Retirement Dinner For Deefle

Yesterday was another great day.  I slept in until Moses started meowing at me through the door, and I got up after spending a little time in bed with him.  I broke the rules and picked up Zacchaeus a bit later as well, but he only weighs 12 pounds in comparison to Moses’ 17 pounds of sheer lard.  It was Deefle’s last day at work, and I decided to look for cake recipes to make him as a surprise, but he came home early, so I gave up the search.  He ended up wanting to go to Yadkin Valley for a happy retirement dinner anyway.  When Mumphy got home, I took a shower and actually turned around this time and let a little bit of water flow on my back.  It’s so much easier to wash my hair that way, but I hadn’t been able to do so until yesterday because Thursday was the two-week mark since the surgery.  I was still exhausted after the shower and had to lie down for a few minutes, but I recovered pretty quickly, despite the fact that I was being weaned off even more medications that day.  Deefle helped me dry my hair, and everyone got ready to go.  I don’t remember the last time I wore makeup, honestly.  It’s just such a hassle, and it’s so liberating to simply not apply it.  Plus, I’m able to get ready for outings so much faster.

After the parental units were all set, we got in the car and headed to the restaurant.  I took my pillow in the car, of course, but I didn’t want to have to use it inside.  However, the hostess sat us at a wooden booth with a straight back, so Deefle had to retrieve the pillow from the car anyway.  I was so uncomfortable despite the extra cushion.  For the first five minutes we were there, I thought I was going to cry due to the sheer frustration that I was having such a hard time enjoying a celebratory meal for my father because of the pain.  Deefle asked me if we needed to leave, and I almost said yes, but I knew I would feel terribly guilty if I ruined the meal for everyone.  I stuck it out, and I’m glad I did, although I had to keep readjusting myself in the booth, and I had to stand up several times during the meal to get a little more comfortable.  It was the worst pain I’ve felt since I was in the hospital, but I dealt with it.  The delicious steak sure did help.  I couldn’t walk away from that meat if I tried.  It was scrumptious and exactly what I needed, considering my appetite has been so off recently.  The family had a nice time overall, and then we came back home, had ice cream, and watched My Best Friend’s Wedding again.  What a great movie.

It’s so hard to believe that two weeks have passed since the operation.  Dr. Hey said that I would be feeling pretty darn good by this point, and he was right.  I can’t even remember how poorly I felt in the hospital anymore.  I know that it was an absolutely awful time, but it seems so long ago and inconsequential now.  I’m recovering, and the surgery is a thing of the past.  One of the best things I noticed the other day is that when putting on one of my favorite dresses that ties in the back, I no longer have to strategically tie the ribbon so as to detract from the hump on the right side because it’s no longer there.  It’s totally gone.  I’m just now starting to appreciate the fact that my back is now completely straight, and I look so much better in my clothes, and out of them, for that matter.  My hourglass figure is present on both sides now, not just on the left.  The height of my shoulders is a lot more symmetrical, and I’ve gained 2 inches of torso, making my hips not look so large anymore.  It’s fabulous.  Even though it’s still present, the pain is decreasing, and it will eventually leave altogether.  Basically, life is scoliotastic right now, minus the scoliosis.