Day 30: We Can Rebuild Her. We Have The Technology. We Can Make Her Better, Stronger, Faster.

[anarchist_nomad]

Below is the promised State of the Chesh health report. My beloved cheshcat herself has already updated yesterday to her own journal[*] and various mailing lists. Her report is more detailed than mine own, methinks, so if you have seen that, feel free to skip to the bottom of this entry, in which I provide updates from today. That said, here we go:

On Thursday morning, I drove cheshcat to the orthopaedic clinic. We arrived when they opened at 7:30am and I waited with her until eleven, when they wheeled her bed off towards the operating theatre. That afternoon, she underwent a distal realignment procedure known as Elmslie-Trillat. In short, they realign the knee by cutting the bone underneath the tendon and screwing it in where it is supposed to be. Serious ouch! Luckily, the local orthopaedic clinic is excellent... and our surgeon is particularly outstanding, too! For the first time in her life, cheshcat's right knee is now actually sitting in the grove where knees are supposed to reside.[**]

I went in to visit cheshcat on Thursday evening, but she was still quite groggy from the pain meds.[***] I went in on Friday morning and evening, when she was more lucid, which was a Good Thing^TM. My dear bunnypip and L2 joined me for visits on Saturday morning and evening, and we played some games together -- Fluxx and Bohnanza. Sunday (i.e., yesterday), I went again in the morning and the evening... and was fortunate enough to be present when the physiotherapists got her out of bed for the first time, post-surgery! Progress is being made!

Said progress continued today. Due to a T2K meeting, I was not able to make it to the hospital this morning. In the afternoon, however, cheshcat rang me to say that she had stood up again... and taken her first post-surgery steps.[****] Needless to say, the news added some extra smiles to my afternoon! Apparently, her rate of progress following such a major restructuring of her knee is also impressing the physios! Huzzah!

I went back in the evening to talk, discuss which RSC shows we should buy tickets to in 2010, et cetera. At this point, it doesn't look like cheshcat will be coming home tomorrow. Sometime between Wednesday and Friday seems to be the most likely. I gently teased her, saying that they had to let her go by Friday... or else she would miss her own UnParty this weekend! My, what an UnParty that would be, if we did not even have the guest of honour!

Speaking of the UnParty, I should use this opportunity to remind people that it will be happening this weekend -- November 7^th and 8^th -- at our home: the Flat With No Name in Oxford. As the "UnParty" name implies, we will not be doing a lot of fancy preparations, buying snack food, and so on.[*****] Right now, our efforts need to be directed in bringing cheshcat back to full mobility. The UnParty is simply this: We will be home all weekend and playing games, watching movies, chilling out.

If you are on my f-list, feel free to drop by and join us at any point! No need to RSVP and crash space is available for out-of-Oxford people! Your company would be quite welcome -- with one important caveat: If you are ill, please do stay away. As much as we would love to spend time with you, cheshcat's immune system is already strained by the surgical intrusions into her body and the screws left behind there. Bringing germs and whatnot into our household would most definitely be Not A Good Idea^TM. If you are sick, please stay home and send your good wishes from afar!

If you are planning on coming and need an address or other contact info, leave a comment and let me know! Hope to see you soon!!

---

[*] F-locked.

[**] I used to say that knees were proof against "intelligent design" of humans. However, I later came to realise that knees only disprove "benevolent intelligent design." They say nothing contrary to evidence of a malignant designer.

[***] More than once that I have been visiting, I have heard reference to the "pain girls." Hmmm...

[****] I mean literal steps here! Not metaphoric ones!

[*****] With one exception -- there will be more homemade ice cream whipped up at some point on the Saturday of the UnParty.

Comments

[bunnypip.livejournal.com]

Twas good to be able to see Chesh on Saturday (and again on Sunday, albeit without L2). I'm still hoping to get down to Oxford tomorrow before visiting ends and will of course be there at the weekend for the unparty too.

And hurray for the pain girls ... and the entire pain management team in fact :-D

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Sweetheart. I was very glad to bring you to the hospital with me... and I hope that you can get there in time to see Chesh again tomorrow.[*]

And also thank you for being my own personal pain girl! ;-D

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[*] Though I will likely be gone ringing by then. Still, we will see each other after I am done. *big smiles*

[faerierhona.livejournal.com]

When I have some semblance of energy again I will totally be coming to visit!

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

Excellent! Will very much be looking forward to it, hon! *grin*

Now you feel better, too, k? *soft smile*

[faerierhona.livejournal.com]

I'll be fine post op I hope!

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

Me, too! *crosses fingers for you*

Remind me again: When is your op?

[faerierhona.livejournal.com]

20th January :-(

[sweetcyanide.livejournal.com]

Hope cheshcat recovers well- have good party times! Of course, I'll be able to bring good wishes in person soon *bounce*

x

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

Thank you, hon!! Will pass the well-wishes along in a few, as I am about to head over to the hospital.

