Day 35: The Chesh Came Back, The Very Next Day[1]

[anarchist_nomad]

[NOTE: This entry has been backdated by one day.]

My prediction from Thursday was accurate. Yesterday, my beloved cheshcat was able to walk up and down stairs once again... and so, last night, she was discharged from the hospital -- at last -- and I brought her home once again!

The discharge process took a very long time. First, the doctor who needed to sign the paperwork was called away. When she finally came back, the porter took a small eternity to show up. Eventually, we lost patience and walked out ourselves. It took some time, and we needed to pause and sit... but ultimately I think it was a lot more satisfying to walk out of the hospital on our own legs, rather than sitting in a wheelchair.

The beautiful bunnypip was waiting at the Flat With No Name when we arrived home. The rest of Friday evening was largely spent in mundane chores, getting the Flat into a state suitable for cheshcat's needs as she convalesces. This required more work than one might think... so I am quite grateful to bunnypip for her assistance.

Today's big event was the post-surgery UnParty. It began just before two, when topbit arrived... and lasted until just shy of midnight. In this time, we played games! We ate yummy food! There was talking! Cuddles! And an impromptu Oxford BiFest planning meeting. This was all much fun... and I want to thank everyone who came for helping to welcome cheshcat back into her life!

In terms of gaming, we started out playing Wise & Otherwise with cheshcat, topbit, bunnypip, and myself. To everyone's surprise -- including my own -- I won by a considerable margin! Indeed, I ended the game with twenty-two points -- two more than the score required for victory. The karmic scales balanced during the next game, though! The amazing bunnypip and the astonishing oilrig and the awesome uberredfraggle and the adorable amuletts and I played Apples To Apples... and I managed to just barely tie for last place![2] The aforementioned adorable amuletts (alliteration, anyone?) ended up winning by a considerable margin... but oilrig had the best[3] assortment of adjectives! The final game of the evening was Betrayal at House on the Hill[4], played on the excellent homemade set that my darling tawneypup had given my for my birthday. We ended up playing the space alien scenario; amuletts played the mind controlling space aliens... and managed to quickly hypnotise us all into letting ourselves be abducted.

Overall, the day was lots of fun. My only regret is the number of people who showed up. We had a total of eight at this year's UnParty -- less than half the number that we had last year. I was absolutely delighted by the people who joined us... and cheshcat seemed pleased, so that is good. Additionally, some people who could not make it were lovely enough to phone and send their good wishes over the wires. That, too, was most excellent and happy-making! Still, I could not help being reminded of how -- three and a half years after moving to Oxford -- we still don't enjoy the level of close knit community here in England that we have in Chicago or in the NorthEastern United States[5]. This surgery was a major event, one that should radically change cheshcat's life. Yet this was the total number of people who wanted to join us to celebrate? Had this party been thrown at the Event Horizon, I know that we would have easily had four times as many guests -- maybe more -- dropping by to share this important occasion.

Ah, well. In the end, all of that is really just a detail. The important thing is that -- for the first time in her life -- cheshcat's right knee is sitting in the groove where knees are supposed to sit. The surgery opened the doors to a much brighter future! This is a cause for celebration... and celebrate we did, with some very lovely people! It was a blast, so thanks to all who joined us!!

Now, then, let the future begin!!!

---

[1] Actually, this time it took eight and a half days. But who's counting?

[2] I say "just barely" because, had the final round played out differently, I would have unequivocally taken last place all on my own! Go me!

[3] By which I mean the worst... as, by some odd coincidence, they were all negative!

[4] Affectionately referred to as The Shinnin'.

[5] By which I primarily mean the New York City area... but, really, we have community as far South as North Carolina and as far North as Maine. Y'all know who you are!

Comments

[lionessprite.livejournal.com]

So mote it be!

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

*grin* You rock! You know that, don't you? :-)

[lionessprite.livejournal.com]

I try :-) Thank you, the feeling is very mutual!

(Could you hear the "thump" of a staff on the exclamation mark? I don't have a staff, but I'm pretty sure that I hear the thump of one after the exclamation mark [or perhaps as part of it]).

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

Congratulations to cheshcat's knee, for finally working properly! Congratulations to cheshcat, for walking up the stairs under her own power! And it sounds as if A Wonderful Time Was Had By All - sorry I missed the UnParty!

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

Thank you muchly, my dear Ace!

