over, he bought a lawn mower and took care of our front and back lawns yesterday. Today, he's been cleaning the inside of the house, removing as much dog hair as possible. And, best of all, Suzy and Clark are coming today to bring Scully home. It will be wonderful to see Suzy and Clark! I can't wait! I just worry my girl Scully won't remember me!

Chubby

As I sit here on my living room sofa, with an overweight italian greyhound resting next to me, I think about how fortunate I am in this life. I may be laid up with severely broken bones and unable to go outside when I'd like, but I have folks coming by to check on me all the time. Through the aftermath of this accident, I have found that a lot of people love me and are willing to take the time to attend to my needs during this healing period. It's pretty humbling, really, to learn how genuinely kind and considerate the people around you can be. It's been a wonderful lesson.

One thing people are always willing to do in a crisis is provide food. Len and I will not go hungry as long as I'm injured. Casseroles, soups, meatloaf, cakes and candy, and gift cards to local restaurants have poured in since I returned home. I'm worried that my fabulous weight loss will turn to weight gain by the time I can walk on my own!

So, I've been exercising more and really trying to do more on my own. I spent an awful lot of time in the wheel chair yesterday and did the bulk of transferring without help and just did a good deal of moving without assistance. When I went to bed last night I felt like I'd been working in the fields all day. I was exhausted!

Len is taking his last final today and after that, he has two weeks before starting his summer internship. Hurrah! Some time to hang with Len! And Scully, the crazy dog who likes to jump, is likely to come home this weekend. Hurray! Can't wait to hug that girl!

Changes to TFB

I've been wanting to upgrade these pages for a while and never got around to it. The green was a little too, well, green. I like the simple look, and I hope you zillions of readers out there do, too.

Status Update
It's been a couple of wonderful days here at Injury Central. I've been spending a lot more time in an upright position and doing a lot more exercises. My mobility has really improved, my pain has decreased, and I generally feel like I've crossed over some midpoint and am starting the climb to the top of Health Mountain.

Now that my staples are out and my draining has almost stopped, I'm planning my first shower in six weeks. Oh. My. Gosh. I can't wait! Friday or Saturday will be the big day. Once I've had a shower, I might even put on pants!

Just to clarify, I have been bathing, with a basin and wash cloths. So I am clean (ish).

I officially started back to work on Monday and have already had some meetings and started editing some stories. Not sure if I'm really ready, but I'm stir-crazy and really need to do some brain work. If it's too much, I'll say so. Wish me luck!

That new car smell...

I talked to my brother John the other day. He's leaving for Qatar on Monday -- he lives there most of the time. He had a terrible motorcycle accident several years ago that left a big giant pin in his leg and didn't ride again until last year. I completely understand. While I still love the idea of the scooter lifestyle, I'm a little gun shy about not having walls around me when I drive around town. So, I need a car.

In keeping with the scooter theme of not using a lot of gasoline, I'm pretty intrigued by the Toyota Prius, which gets 60 miles per gallon. The Prius is automatic, which is a plus now that my legs are injured, and has a nice hatchback compartment that can carry at least a few of my dogs.

Still, the Mini is a car I've loved for years and it gets 35 mpg, not as great as the Prius, but still good. I've also looked at the Honda Fit. It's cheap, cheap, cheap and gets great gas mileage. The science fiction Scion xB is pretty cool, too, but I'm afraid it's too similar to an SUV, which I just don't like.

I'm doing my research now and once I'm up and about I will do test drives. Something really fun to look forward to!

There's Nothing To Win...

Taco Bell's new commercials on their "Fourth Meal" concept: How many time do you think their marketing team watched The Lord of the Rings before coming up with that one? A little herb, second breakfast...

TV is so boring. I try not to turn it on until at least 8 p.m., and then I'm lulled to sleep by all the same shows. I've got to start walking soon, or this TV lifestyle will make me crazy. Funny thing is, TV didn't seem so boring before my accident.

ZZZzzzzzzz

I sleep ALL THE TIME now. It is practically routine: I wake up in the morning, bathe with my wash rag, move to the sofa, check e-mail, and fall asleep until around 11 a.m. Then, I surf the internet until lunchtime, eat, and then take an after lunch nap. After that, I think about sending e-mail (occasionally I actually manage to send something), read a bit of something until I fall asleep. Then, It's dinnertime. I hope all this rest is good for bone mending, because I'm certainly not doing anything else productive!

