HEALING

What an experience yet once again.  I swear if I could get my hands around the neck of the first doctor I'd do him in.  This time around the operation went swimmingly.  I had the procedure at 3:30 on a Monday and on Wednesday, two days later I was released to return home.  Everyone at the hospital was amazed at how well I was doing.  The meds help that is for sure.

The operation was better then the first time, but no cake walk.  Although I have lots of people willing to help there is only so much anyone can do and the rest is up to you.  I really am blessed to have so many people around that want to help out, from my neighbor and her assistant, that helps her at her company, to my long time friends who have been there, changing bed linens, washing clothes, shopping for groceries etc, to the many, many phone calls I've had from friends and relatives alike.  Even the "boys" at the Veterans called to check up on me. 

Now the healing and re-hab begin.  The worse part of the whole thing right now is the burning of the tissue around the joint replacement.  My leg is a wonderful color of blue, purple, yellow and shades there of.  This time, not quite two weeks later I can manage with very little help from my cane.  Last time it was two months on a walker with ten days in a rest home.  Everyone I have talked to praises the doctor that did the operation.  The physical therapist said I was amazing and so far above his other patients he is only coming back one more time.  He has only been here once. The nurse is done next week too and the machine is out of here shortly.  I don't have to use it anymore.  So, my question is if I'm doing so great, why am I hurting?  I know, a healing process that takes time and patience. Time I have, patience is another story.

I will say today I under took cleaning the front of the house.  We had huge wind storms that dumped dirt all over the place and I can't stand a house that looks like the Gobi desert.  So a job that usually takes me forty five minutes took me four and a half hours....rested in between.

So now, it is time to put my legs up and forget things.  I am back among the living, kinda!

GONE FOR A WHILE...

Today is the last day I will be entering anything on my Blog for a while.  I go into the hospital tomorrow for my knee surgery and don't know when I will be able to get back tot the computer to add anything.

I'll keep everyone in my thoughts.

Love and hugs....

CLOSER TO OPERATION DAY....

Two more days and then the dreaded operation on my knee, for the third time.  I'm hoping this will be it and I may have to do someone in if it doesn't work.  I'm going in with a positive attitude that this will be better then the last two times.  Everyone has said the doctor is the best in the hospital so I'm going with that.  My friend gave me a pre-surgery CD that has wonderful calming advice on it.  The studies at UC Davis proved that people that listen to this CD do better then people that don't, even if they only listen to it once. 

Veteran man came at 8:45am yesterday morning and took me to breakfast.  We went shopping after that for items for his house that he is redoing for him.  It was his parents home and he is now making it his.  He plans on living there for two more years and then moving back to Florida.

We looked at gas fireplace logs, furniture and found a very cute porcelain cane holder for his entry.  He decided to purchase a bench and two chairs.  Then off to the framers to get his prints matted and framed.  It only took us until noon and that was including going to his house to see what he had done with his furniture placement in the living room.  All in all it was a successful morning and he got a lot accomplished.  He brought me back to my house and I had the rest of the day to putz around and rest.

I sent Dez the wording on a couple tee shirts I found in a catalog. I couldn't resist.  One said, "the reason that Santa was Jolly was that he knew where all the bad girls live."  the other for me said, "be naughty, save Santa a trip."  It all sounds good to me.  Ha!

Dez answered me and wanted to know if I had been naughty or nice and I said it was always nice to be naughty.  Ah, Santa and his elfette.   He is such a clever word master.  I won't go into what else was said, but he does make me laugh.

I also heard, on Facebook, from the thirty four year old man that writes lyrics for a living and has his own company.  I was conversing with him a lot a long time ago, but ended up blocking him from yahoo messenger when I thought he was getting to involved and wanted to see me.  He is nice looking, six four, two hundred and seventy five pounds of muscle.  Way, way to young but sure good looking. He said on Facebook that he really wanted to talk to me again.  I don't think so, that is just what I need in the mix, a child.

Also on Facebook a man popped up that had contacted me a long time ago.  He wants to meet and says he is very respectful and loves to laugh.  At least he is older, but again, not my type......I need to focus on me right now and I know that.  It is interesting how these guys come back though and at least gives me hope that should Dez leave for Marrakesh for years I will have choices.

