Did you ever have so dog-gone much to say that you couldn't?

So, I've been trying to take it easy, which has been surprisingly difficult. It's a challenge to stay upright, even in a chair, but I'm managing. So far the only misstep has been that I took my 8 p.m. meds an hour early yesterday because the clock on the coffee maker said 8 and I didn't know it hadn't been changed.

Yesterday's highlight and lowlight all in one was the shower. First, I realized I wasn't going to be able to stand up for a whole shower, so I turned on the water and sat in the tub. Being wet all over, scrubbing my back, conditioning my hair felt amazing. I managed to get myself out of the tub, mostly dried and back into some sweats, but then I had to call for help getting back to bed.

Other thoughts that occurred to me yesterday:

I think I'd like to make a quilt, possibly one of those haberdashery-type things made from woolens. I saw one in an antique store several years ago and have always regretted not buying it. I know a little about quilting from my late grandmother who was an avid quilter all her life. For whatever reason I like the idea of making a Lone Star pattern quilt in gorgeous velvets, too. That might be a little hard to work with, though.

I used to be a decent hand seamstress, and I know I'll have time.

Lola is being so very good. She seems to know where she can sit--namely the lower lap, or on my shoulder--and where she can't--namely, the mid lap, which is ordinarily her favorite spot.

I am working on drafting a letter to my donor's family. The only things I know about the donor is that he was a 21-year-old male and that he was positive for the cytomegalovirus. I am negative, and that means extra antibiotics for me. (CMV is one of those viruses that can be at the root of all kinds of things.)

I do not expect the first draft to be the one, but I wanted them to know that I was thinking about them as I lay on the sixth floor waiting to hear whether we were going to do the surgery or not.

Last night, I tried to deflect some small portion of the good thoughts and prayers I've benefitted from to all the others who are still waiting for transplants. I don't know how good a job I did, though. I guess trying is the important part.

A friend from a mailing list said that she was going to donate blood in celebration of my successful surgery. I thought that was a really cool idea. If you're not squeamish about such things, and if you wanted to do something, I think that would be a good gesture.

I'm still trying to get my bearings after realizing that my fondest wish has been granted. All I ever wanted was a chance to be healthy. I know that I still have health-related struggles ahead of me, and that immunosuppression is not ideal health; but for the first time in my adult life, I am in control, not some medical condition.

Last night, Mom said something about me being an amazing person. I said I'm mostly just lucky. Maybe the only thing that should amaze anybody about me is that I don't think I'm exceptional.

Except that you make your own luck.

before - after