20 February 2008

I got my knuckles rapped for having sent those photographs, so have been backing off a bit -
But . . now I am "in recovery," and ready to get back into communication.

A full day to report . . .
Saturday morning, about 14 hours post surgery, Tashie and Bruce were working on crossword puzzles as she drank her decaf soy latté, and he knocked back his standard double wet cappuccino.
Tashie had very little pain, and said she had slept well.

Dr. Yu came round to see her mid-morning, and was pleased with her progress.
He instructed her to avoid lifting, and otherwise carry on as she wishes.
We packed her and her belongings (slippers, magazines, Scrabble, crossword puzzle books, pomegranate juice, etc.) while the discharge nurse again reminded her not to lift anything, to take pain meds as needed, and to keep her Thursday appointment with Dr. Yu.

She refrained from misbehaving further, and spent the afternoon reclined on her bed, dressed in a lavender tea gown, and holding court.
Philip arrived, bearing chocolate Buddhas, black licorice, and black salt caramels. . . she was in her element.
He also brought her a Valentine, a pendant to hang around her neck.
She ate lots of chocolates, and seems to have worn the Valentine to sleep.

And the Bethany and Eliza pair threw together a dinner of lentils, sausages, spaghetti squash, salad, and baguette . . . that is to say, they began the process.
Bethany, in wheedling the stone from the avocado, harpooned herself with a paring knife that is kept very very sharp thanks to Bruce's having trained Clarke to do so.
The avocado slipped from her hand, and the blade of the knife went straight into her palm.

Starting off to the hospital, B & E had a moment of wondering whether they should have brought a computer and movies . . . Saturday night at the ER?
No worries - we had a Vanity Fair, an AdBusters, and a travel Scrabble.

En route, the wound started to really hurt a lot, but we were reassured that she was able to flex her fingers.
Stitches, bandages, Percoset, and splint. So a patient on Tenth Avenue, and a patient on Multnomah Street. Both slept well.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sunday:
Visits with much the same cast as yesterday, as the "out-of-towners" were given preferential standing on Tashie's dance card.
She claims she is not uncomfortable, and as yet, has declined offers of pain medication.

Having spent a rather social morning, she slept a great deal of the afternoon, and here and there popped a chocolate into her mouth.
Bruce and Bethany here briefly in the evening, after which we watched WordPlay, and then she went to bed with her NYT crossword puzzle.

Monday:
Really tired today - spent a lot of it dozing, and not a little worrying about the Wisconsin, Texas, and Ohio primaries.
We had a plan to see Persepolis with Rachel and the kids, but Tashie was too tired to go after all, and a bit concerned about "bugs" in the theatre.

Tuesday:
Her weekly appointment with Dr. Kou, who treats her with herbs and acupuncture, and will continue to do so even when she is getting radiation.
we stopped for lunch on the way home. She was her wonderful charming and poised self, but the minute we got home, she fell asleep.
Before falling asleep, she commented, "That was uplifting, getting out for a little adventure!"

So that is the update.
We see Dr. Yu at 1:00 on Wednesday for a post-op check.
She also will be seeing a radiation oncologist in the next few days.

Thank you for your wonderful notes and prayers and energies coming her way!

Love -e