Len has been studying Contracts today, preparing for his exam tomorrow. Taking care of me this week has cut into his normal study time for this test, but I have great confidence he'll do well in spite of my unintentional interference.

My First Trip Out Since the Hospital

We went to the Doctor today for my first follow-up appointment. It was good to get outside and see the world. It was also good to spend a lot of time in the wheelchair. Yeah, my foot swelled and it hurt, but I got used to it. I'm going to try and spend a couple hours in the chair every day now. Maybe have dinner at the dinner table with Len like the old days... it could make a big difference in how I feel about my injury prison/sofa.

Dr. Furie's office was a disappointment, to say the least. Very disorganized and kinda junky. Len pointed out that it appeared no one ever took out the trash. It wasn't dirty, but it wasn't at all what I expected, either.

So, first the receptionist took me back and removed the bandage from my pelvis. She was going to remove my staples, but since I'm still draining a bit she wanted the doctor to look at the wound first. In the meantime, she left me there with my would uncovered and draining, while she went on about her business. As careful as Len was about cleanliness when he changed my bandage each night, I knew he was horrified by the apparent lack of concern over germs shown by the receptionist. Did I mention she was the receptionist?

Dr. Furie came in a bit later and checked on things and then started pulling out staples! I am now officially staple free! Then I had x-rays done and the right knee is great, exactly as hoped. The left pelvis has a LOT of hardware in it. Both Len and I were startled. Dr. Furie basically said there is a very strong chance I'll have arthritis in my hip and that I'll need a replacement sometime. Sure, there is a chance I won't, but I think he truly believes I will. So, I'll just prepare myself for it and hopefully be pleasantly surprised that I don't need another surgery.

I see him again in a month -- when I hope to start putting weight on the right leg. Woohoo!

Sickly or infirm

Okay, so is it completely obvious that I am a house-bound invalid? There was a time, not so long ago, that I couldn't bring myself to write in my blog more than once per week. Now, I see that I blog every single day (and then some!). Hope I'm not boring anyone out there too much with my sickly person ramblings.

Today is my wedding anniversary. It's been 19 years that Len and I have been legally attached to each other. Gasp all you want, we really are that old. I think I speak for us both when I say that we are very happy together and look forward to many more years of marital bliss. But, I've been a little sad today, because my fancy watch (10th anniversary gift from Len) and my wedding ring (15th anniversary) were damaged pretty badly in the accident. The watch still works -- we'll get a new band and have the watch part serviced -- but the ring is destroyed. The main diamond fell out in the accident (Len went back to the scene to look for it, but was unable to find it). Then, in the hospitql, when my hand was so swollen, the rest of the ring had to be cut off my finger. We still have the carcass, so maybe we can have it melted down to a new ring or something. I try not to think I'm that into the symbol of the thing, but the fact is I am. I loved my ring and what it represented, and I am truly sorry I no longer have it.

Today also marks five weeks since my accident. A few more weeks from now and I'll be in physical therapy, re-learning to walk. Every Monday is one week closer to normal.

Len is here at home, taking a final exam today. He downloaded the exam at 9 a.m. and will upload his answers by 5p.m. Ain't technology grand? I'm just sitting quietly on the living room sofa, blogging, knitting, and reading, while he is fulfilling his academic obligations. Cool.

Foot Cream Anyone?

Since my stay in the hospital, my feet have become absolutely grotesque. Not sure why the bottoms of my feet are all dried up, but if anyone has a suggestion for an intense foot moisturizing cream, I'd be open to it.

Comfort Zone

My ass hurts.

I don't mean to be so vulgar, but the fact is, my ass hurts.

I remember talking to my doctor the morning after the third surgery on my left pelvis, telling him how sore a particular spot was, when he pointed to his own rear end and asked if that's where it hurt. Yes, I said. He said simply,"Yes, well, we spent an awful lot of time there."

It still hurts there. Luckily, though, it seems most of my other pains are gone. My right knee is feeling pretty solid, and the incisions themselves aren't painful. My left foot is still numbish and tingly (or sparkly, as I described the sensation to Dr. Furie), but otherwise the real pain is isolated to my left hip. It's a deep, constant ache, and considering they spent several hours in there over the course of three surgeries, it seems only right that it still hurts.

