Fat and Bald and ... Whiny!

Nearly three weeks since the accident that I have no memory or recollection of, and every day I am working on being patient and letting my body heal.  One of the biggest surprises has been my relentless hunger.  I usually pride myself on eating a healthy diet, and right now, I am just loving Doritos, potato chips, chocolate chip cookies, soda...  I eat a meal every two hours and snack regularly.  I am consuming a huge amount of calories, and not doing any exercise, so by the end of all this I may be half-bald AND fat.  Awesome.  Bring it on.


I was released from the hospital on Tuesday. I'm now receiving home health care visits every eight hours for injected antibiotics.

My brother flew in last week from Utah, which was a total surprise and turned me into a sobbing basket case when he walking in my ICU room.  He and Adam have been taking care of me, and the two of them are awesome and terrible at the same time.  Every time I say something looks good in the grocery store, it ends up in the basket.  Today I begged them not to buy the giant nougaty almond candy bar because they are addictive and just too delicious, but it came home with us, and now it takes all of my strength to stay out of the box.  I fail more often than not.  I'm not really complaining.

I continue to work on my lack of patience.  Apparently it takes a long time for your body to heal after getting smashed by a car.  Every day I feel a little better and have a little more energy, but I have such a long way to go, that it feels like this process is going to take FOREVER.  There are so many weird things wrong - like not being able to feel the left side of my head.

I am also really annoyed that I am not getting my way.  Adam has taken over all decision making regardless of my protests.  He, in agreement with all of our family, decided that I need to return to the USA for my next brain surgery, and he booked me a ticket for MONDAY.  My brother agrees with him, of course, and he changed his ticket, so that he can personally chaperone my unreliable ass back to my parents' house in Southern California.  Personally I was looking forward to spending Christmas in the Argentina summer, and I really don't understand why I need an American titanium skull bone so badly to mess up those plans.

Before we left the States, I was asking if we were coming back to visit at any time.  My unequivocal response was, "No way! The only way we are coming back is if there is a problem."  Who decided a missing skull bone was a problem?  Adam is convinced that if he lets me go back to Puerto Madryn now, I will just spend the next month sitting on the beach drinking mate with my friends... um... What is wrong with that?  It is the middle of summer.  The beach is relaxing.  My friends are awesome and would totally help me if something happened.  AHHHHH!!!!

I could keep complaining about how I don't get my way, and continue to sound like a small child, but I feel a little like an ass since Adam has been absolutely amazing throughout this whole process.  He has done everything from gently bathing my decrepit body to managing the mountain of hospital paperwork and payments to overseeing the home nurses who keep trying to push the antibiotics into my port too fast.  He pays attention to detail and has taken responsibility for managing the process.  There is no way I could even begin to do this without him.  I still have trouble finding my way back from the grocery store 1.5 blocks away - seriously.  My brain is not quite what it used to be!  Maybe I just need a shot of tequila to get it back on track.

I also have to give a huge thank you to those of you who continue to pray for me.  My faith brings me peace daily, and I truly could not do this without the help of God.  Please don't stop!!!

Thank you to those of you who have helped get the ball rolling with Kaiser in CA.  Jamie, Sharon, and Lisa have spent hours and hours on the phone, working on my records, getting me a new California Kaiser number, and trying to book appointments in a severely broken medical system.  Somehow they are managing to do things my primary care physician in Seattle is unable to help with.  It is quite impressive, and I am forever indebted.