Thank God it's Friday!

Today I showered!! Woo hoo! I got up and had a yummy pancake before Betty left for Metro CareRing to volunteer. Still no poop! Mary gave me a bottle of stool softener leftover from her hip-scope surgery last year, and maybe they've gotten old - sure aren't working in a hurry! So of course after breakfast comes naptime. A short nap, to be sure, because my next visitors were on their way: Jessica and Stephanie stopped by after youth garden programming for a work meeting. (Anna Belle told me slowing down would be hard, and Fr. Don prayed I would have patience, but it's so hard!! I figured if I could ease my way back into work, it would be easier on my body.) I was embarrased to look so bad, but I smelled even worse. So after lunch I had some quiet time - read the paper, tried to nap, worked on my computer. And then...the moment we've all been waiting for...SHOWER!! I took off the bandage, which I sort of miss because of the padding it provided. The pads were really gross and full of dried blood. Across each of the incisions is an asterisk of medical tape, and they look gnarly, too, but they stay on. So with the help of a little plastic chair in the shower, I got clean. Betty even changed sheets for me, so I could enjoy my freshness a little longer. I didn't have any plans for my Friday night, so Betty invited me to join her and her children to the grand opening of Jonesy's Bar. It is only a couple blocks away, so we walked. I had an Izze, and her son-in-law joked that if I shared my percoset, they'd share their beers. It was fun to hang out with them - I was a bit woozy, but my hip hurts more toward the end of the day. It is especially sore on the outside. I did schedule a doctor's appointment for Monday, so I will learn more about the "fall-out" of my surgery. later...