Cleared for Take Off

As planned, I brought another large load of boxes from the pond house to the farmhouse today.  I did my work early so I could make my doctor's appointment in the early afternoon.  The day was HOT (go figure) so running up and down the stairs, in and out of the house to the van, was better done in the early morning.  By 11:30 I was on my way back to the farmhouse. For the record, I have now "de-cluttered" the pond house....well, except I still have the garage, and storage sheds to complete.

Joe drove me to my doctor's appointment, which is a great help because no matter what they say, Williamsburg, VA, where my surgeon is located, is NOT a fun place to drive, even with a completely functional right arm.  It is congested, and drivers are all either very old or very confused (tourists) or just plain impatient....the end result is that I really am not fond of driving over there.

We arrived only ten minutes late for my appointment, and they repaid the favor by making me wait 20 minutes, being "entertained" by CNN on a huge TV with the volume ALMOST loud enough to hear OVER the "soothing" wall fountain in the waiting room.  I swear, the sound of the "waterfall" makes everyone head to the bathroom within just a couple of minutes of arrival.

I did not actually get to see my surgeon today, although his was the name on my appointment card.  I saw the "other guy"...nice enough, but I since harbor painful memories of his injecting cortisone into my extremely painful elbow... still, he asked how the elbow was doing and I answered honestly.  It is pretty good.  I have essentially no pain during the day, and I am using it a lot.  But at night... well, there is just no such thing as sleeping more than two hours without waking in pain.  The ONLY cure I have found is not in the form of liquid or tablet.  No, I must simply GET UP and start moving.  I stay up for a while and when it is comfortable again, I take another two hours of sleep.

The doctor prodded it and noted it is still very painful when actually touched and he gave me some anti-inflammatory patches to apply.  Each patch is to be left on for 12 hours.  He also prescribed more physical therapy, with some specific directions to the therapist...something that involves some sort of jelly and a prod????? egads, what AM I subjecting myself to???  But the bottom line, and the answer to my MAJOR question was YES, I am cleared to return to work on Tuesday.  I won't lie and say I haven't enjoyed the time off, but I also know very well that there is nobody completing my work and it will all be piled up awaiting my return... so, I'd better jump in and get it done!

On the way home, we picked up pizzas and stopped at the pond house to eat and do some chores.  I showed off my "full" extension of my repaired arm as I served up the pizza. (Please ignore the somewhat "pained" expression on my face....stealing that fallen piece of pineapple took a little too much speed and agility than I currently possess!)

And when we returned to the farmhouse, we applied the first of the patches to my elbow.... I'm curious to see if it has a positive effect on my pain while sleeping.  I mean, it can't be any worse than some of the other methods suggested by the therapist...the most recent of which is to sleep with my arm inside a pillow case, using the pillow to make sure I don't bend the arm up, tensing that area....of course, I keep waking up to discover my arm has escaped the pillowcase jail and is off bending at will....I locate the pillow and return the arm to the pillowcase and start the whole game again....I SURE hope the patch works!