Greetings, Internet! Hope you’re staying as safe and sane as can be. I had surgery, and then spent the remainder of the week recuperating by watching movies and eating pie. Daily summaries below!

Day Three Hundred and Two (1/8/21)

• Surgery at noon-ish. Fasting until then. I am so hungry. And thirsty. Oh, and the covid test they had me take came back negative. Cheers to my hermit lifestyle.
• Talked with the anesthesiologist. Because of my SCI, general anesthesia was actually not recommended for this specific procedure on account of my autonomic dysreflexia (basically, the part of my body that senses something is wrong automatically will go into a mode where my blood pressure skyrockets to alert me that something is wrong). So I got the anesthetic shot given to women who have C-sections. Upon hearing that I wouldn’t be able to feel the lower half of my body, I immediately was like, “Wait, what?” Thankfully, I was informed that it wears off rather quickly. And as of the car ride back to my apartment, it pretty much has. Thank goodness. I know what it’s like to have the lower half of my body feel completely numb and that’s something you’d like to feel as temporarily as possible (if you have to experience it at all).
• After the procedure, the surgeon told me that what basically happened was that the issue from my ER visit back in October didn’t completely heal. So then this happened. Oh please, please heal completely this time.
• My mother and I got takeout and drove it back to my apartment. Hooray for being allowed to eat and drink again!
• Total times outside: Forty-four!
• Currently feeling: The hospital staff was really lovely. Nurses, the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, and their assistants. I am so thankful for them, and I stayed home so much during this lockdown: 1. Because I had the privilege to, and 2. Because medical professionals told me to. I’m thankful that others in the nearby area also obeyed covid guidelines. As a result, this hospital wasn’t overrun with covid cases, and they had staff who could perform non-covid-related procedures. Hospitals in California have had to delay surgeries for patients due to the post-holiday surges. Seriously, people, stay at home if you can. I mean, I guess I’m shouting into an echo chamber. But still.
• Currently looping: Audiomachine’s “So Say We All.” If you think this sounds like the music from the first “Avengers: Endgame” trailer, then you would be correct.

Day Three Hundred and Three (1/9/21)

• I had to remove the gauze in the wound, and nearly fainted because the wound was deeper than I thought it’d be. So many reasons why I never considered going into medicine.
• Then had to redress the wound after cleaning it. Oh, why am I so squeamish? This is going to be a long recovery period.
• Taking it easy today. Very easy. Movies, standing frame, more movies (including “Ant Man,” “The Martian,” “Guardians of the Galaxy 2,” etc.).
• Did some audio mixing. I have no idea when I’ll be able to record the video for this cover. I suppose I could just do a plain background with an explanation that I didn’t have time to record a video to go with the audio??
• Currently feeling: Taking it easy feels kind of lazy. I don’t think I’m a fan. But also I know that overexerting myself is bad. I’ll just tell myself that I’m going to have lots of work in the near future.
• Currently looping: The Pretty Reckless’ acoustic version of “25.” How does Taylor Momsen add grit to her voice? I’m just, like, <swoons>.

Day Three Hundred and Four (1/10/21)

• Rough morning, but I think I’m getting better at packing the wound opening.
• So tired. So very tired. Temperature’s fine, so I think it’s just general fatigue. The post-op instructions said I’d need 1-2 weeks before I could return to normal daily activities. So, two weeks without the FES cycle??
• Tried to do the standing frame and was definitely too physically tired for it. All right, fine, I’ll take things easy.
• Drinking all the fluids. Watching all the movies. “Star Wars” marathon followed by “Captain Marvel.”
• Brief video chat with writing buddy!
• Currently feeling: Perhaps “taking it easy” involves reading Gregory of Tours. Let’s try that tomorrow.
• Currently looping: The Cure’s “Friday I’m in Love.”

