Wednesday, after a good night's sleep

Four straight hours of sleep! I feel like a new person.

I woke up remembering what it felt like coming out of the anesthesia, when I had that first, overriding rush of happiness at feeling myself again. We had a truly wonderful set of experiences this summer, with a special family vacation and good times together, and yet I never really felt right the whole time. I hadn't made nearly the progress I'd hoped on my new book project (and felt like a slug because of it), feeling flat and dull, with a chronic headache the whole time. I was getting pretty fed up with myself and had instituted a set of new work rules (an hour a day of sitting and writing on the new project no matter what kind of words came out or how bad they seemed, no excuses) and more exercise to get the blood flowing, and still felt I was just slogging through mud all the time. Waking up from the surgery was like a transformation--all of that sludge was gone and I felt like my old self again. It felt like being transported. Remembering that this morning, when I feel closer to rested than I have in quite some time, and the sun is shining, well, it's a great feeling.

We got a marketing call on Monday asking about our hospital experiences, while things were still pretty wobbly here and well before any of the follow-up medical appointments had been scheduled. It was one of the few biggish missteps of the entire medical adventure. Kearney and I had intended to work some on writing up our experiences yesterday and didn’t get around to it in the midst of the day’s other challenges. We encountered and logged consistent notes on nearly 60 staff members in the course of our time in the system and, as Gawande suggests, it was interesting. At least to us. I’m hoping that today unfolds in a way that permits that, plus I’m going to try again to work on the next set of student papers. We will be working on scheduling the prescribed physical and occupational therapy as well, today. Plus, plenty of rest. I’m actually looking forward to that part, if I can sleep some more restful sleep.

Wonder-friend who is teaching the class the papers are from has volunteered to take the set over and/or to come and work on it with me (I have been so, so supported by my friends through this experience). I’d like to avoid yet another burden on her though only time will tell if that’s realistic or another pipe dream on my part. My goal is to be graceful about it either way. That should be within my control, at least, when so much else is not.

Here’s to a great day to all of you who are standing with us through this experience. I hope each of you has a satisfying and productive day. All my best.