Such is Life

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I never expected to be skipping along or roller skating or even running from a potential bear attack after hip replacement surgery. I did hope however

• to be more mobile
• to be able to carry laundry from the hamper to the washing machine
• to get down on the floor to play with Elsa-the-Dog
• to stand long enough to peel six cucumbers for cucumber salad and not feel exhausted
• to walk without a limp or a gimp
• to wear pretty little shoes to accentuate my pretty little feet.
• And more.

Such is life however, that after a total right hip replacement done July 16th none of those wishes came true.

Oh, the right hip is pain-free! Let me tell you, it is a miracle of modern medicine. I consider it my “good leg” now! Kudos to my cute young surgeon who did an exemplary job.

I LOVE my right hip now. And I LOVE my cute young surgeon even though I wouldn’t recognize him on the street.

The problem though is my LEFT leg! The BigFoot leg. The one that had been causing problems since 2015.

Maybe in the process of preparing for the right hip replacement surgery, I forgot about BigFoot?

And now that the right hip is happy, my brain needed to send out reminders that all is not well on the other side.

At any rate, I am still gimpy.

The family doc said he is thrilled at my progress “considering your age and underlying factors.” Not flattering but probably true.

Why didn’t anyone warn me about the great bowl of perilous problems that arrive uninvited with the onslaught of age?

Ah well. “Such is life,” said my once aging Mom who transferred all her wisdom to me except her secrets for aging with a smile.

I will see my cute young surgeon for the last time this month. I met him once before surgery when we talked for about 20 minutes. Then I saw him through a haze as I was awakening from the operation. The extent of our conversation at that time was him saying, ‘You have a brand new hip.” He had a mask on so I am not sure it was really him.

“HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR SURGEON?” MY FAMILY DOCTOR ONCE ASKED. “I DON’T KNOW”, I SAID. “HOW WOULD I KNOW IN JUST 20 MINUTES?”

The next and last visit (unless I get knee surgery on BigFoot) will be an opportunity for another 20 minute conversation. WilI I then recognize my cute young surgeon on the street? Doubtful.

But the goal now is to walk normally. Bill went out and bought me a full length mirror to lean on a door at the end of a long hall. I can see myself coming if not going and try to correct my gait.

“Practice makes perfect” but Bill says ,”You still walk like a duck!”

Such is life and the miracles of modern medicine.

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An Autumn Leaf Dreaming of Spring

And so it went.  Day after day after day I waited.

At first, from my faraway post it might have been an injured red Virginia Cardinal fluttering on a barren branch in a forest now devoid of any leaves.

On closer inspection it was actually a lone leaf fluttering in the breeze.

“It may be the only leaf still clinging to life in the state of Virginia,” I thought.

Then we had 60 mile per hour wind gusts.

“Surely it will release its grasp though this,”

But there it stayed and stays still.

I never see a singular leaf like this even though I look along our roadsides.

Now it is snowing and raining and snowing with a sometimes stiff breeze making for peculiar weather.

And there she is, hanging on

as if dreaming.

She is to be admired – an Autumn leaf dreaming of turning green again for one more chance at life.

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Shredding Life’s Problems

My favorite stories are about survival.

Like tales about the plague or hurricanes are just wonderful.

Surely there must be germs of experience in such doomsday revelations to help one through life’s most pressing challenges.

But the latest survival information I discovered is even more direct.  A rather obscure article I read recently gave explicit instructions on imaging to deal with life problems.  Evidently you can think your way into surviving anything by simply writing a thought, shredding it, and then discarding what you wrote!

Doesn’t that make some logical sense?

Presumably, the image of trashing a problem like the plague (after you reduce it to little paper bits) will make the whole thing go away.  I’m sure they never thought of imaging in the days of death-by-plague, but we have definitely come a long way since then haven’t we?

Anyway, as instructed, I now spend 15 to 30 minutes a day writing down every thought and then shredding and discarding each thought, one by one.

The waste basket is full of bits of  note paper .

And in the last few days noticeable patterns emerged.

PATTERNS:

1. Reminders.

   “Buy milk.”

   “Get graduation cards for J and K.”

   “Call Kit.”

   (Do you see any correlation to eradicating a serious problem in such thoughts? Well I wrote them down anyway and did the dastardly shredding.)

2. Questions.

   “When will my friend be moving back to this area?”

   “Should I order pot holders online?”

   (So far there have been no subliminal answers. Maybe I am thinking of this exercise like it’s a Ouiga Board.)

