Greetings from 494

ummmm....Have you been looking for me? Here I am.

And I really don't know where to start to describe the last 7 or 8 days of me life. I'll try to do a little bit of a time line here...very brief...because if I had the gumption and you had the patience, well, I could talk for hours....but let's face it. Life goes on with or without a foot of your intestines.

So, last Tuesday night (3rd) I got really sick and had to go to the ER with this unreal pain in my abdomen which turned out to be a bowel obstruction. (Even saying that makes me feel 73 years old.) The next day I had surgery and came through just fine. Of course it couldn't end there, though. (And, by the way, I may have these days wrong because I was very drugged, so Bobbie Jo can verify or fill in the gaps if need be.) Anyway, the next day there was all kinds of mayhem with my oxygen levels and people were freaking out running around in hysterics trying to fix that and discovered I had a blood clot in my lung. So, off to Intensive Care. (If you want a taste of what solitary confinement would be like - try the ICU...only I guess, it's more like solitary confinement with lots of annoying people around to stick you and poke you and make you miserable.) OK...so that's worked out now and I'm back in a regular room and should be able to go home in a few days. Today's the first day I've felt more like myself and have been able to bitch coherently throughout the day about my condition. All that other bitching was just the medicine talking.

I have very little energy so I will end here...but let me say - I have some stories to share from this experience. Don't I always? I'll try to write more tomorrow because I want to tell you about things before the drug-induced fog erases them from my memory. First thing you will hear about is a lady named "Wonder."

Oh, I think I should show you how Bobbie Jo decorated my room with pics of the doggies. (RK gave me a cute little white stuffed dog that I named "Cowgirl" who is keeping me company for now. See her in the picture above.) I miss my two so much and still haven't figured out a way to smuggle them in here. And my niece, Kendall, did a nice rendering of what I would look like if I were a bunny and what PJ would look like in yellow overalls.

Off to eat my delicious low resolution dinner...

Comments

[DisneyCyndi]

Girl...you have been through the ringer! Hope everything is better real soon. Take care of yourself.

[Slade]

Darlin!

Wait a minute - I thought I was having a tough week, and here you are living all those television medical dramas I can't bring myself to watch.

I get on my own nerves praying for myself - thank God I have you to focus on now!

I'll get right on those prayers, ASAP - feel them coming at you, little invisible paper airplanes, like a swarm of spiritual Hallmarks.

I insist that you stop these bombshell surgery plot twists! Next time you need a vacation, at least do celebrity rehab or make offensive statements in the public domain and get put on media suspension... Okay?
: )

Now, I, for one, will be looking for some gritty reality material on this blog about the whole thing - starting with Wonder - because then I'll be sure you're okay.

And I really am wondering about Wonder.
: )

I love you

PS
Evidence now supports a theory that your family has not only Muppet but Easter Bunny genes.

[Cindy Keyes]

OK--I've never typed on a blog before so here goes...I can't believe you are so sick! I'm so sorry for what you have been through, but trust you are on the mend with lots of stories to share. (I loved your Christmas letter, by the way--or was it a newspaper--jingle--magazine--what exactly did you call it?) Anyways, we are in countdown for graduation here, so talking to you really makes things bittersweet since you are etched in our memories as being such an important figure in Chris' young life. I'll say a prayer for your healing tonight and hope to hear from you soon. Love you---Cindy

[Cheryl, Casey, Natalie, Pooches - Gracie, Coco, Kitties - Honey Mae, and Lulu Tindell]

Hope you and Phillip are ok - we were worried about y'all - love the blog - Casey, Mama Gladys, and I read a bunch of it - you need a column in the newpaper -"Mandy's Musings" (too cliche, huh?)- ok, how about - Mandy and the City - hee hee
Love,
Cousin Cheryl : )

[jon clemmensen]

M:

Winston Churchill reportedly said something like this, "if you're going through Hell, keep going."

Sounds like you've been doing that, and are on the mend.

Thinking about you.

Peace, Jon C.

[Virginia]

oh my word! bless your heart! hope you get on the mend very fast... lookin' forward to hearing the stories. :)

[Nan Evans]

Oh Mandy!!! Whoa woman......yeh, I just thought I was having a rough time here......I'm glad you are getting better. Take care and I'll be thinking of you for sure!
Love,

Nan