Surgery on my mom's arm

Originally, when we went into emergency, the orthopedic surgeon thought that having my mom in a cast to heal her arm on its own was good enough.

I was surprised to hear from the fracture clinic at the hospital the following day, which was a Monday. The woman wanted us to come back to the hospital on Tuesday for a 7:30 am appointment for x-rays and more.

It was a super early appointment. Surgeons tend to operate during regular morning hours, so these appointments happen before and after surgery. We got the before.

At the in-person check-in area at the hospital, we got there at 7 am. I went up to one of the desks and got yelled at. Apparently, there is a lineup before approaching one of them. We were the only ones there at this hour.

The sign is roughly eight feet high. Although I am tall at nearly six feet, I don't look up eight feet to read signs. They should be at a normal eye level.

I said that it was confusing. I disliked when the woman at the desk said that it wasn't. First, it's how I feel. It's my first time navigating your hospital. You work here. You are used to where things are. I didn't appreciate this woman challenging my feelings.

I write user documentation for a living. I put myself into the target audience's shoes. Did you, know-it-all woman? Nope. If I find it confusing, and I'm fairly intuitive, I'm sure I'm not the only one, which includes my parents.

Second, give me a break. It's 7 am. My parents are old. We are the only ones there at this ridiculous hour. You are going to have us to go through your regular process of lining up when we are the ONLY people there? Ludicrous. 

We got x-rays on my mom's arm. The break was just above her elbow. The surgeon recommended that she get operated on -- that she get a metal rod and plates to have her arm heal.

My mom's surgery was the following day, the Wednesday, in the morning. Even getting that time was so confusing between the man who takes off stitches and the surgeon.

Thankfully, the not-so-cheerful experiences at the hospital on this day were the only ones that we had encountered. Maybe Tuesdays are simply days to avoid getting appointments here.

We have a follow-up appointment tomorrow. It's not so early. We'll see how things go.

Throwing out the past and finding an NHL team to cheer in the playoffs

 I spent Sunday getting rid of things at home. This task will take a while, but I have made some decent progress. 

Many were either reminders of my ex-guy, such as a fake flower in a vase that he got, along with my manager at the time and an intern when I went into the hospital for surgery. It was back in 2011, shortly after we had started dating.

Looking at this item doesn't bring me joy anymore. It occupies space on my dresser and I needed to get rid of it.

As for hockey, the Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota Wild, and Toronto Maple Leafs have ended their playoff season. I don't know which team I should cheer on now.

Surgery eight years later

Eight years ago yesterday, I had back surgery. I can't forget the date or how I felt that morning before heading to the hospital. Everything happened so fast.

I recently reflected about my surgery with my dear friend. She had had surgery and I was visiting her at the hospital. I haven't really talked about my surgery with friends. The experience is still pretty fresh in my head.

I am thankful for having the surgery. I have lived a pretty normal life ever since. I have lived my life as best I can.

My friend was discharged from hospital on Tuesday. She is resting and mending at home now. I'm so glad that she is doing so well.

My friend is recovering well after surgery

My friend had surgery on her bowel. It got twisted, which caused her abdominal and back pain. She lives roughly two hours away from me.

I went to see her on Saturday. She is healing nicely. She was understandably tired, but in good spirits.

I have known her since we were both twelve years old. She is roughly two weeks older than I am.

Both of us never thought that we'd have surgery. I had back surgery eight years ago, almost to the day. I think she felt better when we talked about and shared our surgery experiences.

I gave her a card and a gift card. I wrote how much I appreciated her. I said that our friendship meant even more now.

She thanked me several times for coming. It was the least that I could do. The drive wasn't anything. I was thankful that I could brighten her day as she continues to recovery.

It was good seeing her. I hope to check up on her again soon.

Quick update

My friend is healing nicely after her surgery. I was hoping to write about everything, but I'm tired and there is a lot to process.

I am thrilled that she's okay.

Visiting and thinking about my friend who is in hospital

A dear friend texted me the other day to say that she was in the hospital. She let me know yesterday that she had had surgery.

Later on today, I will be heading over to visit her. The drive is just under 1.5 hours for me. I asked if she wanted visitors. I'm so glad that she said yes!

I just finished writing a get-well-soon message for her. I filled out an entire greeting card and will bring it with me. I want to get her a gift card, too. I'm keeping things lightweight.

Stronger - then and now

When Kelly Clarkson's song, Stronger, came out back in 2011, it became my anthem on multiple levels.

I was dealing with a colleague who was incompetent. It seems to still be the trend at my workplace these days. This guy was originally my manager. He had issues doing his job. Sleeping on the job will do that. Eventually, he made enemies with everyone, including me, and decided to leave the company.

I was going a back issue during this ordeal. I ended up getting back surgery to remove a disk that was causing a ton of numbness and pressure down my right leg. My guy and I became a couple just before I had surgery. Stronger became my song to get better and be my best self.

