I’m trying not to think too apocalyptically about tomorrow’s surgery. I’ve learned how to use my crutches, I need to practice some more today. DH has been settling K back down to sleep sometimes in the night, so we know that she does know how to fall asleep again without nursing. The deaconesses have lined up who is bringing meals for next week, and who will drop by to take M and K to the park sometimes (B will be at camp next week). I do dread starting the day with no water or food, even if the surgery is at 9AM. I dread how I may react to the anesthesia, and analgesics, and how poor K will do while I must "pump and dump." How am I going to show her affection while telling her she can’t nurse (and wrestling with her?) Will it be more stressful for her to just have other caretakers, or will it be better for her if I just keep explaining? She does like her Ducky-Dolly, but really, I am her ‘lovie.’
It’s a reassuring thing that everyone at the hospital was glad I’m attacking the toe joint now, before the other toe joints are affected. I sure hope the better toe makes my hip stop aching. But sometimes this seems like an expensive, upsetting move.
I’ve ordered some books and videos from the interlibrary loan that I’m interested in reading. This first week of recovery, I’m supposed to elevate my foot, and keep ice on it, so making scrap book pages or sewing won’t be possible, (I have to sit up for that). I probably will be too sleepy for that anyway. I may have a lot of pain too (yuck). I hope I can take something other than Percocet, as I get wicked scary dreams from that. What a waste, all that time on my hands, with people to watch my little kids, but can I make anything? No, I can just lie down, read books and watch TV. If I had a knitting project, maybe I could accomplish something, but I don’t have anything started. Maybe I’ll swatch some ideas? I could perhaps organize photos for the China scrapbook I’ve been planning for the last year and a half, perhaps I should splurge today and print them so I have the prints to visualize off-computer.
I hope I might be able to play on the computer a bit though, if I put my foot up (but over my heart? Maybe I’ll get to play on the computer later.) Cathy Z did a cool tutorial on Alli Edward’s blog about using photoshop to make photo collages for scrapbooking. I want to figure out how to do that on the Gimp. (Since my computer is a Frankenstein of parts DH found on the road on recycling day with a few choice things ordered from E-Bay or Tiger Direct, we use Linux, Ubuntu in particular. It makes no sense to buy a platform that costs more than the hardware. But standard tutorials need translation, even if open source programs rocks.)
K’s whitenoise CD does help with neighbor’s noises and the refrigerator motor roar, but it’s not enough for her to sleep soundly. I’m still getting up with her more than twice a night to sooth her back to sleep. I borrowed the No Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers from the Library. We tried putting her bedtime back to 7PM, when she is fussy right after dinner. We actually started the bedtime ritual at 6:30. She did sleep well last night.
My Mom’s car transmittion was declaired dead; the real problem was that the engine is cronically overheated, and stressing out the transmittion. So she bought a new red car last night wiht the trade in. I forget what sort of car it is, but I’ll post soon. Or maybe I won’t. I should spend to day on stuff I’ve got to get done before the surgery.