letting life flow.....

Mr Bull Elk and his ladies lounging in Kendrick Park

Since I was supposed to get surgery yesterday, I had a full day with nothing on my agenda.  Sometimes, days like that are the ones that end up being the fullest!  It all started pretty quiet, sitting around playing with Thistle the Wonder Golden and wondering how the heck I was going to make it, gimping on one leg for two more weeks, with a torn knee.  That got me realizing that my usual bravery to pain was just not going to see me through this time. 

I think I told you that I really do not like narcotics/painkillers.  For one thing, I have a children’s reaction to drugs, always have, in that I need far less than normal adults.  Also, I really don’t like that feeling you get when you are taking them.  My head always feels like it’s ten times its size and sound becomes magnified, feels like everyone is yelling at me. For me, it’s just a creepy feeling.  Add to that, my sensitivity to others emotions already and you pretty much have a blithering train wreck when I take painkillers. But sometimes, you just have to take them.  Do painkillers really kill pain or do they just mess you up so much you aren’t paying attention to the pain anymore? That’s a question I’m not sure has an easy answer. I’ll be letting you know in the next few days because I broke down yesterday and asked for some.

Dr. Q, my orthopedic surgeon, does not believe in dispensing prescription painkillers before surgery. That’s never really been a problem with me before, as my surgery has usually been right away. Heck, I say usually, like I get surgery all the time...  I’ve only had him operate on me once before, for a damaged shoulder.  He had to remove about ½ an inch of my clavicle because my AC space was too tight, causing lots of damage. I also had mondo bone spurs in my rotator cuff. He prefers that you just take ibuprofen or some other over the counter pain relief before surgery and save the “real” drugs for post-op. 

So, yesterday morning, I’m sitting there playing with Thistle and my knee is playing the drum solo (or so it feels) and I realize that I’m not going to handle this next two weeks very well.  So, I decided to drop in on my family practitioner and see if she could help me.  The wonderful thing about this small town is you can actually do that here.  I got to her office about 9 am and no one else was there yet and I explained that my surgery had been postponed.  Now, I had just been to see her last week because I wanted a full physical exam before surgery to make sure I was physically ready and also so she could send Dr. Q. a copy stating such.  When you have no immune system, you have to think about things like that.  So, she was fully aware of everything I’ve been going through.  After giving me a big hug and some consolation, we decided that yes, indeed, I needed some help. I’m very picky about the drugs I’m willing to take.  Most of those drugs, like I said, make me feel worse, not better.  I have learned that the only one I can take and still continue to function normally on is Demerol.  Most doctors will tell you that you may as well take a placebo as take Demerol in pill form.  For me, though, with my child reaction to drugs, it’s perfect. It helps dull the pain but doesn’t dull my brain so much.  So, that’s what I got.

This meant I needed to go to Sheridan to get it filled as you can’t fax in narcotic prescriptions. Turns out, it worked out great because all my other prescriptions just happened to be there waiting for me to pick up. Serendipity strikes again!  Now, anytime I have to go to Sheridan and it’s anywhere around lunchtime, Rob gets real pouty if he doesn’t get to go along and hit his favorite Chinese buffet!  Since I can't drive real well with my left foot, he was a neccesity this time. We also had our new magnetic signs for our photo business to pick up there.  Oh, they are gorgeous, by the way! 

New sign panels for the truck and my car

So, my day of doing nothing turned into a lunchtime trip to Sheridan with Rob.  We had to go check the Elk pen at Kendrick Park while we were there, of course.  You never know when that million dollar shot of the big bull is going to be waiting for you.. We didn’t stay long, the sun was not really cooperating but Rob did get a few nice shots of Mr. Bull Elk.

So, we got back to Buffalo after lunch, nice full tummies from the Dragon Wall buffet, and Rob dropped me off at home to go back to work. Next thing I know, a friend who is moving to town called and I got to go over and visit with her while she was unpacking at her new home. It was wonderful because usually she’s got her two little ones with her but she came over the mountain alone this time so she could do some pre-move cleaning.

Once I left her, I went for a drive by myself up a little into the mountains, just for a little thought collection I desperately need from time to time.  Nature always centers me and I do this quite often.  The air was so crisp and the mountains so clear up there, always crisps and clears my head, too.

After that, I stopped to get a newspaper and ran into one of my other besties, who was heading to happy hour at the Moose.  I got the great idea that we should join her!  Now, usually I only go out once a week for drinks but, hey, I had a free day and my knee was throbbing….good excuse as any, right?

I’m so glad we went to Happy hour because one of my other besties, Kim, had just gotten back into town from her snowbirding trip down to her property in Nicaragua just hours before!  Poor Rob, though, had to sit with six women and listen to us chatter for a couple of hours!  Luckily, he’s quite comfortable in his masculinity and can handle all of us women!  We even had a dog at our table last night as friends brought their latest addition, Agnes, along.  It was a fun time had by all.

Agnes, the rescue pup, at her first ladies bull session at the bar

I really ended up having quite a day for someone who had nothing planned yesterday morning.  I’m sitting here this morning feeling very grateful for the life I have. I share it with a lot of amazing people here in Buffalo, too.  As I say often since I’ve lived here, I can’t imagine being anywhere else on earth.  Okay, maybe somewhere warm on occasion but I get such warmth from my friends, I really don’t need the temperatures to follow suit…..

I hope that you can see the little joys in your life like I do without having the drama of death hovering over your head. I wish for you to see that life is a miracle every day and that ordinary things can be extraordinary, if you just look at life through a grateful eye.  My life is nothing unusual….it’s how I approach it, that makes it magical.  You can, too, friend!

“For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with knowledge that you’ll never walk alone”

~Sam Levenson