Alien Arm

Who tied a bag of potatoes to my shoulder?

image from Freepik

The surgical center performed a brachial plexus nerve block before my surgery.  Anesthesia was injected around the nerves in my shoulder and it numbed the entire arm, from shoulder to fingertips. 

It is the most bizarre feeling - uh, non-feeling!

I can't feel anything, but I'm aware of a heavy, dead weight 'there'....somewhere!  If the sling isn't on correctly the dead weight of my arm (I guess in the range of 8-10 lbs) falls. My brain tells me to catch my arm and support it from underneath....that computer in my head cannot grasp the fact that there is nothing there that it can control. When the arm is out of sight, I don't know where it is! I have to haul the arm up by grabbing the sling with my working hand to raise it up. I guess this is like phantom limbs amputees report experiencing. 

As awkward as it is, I'm not looking forward to the nerve block wearing off! The dead numb feeling I am experiencing will yield to pins and needles...then the brain will register pain. (At least that's what I have read.) I'm already experiencing sensations in different areas. I can wiggle fingers a smidge. Again, the brain is whacked out. It thinks I'm moving them inches, any inkling of sensation I think I am feeling is located near my palm, and in reality the fingers might twitch < 1/8"!

After 10 hours the block was wearing out faster. We decided to play Rumikub, so I plopped my arm on a pillow on the table to keep my arm elevated. I began giggling as I had the distinct sensation that my arm was sinking 3-4" into a very springy foam pillow, when in fact the little pillow has almost no give! If I lifted (attempted) my arm, the brain was convinced the arm had gone up in the air, and likewise asking my arm to go forward, like shaking hands with someone, resulted in the brain making things up again.  My body's 'Fake News?' 😝

Obviously the drugs were being metabolized. My body is already taking steps to fix me! Now I can move forward with healing and PT. 

Men in my Life

 I found this on the Internet...and chuckled. Have you noticed that the more things describe your situation, the more you chuckle?! 

I'm never lonely because, I have four men in my life.

I get up with CHARLIE HORSE.

I spend the day with ARTHUR ITIS.

I dine with WILL POWER. and I go to bed with BEN GAY.

A few months ago my PCP (Primary Care Provider) referred me to a Rheumatologist. The outcome of that visit was a trip to the Center for Bone and Joint Disease, to meet with... are you ready for this?!

Dr. Kardashian! 

(I need a ROTFL emoji here!)

The outcome of that visit was an appointment at the Florida Springs Surgery Center. 

The arthritis in the carpal-metacarpal joint of my hand has eaten away all of the cartilage in the joint. 

The mobility of that joint has been impacted by contracting ligaments. 

My thumb joint has become dislocated in an attempt to keep doing what it needs to do. 

Oh, and I have carpal tunnel issues

that have caused some muscles to atrophy.

I didn't even realize I had that problem!

I needed surgical intervention.

Not looking forward to it. 

But time marches inexorably on and the appointed hour came yesterday.

We arrived at the surgery center. I had the usual pre-op prep. 

The anesthesiologist came and wished me sweet dreams. 

Then I became aware that I was still on the gurney, 

and still in the curtained cubicle,

and the nurse told me the surgery was finished.

What?

Ah, good drugs!

 

So Long, Farewell

 Good bye California! 

I did the dishes after our brunchie breakfast/lunch. 

I washed the sheets and towels...and remade the bed. It's ready for me to fall into on my next trip!

I was packed. Everything was taken care of. It was time to call LYFT to take me to the airport. 

It was growing dark. I stood on the street opposite our gate, feeling a bit of melancholy. 

If I could, I'd cross the street and run back through

the white gate into "the Shire".  

It would be so sweet to escape back into this magical world.

But alas, I need to move on.

There are things that need to be done.

Neighborhood School

I ran out of time to post all of my CA adventures while I was there...here's one last post about my trip:

When I am in town one of my favorite things to do is to walk the kids to and from school. They are fortunate to have an excellent elementary school only 3 blocks from their home. It energizes me to see the kids, sometimes with parents or grandparents, sometimes accompanied by the family dog, walking to and from school. 

The school, like so many others, outgrew its original buildings and over the years portable classrooms were added here and there. The buildings surround a courtyard, mostly paved, but some areas left as gardens for classes to work in, or to sit outside on particularly nice days. There are a number of nooks and crannies among the buildings and portables for more outside learning opportunities. 

As soon as we arrive in the courtyard, my granddaughter heads towards one of the fifth grade portables. You can see her, in her purple cape,  heading on her way with a friend. 