Oh, and if you had shown up... well, I think we all may have fainted in surprise to see you suddenly an unexpectedly on the opposite side of the Atlantic! *grin*

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

Well, I know that cats can teleport, although I think it may be difficult for them, because they don't do it very often, and cockroaches (ugh!) can teleport, so I ought to be able to learn how to teleport also (*). Once I get that trick down, I'll make sure I can bring objects with me - like my clothes (I'm sure you wouldn't want me to arrive naked!), and a celebratory cake.

(*) Actually, I think I did manage it, once, but it was a long time ago, it was only a matter of a few inches, and something moderately illegal was involved...

[miss-amaranth.livejournal.com]

wish we could have made it.

glad you had a great time and she's recovering well though :) x

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

*big smile* Thank you, my dear!

Twas lots of fun and cheshcat is making visible progress daily on her recovery! So that is all quite excellent! *more smiles*

Meanwhile, am looking forward to seeing you soon! Huzzah! *grin* Next time is Brum BiFest, yes? Which is just twelve days away -- yay!

xxx

[darkfloweruk.livejournal.com]

Don't feel bad about the low numbers at the unparty. I'm sure all the people who were there really wanted to be there, and were full of sincere happiness for Chesh.

A nice time with a few good friends sounds lovely.

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

It was indeed a lovely time. And thank you for calling, too! It put a smile on my dear cheshcat's face!

At some point, we will need to solve the cat allergy problem so that you can come and visit us again! How do you manage to survive when you are staying at the Leveret Warren? I can try to vacuum thoroughly, quarantine the kitties, dust -- does any of that sound like it will help?

*big hugs*

[sanjibabes.livejournal.com]

Am glad the party was a success. By success - you had people ring and call and send good wishes - even though they couldn't make it - reminding you both that they do care. By success - you had people there who care about you both, you had fun, no drama and it was stress free.

This surgery was a major event, one that should radically change [info]cheshcat's life. Yet this was the total number of people who wanted to join us to celebrate? Had this party been thrown at the Event Horizon, I know that we would have easily had four times as many guests -- maybe more -- dropping by to share this important occasion.
If I got upset every because people didn't come to my parties/unparties - and you are one of those people hun - even if I considered it a major event for me - I'd walk around permanently disappointed. People have to prioritise and for me, my mum IS and was more important than that party. Chesh is a friend and I don't see that I need to make that one party to show that.

I'm sorry you are disappointed but lots of people have a lot of stuff going on atm and have to make difficult decisions what to do with their time.

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

The UnParty was indeed a success -- by all the measures that you mention.

I am not, as you say, walking around upset or overly disappointed. That would be silly when, party or no, the very best news is that cheshcat will be regaining mobility at levels that she has not had in all the time that you have known her.

As I said in my post, the low numbers were simply a reminder that, even now, I really don't have the same level of close community here that I enjoy back home. Everyone everywhere has lots of stuff going on all the time and people always need to make difficult decisions about what to do with their time. Obviously your mother is more important to you than cheshcat -- you don't need to justify that to me! Still, I am quite confident that if I were holding this party in Chicago[*] or in New York[**], I would have had four or five times the number of guests dropping in. I am not at all upset at anyone in particular, and there are some very lovely people here that I consider myself lucky to count as friends. I was just remarking on the reminder that -- at least for me -- the community here is not as embracing or as close or as nurturing as what I am used to from other places that I have lived.

Does that make more sense now?

---

[*] At the Event Horizon, the house that I own with gyades in the west Chicago suburbs.

[**] Hypothetically speaking, as I don't actually have a space of my own in which to host anything in New York.

[sanjibabes.livejournal.com]

It does make more sense now, thanks for clarifying. :-)

[anarchist-nomad.livejournal.com]

Excellent! And you are most welcome!

[rosemary-sweet.livejournal.com]

Aw congratulations to your cheshcat. I love games!

[wriggler.livejournal.com]

It is a bloody annoying song, but at your next gathering (or indeed anytime) you two must sing, Knees Up Mother Brown, Knees Up Mother Brown.

[wolfpeach.livejournal.com]

Cool! Am so glad that Chesh is mobile, home, and on the mend :) This is *good news*

I'm once more struck with cold/cough/flu-y-ness, which is holding me back from coming to visit :(

[pinkdormouse.livejournal.com]

Yay for all that!

[cheshcat.livejournal.com]

Mips! You forgot to mention the fabulous and generous dr_jen who brought a TONNE of yummy food as a recuperation gift! :D And the fantastic phone call from darkfloweruk.

Also, in tribute to the evil amuletts:

All we want to do is eat your brains!
It's not unreasonable... to be eaten by giant alien EYES!
Aaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!