Love in My Tummy

The first insurance statement came today regarding Dr.Furie's bills. Dr. Furie is my orthopedic surgeon and performed four surgeries on my legs. It's a hard statement to understand because it says things like "ineligible amount" and "approved amount" but since it also says "Member responsibility $0.00" after each of the four surgeries, I'm feeling reasonably confident that so far we don't owe anything. Whew! I believe the only bills we have left is from the hospital itself and my trauma doc, and for any follow-up care and those should covered, too. We'll have a deductible, for sure, but otherwise I think we are set. After years of hearing terrible stories about insurances not paying for things, I'm grateful that it seems I won't have similar troubles (knock on wood).

I was thinking recently about that old helmet I bought on eBay but never used because it was improperly advertised as DOT approved. Thank goodness I wasn't wearing that flimsy thing the day of my crash. I doubt anybody'd be reading my blog if I had been. It was cute, but not something that could protect my head in case of a real impact. I have a friend at work who rides a Harley with a non-approved helmet. I'm going to have a talk with him.

Shakes and fries

When I was in the hospital, I made a point to tell every new nurse and patient care person I met how important their job was and how much I appreciated their efforts. It takes a really special person to be a caregiver like that and I feel each and every one of those people contributed to my recovery in some important way. They checked my condition, medicated me, bathed me, counseled me when I was down, and seemed genuinely happy for me when I was released. Nursing is so much more than a job. It's a part of who those people are. Thanks again, 5th floor nursing staff at Atlanta Medical Center.

On my last day, I asked Lou, one of my Patient Care Associates (PCA) how long people generally stay. She replied they had just released someone that week who had been there three months. He was sent to a nursing home, where he'll live out his life. He was hit by a car while on his bicycle and the car's driver was never caught. He was in his 30s. Lou then told me a crazy story about her friend whose foot was broken when a car swerved around her at a stop sign. The car's tires ran over her foot. Think how close that car had to be to her!

I asked another nurse if she had ever been hospitalized and she had in 2000 after a serious car accident resulted in serious internal injuries. She spent six months at Atlanta Medical Center and was so inspired by the experience, went on to nursing school and now works for the same hospital where she spent all those months recovering.

Eddie was one of my night nurses. He came in one night to find me sitting at the edge of my bed, trying to get to a chair in the room. Instead of hollering at me for such stupid behavior, he actually helped me to the chair. Then he and that night's PCA changed my bed sheets and rearranged some things to make me more comfortable. He was one of my favorite nurses.

Patients can be pretty unruly I imagine. All those drugs I was on really made me wacky, that's sure.

Non Sequitur
I haven't had coffee since March 26 and I don't yet miss it. I've had some caffeinated beverages, like a Coke-cola or the like, but not many. And since Len makes my food, it is generally dressed more in the way he prefers, like no sugar or Splenda in cereal, etc., so I haven't even had sugar or substitutes for weeks. I'm not drinking enough water -- trying to cut back on bathroom breaks, frankly, but as soon as I can do the bathroom on my own I'll cause a drought.

Doggles
I try not to think about Scully because I'll miss her too much. I know she is having a nice extended visit with her cousins and that she is very well cared for, so that is enough for now. But I really do miss that crazy dog. Devon reminds me every day why she isn't here, though. He never fails to jump on a particularly sensitive spot and cause me great pain. At 13 lbs, that's something I can handle. But now that Scully is tipping the scales at 66.5 lbs, she'd send me back to the hospital if she did that to me!

Thanks, Suzy and Clark, for taking her in. It means so much that you've done that for us.

Step by Step, Inch by Inch

I can't seem to regulate my body temperature, I'm always roasting. Or cold. Or hot in one spot, cold in another. I guess this must be what menopause is like. Thank you, but no. Hot hands and cold arms are not fun!

I've been out of the hospital a full week as of today, and I'm feeling better each day. My wrists are really getting tired and achy since I use my arms so much to maneuver around, though. My scabs are disappearing (I don't even want to think about where they may have gone) and nearly all the bruising is gone. My next big milestone, I think, is getting the staples removed from my hip and getting to have a real shower. Using washcloths has worked fairly well, but it's just not the same. I dream about clean water running freely over my face!