Frankly, I stopped tearing up a week ago. I was driving home from work and Stronger came on the radio. The lyrics hit me. It's okay to be sleep alone. The bed does feel warmer. It doesn't mean that I am over because you're gone.

It's trying to find the person that I was before the relationship. I have found her. I am hopefully wiser after this relationship, but I am strong and I will be okay.

In a past post, I had mentioned that I deserve better. I do, both in a romantic relationship and in a friendship. I am perfectly fine walking away from my friendship with him. I don't need to deal with his indecisiveness.

Last Friday, we had lunch together. There were a couple of hints that he still has feelings for me, but I didn't act on them.

"I have always loved your purple nail polish," he said.
"It's not the same colour. The one that you are referring to is long gone. I used the bottle up," I replied.

As we walked out of the restaurant, he touched my lower back. He hasn't done that in ages. I am thinking that it is habit more than anything.

When we got to the office, I simply said, "See you whenever," and walked away. It's exactly how I feel. I am not waiting for you. I don't want us to get back together. It's over. I am moving on and seeking someone who loves and respects me.

As for diving into a relationship, I'm not ready yet. I am going to enjoy some time to myself. If something happens, I'll figure it out then. Right now, I can't handle being in a relationship.

Being compassionate is positive

I am fortunate to have three students this term. One of them, before she started her internship, had indicated that she needed surgery in July.

She had her surgery last Wednesday. She stayed in the hospital for a couple of days and has been discharged. She is resting comfortably at home.

I am a sensitive person when it comes to such matters. When my manager injured his eye, I got everyone on the team to chip in for a fruit bouquet. When another writer on my team got injured in a car accident, I ordered a flower and food basket while I was in Montreal training writers over there on behalf of our team.

With my other two students, I made the suggestion to send her a get-well gift. They liked the idea.

As expected, the one student who started in May took the initiative to look up floral gifts and even order it! The other one, who has worked with me the longest, is the youngest, and doesn't exhibit as much initiative, seems to be more comfortable with these two students than the last one that she was with. I am glad, because the other two are slightly older and are mature beyond their years.

We all corresponded back and forth about the floral gift, how to expense it, what to write, and so on. It was a good exercise in being caring human beings.

They will do just fine in this world.

Opening my 2011 time capsule and reflecting on my life then

I am on vacation till mid-week next week. It has been nice to sleep in and not deal with work-related issues.

I have been cleaning up around the house. I opened a box with tons of magazines and photos. It felt like I was opening a time capsule of sorts.

Most of the items in this box are from 2011. This particular year is significant for a number of reasons:

• I went on a cruise in February and decided to change my eating habits, which led to my losing sixty pounds. I have kept it off ever since.
• I injured my back in August, which required back surgery in late October.
• My guy dropped hints that he liked me in September. We started dating in mid-October.

This box contained a few articles of clothing that are now way too big on me. I washed them last night and am ready to donate them.

I also found a number of magazines that I had subscribed to back then. Within recent years, I decided to cancel all my subscriptions, as they were a complete waste of paper. Many of these magazines were still in their own plastic wrap, in pristine condition.

It has been nice to read each issue. I have been reading a lot lately. I have missed reading for pleasure rather than for work.

Before my guy and I dated, he had visited India on a business trip and gave me a letter opener made of teak. It was also in this box.

On my cruise, I looked at a photo of me posing, barely on the ship for more than thirty minutes. I was at my heaviest weight. I looked happy in the photo, but I wasn't.

2011 was a whole bag of mixed emotions. It ended nicely, with a sweet guy who wanted to be with me at my worst state.

He has stuck by me ever since. I have supported him with challenges that were tossed at him. We make a good support couple, among other things.

Back surgery and affection

So much has happened to me. I have been dealing with a herniated disk in my back for two months. My doctor thought that the disk would heal by itself, but my physiotherapist didn't agree. I ended up going to Emergency at my local hospital last week.

Six hours later, both the emergency doctor and the orthopedic surgeon there recommended that I have surgery on my disk. It was a large herniation and was narrowing my spinal column.

I had surgery on Saturday and have been at home for a couple of days. I am adjusting to the changes and coping with aching all over.

The day before I was discharged, my guy came with another colleague to visit me. Although it is not ideal to give me a spanking these days, he was sweet.

He sat at the foot of my bed. He looked at my feet.

"You have pretty feet," he said, rubbing my right one, which made me laugh.
"Thanks," I said.
"Are your feet ticklish?" he asked me, as he knows that I am.
"Yes, but it's okay," I said.

He proceeded to rub my leg, between my ankle and the side of my calf.

"So smooth," he remarked.
"I can feel your touch. I couldn't before the operation," I remarked.

I am a lucky girl.

Later, my colleague was asking for directions to the nearest subway station. I drew a map for my guy, to help get her there. I said that he would be dropping her at a "kiss-n-ride" dropoff, and teased him as to whether any kissing would occur, using my leg to stroke my guy's back. He was laughing. It was a playful moment for both of us.

I am looking forward to getting better. My bottom needs a good spanking.