Getting back into life a bit

Today is the first day since the surgery that I have been out of bed most of the day-- I got up around 10:30, and now it's 5:30 and I haven't been back to bed yet. I have laid down on the couch a few times, but not very long stretches. The air conditioner in our room is getting a well deserved break. :-)

It's just that things kept happening today that I stayed downstairs for. First a friend came over to borrow our portable crib, and she and her gorgeous baby stayed a bit. Then a contractor came over to consult with us about painting the exterior of the house and building a "pergola" (like a wooden gazebo-type structure) over the deck. These are things we've been wanting to do for a long while now, and since the holidays are coming soon (Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Succot), we realized that if we don't start *now*, it won't get done for this Succot. So, yeah! We made the plan with the contractor and he said it'd be done by Rosh Hashana. This meant me walking around with Robert & the contractor around the whole outside of our house, and also spending time on our porch talking about what sort of structure we want. For me, that is a *lot* of time "on", up and about, speaking [Hebrew] cohesively, and being part of the household. I'm exhausted! And I'm also excited to choose colors to paint the house. :-) It has been boring white since it was built 15 years ago!!!!!!!

Then there is a Big Outing tomorrow. Robert is driving me to Rechovot (about an hour drive) to get my follow-up MRI for my hips, to track the PVNS. This is an appointment that I had to make many months ago, knowing that I had the surgery planned in July. This surgery had nothing to do with the PVNS, of course, and the follow-up was supposed to be June/July with Prof. Meller. It's a month late because of this surgery. So, tomorrow is the MRI, and the appointment with Prof. Meller is in two weeks (in Tel Aviv).

I am a little nervous about how this trip tomorrow will be, with the driving, all the waiting around for the MRI, then lying still in a straight, flat position for a half hour or so. Lying straight and flat is the most worrisome part-- not so simple for me these days. But there weren't many options. The only other appointment I had the choice to do was next week in Jerusalem, at 10:30pm; much more problematic.
There is a real shortage of MRI facilities here in Israel, and often the wait can be many months, or up to a year if I wanted it to be in Soroka (most convenient, of course). After this follow-up with Prof. Meller, the usual course would be another MRI in six months and come back to him then. If that is the case, I'm going to get on that appointment immediately, as soon as I have the referral from him. (that is, unless this MRI points to something we have to pay attention to... let's pray it won't.)

So in order for Robert & I to leave at 8:30am, we arranged sleep-overs for all the children. So we'll have an evening to ourselves, too. Maybe we'll watch "Avatar"; my friend lent me a DVD of it (as well as other movies I have been enjoying!).

So after tomorrow is all over and successful, I'll write again... probably Tuesday.

B'ezrat Hashem. (with the help of Gd)