Re-Connecting

Here in the South, a good deal of stock is put in the Lord and how He works, so a lot of folks have been telling me that He has bigger plans for me and that I should be looking at the positives that have and will come out of this accident. I'm not a religious person, but I do agree that it's really important to look at the positives in everything. Dwelling on the negatives only gets me down and I could use some happy thoughts. So here goes...
Hopefully, I'll become more patient. I do have a tendency to think, "When this or that happens, life will be so much better." So, living in the moment will be good for me.
I've learned that Len is a wonderful caregiver. He needs some lessons on proper foot rubs, but otherwise he's outstanding and I couldn't ask for a better nurse.
After having strangers poking at me for the last several weeks, I've become much less body modest. Doubt I'll ever be an exotic dancer, but maybe I'll enjoy going to the beach more. I've got hundreds of staple scars on my legs. people will notice those before my cellulite.
Folks I haven't talked to in ages have been calling to wish me well in my recovery. How nice is that!?!? I've missed my old friends and this has helped re-connect us!
I'll be much more observant of my surroundings. I won't miss those turns and I'll live more carefully. I don't want to lose my fearlessness, so I'll just say I'll be more careful.

Daytime TV Sucks

I've really been slow to readjust to life at home since returning from the hospital. I've been in a lot of pain and have been having anxiety over the accident and what it's done to me. Feeling pretty sorry for myself. Not cool, I know, but there it is.

Today is the first day I've felt so-called normal in a while. I've still got pain, and my left foot is swelling so much I still can't use the wheel chair, so I'm stuck on the sofa with my feet propped up on pillows. But, my spirits are high and I'm finally seeing that this is a temporary problem that I simply need to overcome. My old, happy self is beginning to reemerge.

Len showed me what was left of my old scooter key this morning and I freaked out a little bit. I really need to wait to view the artifacts of the accident until after I'm walking, I think. I'm still too close to it, I guess. I really didn't expect the emotional stuff I've been feeling: Nightmares, anxiety, fear, over-dependence on Len. Oh, and I can't bear to watch hospital dramas on TV. Actually, any kind of violence on TV throws me into a fearful frame of mind. I'm surprised about this, but I'll get over it eventually. In the meantime, I just need to heal.

My calve muscles are completely atrophied so I need to continue losing weight or I'll break my legs all over again when I try to walk again! I have no idea how much weight I've lost since I can't stand on a scale, but the pictures Len took throughout this ordeal show a clearly dwindling Megan. Like my friend, Kitty, said to me in the hospital: At least I'll get something good out of this accident!

Some people have asked that I explain what happened and where I stand today, so here goes:

On March 26, a little after 5p.m., I was on my scooter on my way to Target to pick up a package of my favorite underwear (sorry if that's too much information) before going to my second job at the best yarn store in the South, Knitch, when I missed my turn onto Rocky Ford Road and in an instant made a terrible mistake and ran head-on into an SUV. Scooter vs. SUV: SUV won. Both Len and I think the SUV driver and I tried to avoid the collision and the SUV clipped my left hip, likely breaking my pelvis, and knocking me off the bike. The SUV and driver were unhurt, thankfully. A doctor and a nurse stopped to help and the nurse found my cell and called "home" from the accident scene and I actually spoke to Len from the wreckage (of course I don't remember it). Len caught up with me at the emergency room at Atlanta Medical Center where I was still attached to the sandwich boards and neck brace yelling that I was hit by an SUV, why wasn't anyone helping me. Thankfully, they administered painkillers early and I have no recollection of this verbal rampage.

I spent 3 1/2 weeks in the hospital: Underwent one knee surgery to repair my right tibia just under my knee; three surgeries on my left pelvis to rebuild what was left; and a small surgery to prevent strokes and other unfortunate things during my stay in the hospital. My left foot has what is called "foot drop," which means I can't lift my toes or ankle, and I wear an extraordinarily heavy boot on that foot to prevent permanent damage to my heal cord. When I am walking again, the doctors believe I'll regain control over that foot. I do exercises all the time to help re-teach my toes to lift, but have had no luck so far. If, when I go to stand in 4-6 weeks and I still feel pain in my left hip, they'll do a full-on hip replacement. Cross your fingers, toes, eyelids, whatever that I don't need more surgery!

I'm still not comfortable with the gory details of the accident and not just ready to publish the series of pictures. They are pretty hard to view, so when I do get to publishing those images, I'll make a big note at the top of the page.

I'm tired now, so I'll come back to this in a day or two. I do actually have a few really funny stories I'd like to share, it wasn't all bad.

I'm Home!

I returned home last night and it's great to be here. I still in a fair amount of pain and not really up to writing in the blog, but will do the best I can.

Thank you to everyone who visited and sent flowers and other forms of well-wishing. I can't tell you how important you all are to me. It meant so much to hear from you all.

Buh Bye

It looks like Megan may be coming home tomorrow. How can I tell? She only has two toilets in her room. It's been fun blogging for her, but like a responsible adult she'll take away the keys, and luckily before I drove the Porsche into the pool.

