New Hip, New President, New Challenges

There will someday be that question, "Where were you when Barack Obama took the oath of office?" (for his first term!) And I'll (hopefully) look back fondly on the "luxurious" situation in which I found myself: Lying on my back with my ice pack and pillows strategically placed, and using the occasion to skip my dreaded physical therapy exercises as I watched history unfold. And maybe I'll remember that this was one of the days that I lost my enthusiasum and patience and was in more pain than I would like. I had another rough night last night. I realize that though I seem a little better each day, there are setbacks -- physical, mental and emotional.

I also don't understand completely why as a patient recovering from major surgery, you are told to take powerful pain medication before doing PT exercises, are told where you should be at week 1, week 2, etc. instead of being able to listen to your body's instincts. One of the reasons I got myself into the situation of living in constant pain for at least 2 years was because I took pain medication and just kept doing what I had to do, instead of honoring my body's needs for rest. So today I gave myself the day off from too much exercise. The PT will be back tomorrow and I hear she is going to have me walking up and down McKinley Street in Annapolis and going up and down steps, so I want to get ready for that.

In what feels like a synergistic or coincidental timing of events, my father is going to start a 5-week treatment for colon cancer on Monday with chemotherapy and radiation. I'm sad that I won't be able to travel to NY to be with him, but we talk on the phone everyday and will be going through our treatment/recoveries together 300 miles apart. I am going to go up as soon as I'm cleared for travel.

So it's a new year. I have a new "bionic" hip. We have a President we can be proud of. We have inspiration to work together, to heal together, to make change come about. Maybe we'll see a national health coverage plan in 2009. Maybe this is the year I will dance again!