Classes line up outside of the classrooms, and enter when the bell sounds. 

Apparently this class began the day with an outdoor activity.

The buildings are decorated with a lot of student art.

Both inside the courtyard....

 

....and outside.

Mother Nature has also added her bit of color to scene.

It looks like a very cheerful place to learn, 

and a throwback to simpler, safer times.

Halloween and Home

 Halloween was a busy blast! 

We had some last minute costume prep. My son did an amazing job of creating costumes of some video game characters. My granddaughter is helping him craft a piece of the costume. 

We carved a pumpkin.

My grandson made his with the other grandmother.

I failed to get a picture of the end results - bad me! 

The elementary school (more about it tomorrow) 

has a Halloween parade around the block.

Here comes the parade!

From the littles....

To the adults...

Fun is had by all! 

Then, back to my neighborhood.

It truly is a special haven.

Everybody knows everybody else,

and everyone mostly gets along. 

I am always greeted with a 

"Welcome Home" by more than one resident.

After the costume fun we had a pot luck supper,

Then we took turns going through a haunted house

created by one couple. It was mostly for the enjoyment of the little kids 

but everyone went through and we were all in awe of 

how they transformed their living room into a maze 

formed by huge sheets of black plastic hanging floor to ceiling, 

with narrow spaces and tunnels,  

glowing colors, creepy noises and music, and a smoke machine! 

Following the celebrations I began making 

cinnamon French toast casserole for the next morning, 

I made a special trip to Trader Joes to get a loaf of cinnamon bread.

Yum! 

I was so excited when I came out of TJ's....

I saw Kevin!

I had heard about Kevin, who resides on the street 

near TJ's, but I had never made his acquaintance before.

He didn't have much to say!

(From what I've been told, his voice is less than melodious!)

Morning came.

The family came.

We ate.

I cleaned up, washed the sheets and towels, cleaned out the fridge,

threw out the trash, and packed.

I hung up the new carbon monoxide detector...

(This way I might remember to put it up when I get back the next time!)

As I write this, I am at the airport ready to board the plane and head home.

By the time this posts, I'll be there.

Gifted

I don't do a lot of garment sewing, but I have made a few jackets for the grand kids. 

In 2022 I gifted these jackets.

The kids wore them until the cuffs were almost at their elbows! 

Last year they sent me designs which I digitized and embroidered on sweatshirts I purchased: 

The back of each jacket also had their embroidered designs. 

The kids loved seeing their art work on jackets they could wear.

Almost a year ago I bought fleece to make jackets for the kids again.

Procrastination set in...well, we did move, and renovate a house, and...and...

My bff sent me a pattern for this cute cape - and I knew I wanted to make it 

for my granddaughter.

I haven't hemmed it, as I wasn't sure about the length she would prefer,

but she went off to school in it this morning! 

Kellan loved his 'jacket of many colors' (on the floor just behind Lex's feet)

but he had to get back to his Lego project and wouldn't wait for me to take a pic.

I was able to grab a picture when I walked him to school, 

as he wouldn't pose for a picture.

The back of the jacket has a sleeping dragon whose

tail goes over the shoulder to the front of the jacket.

I'm lucky. So far the kids have enjoyed the items I've made for them.

Some day that may not be the case!

 

'Twas the Eve o' 'Ween

'Twas the eve of 'ween when I went for a walk

Thru the neighboring hood, where I could gawk

At the transformation of this part of town

Into a place where ghoulies and goblins gather 'round.

Where gargantuan webs glisten with gossamer thread,

Where large arachnids tiptoe where I thought to tread. 

And the skeletons were frozen in their skeleton dance,

While others looked on with a vacant glance.

The whistle of wind and skittering leaves, 

And a skeleton fishing above the eaves,

Along with ghoulish grins suspended from trees, 

Made me appreciate comforting classics, like these:

The neighbors appear to go to great lengths

To make Halloween special, with no need for pranks,

To give imaginations a chance to consider 

Macabre sights and unusual critters.

From the wee little mouse, 

To spiders engulfing a house, 

And witches, and covens, and secret spells,

To the homeowner who last year tragically fell.

I don't know about you, but I probably wouldn't

Trick or treat for goodies, I'm thinking I couldn't 

Knock at doors such as these, with that hanging there,

It's surely safer to pass by these to get to the stairs.  

My evening walk has been a special delight,

 I've had enough of spirits to spawn nightmares tonight.

It's time to make my way back to my side of town

And hope that by a local driver, I'm not mowed down!

Chronicling a walk through an Oakland, CA neighborhood