My nephew, who passed away in a car accident over four years ago, best friend, who lives in Tahoe sent me a comment on Facebook too.  He and my nephew would come out almost every summer to stay with me when they were little boys.  We have always kept in touch and I consider him my third nephew.  He is such a great guy.  He sent me lots of love and I'm so impressed with him.  He is now a fitness instructor and looks terrific.  I wish him a wonderful life, he deserves it.

So, today is a packing day for the hospital and re-hab center in case I go there.  My doctor seems to think I will be coming home after the operation.  We'll see.

Happy Saturday!

THANKSGIVING.....

I woke up this morning thinking that no matter what the "blips" are on the road I am very blessed to have what I have.  Good friends, relatives, a roof over my head and food on the table.  All the little annoyances pale compared to most of the rest of the world's problems.  Not enough to eat, war and the struggles of everyday life just to stay alive.  I have to try and remember all of this when I think things are getting bad.

Desi sent me a fairly long text, at least for him, telling me what was going on in Morocco.  He said he felt like a Legionnaire.  He had been through his first Sirroco, said the beaches were beautiful, the food good and as they were driving around in their Land Cruisers, people almost genuflected and the sheep herders parted ways for passage for them.  He said it was due to the logo on the Cruisers being from the King....he still hasn't made a decision regarding the job but I really think he is leaning towards doing it,  I sent him an email today saying "Happy Thanksgiving, enjoy the cous cous, lamb, veggies and fruits" and got one in return from him saying Happy Thanksgiving to you too Lucie."

Veteran man texted me last night and wanted to take me to dinner.  I agreed and we went to the Elephant Bar for dinner around seven thirty.  He was cooking for the Homless Vets today and then going to dinner at a friends house.

When he first came over, before we left for dinner, we sat and had a drink and I told him that I didn't want him to feel like I was using him or leading him on.  He said what he was doing was his choice and he was totally enthralled, his words, that I would even consider seeing him.  Just call me Miss Femme Fatale.  I wish men wouldn't get so enamoured, at least the ones that don't much matter.  The ones  you want to be head over heels, aren't.  Or if they are, they are playing it close to the vest. I always want what I want when I want it and I usually get it eventually.  Power of positive thinking. He also brought me a huge cinnamon roll for Thanksgiving morning. If I keep seeing him I'm going to gain all the weight back I lost.  Must watch that.

Veteran man and I had a nice dinner and he brought me home and left right away.  I'm always grateful there is no grouping and me fending off.  Again I wish I could love Vanilla and not Rocky Road. I think there is something sorely lacking in my make up to not feel any chemistry with Vanilla and to absolutely love Rocky Road. Must be the bad boy syndrome even at my age.  Think one would learn.

My brother says I should be content to sit in front of the fire at my age and relax.  He sure doesn't know me.  I refuse to get old, at least mentally and physically for as long as I can.  Doesn't he know that seventy is the new fifty....at least in my head.  Although I've been hearing how young I look for so long that I'm beginning to believe my own press.  The fact that men in their thirties, forties and fifties are interested at least fluffs me up even if I wouldn't see any of them.

There have been more then several blips with the upcoming operation and will go into that later.

I was invited to have Thanksgiving with long time friends today and am looking forward to it.

Love and hugs and Happy Thanksgiving

MONDAY.........

The weather has been cool and raining, enough so that I had the fireplace on most of the day, Sunday.  I still was pretty tired from Saturday's events, so did a few things around the house and then did nothing but watch t.v. and read.

Veteran man called and wanted to come over.   I wanted to tell him no, but since he was so helpful in getting everything to the place it needed to be I didn't think I should.  He did come over after dinner, he is always early, and we again sat and talked. He is a very patient and respectful man.

I had several emails from Desi during the day which was fine until the last email which he sent in Arabic.  That just about put me over the edge.  I fired an email back telling him that the least he could do is use the English alphabet.  He immediately replied that he was just trying out the Google site and I should relax as it was nothing important. I had tried to get a translation but to no avail. When he knows I'm upset he tells me to relax....silly boy, not in my vocabulary.

