Gimpy Mumpy

Difficult Questions

Mr. M and I went on a roadtrip today to a few promising animal shelters.  We did not come home with a new doggie friend but we did spend some time with some beautiful dogs and pups.  What surprised me was that I was worried that it might be a bit soon and that being with the dogs would make me a bit emotional but what I wasn't prepared for was explaining in detail not only what happened that resulted in Toby's death (this was very painful) but also my physical impairments.  Some of the questions were understandable, some rude and some outright bizarre.  (The dog trainer who kept asking, "So you'll never run again?" was actually a very nice man but for some reason he could not grasp that no matter how he phrased this question the answer would always be "No".)  I came away from the experience feeling a bit hurt that people in control of adopting these cuties can be so judgemental.  The time with the dogs themselves was wonderful though and the for next shelters we visit I will be better prepared to deal with those mean ol' humans.

Toby 20??-2006
Toby my love, my life, my little ray of sunshine is gone.  I thought I had hooked up his leash properly but somehow like a terrible magic trick he was loose and with a mischievous grin was gone.  Gone to chase those fast moving cars and trucks out on the main road where just a few minutes later he was hit.  It wasn't anyone's fault.  Mr. M was quickly on the scene and rushed Toby to the nearest veterinary hospital but in a stroke of bad luck most vets are were closed and he had to be diverted to a further location.  Toby made it there but we were told soon after that he fell asleep and didn't wake up.  I'm glad he's not in pain but I miss my "independent little man" the furry little friend whose been there when I was at my worst, who gave me a reason to get up out of bed even on my most difficult  days.  We brought him home and found a special place where we can still sit together in the sun with the flowers and the birds.   

We will never forget him.

To Be Continued.....

I apologize for my absence from the blogosphere this past weekend.  I promise to have a blog entry up by the end of the day explaining all but the circumstances are painful and I have not even begun to stop grieving yet.  I need a picture for my next post and that is partly why creating that post is so difficult.

It's all fun & games until someone performs a crappy surgery

There have been some great celebratory suggestions for my 2-year post-op failed back surgery anniversary today. 
I would just like to add one more to the mix; Pin the Tail on the Doctor using these pushpins.  Ouch! 
So far my celebration activities have included a walk on the beach (where I had a wonderful spontaneous discussion with a fellow disabled), stopped for icecream, and received a lovely gift of sticky electrodes for my TENS Unit from my physical therapist. 

2 Year Post-Op Anniversary

Tomorrow is the 2-year anniversary of Mumpy's failed back surgery!  Any gift ideas for her surgeon?  First thing that comes to mind is an anonymous flaming bag of poo....
Anniversary celebration suggestions also welcome.

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice....

.....that's what little gimps are made of? nah!  That is what dinner is made of. 

"He who controls the Spice controls the universe"--Baron Harkonnen 

I have just received my first order of wonderfully fresh spices from World Merchants a Seattle based purveyor of spices, herbs and teas.  Oh and their selection of dried chilis is phenomenal! With the new Amazon Grocery service and my luck in finding World Merchants I have stumbled into gimpy culinary and shopping bliss.  Mmmmm....

O RLY?

I've just got off the phone with my doctor's office only to realize that I just spent ten minutes thanking them for a referral to a proctologist. Damn. 
So how do I prepare for my appointment?  What's the proper proctologist office etiquette? 
I know!  I'll print out the O RLY? owl and put the picture on a stick so every time my doc informs me of something I can hold it up to face him.  Perfect. 

Happy Anniversary

Today marks my parents 33(?) year wedding anniversary.  They have all of their romantic bases covered, dinner reservations, roses, headache in a bottle champagne but what I find most amazing is what they've done for others on their special day.
My mom drove me to the rehab department at the hospital for my physical therapy session.  While in my appointment she whizzed off to the supermarket and did my grocery shopping for me.  I was a bit late getting out of my appointment and mom was there with coffees and sandwiches for our lunch.  There was also a fancy bottle of water on her take away tray.  This was for the always smiling young boy that stands out in the hospital parking lot, in the blazing sun, in the event that someone needs assistance.  We then ventured home where my mom insisted my brother eat her sandwich since he had been out working all morning (he refused at first but she took one bite and said "oh there I am very full now").
So Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad.  You've earned it!

The pelvic bone is connected to the.....oh hell!

My physical therapist has just discovered  that my pubic symphysis was seperated during my fall three years ago.  Yes, that's correct three years ago! 
This is of course in addition to the sacro-iliac joint seperation and trauma discovered two months ago and the fractures to the spine discovered during the first year after the injury.  Hmpf!  What next?  No, no don't tell me.  Let it be a surprise.....

The Glimpse

The amazing nurse Kim, author of Emergiblog and creator of new Change of Shift: A Nursing Blog Carnival, has a new blog Scared to Health. 
Kim began Scared to Health upon the recent discovery of her husband's diabetes which forced him to the hospital with a gangrenous gallbladder.  For anyone who has cared for a love one struggling with an illness her post Wake Me Up Inside is a must read.  Kim gives us a glimpse as to what we as family and friends go through (I can also add that those of us who experience illness/injury/surgery also go through the same emotional cycle).   

"I bought my elderly cat Tasha special cat food. She’s been dead for eight months."

We try to stay strong and steadfast in the face of others but inside we tend to fall apart.  This unraveling has a way of showing itself though no matter how hard we try to keep things together.