Running headlong into modern medicine

There are three things I swore I would never have: a torn rotator cuff, a root canal, and surgery on my feet or hands. My record is not very good. I tore my rotator cuff so long ago that by the time it was diagnosed the shoulder specialist said the muscles were atrophied and there was nothing to repair. That sound he heard was a long sigh of relief from me, because I've heard it's a horrible surgery. My shoulder works fine, and I keep it limber by doing yoga, etc., because I know a frozen shoulder requires treatment even worse than repairing the torn rotator cuff. No, I cannot lift a stack of plates onto a high shelf with my right arm--but my right arm can help my left arm, and we all get along just fine.
Then I had a bad toothache--root canal called for. All I can say is that it was one of the longest, most unpleasant mornings in my life, and the tooth is a tad sensitive to this day. I know better now than to swear I'll never have it again--but I am talking to the Lord about it a lot and asking his preventive help. I'm not sure dedicated dental hygiene helps--I think the need for root canals is just visited on  you willy-nilly.
But Monday I am having minor foot surgery--voluntarily. It's funny how once you commit to this, telling yourself it's no big deal, it's on your mind all the time. I found myself thinking about it a lot today, marking time by before and after. It truly is no big deal--arthoplasty on two hammer toes, and not major toes--the third and fourth. The podiatrist will do an office procedure under local anesthesia, and he says to think of it like having a tooth pulled. Not sure that is comforting. But I have heard horror stories of earlier repairs--a tourniquet around your leg, which subsequently causes serious blood clots,  breaking the adjoining toes to straighten all together, etc.My doctor assures me none of that is true today--he will pop out a bit of the joint; discomfort for a couple of days, an orthopedic shoe for a month--so fashionable. These toes have caused me a lot of pain and confined me to tennis shoes--talk about fashionable--for some time. And, as the doctor said, they're not getting magically better. It' time.
Ever faithful Betty will take me, Greg will clean the dog poop from the yard (he told me I put my request so delicately), several people will check on me, and I may just play this to the hilt. But still a bit--okay a large bit of me--is nervous about the actual procedure. I tell myself it will soon be over and I'll be on the other side.
I hope not to concentrate on it all day tomorrow. What can you do to help? Make me laugh, please.

Root canal--and good friends

Today was the root canal that I so dreaded. It wasn't as bad as I thought, because I was determined to relax, lie still and cooperate--the better to get it over with. In retrospect, it seems a lot worse. Jean had used the word tedioius and the dentist said it today, which made me giggle--but it did seem to go on forever. Betty took me to the dentist's office and walked me almost to the door, by which time I was fine on my own. Dr. Ku is gentle, kind and compassionate--and, I'm convinced, a good, conscientious doctor. The procedure took almost two and a half hours, and when I walked out to the office, I was unsteady on my feet--he obviously worried about me and held on to my arm. Jean was there, waiting for me, so I settled up, got an appointment for next week to have a crown put in, and we left. But I was really shaky, and Jean said as I held on to her across the parking lot that she could feel me shake. We stopped to get our flowers of the month--I let her go in--and then to pick up a prescription that wasn't ready. Bless her--she took me home and delivered the prescription later in the afternoon, leaving it in the mailbox because I was trying to nap. Couldn't sleep--my mouth hurt, my head hurt, etc. Finally I took aspirin (which Dr. Ku told me not to do, but it was all I had). Betty called about then, and the next thing she appeared at my door with a bottle of Tylenol. The aspirin worked, and I began to feel much better, so by the time my class arrived I was in pretty good shape, though I had asked Elizabeth to lead the class tonight. Tylenol and more antibiotics and I'm a walking chemistry project, though feeling tired but pretty good. Mostly I'm feeling blessed by good friends--Betty and Jean who both took such good care of me today, Elizabeth who took care of me tonight.
Tomorrow is another day and, I hope, a brighter one. I sure have a lot to do. But as Jean so helpfully pointed out to me, a hundred years ago people died from abscessed tooths (teeth?). So that's another thing to be grateful for. This has just been the week I want to put behind me.

