7-11-09 morning update

BP 126/73 Pulse 96
Weight 212.4 lbs (still losing weight a little at a time)

The incision is looking good. No new redness, no heat.

The tube holes at the bottom are also healing nicely.

Taking medications for pain:Hydrocodone/APAP 5mg/325mg 1 tab every 4 hrs - lowered dosage with minimal increase in discomfort except upon waking
Ibuprophen 200mg every 4-6 hrs

Waking this morning was a good news bad news affair. The goods news is I slept for over 8 hours straight for the first since well before my surgery. The bad news is I slept through two medication doses. I woke up feeling okay until I tried to get out of bed. Then it hit me, a Super-Sized Owie of the first order. If I had to describe it in one word, I'd have to create a 63-letter polysyllabic word that would requite umlats, tildes and that weird little character that looks like an A invading an E's personal space.

As some people know, one of my favorite words is schadenfreude (sha-din-froi-da) , a German word which refers to enjoyment obtained from the pain and troubles of others (literally Schaden damage + Freude joy). I just think it is so amazing that there would be a word for such a thing. If there were a person in the room this morning who experiences schadenfreude, I could have charged admission. I am sure it was quite a sight to see me slowly slide off the bed because I could not manage to get myself into a sitting position before getting to the floor. I guess the only thing more demeaning would be blogging about it.

Yesterday was a pretty good day. You may have noticed I missed both entries yesterday. I woke up early and found Veronica on the internet looking up estate sales. She loves estate sales. I usually would rather go to an 8 hour performance of Songs from Disney played entirely by the Nails on Blackboards Orchestra at a venue where they lock the doors after you get there and confiscate all ear plugs, fire arms and cyanide capsules upon arrival. Roni asked me if I would like to go and I said yes. Must have been the medication talking.

Anyway, we went to three estate sales, it was nice to get out of the house and get moving. I can't take myself anywhere because I can not drive. I walked through what can only be described as the "Final Garage Sale". I usually can only handle one pass then I have to go to the car. Veronica can lovingly view each and every room and each and every item in it. Bama jelly glasses with cartoon figures on them. The characters arms long since amputated from repeated washings with steel wool. A velvet painting of a matador that the artist actually took the time to sign. What artist looks at a velvet painting and says, "Oh Yeah, I gotta sign this baby"? Veronica loves estate sales to the point where her personal slice of heaven (TM - religious right all rights reserved) will have endless estate sales, thrift stores and garage sales. Technically, I guess they would have to be mock estate sales, I mean people don't die in heaven do they? I mean except from boredom. It is fun to watch her enjoy herself. It is a bonus that she often finds outrageous deals. For me, it is a reminder that, at some point, strangers will be rummaging through my possessions and remarking on my complete lack of style and taste. I hope someone cool buys my Kiss memorabilia not just some money grubbing collector who does not understand the true artistic genius of a group of guys in Kabuki make-up signing songs like Love Gun, Come On And Love, Rocket Ride and Dr. Love. Songs like that come straight from the, well, a bit lower than the heart.

Last night I rode Veronica's adult trike for a while. It was fun. I don't have the nerve to ride my "big boy" bike. The entire balancing, stopping, falling over and chest bursting open thing worries me. I mean, how does one get gravel out of their chest cavity after something like that? Is that a 911 call or an "excuse me, could you please drive me to the ER" moment? If I died on the spot, would my bowels release? That would be SO embarrassing. I don't think I would ever be able to look another person in face after that.

Wow, I just realized that I have been typing so long that the pain meds are now working. Woo Hoo! I now can go and ... Oh yeah, I can't go anywhere. I can't drive. I wonder what's on TV at 8:30 on a Saturday morning. I bet it's choice!

Have a great day.