3. Wishes.

   “I wish I had a dog.”

   “Wish I didn’t have to cook dinner tonight.”

   “I wish I was thin.”

   (Now wouldn’t that be something if I could tear up the last wish and begin to lose weight?  I did notice I skipped the after-lunch cookie today!)

CONCLUSIONS:

• This exercise is fun.
• I don’t think it has any intrinsic value but will let you know if I ever feel problem free.
• Maybe the exercise can be tailored to address specific problems.  Like one day you shred only those thoughts that are about wishes.
• Or maybe it is like writing a letter to Santa, who will read the list and come forth with all the goodies
• I don’t see any signs that my expected longevity is extended.
• So much for shredding problems.
• And so much for survival.

And my last thought was/is in the Reminder category, “Don’t forget to buy a whole bunch of scratch pads because you are running out of shredding-paper.”

Now maybe THAT is a solveable problem except I shredded the reminder and will probably forget what I was trying to remember.

 

 

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Dessert First

I just received this in an email.  It had no title, so I gave it the heading, “Dessert First.”  It made me smile and helped me put things in perspective.  I hope you enjoy it too.

DESSERT FIRST

Author Unknown

 One day I had lunch with some friends.   Jim, a short, balding golfer
type about 80 years old, came along with them—all in all, a pleasant
bunch.

When the menus were presented, we ordered salads, sandwiches, and
soups, except for Jim who said, “Ice Cream, please. Two scoops.”

I wasn’t sure my ears heard right, and the others were aghast. “Along
with heated apple pie,” Jim added, completely unabashed.

We tried to act quite nonchalant, as if people did this all the time..
But when our orders were brought out, I didn’t enjoy mine.

I couldn’t take my eyes off Jim as his pie a-la-mode went down. The
other guys couldn’t believe it. They ate their lunches silently and
grinned.

The next time I went out to eat, I called and invited Jim.
I lunched on white meat tuna. He ordered a parfait.

I smiled. He asked if he amused me

I answered, “Yes, you do, but also you confuse me.

How come you order rich desserts, while I feel I must be sensible? “ He
laughed and said, “I am tasting all that’s Possible.

I try to eat the food I need, and do the things I should. But life’s so
short, my friend, I hate missing out on something good.

This year I realized how old I was. (He grinned) I haven’t been this
old before.

So, before I die, I’ve got to try those things that for years I had
ignored.

I haven’t smelled all the flowers yet. There are too many trout streams
I haven’t fished.  There are fudge sundaes to wolf down and kites to
be flown overhead.

There are too many golf courses I haven’t played.  I’ve not laughed at
all the jokes. I’ve missed a lot of sporting events and potato chips
and cokes.

I want to wade again in water and feel ocean spray on my face I want to
sit in a country church once more and thank God for His grace.

I want peanut butter every day spread on my morning toast. I want
un-timed long distance calls to the folks I love the most.

I haven’t cried at all the movies yet, or walked in the morning rain. I
need to feel wind on my face. I want to be in love again.

So, if I choose to have dessert, instead of having dinner, then should
I die before night fall, I’d say I died a winner, because I missed out
on nothing.
I filled my heart’s desire. I had that final chocolate mousse before my
life expired.”

With that, I called the waitress over.. “I’ve changed my mind,” I
said.   “I want what he is having, only add some more whipped cream!”

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My Life in the Middle

Is the glass half full or is the glass half empty? (Photo credit: Pimlico Badger)

Daily Prompt:  The Glass

Is the glass half-full, or half-empty?

Is the glass half full, or half empty?

It is always in the middle like my life.

Some days, half full because I am happy,

others half empty with daily strife –

two different vessels in one,

a bi-polar vacillating guage,

 one glass half-full

and half-empty,

dependent upon turning a page.

Is the glass half full or half empty?

It is always in the middle like my life.

Related articles

• Hey! Who took my glass half full … (thewhyaboutthis.com)

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A Baby and a Bird

California Impressions

Pal Camera and I walked a bit in sunny California

among the swaying palms and sprinklers’ irrigation

of green lawns and people on vacation.

A baby ran in utter joy enjoying freedom

amid the green of a grassy stretch so wide

it must have felt like Eden.

He turned in glee and waved back at his family,

Look! Look! Look what I found – a great big birdie!

I felt myself grinning for

this baby’s joy in life was just beginning.

Mom Look – A Birdie!

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