April 08 X-rays

Today was the day of getting little stuff done. In addition to basic domestic duties, I started yet another small health-insurance battle, completed a pre-admission form for the hospital, scheduled my pre-surgery haircut for tomorrow, rescheduled the trip to the fair previously planned for tomorrow, successfully donated a unit of blood, scheduled the final office visit with my surgeon, and picked up the digital x-rays from my April visit to Dr. Wagner at UW.

You may note the x-ray in the sidebar has changed. With much thanks to Russell who just happened to have magic software for reading medical image files, that's actually me over there now. The curves appear to be going the opposite direction of the original, but that's because they were showing them from the back instead of the front.

I've gone ahead and posted these under a link in case someone is feeling squeamish about pictures of bones today: Here is a very reduced version of my full length x-ray and a slightly closer view of just the torso (this is the same as the one in the side bar, only large enough for you to see).

Gratitudes!

Time to toss out a list of things I'm really grateful for (in stream of consciousness order):

• Making it through the one-month count-down mark without panicking.
• Finding the exact shoes I'd searched 4 Target stores to find at Value Village... in good shape, on 50% off everything day.
• Piles and piles of quality moments with Russell.
  
• I'm extra super grateful for Russell in general.
• Taking Paige and Russell to visit my mom in my home town and spontaneously getting to introduce them to some of my old-school extended family (My mom took care of her in college, she babysat me, I babysat her daughter--who graduated college recently GAWD I'M OLD, and every year we still take cookies to their house at Christmas)
• Supportive--if sometimes a little stress inducing--comments from my coworkers.
• Having a seriously relaxed couple days at work recovering from the busy season.
• Easy on-line booking systems for the only nice campground I know about (yes, I know, some tree-hugger I am... but I like to visit trees, not take up residence with them)
  
• Spready Cheese on crackers (Russell who brings them to me)
  
• The guy at Quiznos who always gives me the discount price even though I order the wrong ingredients on my sandwich.
• Aleive that knocks out my cramps.
• Happy news from a redhead about to start school at Mt. Holyoke
  
• Paigelett now has extra time in her schedule
• Friends and Family (including Paige, Russell, and Max) who make time in their schedules to be with me even when they don't really have it.
• A mid-day massage appointment.
• The brand new extra comfy bed in Russell's bedroom (even if it isn't the one I'm sleeping on tonight)
• Having my own blog to occasionally fill with a pile of random happiness

More topic oriented content coming soon... probably.

All This and Better Please

Posted to LJ on: Apr. 18th, 2008 at 4:21 PM

A lovely and wise friend reminded me to let spirit in on this whole support structure thing. As such I'm going to list some of the best possible outcomes of this surgery so we can keep them in focus and help them happen.

• Countless opportunities to appreciate the humor, strength, generosity, kindness and love of my amazing family and friends
• Amazement in the human mind and body's ability to heal and adapt
• Moments of pride for excelling at tasks once thought too hard to attempt
• Fast and clean healing of the tissue on my back
• A stable and healthy spine
• Commitment to continuing to take care of my body
• A surplus of financial resources to meet my obligations
• A surgery and recovery that goes smoother than anyone could reasonably predict