A few years ago when Bill broke his femur we were sent home with this amazing machine. You put ice in it, (well in our case, I put two frozen thingamiggers that go into your ice chest) and it wraps around his leg and circulates very cold water.
The morning of his surgery after dropping him off curbside at 5:30am, I had planned to have a mammogram the same morning (8:30am) so I could be close to him in a strange silly way. Well, from 5:30am to 8:30am and a very restless sleepless night I thought..."go back home and stick to what you're familiar with....home and safety". That's just what I did.
Covid Hospital Drop 5:30am. Strange times kids, strange times.
My homemade living room nursing station.
I received a text from Kaiser around 6:15am stating I was on the update text list. Whew, I thought...here we go. Game on. By 9:30 I hadn't heard anything so I started doing what Lisa does best, and dug deep into the phone numbers I have on file for that good ol' Kaiser Resort. After finding my way to a nurse in the surgery center she told me he'd been in since 7:16am. Cool. And so I'd wait some more.
By almost 1 his doctor called. They were still closing him up but very happy with what they went in to accomplish. Not really wanting him to stay, because of covidjovid, they had no other choice because of the extensive time he was under, along with the small complications that could arise.
A couple hours later a nurse would call that had him in recovery offering to let me speak with him.
LOL! His raspy voice and silly antics told me the drugs had a good firm hold on him, and all was good in the hood there in his little recovery room.
I went out to our garage getting a shower chair (a metal chair with flames we had in our showroom, small enough, safe enough and just the fitting style for my rebel) He's had enough surgerys to know what works and won't work. A shower chair and poop help chair were a big fat no bueno for him.
I carried the ice machine in. Washed the chair down with bleach. Carried all our rugs in the entire house to our big tub to store.
And waited.
I was able to get him home the next day. With his walker.
A walker we've named Willy. Willy the walker is loud. Willy the walker kicks ass --, but also sends a signal to this mama of "hmmwhatishedoingnow" mode.
It's been a week and two days and this rockstar is doing awesome! Finally off all his pain pills. Only a strong aspirin for clot prevention. A couple tylenols here and there...and PT comes twice a week to get him stretched out. His cut is from middle of his booty (what booty.lol) down to his knee. Glued together, and sewn on the inside.
Healing guys! HEALING.
He's a little different emotionally. I can see a distance in his eyes.
Often wondering what is going through his mind. New hardware in his body.
A new start for something he put off for so long. For many reasons. It's done.
So we hope for acceptance. We hope his body receives this 3rd chance to level up. (They tried to give him back 1 1/2 inches of length, but they can see 1inch. Which is just rad!)
I bought him his first pair of regular flip flops without an extension on em to see how they will feel.
I've taken pictures of him each day.
A journal of sorts to look back on.
Kind of like my blog and the things that have come and gone in our life.
People. Friends. Family. Work. Colleagues. Life.
Life moves on.
Healing is our subject.
There is this season in our life right now. A season to give love in ways we knew were there, but lose sight when focused on other topics. A season to long for the end of this summer. To soak up Fall and the goodness that comes with these new chapters.
New beginnings. Old friends, new friends.
Enjoyed my bestie gathering. Celebrating Susie, and celebrating just being together. So many things fractured in this pandemic. Politics shouting differences. Masks hiding real smiles. Fear lingering on our shoulders. Humans learning this new way. Some going with the grain, while others question the agenda.
Sickness has passed by us, and yet daily you wonder what a tickle is in your throat versus just an allergy to the flowers you watered. Or the lawn you cut.
Waking at night in awe of the changes that happened to the word "Family", and yet embracing the beauty of those that come together during the hard times.
Realizing your true friends that sit by your side during the fucked up moments, and yet looking back at the phony ones claimed as "family" that knew along a knife would eventually come out.
It's all still enlightening to me.
I've accepted this year 2020 as a rugged one. One with a strange beginning yet so hopeful for a better ending.
I'll always lean towards HOPE.
I've witnessed it come in slow, warm loving ways.
And I've learned that having FAITH helps more than I ever knew could.
Happy Birthday Susie!
For now I continue to rotate the ice machine ice thinggamiggers. I prep food from my heart. I drive him to and from. I water lawns like a bandit. I'm preparing good changes for Kris. For us.
I am proud of my strength. My heart. And most of all...Willy The Walker.
It's times like these I learn from my own past. I learn that step by step, hour by hour you can do it.
With friends.
With love.
And with Walker Involved Hugs. Big big hugs.
And wine.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon blanc. To be exact. Good lawrd. You save me girl.
Cheers to you all....
Be thankful for your home. For your breath. For your body.
Some are fighting to keep theirs alive.
I'll take nursing my handsome HIPSTER back to health over and over again.
Did I mention he's on a walker for 6 more weeks?
WOMP WOMP.
Don't stop git git !!!
Love,
This Mama Lisa
Pro Walker Slinger Into Trunk. Pro Ice Machine Filler. Pro Meal Prepper. Pro love giver. Pro Tell Him We Need To Change That Shirt Cuz Old Man Smell Is a Real Thing.
Pro Back Ache Complainer.
So grateful for the life we have.
Peace out!
