It was that simple. I was heading home from the hospital after having a new knee installed. I don't know if that is the official term for it. But I had new hardware. Now I just needed to instal the software to get it moving right. Kinda like a new computer without software is useless, so a new knee without the right software was pretty worthless. How did I know? Have you ever tried to get into a vehicle the day after knee surgery. Looks easy. Just sit down, slide and turn. Yeah, right. In theory it is easy. But the hardward and the software were not working together. The brain said, "All right leg, let's get in." The leg responded, "Huh? There is no program telling me how to do that." The brain responded, "Yes there is. It says right here in the files, 'let into vehicle, how to.' So let's do it." "Nope," the leg responded and just hung there. So Megan, the nurse, ever helpful and wanting to get this crazy vagaling person out of the area, reaches down and helps lift the leg to get into the van. "Warning! Warning!" the lights flash, an alarm goes off, and the leg says, "What are you doing?" as it is gingerly put into the van. Sitting there, panting, the door closes with, "Hope you do well." And Megan goes dancing down the walk pushing the wheelchair. Was that a leap of joy that I just saw her do? Wait, that must be the pain killers talking for that isn't what happened. Anyway, buckled into the seat, Penny drives me home.
Window down, fresh air blowing through my hair. You want the truth? I don't remember if the window was up or down. I don't even remember if it was warm. I think it was. But who knows? Maybe it wasn't. The mind was a little foggy and doesn't remember. Watching out the window, I wondered how this was going to work. Getting home was just the first step.
Pulling up to the house, the first sign of trouble filled my head. I didn't feel the greatest. But it must just be thr ride home. Or the medicine. Or whatever. Penny comes around to the passenger side door, opens it (at least she might have or maybe I did, I don't remember), gets my walker out of the back, sets it up, and helps me out of the van. "Warning! Warning!" Lights flashing, warning alarms going off, as the leg is bent just enough to clear the door frame. Stepping down, and holding onto the walker, I look at the door. It must have been a half block away. Look at that. How am I going to ever walk that far. All right, it was only 6-7 feet away, but it looked further.
Penny unlocked the door, and the dogs come out. They come over and say hello, wagging their tails, sniffing happily at the one who was gone only overnight but it seemed a lot longer. They went into the yard and the next challenge, one step into the house. One step. Up with the good...so place the walker inside the door, reach up and take hold of the doorframe, lift the left leg up and in, followed by this leg that hasn't had the chance to have the software installed yet. Was it hard? Nope. Was it easy? Nope. It jsut was. I was inside. Hurrah! The war is won, so I thought.
Walking inside, I go to sit down at the table. I have no clue what time it is. Penny has chicken soup on the stove. Smells really good. Now at this moment, I don't really know what happened. Did I go to my study/room where my bed was? Did I go to the kitchen table to sit down? I don't know. I don't remember. I was in the house and have no clue what I did. I do know that soon it got to be close to supper time. I walked out the the kitchen table. The warning lights weren't going off so that is good. Maybe the software was being installed. Maybe it wasn't. Time would tell.
But sitting there, thinking of eating, things were turning bad quickly. I wasn't feeling well. The stomach was starting to rebel. Suffice it to say, without going into detail, that lunch revisited, several times. Oh the pain. The retchedness of it all! Warning lights flashing. Nothing is staying down. Several times. Water? Nope? Crackers? Nope. Nothing. After a few times of painful and totally removal of that which was inside my stomach, we (meaning Penny led me and helped me) went to the study/room, and got into bed. "Warning! Warning!" Lights flashing. Siren sounding. No, the software was not installed. The leg would not lift on the floor to the bed. Penny helped me, God bless her. She is such a caring wife, showing her love in caring for this sick and weak old man. That is how I felt. How could such an old guy have such a young gal caring for him? The Lord is good to me, much better than I deserve.
Laying back, I finally relax. I think I took medicine. I don't really know. Perhaps. Or perhaps not. I am not even sure if I went to sleep or stayed awake. But it passed. Evening came, we sat up in the living room, playing Word with Friends. How did I get there? I walked. Software must be installing. Ice wrap. Blanket wrapped around me. Garbage can next to me. At some point, more extraction too place. Terrible when the dogs leave the room because of what is taking place.
And then, after the game is over, not sure who won, I was back in bed. Ready to face a fitfull night of sleep. But I was home! That is all that counted. Tomorrow would be another day. It had to be better. Maybe overnight the software for the leg would finally be installed and all would be good. Drifting off into sleep, I hear the universe chuckle. "Yeah right," it says to me. "Just you wait till tomorrow."
Good night Lord. Closing my eyes, prayer on my lips, I drift into a fitfull, medication induced sleep. Maybe...just maybe
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