I'm Still Here!

This is a big anniversary in more ways than one. Thirty two years ago we became parents for the first time, almost no bigger event in a person's life. Most of you know the story about how Bruce and I were down at Lake Eola (where I currently sell photography) waiting for the fireworks to begin, when I realized I was just too uncomfortable to stay. Being five days late is no picnic, and I can assure you that, although I was frightened of the next step, I was only too ready to put my pregnancy behind me. Arriving at the hospital around 10 pm, I was already pretty far gone, in fact I began hyperventilating, and passed out. When I came to, they convinced me to be put to sleep to deliver our son. This was still somewhat common in those days, and I was really in no shape to argue with them. I had Matt at 1:20 on the morning of the fifth. I remember thinking, why was I still hurting if I'd already had the baby, when I realized it was from the episiotomy. I'm so glad I was young when I became a mother. The shift towards waiting until you are 40, or so, doesn't make much sense to me, but new mothers always find a way to make things work.

Matthews' influence is still being felt. He suggested I make haste to read an article in The New Yorker about itching, a subject I know very little about. Sure, I itch, but the physiology of itching is not very well understood and it turns out doctors know very little about it as well. Amazingly there is a case study in the article about a woman whose itching was so incessant that she literally scratched into her brain!!! I know it sounds remarkable, but if you've ever itched really bad, you can imagine it.

Bringing me to the title of todays post. Two years ago on his 30th birthday I was chatting with him from a hospital bed. We 'd only just heard the news from the doctor that it seemed as if I had pancreatic cancer that had spread, a dire diagnosis if ever there was one. How, you ask, could they be so wrong? The longer I've gone through this spell in my life, the less I think doctors understand the body. Sure, they know some things, but the title of John Mayer's song, Your Body is a Wonderland seems apropos, not in the way JM means it, but the reality seems to be that there are new discoveries about how our bodies work all the time, yet frequently the medical establishment is slow to adapt.

Tying all this together, upon discharge I was sent home with pain medication and no real instruction on what to do next. One thing we did know was that the pain meds caused me itching. I'd noticed it in the hospital, mentioned it, but was ignored. My whole body itched, but it was my hands that nearly drove me crazy. I could be dozing and scratching at the same time. Inflammation ensued but I couldn't stop myself. Lisa was staying with us at the time to care for me while Bruce was traveling, you know how sweet she is, it nearly made her cry to see me like that. Taking matters into our own hands (no pun intended) we found some of those thin cotton gloves, lathered my hands in lotion, and got not only new medication, but a new doctor as well. The change in medication helped, the new doctor, not so much.

Enough already!!

Yesterday Bill and LeAnne invited us over for a cookout and to see all the improvements at their place. It was VERY impressive all the way around. Jonathan will be pleased to learn I sang "Don't Look Back in Anger" by Oasis with their new Wii game, Rock Band; my score was in the mid-90's, one caveat, it was set on easy...but still.

Ziggy is the photo subject today. Because Baxter came to live with us more than two years ago LeAnne has been wanting another dog--well this is her sweet new dog posing for the camera. Cute, huh?
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Listening to: LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum
via FoxyTunes

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Listening to: LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum
via FoxyTunes