Milestones

So today is the two-month point after my spinal surgery. This is the point where, for most folks, recovery is mostly through. My surgeon wants me to take an extra month, since my job is fairly physically intense, but if I had a desk job I should be, theoretically, able to go back to at least part-time, low-impact work.

So, how am I feeling? Well, before the accident I was doing surprisingly well. I was making it through most days with no meds, other than a mild muscle relaxant at night to deal with any tension that built up during the day. I was able to start lifting things. I could take care of myself; my range of motion was back to almost normal; I was in less pain than I'd been in for most of a year. I could go dancing, and feel fine the next day. I had started running again.

Now? Now I'm back to how I felt a week or two after the surgery. It's not as bad as it was a week ago, but I'm still needing to take pain meds to get through the day. I'm more restricted in what I can do, and I'm not up to working out or running.

At the same time.... the pain is still there, in my neck and right shoulder, but it's still better than it was before the surgery. The muscles are tense, but they're not rigid - and I've been warned that the more athletic a person is before surgery, the longer it'll take the muscle tension and pain to fade afterwards. And I can still do things I couldn't before (do you know how amazing and liberating it can feel to pour yourself a mug of tea from a full pot?).

The setback is the hardest part - having been so close to full recovery, it's annoying as hell to have that yanked out from under my feet. At the same time, I know if I made it there once I can do it again. And either way, I'm still better than I was before I got cut.

One more month, and then I get to go back to work. Here's hoping that I'm back to healed by then, and that it survives my return to real life....

Totally

I just got the call from my insurance company; my car has been officially declared totalled.

RIP Little Silver Saturn. October 2001 - January 2014. You lasted almost forever, you drove nearly 200,000 miles with me, and you gave your life to protect me. You were the first treat I bought myself after graduating from vet school, and the first car I bought that wasn't an ancient death trap.

I miss you.

Coincidentally, I now find myself in the market for a new car, having not actually paid any attention to cars for the past decade-plus. In a perfect world I'd just go on driving Saturns forever, but sadly that's not an option.

So, anyone out there who knows more about cars than I do (which is likely most of y'all), advise me. I'm not looking for brand-new; I know that's kind of a sucker deal. I want something small - not Smartcar small, but I don't need or want an SUV. Easy to take care of and good fuel efficiency are important; I'd like a hybrid if I can but I'm not sure how they fare in the used market. And affordable is a plus; I've been out of work for 4 months and I'm not going to be getting huge amounts of money back for my poor lost baby.

Advice? Suggestions? Spare vehicles you have lying around?