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"Kelly...Can You Here Us?"

Well...the good news is I woke up after surgery. The bad news is, I have a "thnee". It's just thigh flesh right into knee flesh, Readers. No definition whatsoever. Just flesh, bulge, swelling and stitches. Oh yeah...and a mother load of PAIN. Below, a lovely little picture from day two of recovery after I finally released the Tensor bandage and made bets about how big it would get. No makeup. No sense of decorum. Just medicated and full of Orange Julius that Joe blessedly provided. Now, if you were to ask me how the surgery went, I wouldn't really be able to tell you because no one told me! Ha. I walked out of there with no clue of if there was even a modicum of success. Judging by the pain, I'd say they found lots of goodies to excise, cut, chop and grind. I'll find out more in 6 weeks when I go back for my checkup! In the meantime, oh the glorious friends I've had to surround myself with! Kristen, who saved me the day of surgery by keeping me laughing and from getting nervous. She's moving to the U.S. next week after getting an awesome job and there I was, soaking up one of her last days with her boyfriend, but she was there without complaint. She even brought me a stuffed penguin roughly the size of Duncan (I love penguins!). She was absolutely wonderful. And then there's Joe. Oh Joe, my basic training buddy who would win the award for most patient person ever as I begged for more water! More meds! More food! No more food...my tummy hurts! More magazines! He obliged everything, even a few things he went out of his way for...flowers, Gatorade (to ease the belly), chocolate bars, movies and even went out to bring me an Orange Julius. I've mentioned several times to several potentially willing men that if you want me to marry you...all you have to do is put a ring on the straw of an Orange Julius...I love it that much. Thank goodness, that's not what my marriage proposal came down to but I digress. Furthermore, after Joe fed me cup after cup of tea, he never once complained when he had to help me upstairs for the 15th time that day so I could pee. Yes, Joe was my saviour. He looked after me and prevented me from peeing my pants. If that isn't the ultimate in friendship, I don't know what is. And I know that more than anything, Ben wants to be here, helping me and making me feel better too. I know that not being able to help me is killing him. This has become our reality. We have to cope with things separately in order to make things function. I know it's hard, Ben. I know. Another damper on the healing parade was missing the Kingston Writer's Festival, in which I had tickets to see Lisa Moore speak. I just finished clipping her latest article out of Chatelaine magazine and I pretty much adore anything she writes. Without sounding corny, she is my idol. And I missed her. Luckily, I bargained with my friend Chris to get my copy of "February" signed in exchange for my tickets. He obliged and I'll cherish that book like it's paper gold. Because in reality, every good book is. I'm reading her book "Alligator" right now, which I always do when I need to feel better...it makes me feel comforted. And then I wonder if she reads this and realizes that her writing touches people and gives them an escape from their pain. And then I wonder if my writing does that for people too.  So for now, I have my friend Chantal on the Kelly shift today and have had several visits from others. Everyone has been wonderful and I feel so aware of how lucky I am to be surrounded by such friendship. So with the help of my army of comrades, I feel that I'll survive these next few weeks of healing. I may go crazy, but I'll survive. Kelly

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