Day Three Hundred and Five (1/11/21)

• I continue to be adequate at putting gauze in the wound. Turns out some of the drainage is actually anesthetic. Fun times.
• Temperature continues to be fine. I began sweating in the afternoon, which is a sign that something in my body isn’t right. I got in the standing frame and felt much better. Guess I was sitting for too long.
• Tried on new boots because both of my pairs of boots have worn out. One of them has frayed around the zipper such that I can’t zip them up, and the other one is shedding. I actually ordered the correct size and I consider it my win of the day.
• Learned that I have to do a series of teaching modules before the end-of-month teaching workshop. Time for that Ed School degree to come in handy.
• Tried playing a bit of guitar today.
• Going through my Spotify Wrapped 2020 playlist and realizing that Christina Perri is followed by Amaranthe, followed by Avenged Sevenfold, followed by Lorde.
• Currently feeling: I know I’m supposed to be taking it easy and all that (surgery was three days ago), but I feel like I’m falling behind with goals and the new year just started. And as I type this, I can feel at least one friend virtually slapping me for my unrealistic goals.
• Currently looping: Amaranthe’s “Hunger.” I have no idea why the music video starts with the Universal Studios fanfare.

Day Three Hundred and Six (1/12/21)

• Wound cleaning and packing. Honestly, just assume that I’m cleaning my wound. I can’t really go a day without it.
• My mother baked a pie!
• Teaching modules! And syllabus review. I repeat, it is happening.
• Got to FaceTime my sister and my niece! My niece is very excited for the cookies my mother plans to send her. (Alas, there is currently no feasible way she can send the pie.)
• Currently feeling: It’s my thirteen-year injuriversary (sorry to link to the Post). I could go on about how my spinal cord injury took my life trajectory and put it on a ridiculous roller coaster, how I probably wouldn’t have met any of my current friends on this new life trajectory without the injury, and how counterfactual upon counterfactual will never tell me how my life would’ve turned out without my injury, but for now I’m just going to be grateful that I’m still here and I’m still a version of myself that I like. I don’t know whether or not this is why my mother baked a pie, but I sure am glad she did.
• Currently looping: Sarah Jarosz’s “Empty Square.” I’m trying to listen to more singer-songwriters to get an idea of how they write songs.

Day Three Hundred and Seven (1/13/21)

• Pie for breakfast is a thing, okay?
• Got to record the video portion for a cover. Reviewed the footage later and wondered if it was worth posting. I guess I’ll do it anyway. I don’t want to go more than two weeks without a post.
• Played a bit more guitar today than I have all week. It felt really nice. And now my fingertips hurt.
• I will make the lyrics of this one song work. If Amy Lee can spend years on a song, so can I (although I’d like not to spend years on something because I’ll get way too fixated on it).
• Watched the impeachment vote. Literally watched history happen, so that’s cool.
• Currently feeling: Even when recovering from surgery, time moves quickly. And here I am with an unfinished to-do list because I got distracted/miscalculated how long a task would take. Will I ever stick to my to-do lists?
• Currently playing: Sarah Jarosz’s “Orange and Blue.” Alas, it’s not a song about the Mets, but it’s lovely nonetheless!

Day Three Hundred and Eight (1/14/21)

• More pie for breakfast!
• Posted my cover of Camille’s “Le Festin.” It’s the song from “Ratatouille,” and I adore it.
• Music lesson! Branding. As in, I should probably come up with one. Apparently, “woman who plays guitar and provides excellent background noise” isn’t a brand. Should I start doing vlogs for my channel?
• Set up the new phone that I got last month.
• Virtual hangout with a friend from Ed School! It was so good to see her face and hear her voice! She’s given me a couple of excellent show recommendations that I will get to after I finish “Clone Wars” (so far, halfway through season two).
• Currently feeling: Do I even have a brand? Ugh, this is when all the insecurities and lack of confidence spill out.
• Currently looping: Sarah Jarosz’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert.

Thanks so much for reading! Stay safe, wear a mask, and please don’t take part in efforts to overthrow the government.