Where did February go?

I'm laying in bed with my laptop this morning. I was hoping to get a call to sub today, but I didn't. In a way, that's ok because my arm needs to air out before I go to physical therapy this afternoon. I see that today is Feb. 24, and I'm just curious - where did February go?


In January, I had my arm operated on for tendinitis. Basically the tendon in my right wrist was popping in and out of place while smacking a nerve and keeping it beat down. I think that once the doc got in there, he was thankful I chose the surgical option. He had to tack the nerve up in place while also "reconstructing" my tendon. In the pre-op area, they gave me a local anesthetic then a nerve blocker, which left a monstrous bruise for a few weeks. Then I got the general anesthetic. I was home 2 hours after the surgery started. My hand surgeon and his nurse are my newest BFFs.

The day after surgery, my wonderful husband was helping me take a bath. All was goo, until I got up and out of the tub - then I felt dizzy and light headed. I sat down on the toilet and Matt said the next thing he knew, I had passed out. I came to and he was calling my name as well as smacking my cheeks - lightly. He was more scared than I was. He called the doc, who then asked me all kinds of questions that I answered. He said that I seemed ok and it could have been the warm water, the pain meds, and low blood sugar (I was still getting sick from the anesthesia leaving my body). I had to see the doc a few days later anyway to switch the soft cast for a hard cast anyway.

I went in to get my hard cast, and he's looking at my arm. I knew and he knew that I had drill coming up. He said he wanted me to stay home this month (January), and so I had him fax a note to my platoon sergeant. Well, I'll be darned. My platoon sergeant called the doctor and said we can't let her miss, because we have SRP and it's all paperwork, etc. To make a long story short, I had to go to drill - even though I couldn't wear my ACU's because I didn't want to have to drag someone to help me in the bathroom every time I needed to go (I'm right handed, by the way). A couple days before drill, I ended up having to get a new cast because I fell - in the kitchen - and my casted arm landed on a chunk of cheese that I was using for dinner. When I went to get the new cast, the nurse also took out my stitches. She saw what she thought was a stitch and kept poking at it, while I kept getting queasy. I felt like I was going to pass out again. That's when she realized (and I forgot to mention that my arm was covered in purple marker from where the doc had marked where he was doing the surgery) that it wasn't a stitch, but that was where he had tacked the very scarred and irritated nerve. I just layed down while she continued on with the cast. I love Susan, the nurse. Her dad was in the Army and her husband was an Air Force Officer. My hand surgeon is also a former Air Force Officer, so they kind of know the ropes for military life. They were irritated with my platoon sergeant and his attitude towards them, as was I. I ended up wearing PT's all weekend at drill.

Two weeks later, if that, it's February. My cast came off on the 8th. The doctor looked at it and sent me to physical therapy - which is in the same office. Woo Hoo! Now I get to wear a splint that I can take off to do my exercises, take a shower, and to let my arm air out. Physical therapy takes a lot out of me somedays. Monday night, after getting back into the chat room after my internet crashed, I couldn't type much because my arm was SO sore from therapy. It's a slow go. The tendon is getting caught in the scar tissue and the nerve is so stinking sensitive. It's a slow go.

Not only have I been dealing with my arm, but I've been substitute teaching - even when it's snowing. I quit taking pain meds so that I was well enough to drive myself to work. There are days that I take a lot of ibuprofen because of the pain, but at least it's not the Percocet.Not only am I substitute teaching, but I work for 2 school districts that rarely close school for snow. We got hammered a few weeks ago and I was subbing at the ONLY district that was open in the entire area. It was crazy. I was driving, one handed, down the interstate while it's snowing like crazy - and you couldn't even see the lines on the roads. Then the next day, after being on the local news, they cancelled school too. It's been a busy month. I just can't believe that the last day of the month is Sunday already.

On top of all of this, my best friend is getting married in April. She was my maid of honor and I am her matron of honor. Her shower is coming up in 2.5 weeks, then 2 weeks after that is her bridal tea, then 2 weeks after that is her bachelorette party, and her wedding the week after. I feel like I should just move in with her for the month of March. To top it off, I am helping my FRG plan the dining out, which is next month. It's no wonder February is gone!