I ordered a fancy portable wheelchair ramp that still has not arrived, so I had to build a temporary wheelchair ramp today. Hey Fred, I hate Lowes too, but where else do you buy wood? I have no time for dumbassory.

Devon's been crying himself to sleep every night without Megan. He'll be happy when she returns. Megan will not be happy, I think he put on a pound while she was away. She is so proud of his key.

Outside

Megan is getting better every day. She's off the pain pump now. Yesterday her family from Tallahassee visited, and today her brothers John and Frank wheeled her outside in a wheelcahir. That was her first time outside in three weeks, so she enjoyed it, and luckily it was nice weather here in the morning. I saw her doctor today. He is understandably hesitant to predict when Megan's confinement will end, but he seemed to think it will be soon.

This week I had some weird parking deck encounters. Tuesday night I helped a woman who looked like she fell down the stairs get to her car. She had a big tear in her pant leg and hurt her ankle. I suggested to her companions that they take her back to the ER, rather than come back tomorrow, but they left anyway. And today as I was leaving, a guy who looked kind of stoned asked me if the the hospital would look at someone who didn't have any ID. I told him give it a try, they probably won't turn away anyone without at least a quick look to determine how seriously you are hurt. The woman in the back seat looked like she was in pain, I hope she's OK.

Has anyone ever seen the evening parking deck woman not talking on the phone?

Dewey Beats Truman!

And my previous headline wasn't very good either. Megan had a long surgery today, she didn't get wheeled back to her room until almost midnight. She had a stray bone fragment and a screw in the wrong place, and then she got some more metal. Her surgeon thinks this is the last one though.

Megan about burst into tears when she realized what time it was. She said "F*@%, I missed Lost again." If you happen to have the last three episodes of Lost on DVD I think she would appreciate you loaning them to her.

Surgery Complete

Megan was wheeled back into her room last night about 7pm. Surgery went well, the Frankenstein traction pin is out of her leg. She was pretty doped up last night. Her doctor said the hip rebuilding went well, she has some more metal in there now.

It was a really busy day there, lots of crashes, so Megan was lower on the OR list. There was some really bad crash last night, three helicopters came in in less than an hour while I was waiting.

Easter Bunny Gone Wild

Megan waited all day yesterday for her turn in the operating room. There was a lot of trauma in front of her, helicopters landing all day. Holidays can be crazy, whether it is the Easter Bunny on a shooting spree or a family feud over the last slice of ham.

In the recovery room Megan was parked near a guy who was fresh out of another operating room. He was getting cranky about having to pee. One of the nurses was calming him down, another nurse said "he was like that the last time he was shot."

Pin Up

Megan's leg is back in place. She has several breaks in her pelvis, and several pieces. The two main pins that hold it together are OK, but the plate that held the smaller pieces together came undone, then her leg slipped out of its joint. Today she had the leg put back in place and stabilized with traction including a big bar through her leg again. Tomorrow afternoon it is back to OR to put in another plate to help the one already there. She'll probably be in the hospital all week.

Second Time Around

Megan's hip came out of place. She went to the ICU tonight to have it popped back in. That did not work, so Sunday morning she is going to OR to try again, where she has better anesthesia so a better chance of success. There is some chance it will not work and she will have surgery tomorrow. Either way, she will have the pin through her leg again for traction, then another hip surgery for more hardware later this week. It looks like another week in the hospital.

Suzy and Clark are here this weekend to take Scully away. Megan does not need that crazy dog jumping up on her until she recovers. I hope that Scully doesn't teach Chloe and Bonnie any bad tricks while she's there.

Coming Home?

Megan thinks she has met all the requirements for her release. She has not seen her doctor yet, but she may be coming home tomorrow.

Wheels Of Fire

I saw Megan in a wheelchair today for the first time. She's looking good and hurting less. She has a set of objectives she must perform before they will release her, but I don't know what they are. She ought to be back to knitting in no time.

Don't Trust a Woman On Drugs

At least that's what Megan said tonight. She's out of surgery and looking good. She was hurting a lot, but maybe it wasn't so bad ( well, easy for me to say, huh?). She said the pain was 4 (out of 10), and in the emergency room last week it was 8, so that is surely better. With surgery out of the way, it is all recovery. Before surgery she was able to get in a wheelchair. It may be a few days until she's in a wheelchair again, but she'll be back. She claims she's a certified wheelchair instructor.