As for the "in person" conveyance of wishes? *bounces happily* Yes, am very much looking forward to that, too! Yay! Not long now...

Ooooh -- speaking of which! I am making sekrit planz for your visit to Oxford. To help with said plans, I have to ask: Do you like Steampunk stuff? *raises a curious eyebrow*

[sweetcyanide.livejournal.com]

Oooh, now I'm intrigued! :-)

Yup, I love Steampunk. Not in an obsessed goth-fashion way, more in an "that's intersting/shiny/steamy" way! :-D

x

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, I like intriguing you! Excellent! (Maybe I can try to make a habit of it... *wink*)

Glad to know that Steampunk is your cup of tea[*]. I shan't explain more now... but all will become clear next weekend! *grin*

xXx

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[*] Actually in much the same way that it is mine.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

I'd love to come to the Un-Party - what, haven't you invented the matter transporter yet? Bother!

Well, give Chesh a big soft squishy feel-better hug from me, anyway.

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

We would love to have you here, too, Ace! Alas! Who went and dropped that ocean in the way! *grin*

I will definitely bear your hugs along to my dear cheshcat... though you may need to prepare some of your own for next time you see her!

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

Well, there's no way I'm ever going to run out of hugs to give, of course. But the next time I see you and Chesh in person, to give you hugs, you're both likely to be very busy running a Sooper Sekrit Gathering. (I did tell Chesh that I'm going to dance the polka with her then - my own knees, which are factory originals, will give out long before hers!)

[prolificdiarist.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the update; I'm really glad Chesh's recovery seems to be going well and hurray for having a Nomad on hand! :)

I won't be at the unParty, but I will be thinking of you both and sending lots of hugs, smiles and well-wishes.

*Hugs, smiles and lots of well-wishes!*

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

Huuray, indeed! :-D

Sorry that you won't be able to make it to the UnParty, sweetie! Hope to see you again sometime soon -- it has been too long!

*hugs and snuggles*

[sanjibabes.livejournal.com]

Am really glad to hear the good news re Chesh's op. Unfortunately I will not be coming this weekend for two reasons:
1 - I'm going to spend some time with my mum
2 - I currently have tonsillitus and whilst I might be better by Sat, wouldn't want to risk infecting her. Not to mention, if I'm not better, I won't be going to my mum's either.

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

*nods* That's right -- I remember we talked about this on a scheduling thread some time ago. If I recall, February or March is the next time that we have even the possibility of seeing each other, as our scheduled don't match up at all until then.

Have a good trip to your mum's... and feel better! Tonsillitus sounds like no fun!

[sanjibabes.livejournal.com]

I was hoping to come actually but need to see family and am ill.

Hopefully see one another before March.

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

Hopefully... but looking at schedules, it doesn't seem terribly likely. I'm booked up until mid-February at this point.

Before I forget, though -- and before you get too booked -- put Sat March 27 on your calendar... for Oxford BiFest! Hope to see you there!

Meanwhile, feel better! Doctor's orders! :-)

[xmakina.livejournal.com]

Much love and hugs from me and miss_amaranth

Sadly we're both sick as plague parrots who've been hanging around in the pig-pen so our attendance would be a bad idea.

As soon as we've got a clean bill of health we'll organise meeting up though :)

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

Much love and hugs from me and miss_amaranth

And back atcha, my friend! :-)

Sadly we're both sick as plague parrots who've been hanging around in the pig-pen so our attendance would be a bad idea.

Feh. Yes, that wouldn't work so well, would it? Please to be feeling better as quickly as possible! You two are far more likeable than plague parrots! *grin*

As soon as we've got a clean bill of health we'll organise meeting up though

*nods enthusiastically* Definitely!

Now, then. Speaking of cheshcat... I am off to the hospital to have my evening visit with her! Talk to you more later!!

[blazingrowan.livejournal.com]

*sends many good wishes from afar*

I very much like your cheerful, bouncy style of writing :) and hurray for the pain girls and for taking steps! (Is this the John Radcliffe hospital? SHINY, from what I've seen of it... have med students been flocking?) xx

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

*reaches up and catches said wishes as they fly by*

Thank you very much!! Also, I am quite glad that you like my cheerful bouncy writing. *bows deeply* It does seem to mesh well with a cheerful bouncy Nomad, doesn't it? *grin*

As for the hospital, it is not the John Radcliffe. Indeed, for us it is better! cheshcat is at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, which is more specialised towards her knee problem. We happen to live in the hospital district of Oxford -- a neighbourhood known as Headington -- so the J.R. is a five minute walk in one direction, the N.O.C. is a ten to twelve minute walk in the other direction... and then there is also the Churchill Hospital, about ten minutes walk in yet another direction! Hospitals 'R' Us! ;-D

That said, in general the J.R. is indeed a very fine place. I was there back in August, when I had my kidney stone. (Though the follow-up appointment will be at the Churchill -- let's play a game of musical hospitals! Whee!)