D'vorahDavida
Yetzirah

The Nineteen Day Itch
Mon Jun 06 2011

I’m not sure exactly what stage of mourning I am in today, but it’s somewhere between, ‘denial’ and ‘cranky pants’.

I fantasize often about buzz saws and sledge hammers being applied to this cast in macabre scenes somewhere in dark dungeons. I can wiggle my foot and ankle around pretty well inside it now which I am sure is due to swiftly atrophying muscles. This makes it seem quite possible to just slip this whole thing off so I can get reacquainted with my right leg. Or maybe put it in a nice warm bath and slather it with my favorite St. Ives Mineral Therapy lotion and tell it bed time stories. Oh, I’ll put it right back on and promise not to walk on it. I just want to SEE it. I think it needs a cuddle. You can’t cuddle this cast, even if it IS purple.
It’s non-cuddleable on every level.

And besides that, it’s getting grubby around the edges. Ick.

Don’t you think it would be a good idea to make casts with hinges, so you could take them off for a while? You know, in really careful ways. Just for the psychological benefit? To let your limb air out? Move it a little bit in therapeutic ways? Give it some sunshine? Soak it in lavender scented warm water? Get your toenails done? Let it see the garden?

(Could we please avoid having to hear too much detail about your fantasy world? It’s too early in the morning.)

I can see where an active imagination would annoy one such as you. Your fantasy life must look like the Gobi desert during a drought.

(Sloppy metaphor.)

Well like you said, it’s early in the morning. What do you expect?

(Brilliance at all times.)

Well, there’s a fantasy right there! See you can do it!

As I was saying...

I am experimenting with different ways to sit that seem more natural to me. I often sit cross legged in normal times. These are not normal times and my tailbone is fed up with too much chair time. I am practicing using the crutches a little more today to get around the house, but woe to you if you want to carry something from one place to another while using crutches. It’s a recipe for disaster.

Before I did the ankle flop face plant on our street 19 days ago, I had NO idea how much stuff I schlepp from one spot in this house to another spot in this house. I should have joined the teamsters union years ago. I’d be retired by now and could hire someone ELSE to schlepp my stuff around the house. It’s a never ending parade of stuff. Laundry, books, Zunes, journals, books, knitting, dog bowls, dog toys, books, phones, peanut butter, yarn, books, languishing unused right shoes, blankets, magazines, dishes, brita water filters, books.... it never ends.

There ARE things to be thankful for.

***

(I hear crickets. Do you hear crickets? I’m sure I hear crickets.)

***

Most of the things I can come up with in the ‘thankful’ department involve variations on the theme entitled, “It Could Be Worse”.

It’s harder to think of more concrete things to be thankful for.

(Give it a shot. I can’t wait to hear this...)

Okay smarty pants, I’m thankful that Hub Man is doing the vacuuming. He does it better than me. Only thing is I usually do it twice a week and now we are down to once. I’m trying to make it last. Though my job would be so much easier without four animals lounging about who are covered in fur.

[album 65561 GoofyHen2.JPG]


I do not want to hear
any more complaints about animals.
YOU invited them to live here.
BUK up and take responsibility
for your decisions Hay Seed.

Sigh.

[album 65561 Little Miss Sunshine.JPG]

If I had a cookie,
I would give you half of it.
But I don’t have a cookie.
Because no one has baked any cookies.
For a LONG TIME.

Anyone notice the total lack of a sympathetic NURTURING element in this post?

I may have to think this over.

I think it’s time to see my therapist.

I’ll get the bath water running.

See you later.

Yours Truly,
The Gimpess In Exile

5 Comments
  • From:
    Mamallama (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jun 06 2011
    I have total sympathy for you, while I am LMAO over this post, of course. :o)
    Is this your last cast week?
    I hope so for your sanity's sake.
    {{{Hugs}}}
  • From:
    Salamander (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Jun 07 2011
    They actually do make casts with hinges. Okay, they're snap-on, but it's the same principal. the problem is that people take them off when they aren't supposed to. If you know what I mean.
  • From:
    InStitches (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Jun 07 2011
    Oh my... this took me back! All sorts of childhood memories bubbled to the surface. You have my complete sympathy even if the rest of the crew doesn't get it.

    Your comment on thankfulness also took me back. My mother made it her mission to point out other people, especially kids, who were in worse shape. It was her way of keeping me from sliding into self pity so with that in mind I offer the following.

    There once was a little girl who was different from other children. Her leg didn't grow quite right and one hip was missing a section of bone right where the hip socket should have been. It was a very difficult time and her parents were not certain their little girl would ever be able to ride a bike or chase butterflies let alone walk. But they saw in this little girl a fighting spirit so they didn't give up. Instead they nurtured that spirit and looked for ways to make her life better.

    There were many visits to doctors and many surgeries, but with no hip there was no way to support weight so the little girl still could not walk. Then one day a group of doctors came up with an idea. Using muscle they would build a hip socket. But it would require many, many weeks of immobility after the surgery. Wanting to give their little girl every chance they could the parents agreed and the surgery was performed.

    By then the little girl was around 4 years old and very active. She was used to scooting around or hopping about on one leg. And now she was encased in a big plaster cast that went all the way around her from her waist to below her hips and part way down one leg! She could not scoot or hop about. All she could do was lay in one place unless someone strong would carry her to a different room.

    The cast was hot and she constantly itched, but there was no way to reach the itch so all she could do was cry though it didn't help. She missed bath time most of all; being all soapy and playing in the water with her sister. Just getting clean was a big challenge, but with one parent holding her the other one could wash her hair over the edge of the tub so it wasn't all bad.

    It was a difficult time for all, but the 12 weeks passed and with great fanfare the dreaded cast came off and the parents dreams for their little girl were realized. She learned to walk, she climbed trees she ran in the surf and yes, she even chased butterflies.

    Real person; true story.......mine.

    I wasn't thankful then. In those days all I could see was the heavy white plaster, the discomfort and the boredom. I could not see the goal or imagine the benefit. And every time my mother pointed out a child who had worse problems I wanted to scream.....though I think mostly I just rolled my eyes or groaned.

    Looking back I find I am thankful for the plaster cast. But most of all I am thankful for parents who never gave up on me and who never let me give up on myself.

    Mom lesson over. :)

    PS:
    Quilty asked me to add.......

    Its ok to be cranky......... the damn thing itches! ;)
  • From:
    Yetzirah (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Jun 07 2011
    I'll shut up now.
  • From:
    Salamander (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Jun 08 2011
    Hey, don't shut up because there are people out there with worse stories. I'm sure InStitches didn't mean that. I mean, if you look at it, every person in the world has at least one more person with a worse story than theirs. That is, except for one person, who really does have the worst story in the world. There aren't many people in the world who truly believe that they are in line for the "Worst Story" category though. Anyhow, other peoples' stories help put personal pain in perspective, but they do not and never will diminish personal pain. Continue to rail against the itchy discomfort of parts not scratch-able and the utter inconvenience of coccyx compression. I'm personally convinced it's all a necessary part of the healing process.