2/7/2014 a Long Day, and a Great Conversation

2/7/2014

I worked hard at work today - the chaos is still swirling, but I got some things cleared up and moving forward.

Stopped at my pharmacist's - a Rite Aid - to pick up my refill of BP medication, and a one-dose anti=biotic to take for my dental cleaning net week. Two pills, taken an hour before any invasive procedure. For the rest of my life. Interesting. Having something that you need to do "for the rest of my life". 

Not a big deal - except one thing it warns again as is possible diarrhea. oh, joy. Because I haven't been experiencing THAT for the last week (But I have). 

Ah well. Probiotics and Metamucil are my friend. That's the last thing yu want when you;re sitting in the dentist's chair getting a cleaning. 

A Good Thing, though - there had been a spill of Moroccan Hair right in front of the Pharmacy window a few minutes before I arrived - they were cleaning it up, but it was still in progress... I was able to carefully, calmly navigate the still-slippery floor without any trouble. Mindfulness wins the day again! 

Spent the evening watching the Winter Olympic opening from Sochi. I strongly disagree with the hideous human rights violations of the regime, and it's pathetic how badly the spent far too much money and you've got dreadfully unfinished hotels for huge amounts of people... 

But the games themselves are a coming together, and a forgetting of conflict. The opening ceremony is beautiful and it was very well done. 

I am terribly tired - a lot of action this week, and not enough sleep - I am delighted to sleep in tomorrow - just need to run a few errands in the afternoon, and work on some music. 

I had a great conversation online with Jt, and I'll share it here. If you are undergoing this process, this might help you. Also, He;'s a pretty great guy. 

MK: "In Today's blog bost, I said, 'I feel like my own hero.'

And I do. I have a lot of heroes these days - people like you, who have been so kind and selfless in helping me through this epic journey. But I came to a lil' epiphany - It has really hit me that I was really, reallllly in bad shape, You can't really see it until you some back out of it, perhaps. But I'm my own hero, too. I love how well I'm taking care of myself, and how well my beloveds have taken care of me while I couldn't quite manage it alone. "

Jt: "... and keep it up! You can and should be in a constant state of improvement."

MK: "Yes! Thank you! (It isn't meant in and egotistic manner at all, by the way - but I suppose you already got that ).

I really am, and don't plan to stop when my hips have healed and the pain is gone. That's kind of the jumping- off point. I am feeling my ab muscles engage in a way that I have never felt before- in simple actions such as just driving the car. There's a deep strengthening happening, and it's pretty thrilling. Profound."

Jt: "Ab muscles may be the most important support muscles in the body."

MK: "As I am coming to understand! My carriage is ENTIRELY different - you may have noticed. part of that is from the new hips which rotate fully now, but a great deal of it is the infrastructure - abs, and those ever-lovin' iliopsoas groups!"

Jt: "There are consequences for improvement. Your carriage IS entirely different."

MK: "Isn't it amazing?? I catch myself in a mirror now and then and just - stare. It's like someone else in my reflection.

ANd I'm actually taller - only 1/4" - but - trippy!!!

OK - well I'm still avoiding tripping... but - well you know..."

Jt:"That kind of 'oops' moment? * Yes, I can imagine trying to avoid one of those."

MK: " YES. One "oops" moment was good for a lifetime!!!

(I don't think we could re-create that if we tried for a week!!) That one precaution for anterior H.R. - "Don't fall." I can do that. Only ONCE have I nearly tripped since surgery - the newly refurbished theatre at City College has BIG GIANT HUGE doors! VERY hard to open! So I gave the one going into the hall a BIG push, and as I was bringing my cane under to clear the door as it closed - hard to describe, that - but it caught the tip of hte cane and damned near sent me ass-over-tea-kettle! But I caught myself, and the adrenaline rush was gone in - oh - a hour! (Really, just five minutes, though). Good to know I can catch myself and correct, and also - I know I could get up from the floor if I had to! Still - no more 'oops'. " 

* There is a very funny story about this little joke of ours, involving my rolling walker and a trip up a bumpy sidewalk, and i thought I had posted it - apparently not, but I will soon!

This exchange kind of says everything I wanted to say for this day!