Rambling Update and the Power of a Hug

Isaac came through his surgery well.  They did seem to dope him excessively though.  He was far more spacey when we were allowed to see him this time than when he had the knee surgery back in May.  In fact, he remembers several details from the OR and recovery when he had his knee surgery.  He remembers NOTHING from the hand surgery.  All he knows is they wheeled him toward the OR and the next thing he recalls is waking up on our couch at home.  I can testify to the fact that he ate, drank, peed, walked, got dressed (ok, I saw to that part and it was like dressing a 6 foot rag doll), and engaged in conversation, albeit far less than rational conversation, all before being discharged to home.  I think they gave this kid enough drugs to knock out a Clydesdale.

There were several amusing exchanges, one centered on his desire for a hoagie with ham...ham...more ham, cheese, lettuce, and O's.  He was quite insistent on the O's being included.  O's were a very important ingredient.  Your guess is as good as mine as to what O's are. I opted for OniOns and banana peppers since they resembled O's. When I poured my son into the front seat of the car and got on the highway he wanted to know where we were going, why there were so many cars around, and....why was it windy inside the car.  Yessiree, he was waaaaay out of it.  Now we can share the experiences of being stoned out of our minds after hand surgery....well sorta, I actually remember being wasted.  His wastage is just a big blackout.

As for Calypso, she continues to have a rough go of it.  Her recovery seems to be a case of two steps forward and one step back.  It's been frustrating for her and hard for me to watch her unhappiness as her energy is sapped, her social life is nearly nil, and as she perseveres in trying to get through her senior year.  The nature of her illness and multiple complications has isolated her on several levels and for such a social girl it's been disheartening.  Some of the isolation has been necessary, some of it has been imposed by people reacting in fear or revulsion at some of the obvious lingering aftereffects.  This weekend she shared how painful the isolation has been.  Through the tears she also shared how much it meant when one true friend was willing to hug her publicly.  I encouraged her to hold kindnesses like that close in her heart to get her through the bad days and let it build a compassion in her for other people who are hurting when she is in better  health.

And with that I will say thanks to those of you who have extended the kindness of prayers, well wishes, and good thoughts or words of encouragement in the last few weeks. I wish I could give each of you a real hug.  This video will have to do until such time as circumstance allows me to deliver one personally.