Meet my nephew, Ian...

He reeeaaaalllllly loves to swing!

Calgon...take me away

Have you ever had one of those days? Those days where you just want to crawl back into bed and stay there. Calgon, take me away days! THOSE days! That was today. Which sucks, because today was Ryann's first day of 4th grade. I woked up and puked and my knee hurt really badly. We were later getting to the school than I would've liked, so it was a madhouse. The teacher that Ry was supposed to have was moved up to the 5th grade, so she got a different teacher. Her teacher from last year stopped me in the hall to make sure that she was in a different teacher's classroom. Ry's classroom is on the second floor. We waited for the elevator for a few minutes and then Seem and Ry took the stairs. I finally gave up waiting for the elevator, and by the time I made it up the stairs, she was already in her classroom. I was sweaty, hurting and worst of all, didn't get a chance to wish her a good first day. It sucked!

After that, K drove me to my car, and I broke down and started crying as I got out of his car. I just feel so emotional and tired and helpless and guilty and my knee hurts. I feel like such a baby, but there it is. I needed to cry. I didn't get to cry long, because I needed to go fill out some forms for Ry's after school daycare. I've been on the verge of tears for the rest of the day. I'm just one hallmark card or sappy commercial away from a complete breakdown. Oh look...there's a Weight Watchers commercial on, which reminds me how fat I am and how much weight I need to lose and how I can't really work out very hard because my clumsy ass fell and messed up my knee. Here come the tears!

Honestly, I feel like I've done nothing but bitch and moan since I hurt my knee. I don't like me like this. I'm trying to suck it up and look on the bright side. So here are some good things and bad things going on with my knee.

Good things
*I can walk without crutches sometimes...YAY!
*The swelling has gone way down and I no longer have a cankle on my left leg...YAY!
*I can drive...YAY!
*I have a temporary disabled tag at my job, so I don't have to walk far to get to my office...YAY!
*I went to my 2nd physical therapy session today and have already improved enough to make a full rotation on the exercise bike...YAY! (I was so excited that the therapists were laughing at me!)
*I'm generally not in TOO much pain (unless I overdo it or move it the wrong way!) Thank you hydrocodone!!
*My husband is taking great care of me!

Bad things
*I tore my PCL.
*It HURTS!
*I have to wear a bulky knee brace.
*Said knee brace likes to slip down and I keep having to stop and pull it up.
*My injured walk looks more like a waddle. It sad, really!
*I'm constantly tired.

*I didn't get a chance to go down to the river and enjoy the water last weekend at our "family gathering" because it was rocking and rough on the way down.

I'm sure I'll talk more about it later, but I'd liked to end today by saying what an awful mom I am. Ryann went to school today with almost no school supplies. I just hadn't had a chance (or the mobility to go pick out things. We did go earlier this evening and picked up almost everything they need. They don't really go by the district list of supplies, so I hate to buy anthing til after the first day.

I fell asleep for about 20 minutes after typing that last paragraph, so I'm going to sign off and call it a day. But later this week, I'll have to tell you about the fantastic weekend I spent hanging out with my family.

I've fallen and I can't get up!

I picked my friend up from the airport Thursday night, and we stayed up until almost 4am giggling like schoolgirls. It was fantastic, and good for my soul. I was off Friday, so we spent the morning picking up her new car and chatting over coffee at Starbuck's. Our afternoon plan was to go check out some office space, as she is considering opening her own criminal law firm. We crossed the street to enter the office complex for her first appointment, and I tripped over the curb (which was broken and jagged). As I fell to the cement, everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. I could see my lower leg hyperextended to an unnatural position and flop around like a wet noodle on the way down. We were on a very busy street and I landed half on the curb and half on the street. I was panicked and trying to drag myself out of the street so that I could avoid being run over. Dragging myself over was no easy task, since I couldn't move my leg. It was numb and tingly, and when I tried to move it, I could see my kneecap cave in. I had my friend call my husband to come and take me to the hospital.

While we waited for K to get there, the owner of the building (who my friend had the appointment with) drove out of the parking garage and yelled that we couldn't sit on the sidewalk in front of the building. I thought that it was fairly obvious that we weren't just having a leisurely rest, since my pants leg was pulled up to mid thigh and I was crying, but apparently not. My friend explained that I had fallen and couldn't move and was waiting on an ambulance or my husband. I don't remember what he said next, but whatever it was must've really pissed my friend off because she started yelling at him about how I'd fallen because his sidewalk was messed up. He started to drive off, and she yelled that she appreciated his concern, since he never once asked if I was okay. So he turned back around, and asked if he could call an ambulance. But even then, he never asked if I was okay.

