This morning I got the cast off! It was like a great unveiling (well, from my perspective anyway...I'm sure it was really quite routine for their office, and I must say, the nurse did a great job of taking the stitches and was so quick about it, the doctor was surprised we were already finished. My biggest surprise was that the incision isn't actually on my wrist...It's from the beginning of the palm up about a third of the way up just to the right of the fate line (the one that goes up and down in the middle of most palms). Other than some dead skin and general grubbiness, it looked rather well, although I'm so used to doing everything left-handed, it's taking awhile to remember to, say, use my right hand to drive. We're going to do the whole thing over with the left hand on January 13th. (I could have done it December 30th, but I'd really like to be 'with it' over new year's).
I ran some errands, including picking up my pay from the station. I went ahead and got a humidifier (the house has been terribly dry and I'm not sleeping well, plus I have a sinus infection, which is really amazing, I suppose, given all that Keflex after surgery). It was exactly the amount my grandmother gave me for the holidays, so I'm going to consider that her gift. (Hey, what can I say, for someone who spent most of her early years in internal fantasy, I'm also rather practical.
Today was the last day of the phone bank. Didn't get much in the way of donations (one $15 pledge...I think people are so crunched before the holiday...and rather grumpy), but we toasted with sparkling cider, celebrated with chocolate cake, and then got to spend our play money on some of the premium gifts. I got a Kentucky Afield cooler chair (it has a strap to go over the shoulder, looks like a legged tote bag, but opens up and you can sit on it, but keep food or beverages in a small cooler underneath). I thought it would be good for outdoor performances, etc. For now, my cat has decided it's a hammock just for him. I also got a large (not golf-sized, but enough to cover my bulk) umbrella that also has a shoulder strap. Yes, practicality, thy name is Eilir. But I also got an eight-book boxed set of all the Anne of Green Gables books, so there was something fun, too. Not bad. Plus, we're getting paid for Thursday even though we won't be there, since some of our commissions are still coming in and we've still a month of pay periods to go, and in order to add the miscellaneous commissions we have to apparently be paid for one day. Yay. Today's cheque had a decent amount in that miscellaneous category--about 1/3 of the total amount. I'm not great at getting the credit card donations--which get us more money, or consistently great like N (she's raised about 3 times what I have), but I'm middle-of-the-road and I've been doing better and I think by the time this rolls around in spring, I'll have developed a good technique that I can use from day one. Plus, we had an interesting mix of people, so overall, it was pretty fun. I am looking forward to getting my evenings back, though, and between the full-time hours at three different jobs, the surgery, and the sinus issues, I'm really, really tired.
After KET I went shopping at Meijer for my Secret Santa gift, a potted pine tree, and ingredients for the baklava and spanakopita I'm making for tomorrow's get together of the gals from work. I also decided to pick up a skein of yarn, a couple of knitting needles and a crochet hook, and a couple of little 'first steps to' craft books. I used to know how to crochet, although it's been so long the last time I tried I pretty much could do just one long chain and couldn't remember how to turn to the next row. I've always wanted to learn to knit (my mom's friend Marie was always doing elaborate sweaters either by hand or with a machine), but with two numb hands, it didn't seem worth trying. Later, I knew someone learning, but she was so much a control freak and kind of obsessed with it, so I didn't feel comfortable asking her. So, I thought I'd try it on my own, and maybe it would be good hand therapy since it doesn't involve lifting but does stretch the hand muscles. We'll see. If all fails, then at least I'm only out about $10. And I found a nifty multi-coloured acrylic yarn in peacock shades.
From there it was go home, decorate the tree (probably shouldn't have lifted it, but I tried to make it quick and put most of the weight in my left hand). That took awhile, but i now have a little three-foot live tree with multi-coloured lights, a capiz shell star on top, and silver and pearlescent garlands and decorations. The other day I strung up multi-coloured lights around the living room with white icicles in the window, so it's quite cheery. Plus, I cut some of the lower branches off the tree and wove them into my Bride's cross that I have on the door that Tracita made me. So yay, I'm ready for the holidays and less gimpy. And tired. What a day.
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