Pretty and not-so pretty

I'll start with some pretty stuff:

Sunset from the Dolphin Expressway.  I snapped this picture Thursday afternoon while sitting in traffic that wasn't moving...at least the view was nice.

The newest addition to my collection!  It was $100 off the original price, plus an additional 70% off!  What a steal!

And now, for the not-so-pretty stuff...

My 'mummy-esque' post-surgery wrappings.

 

My Frankensteinian stitches...after the wrappings came off...

 

And, finally, after the stitches and then butterfly stitches came out.  The cut is tiny and healing well. 

Off to enjoy the three-day weekend!

How to Drive in Miami

1.  Get yourself a good car insurance policy. 
2.  Learn to curse in Spanish (I can help with that)
3  Avoid driving in Hialeah at all costs. 
4.  Assume all the other drivers around you are one or more of the following:
      a) blind
      b) complete idiots
      c) reckless drivers
      d) not paying any attention whatsoever
      e) asleep
      f) not even licensed drivers
5.  Grow a second pair of eyeballs so you can see said drivers coming at you from every direction at a million miles an hour and while breaking every traffic law known to man kind. 
6.  Assume at least three people will run every red light.
7.  Realize that most Miami drivers think speed limits are merely "suggestions," stop signs are really "pause" signs, and merge lanes are opportunities to speed up and pass everyone.
8.  Assume that there will be 30 accidents on the highway while you are on your way to work.  Plan accordingly.
9.  Realize that in Miami, rush "hour" is from 7 AM to 7 PM, Monday through Friday. 
10.  Be one of the few drivers in Miami that learns to use those complicated devices in cars known as turn signals...and brakes.
11.  Practice deep breathing exercises.  Pray.

OR...just stay home. 

Seriously...be safe, wear your seat belts and may the force be with you!

When it rains...

In the last 7 weeks, I've had:

Total number of x-rays to date: 5 (I should be mutating into an X-Woman any day now...)
CT scans: 2
MRI's: 1
Nerve tests: 1
Surgeries: 1
Therapy sessions to date: 7 (lots more to go)
Total number of fractures to my wrist: 5

Wait a minute.... five?  Wasn't it three fractures to two bones?

Nope.  Five fractures to four bones.  Two, of which I was just told today, are minor fractures. (We have 8 carpal bones in each hand...I fractured FOUR of them)!

I saw my Doctor today for my check-up.  He did another x-ray to see how I was healing, and he brought up the images from my CT scan.  He said that aside from the two main fractures, I also had minor fractures to my scaphoid and my triquetrum (or was it the trapezium?) bones.  The fractures are small and inoperable, so only time can heal them.  He said the other bones weren't moving around when he checked them during surgery, so he didn't need to insert any screws.  However, the hook of the hamate bone was loose--definitely needed to be removed!  The carpal tunnel release went well.  He said my nerve looked good too....it's healing.  Recovery time is about three months.  My fractures are already 7 weeks old, so another 6 weeks or so and hopefully the splint can come off.  The carpal tunnel recovery is 3 months also...it's only been one week since that, so I've got some time to go. 

Hand and wrist bones diagram
Carpal bones

Look at what one of my third graders gave me on my first day back to school yesterday:

How adorable!

Off to Never Never Land

I've never had anesthesia before last Friday.  First, the nurse and anesthesiologist administered "happy juice" via the IV in my hand (that's what the nurse called it...she said I might still feel pressure, but this will make me not care).  Then the anesthesiologist said:  "Time for mojitos!"  I said "how about a martini?" He replied: "this is three martinis!"  He injected the said happy juice into my IV and the feeling was instant--three martinis at once.  The man wasn't lying.  All I could say was: "whoa."  They then started the local anesthesia on my arm--a few injections near my armpit.  Little by little, my arm started to go numb.