Thursday, October 08, 2009

Weepy Day

Everything is going on and nothing is going on. There is, of course, my aforementioned surgery, from which I am still recovering. This appears to be "weepy day" in the recovery process. As I also mentioned before, I have a bag of hormone patches, but whenever I have been tempted to use them, I start to wonder whether my issue is a result of the surgery itself, which is a pretty big trauma to one's body, or the new issues created by the surgery, for which the patches are intended.

Complicating that, I just collected a batch of early birthday cards from the mailbox. This will be my 50th birthday, so most of the cards mention that. I am fine with turning 50, but before this surgery came up, I had grand ideas about how I might spend this milestone. One idea was a special trip, maybe to Germany. However, before this surgery came up, I knew I would be enrolled in the scary tech class, so a trip was out. I had a variety of other ideas, but now just getting something like "dressed" is kind of a victory (stretchy high-waisted exercise pants and tops that cover my hips). So now I guess I will be doing next to nothing to mark this milestone.

It's not that I am being ignored. I have been receiving cards. Earlier this week my new phone arrived, a nice new phone I've been asking for. My husband also got a phone. We have been sharing one relatively basic cell phone for years, so this will be nice, especially when I can figure out our plan and how to use the various features on my phone without unintentionally running up a huge bill.

As I started writing this, my husband was in the basement trying to finish a scrapbook cabinet he has been making for me, so that's certainly nice. Then he came up and saw I was upset, and I explained the cards and said, "This is going to be a sucky birthday." To his credit, he said, "Yes, it is."

But then he said he had been thinking it's also kind of an opportunity. Because I will be taking the next session of work off (my recommended recovery period goes well into the session, so I just decided to ask to take it off and make myself available to sub when I feel better), we might be able to take a mini-vacation when I'm feeling up to it.

I feel a lot better now.

(By the way, the other upside is I had an excuse to postpone the scary tech class again, even though I am still doing my practicum. This will delay my graduation one semester, but, hey, i've waited this long to get that degree.)

2 comments:

Susan Edwards said...

Mary, I had no idea you had the big H! Ouch...!!! I think I might fall to the gleeful side of curve if I had the girly parts shunned. Life is easier than when I was your roomie (cramping, throwing up, etc), that was endometriosis and it improved with childbirth... each time.

I knew you were going to be 50, which is why I posted the Happy B-day note on FB. However, I did not know you were having a sucky 50th.

You know I will be right behind you don't you? I will be 50 in March. I don't know about you but I have not had a bday that bothers me - - yet. I don't think this is going to bug me either.

I am on mild HRT so I say "embrase the patches." My HRT pills are my friends!!!

But back to your bday... Ron is a keeper!!! I like that he was honest with you and then made it okay. I also like that he was building you a scrapbook cabinet. That is a good man!!! :)

Mary, you are amazing at 50. You are going to be one of those 88 year old ladies still taking classes, still involved in social issues, still pushing yourself beyond your comfort zones. I admire you. And I hope to still be admiring you in 38 years (if I can remember)!!!

Happy Birthday former roomie. I hope the pain ends soon and the healing happens at lightening speed!

Hugs,
Susan

Mary said...

Susan, thank you for your very kind and encouraging comments :) I actually ended up having a fairly pleasant b-day under the circumstances. On the online support group I belong to, one of the women said she was 52 and when she turned 50, she made the whole year a celebration, so that's the approach I'm going to take. If Barbie can do it, so can I!

Ron has been wonderful. I feel guilty, though, because I haven't been doing any scrapbooking. I'm going to do a hysterectomy page (or two) though. I asked the nurse if I could keep my surgery staples when she took them out. They're goin' in the book.

I hope your 50th is great. We should try to get together between your 50th and my 51st so we can celebrate together!