December 14, 2007

In a Cruel Twist of Fate. . .

I received two new things today. New things make you feel good right? Not quite. Meet the immobilizer brace that I’ll be wearing every second of my life for the next four-six weeks. My PT had to fit me for it today, making sure he left plenty of room for all the bandaging that will be underneath it. Although it doesn’t look so bad in the bag, the brace is locked at full extension and goes from the top of my thigh to just above my ankle. It’s not uncomfortable now, although I’m sure next week will be a completely different story. I have a feeling my wardrobe is going to consist of pajama pants and pajama pants alone for the next few weeks.

I have to take it with me to the hospital on Monday morning. It costs $850. I can think of about 1000 different ways I’d prefer to spend that kind of money. I will have to pay 20% of that cost.

While at PT, there was a college student there with one of those lovely braces on. I started talking to him while I was on the bike and learned that he was seven weeks post-op. He told me lots of useful information, such as "no underwear allowed in the OR" (fantastic) and that he ended up staying in the hospital for two days post surgery. He also had an allograft, but in addition, he had his MCL and meniscus repaired as well. He didn’t mince words when he talked about the pain afterward. Of course, a college kid hasn’t gone through two natural child births, so I’m trying to forget that part of our conversation.

When I returned home with my brace and a sick stomach (because I couldn’t stop thinking that the next time I go to PT, I’ll be post-op), there was a box waiting for me. My box was from Crane Mountain and contained my brand new purple heart tunfa. I ordered them weeks ago and they were custom made just for me. I gingerly pulled them out of their custom made bag, and didn’t know if I wanted to try to jump for joy or cry.

"How cruel is it that they come today, before my surgery?" I said to Mr. BBM.

He told me I should look at it as a sign of what I’m going back to when this is all over. I swung them around a bit and remarked at how perfect and beautiful they are, because they are just that amazing.

Because the first picture doesn’t really do justice to the amazing color of my new tunfa, I tried another shot. A photographer, I am not, but hopefully you can get the idea.

As soon as I was done admiring them, I packed them away nicely in their individual compartments within the perfect canvas bag. I’m not going to get upset. I’m going to swing them around soon enough.