So Much Better

Thanks be to all of the gods and doctors who may be listening; stopping the oxycodone and getting rehydrated seems to have fixed most of what was wrong with me. Fingers crossed and I'm still being cautious, but food and I seem to be on much better terms at the moment. And I'm doing my best to make up for lost nutrition - I don't think I quite need to resort to protein shakes, but I'm sneaking in extra protein and calories when and where I can. It's an odd feeling to be working at that end of the equation instead of trying to shave them off at every opportunity; on the other hand, everyone here has the right to metaphorically smack me and remind me of how freaked out I was to see my ribs poking out next time I whine about wanting to lose five pounds.

I really do need to sing the praises of a handful of heroes here. gmkieran and metaphysick are wonderful people who came over to visit and spent most of their time fetching me ginger ale, opening pill vials that I lacked the strength to muscle open, watching hours of mindless tv, and sitting next to me while I napped. And umbran is more amazing than I have words for - from sitting with me in the hospital, to brewing me tea every morning and putting it in a thermos that's small enough for me to lift, to finding foods I can eat, to making Thanksgiving dinner and feeding it to friends because damnit I wanted *someone* in this house to eat turkey and stuffing off fancy china...

But the oddest of all my guardians has turned out to be Harrison, my super-nerdy orange kitten. He's always been affectionate, but since I came home from surgery he has been stapled to me. When I sit he's on my lap. When I lie down he's napping at my feet. When I walk around the house, he has to scamper ahead to lead the way, especially if I'm going upstairs - apparently it is of crucial importance that he guide me up them. When I shower he's in the bathroom, hiding behind the medicine chest, clearly distressed by the running water but unwilling to leave my side. I have no idea what I've done to inspire such loyalty and devotion, but it's somewhere between adorable and spooky....

Meanwhile, recovery proceeds apace. Pain is down to a manageable level ad slowly getting better, and the hard part now is staying sedentary. And thank you all for your concern, sympathy, and support. I have no doubt that all of the well-wishes are helping every step of the way...