Birds and other good stuff

I love watching the birds at the feeder just outside the window over my kitchen sink--I cannot imagine having a kitchen sink without a window over it and think that would keep me from buying a house. But the little birds, sparrows and the like, come five and six at a time and boy, do they squabble and chase each other away. But today I've had a beautiful male cardinal (I saw him yesterday too) and a male blue jay. They're bigger, and the little birds make room for them. Every once in a while a dove tries landing on the feeder, but they're really too big. Besides, they're mostly ground feeders and can eat what gets scattered on the ground. I think with this bird feeder--mesh, with a small lip and hung far enough from the tree--I have thwarted the squirrels. However, they have devoured the fig crop. I had lots and lots of small green figs and now I barely have a few. My mom used to encase her tree in netting, but my tree is too big for that. I don't remember that my folks had this problem in North Carolina--maybe they didn't have all the squirrels we have. But they had a huge row of fig trees, so tall that we put Colin on top of the van to pick them.
This was my last day of treating myself as fragile, and I really do feel a lot better. Cooked ground sirloin and spinach for dinner--only ate a little of each (it still hurts to open my mouth) so I'll have lunch and dinner for tomorrow. Got more work done--finished the chili chapter, combined all the chapters into one file, and took notes on Gail Borden. Who knew that condensed milk began in Texas, product of the mind of an eccentric inventor who spent most of his life in debt and ended up a rich philanthropist. I find the story fascinating. Had done a children's manuscript on it that has never been published, but I had all the info on hand.Tonight I'm going to give myself the luxury of reading.
I am apprehensive about tomorrow, of course. My brother called and said if I weren't, I wouldn't be normal. But I remember the morning the dentist did two crowns in one sitting because, as he said, if they're in the same quarter of the mouth, they do them all at once. It was an ordeal, and I was in the chair over three hours. That was the day I fell walking out of the dentist's office, which my doctor tells me  was not such a big deal--it's not unusual to be off balance when you've been in the dentist chair that long. I figure tomorrow won't be as bad as that.
After the dental appointment and a nap, I have to take control of my world again. But I've kind of enjoyed these two days! In a funny way--wouldn't want to live this way all the time.

Chronicle of a toothache

I woke early this morning with my jaw hurting, but I managed to doze on and off until 9:30. Once I got up and moving, the jaw--and I--felt better. I kept checking the mirror, trying to see if the swelling had gone down, because the dentist was concerned about it. Tonight I can say it may not have gone down, but it hasn't gotten worse.
The trouble with feeling rotten is you look around  your house and see things that really must be done but don't have the oomph to do them--I made myself do a laundry, freeze the chicken I'm not going to serve to company tomorrow (after I made such a fuss at the butcher counter about "Has this chicken ever been frozen?), and several other small chores. Tonight I put out fresh bird seed, cleaned the back yard, took the garbage carts down to the curb, and watered the porch plants.
Eating is no fun because it hurts to open my mouth (that should make the root canal really pleasant!). Breakfast: a bit of cottage cheese; lunch: cream of chicken soup--okay, it had wheat flour in it but who cares about gluten at this point? dinner: a deviled egg (pretty good), a small bit of hummus, and a banana. Maybe I'll lose weight.
People are quick to tell me their stories--from horror to "piece of cake." My neighbor/yard guy came by for the few figs I'd picked and said he'd rather have open heart surgery again--but he was talking about the pain before the root canal not the procedure, and I, knock on wood, seem to be lucky in that respect. Jean Walbridge described the procedure as "tedious" and said to take my iPod (she should know I don't have one) but I'll take the Kindle for those periods when everyone disappears. Chloe Webb said she had a lot more luck with root canals than losing weight, even though hers was complicated and her dentist finally gave up and sent her to an endodontist--now there's a cheery thought.
Late last night and early this morning I cancelled the world for today and tomorrow--had lunch and dinner plans both days and just said, "Sorry, I can't do that." Met with complete understanding. Sometimes, faced with a day at home, I long to go do something, but today it came with a sense of peace. I spent a lot of time on emails this morning--being on three listserves for Sisters in Crime is time-consuming, and I wonder how some of those ladies write, but I compulsively read each post or at least glance at it. Janet Evanovich's request for a $50 million advance from St. Martin's for four books and subsequent jumping ship to Random has been a big topic. But this aftrnoon I got some good (I hope--have to reread) writing done on the section on Wolf Brand Chili in my nonfiction book. Then a nap, though I slept neither as soundly nor as long as I expected.
Thursday is a big puzzle to me. My appointment has been moved to 9:30, which I view as a good thing. Because when I know I'm facing something like this, I get nervous, Betty has agreed to take me and Jean will pick me up. I plan to come home, have a long nap, and then my writing class meets at my house. Elizabeth agreed to lead it, though she also offered to cancel it. I said that wasn't necessary. Then I realized I'd agreed to provide refreshments--I have hummus and crackers, and some bourbon hot dogs in the freezer. I thought the kids would want them this weekend but they don't, so I'd just as soon get rid of them. And if I don't feel up to having a houseful of women, I'll simply retreat to my bedroom and close the door. I think it will be fine.
Then comes Friday--when I have to begin to catch up with my lost week, do some shopping, get ready for Jacob that night and to go to Frisco first thing in the morning. Sometimes I think life doesn't leave you long recovery breaks, but I'm guess I'm having mine today and tomorrow.
In spite of the slight nagging in my jaw and the apprehension about Thursday, life is good. I guess I'm making lemonade.

Not a happy camper

Went to the dentist this morning and as I suspected there's a root canal in my immediate future. On antibiotics today, procedure Thursday morning. At this point, I'm not dreading it--I'll be glad when Thursday gets here. It's hard to eat, my mouth hurts (not unbearable but it's there), and I feel crummy--hope antibiotics will fix the latter in a day or so. I had a busy week planned with lunch and dinner plans every night, a class Thursday night (hmmm--Beth might have to teach that one). I think I'll just cancel the week, hope I'm okay by Friday when I keep Jacob for the night. Then all the Alters will spend the weekend at Jamie's in Frisco. The dentist promised me I should be okay by then.
I may be signing off for the week.