Yesterday morning, I had a routine checkup with my epileptologist. In anticipation of an event that's historically been by and large unremarkable, with a doctor who's never been anything but kind to me, I naturally spent Monday night—OK, most of the last week—obsessing about the various ways in which it might go wrong. I won't … Continue reading Checkup
One of the feelings I hate most is the one that keeps nagging at you when you've made a plan that you know that you shouldn't keep but don't want to cancel given that doing so would entail conceding that you're not as recovered as you'd like to think that you are. As a purely … Continue reading The “Right Thing” Is Hard to Do: Cancelling Plans, Looking Forward
As April trudges steadily onward, bringing with it the promise of, um, May, warmer days are becoming increasingly frequent (even in Ontario, where eighteen-degree highs continue to alternate with seven-degree ones¹). I usually welcome spring and all that it represents with open arms, eager to be able to more comfortably spend time outdoors racking up … Continue reading Leaving the Neighbourhood and Other Things I’m Still Not Doing Much: Attempts at Gratitude
After a scary incident a few nights ago, my husband and I are finally in the process of doing what we've said that we would for the past I-don't-know-how-many months/years: fortifying the exit from our apartment with a high-tech (to me, at least) door alarm and with a low-tech but extra-tall baby gate. These provisions … Continue reading Fortify the Home, Contain a Wanderer: How to Sleep Better at Night
Last Friday—yes, I'm a little behind on my posts—a physiotherapist came to our apartment to help me learn how to be less terrified of going down the stairs and do simple exercises in order to become a little less deconditioned after two months of doing almost nothing but chillaxin' (i.e., lying in a hospital bed). … Continue reading One Step at a Time (Really): First Visit from the Physiotherapist
First, I'm having a lot of trouble writing these days—locating words, typing, using simple grammar without immense effort, etc. (my personal hell, if you know me well enough), so please, please, be gentle with me if you find mistakes in this post: I've decided that it's fair to blame it on the seven brain medications … Continue reading And the Saga Continues
I write this in a moment of clarity, which, these days, are few and far between. But they exist, and for that, I am grateful. (Please notice and appreciate my attempt to practice positive thinking. The current arguably lame, but very affective, thing I repeat to myself is "go with the flow." So yeah. But … Continue reading A Quick Update That I’d Rather Not Have to Make
Yesterday was momentous in that it marked the first day post-surgeries that I was allowed to wash my hair. It was glorious. It was also strange. Until this past fall, my hair stretched halfway to my waist. Then my surgery was initially scheduled, and I got a series of cuts to prepare myself for the … Continue reading Washing My (Stubbly, Pathetic) Hair: When Mundane Tasks Become Your New Excitement
We're at the hospital. I've already had a CT scan to guide the grid placement and changed into surgery couture. I'm wearing weird blue synthetic slipper things. This is, indeed, it.
I'm back in Toronto after a few mostly nice weeks in BC with my parents. For suspension-building purposes, I'll start with the good. The trip was pleasant in that it was, on the whole, relaxing, a great opportunity to see friends and family and to take care of myself while recovering from my recent concussion. … Continue reading Christmas CheER and Another Surgery Countdown
