Let the Sunshine In

I am gradually returning to health. I'm back to work four hours a day this week and continuing to see the Chiropractor. I feel so *good* and clear headed after a session with him, what a relief!

The tree guys have come and gone. That was two days of buzz saws and shouting in the front yard. Yikes! Rotten timing. I closed all the windows and put on music, trying to drowned out the noise.

It feels so open now, and the lighting in the living room is different, but I guess I'm getting used to it. I've been putting out seed each morning and the birds come timidly at first. It's good to see them.

Picture from the internet

Pine Trees

This is the view of our front yard. I love these two pine trees, they're probably 30 years old

This is what I've been doing for a lot of the passed two and half weeks, trying to recover.

I listen to the wind in the tree tops, watch the little birds come and go and the light change as the morning passes. It's so calm, it's what I need. I love the smell of the pine resin as the day heats up, memories of summers gone by come and go in my thoughts.

On day six I sat in my recliner in the house and drew from memory. I'm a quilter, not an artist, but I was pleased with the outcome.

I've been gathering a lot of comfort and strength from these pines so it was a great disappointment when the landlord told us he'd hired a tree surgeon to take them out. He's decided they're too top heavy and a hazard. At that moment I felt it like the loss of a dear friend.

I realize they're just trees; but they shield us from the afternoon sun and protect us from the lashing rain. When the trees are gone I'll have nowhere to lay in the shade; and the birds will be gone too. I know I'm not emotionally up to snuff these days, but it just seems like it'll be so empty and silent.

I guess I'll have to install a pole feeder or two.

Day Seventeen

Went to the Chiropractor today. He was so empathetic. The Md had said, "Go home, rest. We can't do anything for you." The Chiro said, "Wow, you must've really clocked yourself. We'll get you headed in the right direction and back to the rest of your life." I LIKE this guy! After the mid-back and neck adjustment the dizziness was much less. Still slept the afternoon away, still have to search for the right noun or adjective... but an improvement all the same.

Not a lot of quilting going on at my house. Knitted so much last week - something I could do in my fog - that I have repetitive motion fatigue in my thumb. That's new.

Just gotta be patient, guess that's why they call us "patients."

The Road Back

Thank you for the kind comments and well wishes following my last post. I guess it was vague on accident details. I think enough time has passed I can talk a bit about it. I slipped while walking in the river and hit face first on the rocks; whacked my jaw and teeth, gouged the inside of my mouth, sprained my arm, and generally got banged up.

I went to the doctor yesterday for a follow-up visit and that was about all I did, wiped me out. Ya gotta love western medicine, if they can't see it on a film or lab slide, it doesn't exist. I'm still dizzy and fatigued and he called it Post Concussion Syndrome. Sounds like a catch-all diagnosis 'cause he doesn't really know what's wrong.

I've been referred to a a chiropractor for jaw and neck trauma. The Md wouldn't say he thought chiropractic treatment would help, but if I wanted to try it, why not? Still out of work and looking for answers.

Last night I dreamt I was in my huband's Miata convertible, struggling to get the top up. It was raining and the inside of the car was getting ruined, but try as I might I couldn't get the top up; it was just TOO DARN HEAVY for me to strong-arm into place. I tried everything. There was a sense of urgency, frustration and responsibility. Gee, that's not a hard symbol to figure out.

But dreaming about wrestling with a Miata top is a long way from images of immovable semi trailers in my driveway. I think I'm on the road back.

Life Had Other Plans

This is me moments before the accident.

There aren't any pictures of the accident, no one takes pictures during a crisis, there's too much else going on.

This is me for the last two weeks.

Finally had one of these:

But most concussions clear up in seven to ten days and I don't feel much better.

About day four I dreamt there was a LARGE semi trailer in my driveway and I had to move it. I mean literally, physically move it. There was no way. Then I thought maybe I could just put a key in the ignition and drive it out. But when I got in the cab it was so completely foreign it was clear I was not going to be able to move it. I'm pretty sure that semi is how I feel.

I'm waiting for the day when I dream about a thumb-sized matchbox car. I hope it's soon. Meanwhile, it's back to the doctor tomorrow.

Note: since some of my readers have asked, I was wading barefoot in the river, slipped and took a header into the rocks. Still have all my teeth, don't know about all my marbles yet. Hey, if my sense of humor is returning is that a good sign?

Camping Summer 2009

We went camping with Nathan and Danielle and her parents the last weekend in July.

Early morning, quiet and peaceful.

Breakfast at Ernie's Cafe'. Man! Hash browns and eggs sure taste good in the open air.

It was a short weekend trip and we stopped to wade in the Truckee River on the way out of town.

And I got Frank in front of the lens for a change. :D