All things considered, again~

You know what?  This has been a good day for me.  Wasn't so sure how the day would go but I was determined to make it a great day and I succeeded.  Last year about this time I was just coming out of surgery, one that was only supposed to take 2 hours that ended up taking twice that long.  Me and my good friend "morphine" were getting along pretty well with one another.  In fact, for the better part of the two hours in the recovery room, I was sucking up that miracle drug as if I was enjoying a diet vanilla Pepsi from Bogey's.  My arm wasn't just hurting, it was REALLY hurting and every time that I moaned in pain, the wonderful recovery nurses would shoot some more in.  And gotta say, I've done my share of belly aching and complaining about the way things seem to go while a person is in the hospital, but for this day, one year ago, I am happy to say that I received the most excellent care imaginable.  I am mighty  beholden to them all, from the ER nurses who triaged me in, to Dr. Goin and his staff in the O.R., to the nurses and CNAs who took such good care of me and "old lefty".  My recovery began the moment my son Grahame drove me into the garage area of the Hutch Hospital emergency room.  That same recovery continues today and will continue to do so for sometime into the future.


Today, I feel like I can finally bring this whole chapter of life to a close, for the most part.  365 days seems like a long span of time but for me, the year has gone very quickly.  As I look at my left arm tonight, it's with a lot of thankfulness.  I think it's a miracle that I can sit here right now and type away on this keyboard as if nothing ever happened to it in this life.  That was one of the things I was so worried about when it all happened.  This typing "one-handed" stuff is for the birds  and even though I COULD do it, sure wasn't much fun.  


My "skin" has grown thicker and I no longer feel so upset when I think about the way "old lefty" will more than likely look from now on.  Most people don't say much about it, yet occasionally I meet someone who offers a comment or two.  Just yesterday, I ran into an old friend downtown who hadn't seen me since my arm was out of the cast.  We were just having a great visit when he looked at my arm and remarked of it.  And when he said, "Peggy, wow you're doing great although, man your arm looks a bit misshapen.  But you can live with that.", I didn't fall apart.  Ordinarily the fact that someone noticed how "old lefty" looks now, indeed quite misshapen, would have almost sent me to tears.  I guess the days that have gone by now have matured me and when I hear comments like that, I realize that people mean no harm by them.  My reply to my friend was, "Yep, it sure is.  But I can't send it back so I guess I gotta keep it."  No need to say anything else.


Back before my third surgery in December, I decided to get a tattoo to honour the memory of the person who donated, through his death, the bone material to repair my arm.  I put the date of my surgery, "Mo-to-Ks", and the Bible verse, John 15:13.  I wanted a visual reminder of the sacrifice someone made through their death in order that I could be healed.  On purpose, I didn't have the tattoo completely done that day.  I kept hoping that somehow or another I would find the name of the person who died and would use his name somehow in the tattoo.  Unfortunately all I ever learned was that he was a 45-year old man from the state of Missouri who more than likely died no more than a couple of years back.  So today, I did the next best thing and had the tattoo finished in his honour and memory.  


So sir, whoever you may have been, I thank you with my whole heart and will never forget what you did for me, a total stranger....a crazy schoolteacher from Kansas who thought she could jump a curb on her bike.  I know I will see you in Heaven some day and I will recognize you right away.  Until then, every chance I get, I will tell people your story.  Maybe they too will decide to donate their bone and organs when they leave this earth.   It could happen you know~it happened with you and me.


Tomorrow's a new day everyone...and I'm moving on.  I thank you for anything you may have done to help me in this past year's time to get better and back on a bike.  I pray some day that I might do the same to help you should you need it.  

Remembering "Eleanore"-a gift of life and healing~and from the "Good Book", John 15:13 which reads, "No greater love hath a man than this, that he would lay down his life for his friend."  Whoever he was, he left this earth with "eyes closed, but his heart was wide open".  I'm leaving the same way.


Good Night!