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Things wot I have learnt

So now all the drama is over, and I'm back at work ... What has this whole experience taught me? Well for the first time in my life I had to slow down - and I mean really slow down - and I noticed things I would never have noticed at speed: A family of starlings growing from stark grey with eye holes to squabbling adolescents, fighting over a plentiful supply of food A haggard blue tit, frantically collecting food for its young ones The glorious buzzing of my bee bush... Lying back with my head under it watching the bees collect pollen The smell of elderflower which caught my nostrils on a slow hobble round the woods The feel of the sun on my skin Complicated hybrid roses with many layers of petals The fact that other people's hydrangeas were also not blooming yet Pleasure in watching my bubble lamp bubble and my trellis lights come on every night Saving a bee from a butterfly feeder, and watching it go from almost drowned to cleaning itself, to eating some jam to f...
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Retirement

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So... You know how a mobile phone behaves when the battery is on its last legs? This is how I feel at the moment. I charge up overnight, have the promise of a full battery sign, and then conk out mid-way through a call an hour later! I feel like I'm getting a bit of a taste of what my retirement is going to be like. I've been told by the physiotherapist that I need to have another 4 weeks off as if I go back to an active job too soon I'm in danger of wrecking all the work they've done...this came as a bit of a shock as I think I'd convinced myself I'd have a quick recovery and could make my incredibly active job more sedentary (it's basically impossible!) However, my amazing colleague has worked out ways for me to stay involved in a 'training my cover musicians' capacity at certain sessions and to do some work from home too. So... I just need to pace myself and recharge the rubbish battery by sleeping/watching TV every couple of hours. I did too mu...
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Readjusting successes

I've just walked up the stairs, using both legs without crutches for the first time since Fri 25th May! I never thought that walking up the stairs would bring with it such a sense of achievement and euphoria... And it hasn't even been that long.... Some people aren't able to walk unaided for 6 weeks after this op... I was warned that if I was on 'protected recovery' it would all take a lot longer! So hurray. Hurray for working legs. Hurray for determination ... And hurray for this blog post which has allowed me to get my breath back and prepare for the next job.... Getting dressed :-)
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It was the worst of times, it was the best of times...

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My parents went home this afternoon :-( It has been amazing having them here all week, I genuinely don't know how I'd have managed without them looking after me... And ignoring my crazy mood swings! Hoping the anaesthetic is now out of my system completely and I'm over those!! So I was, as usual, incredibly sad when they left, and being consoled by a cuddle from Phil when my godson and wonderful friend arrived to do the puppet show that Tristan has been writing for at least 3 weeks as a predicted antidote to having surgery! Just look at this amazing home made stage : There was a two - page script that he narrated himself while Tracy did the puppets... It had drama, excitement, tension, humour and a skunk. Seriously, could it have been any better?! The stars of the show were fluppets that I collected as a child and as I said this has been a long time in the planning. I was touched and sincerely cheered by the whole experience :-) I'm going to try to post...
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Baby foals!

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Momentous occasion - today I took my first steps unaided for a week!  It looked a little bit like this: Only I did it while there was no-one watching, in case they felt the urge to nudge me in the bottom  with their nose.  And then after a step or two I looked a bit more like this: Sadly I never progressed to galloping which probably these foals were doing after about 15 mins, but I was still impressed with myself. It was surprisingly scary attempting to put the weight fully on my left hip...and after the event I felt quite tearful and overwhelmed...but after a nice long nap I perked up again!  I have slept more this week than any week in my life I reckon...and in all sorts of positions. I am so grateful that I have always been a good sleeper...anyone who can fall asleep during take-off on a plane has a lot to be thankful for!  I am also incredibly grateful that I sorted out the super-steep staircase in my house last year, so that I am actually able t...
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It takes one to knit one...

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This evening I am knitting. Yes. Knitting. A friend of mine from school has sent me the means with which to knit ... In order to keep myself sane during this period of non-leaping. As you will know non-leaping is quite a struggle for me ... I like a good leap... From leaping out of bed to leaping onto the sofa, leaping on the dog when she tries to steal food (though I have to admit poking her with crutches is quite satisfying when she's stolen something and is hiding under the bed because she knows I can't reach her!) and my particular favourite - leaping into the kitchen at food time!  Anyway, so, back to knitting... I've just taught myself to cast on...not something I've ever been able to do even though I have some knitting experience. In the past I've always relied on someone else to start me off and sort out any tangles, but at this time in my life when I am relying on others to do my leaping for me, dammit I'm going to learn to knit. That felt profou...
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Rowntrees cafe

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Took my first foray into the real world today! We went on a little trip to Rowntrees Park cafe... Dad dropped me by the gates, but even so, the walk to the table was a substantial one so I've had some practise with my crutch technique now! It's interesting how people notice you more on crutches and stop their small children from mowing you down, and don't try to overtake you on flights of stairs! I have felt inexplicably and uncharacteristically angry today... I have to say the melee of emotions that this op has brought out has been astounding! So... It was nice to get outside of my own grumpiness and watch the pond at Rowntrees Park with coffee and a scone in my hand and my crutches stowed safely under the chair while I pretended to be normal for an hour... before the overwhelming urge to lie down overtook me and we headed home for a nice long nap :-)
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