Back in black

I hit the sack

I've been too long

I'm glad to be back

Yes, I'm let loose

From the noose

That's kept me hanging about

ACDC -- "Back in Black"

Well, sort of back. I'm moving a bit slow. I'm three weeks out from surgery and for the last few days I finally feel better. It was not a fun process, but the ENT feels like he was successful in removing all the staph infection. After a 2.5 hour surgery, I should hope he got it all. I can't say I notice an improvement yet given all the swelling and other unmentionable side effects of the procedure, but if he feels confident, then I'm going with his opinion. Luckily, he does not utilize packing so I missed out on some of the more painful aspects of the surgery that some friends experienced, nor did I bleed from the eyes like my friend Louise's husband (thank god). I do have to go in weekly for a procedure that I will not describe for you. Let's just say that a pain pill is beneficial before each visit. Thank you, Percocet!

It's been a difficult few weeks around here, but we got by with a little help from our friends (perhaps I should have used that song as an into) and family. Tracy's parents took the Short People for a week, and my Mom stayed with us for a week. Many of my wonderful women friends kept us VERY well fed, and I received flowers, phone calls and cards galore. We feel very lucky to have such a great support system. Thank you! You have no idea how much you helped us through.

Now comes the climbing out of the hole portion of the show. I am appallingly weak and I find this incredibly frustrating. I haven't exercised in about 10 months, I've been taking Prednisone for months (this causes significant weight gain), and I've been bedridden off and on for months, so I am fat and blobby. None of my clothes fit and I can't even wear my wedding rings; perhaps another intro song could have been Queen's "Fat Bottom Girls". I am hoping to be able to head back to the gym very soon and start working some of this weight off.

In the meantime I am trying to get back to a normal life. Today's photos are from a cookout with friends on Saturday and a beach outing on Sunday. They were my first outings and took a lot of energy out of me but were such great therapy! It was fabulous to leave the house for something other than a post-op visit. Since the Short People really haven't experienced a good snow, they invented their own version of "snow angels". Some of the mystique is lost, but it did work, as you can see.