This morning I decided to try another site, Bing, and lo and behold, after copy and pasting the words they came up in English.  They wording was a little garbled but at least I got the gist of the whole message.  He was right, it really didn't say anything.  I think if I had been less tired and in a better mood I would have let the whole thing go, but I was totally snappy when I emailed him about the Arabic message.

I had an email this morning, early, from Veteran man begging me to go to breakfast with him Friday and to his house to see the new paint that the workmen just finished and then to go shopping for a fireplace log and mirror for the entry.  He had asked me the night before when he was here and I said okay, but for some reason he wanted to affirm it again.

Yesterday I also had a nice conversation with my brother.  He has always been a constant in my life.

So, things are okay, just need to get through this week to get to the hospital next week.

ONE THING OVER AND ANOTHER TO BEGIN...

The Fashion show is over and was a huge success. There were three hundred people in attendance.  Veteran man same to my house at 7:15 am and loaded everything in his car for me and took it to the show and unloaded it.  What a nice man he is and he came into my life at a time I need someone to be there for me.  He is so willing to be helpful in anyway he can.

After working to get all the decorations on the stage and tables it was time to change clothes to have lunch.  Then time to dress in the outfits I was modeling on the ramp  It is always a big deal and there were fifteen models, including men.  The guys had a great time modeling what not to wear.  Mostly underwear with wigs, bras, etc.  They really were the hit of the show.  So, from 7:45am until 4:00pm I was running around doing things.  Needless to say I went to sleep early and woke up late.  I'm hoping this will be my last go round doing this function.  Let someone else take over for a change.

So now, one thing down and my pre-op things to go before my operation next Monday the twenty eighth. I will be so glad when this episode is over....it has to work this time or else.

I had an email from Desi this morning.  He was in Nice.  He said he hadn't made any decisions yet and was flying to Morocco on Tuesday.  I thought it was going to be in Spain for one night, but that obviously changed.  I emailed him back and told him that I had resigned myself to what will be will be and that I had gotten along without him prior to meeting him and I'd get along without him should he decide to take the job for three years.  He is the only person I know that can tell you something without imparting anything.  Interesting,

So,today, Sunday is a relax day until this evening when my neighbor takes me out for a belated dinner to Fleming's in Newport Beach.  It is a restaurant on par with Ruth's Chris or Morton's.  Then next week it is another busy time.

Veteran man has texted me last night and first thing this morning.  He is really trying to make me like him.  I should say I like him but not romantically. I  have to much on my plate right now and it is time to concentrate on me and let everything else hang in the wind for now

Patience!

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS, KIND OF.....

Wednesday was a huge day that resolved some things that have been pending.  It was also a very confusing day with not much help from the people that were suppose to know what to do.  However, I got through it and now I'm muddling through the aftermath.  This too shall pass in time.

I had a lot of support from my girlfriend Cathy and Desi ((at least verbally) my DA guy and Veteran Man.  I do have a good support group. Desi left for Europe a day early to go to Texas to have dinner with his oldest son and grand kids and then was taking a late flight out for London which would put him in Great Britain on Thursday morning, today. He'll be in the air coming back when I have my operation.  He said he wanted phone numbers of people to call to see how I was doing and he would come to see me.  Since I'm not to convinced he'll follow through, I'm not holding my breath.  Nothing with him surprises me.

Veteran man came over last night and we had a nice talk.  I told him I need to get myself in order prior to having anything to do with any kind of a relationship.  He is there to help me and that is great.  He is coming over to load up center pieces and take them to the Fashion Show tomorrow. with this knee surgery looming over my head  can't really think about anything else. 

There have been so many phone calls trying to get insurance companies in order and then I received a call today that said my primary care physician won't be on my program anymore.  Always something to upset you, so I either change doctors, which I'm loath to do, or get another insurance company.

So, I'm off to pack accessories and shoes for the three outfits I'm modeling.  I'm also trying to get everything ready to be loaded in the trunk of the car to take to the show.  There are so many details with everything you do I'll almost be glad to be laid up for a month or more to chill out.

Off to pack and get things done.