So K finally came and picked me up, helped me into the car and drove me to the emergency room. After waiting for what seemed like forever, I was able to go in and have x-rays taken. I suspect that the x-ray technician enjoyed torturing me. Everyone else at the hospital was incredible and gentle. I tried to explain to her that I could. not. move. my. knee, but she pretty much told me to do it anyway. It hurt so bad that I was sobbing while I attempted to get onto the x-ray table and turn different ways so she could get a good look at my knee. I know it's necessary and it's her job, but my gosh, it hurt! The good news is that it's not broken and that I've been high as a kite from my pain meds since I left the hospital. The bad news is that I'm on crutches and in a knee immobolizer, and I have to go see an orthopedic surgeon because the chances are good that I've torn something and will have to have surgery to have it fixed.

The pain meds are keeping me asleep most of the time, but right now, they don't seem to be helping because I'm in a great deal of pain. I really need a bath, and I'm trying to figure out the logistics of making that happen. K usually does a great job of taking care of me when I am sick, but he was gone all morning yesterday and several hours this morning. His cousin is here and they went out to dinner with all of my inlaws last night, and they are at my mother-in-law's house right now. I know I'm being a big baby, but I feel completely helpless and abandoned. And? My knee hurts like a MF! But I'll live. Plus, I keep calling my mom, who is giving me lots of sympathy.

Soulfriends

When I was growing up, I had lots of friends. There were different groups and cliques in my little school, but I was friends with ALL of them. My dad used to admonish me for throwing the word "friend" around so easily. He would tell me how truly blessed I would be if I had but a handful of true friends in my lifetime. I don't think I quite believed him then, but like so many other things he's said to me over the years, I've come to see the truth in his words. Don't tell him that, though. I have been blessed, because I do have a couple of those type of friends. I think I've already touched on my frustration about not being able to make new friends. So you can imagine my delight in finding out that one of my BFF is moving to Houston.

Lisa moved to my hometown while we were in junior high. We were immediate friends. Our dads were both in law enforcement and she had a wicked sense of humor. I adored her. Shortly after Lisa earned her driver's license, we decided to sneak over to one of our guy friend's houses to meet up with my boyfriend and swim. His parents weren't home and I don't recall where we told our parents we were going, but it certainly wasn't there. When we backed out of the driveway, she bumped into something and I assured her that it was just the curb. When she drove back to my house to drop me off, her father was there. Apparently, I was mistaken and she had actually ran over my neighbor's mailbox. We were totally busted and our parents all knew that we weren't were we said that we'd be. I'm not sure how it all shook out, but I'm fairly certain that I ended up being grounded. I spent MANY days grounded when I was growing up. In fact, I think I was grounded almost every winter vacation. I'll have to blog about that and the fact that my brother is a snitch another day.

Lisa is brilliant, but sometimes high school girls make really questionable decisions. Lisa got married right out of high school to a man who was...well, he was an idiot. My dad actually asked her, "What in the world are you two going to talk about?" I love my dad (so does Lisa, which is why she thought it was hysterical that he asked her that). Anyway, her husband turned out to be a real asshole and they got a divorce. She ended up legally changing her name, and joining the Air Force. She became a Russian Linguist. She got out of the military, but married a man in the Air Force and recently got her law degree. They've been stationed in Venice, Italy for awhile and now her husband is going back to Iraq and she is moving to Houston to start her own law firm while he's away. I'm worried and sad for her husband, but I am ecstatic that she is moving here. She's going to stay with us while she looks for a cheap place to live. I've tried talking her into staying with us permanently, and if we convert our storage building into a garage apartment, that just may happen. I couldn't be happier.

Lisa and I have gone months and sometimes even years without talking, but when we do see each other or talk, we pick up right where we left off. It's never awkward, and we always have a ball. Ryann and Kassem adore her. In fact, one of my first birthdays after getting married, Kassem arranged for Lisa to come down for a surprise visit. Years ago, Lisa and I were talking about how much we cherish our friendship and she said that we are soulfriends. It's the friendship version of soul mates. I love that. I think it's absolutely true. I suspect that you'll hear lots more about my soulfriend. She'll be here in two weeks, and I am positively giddy as I count down the days.