Thursday, January 10, 2008

The only person who's bored is . . .

. . . a bore himself.

I think I first heard these words from Miss Cosgray, my third grade teacher at Broadway School in Clarksburg, West Virginia. I took the words immediately to heart and can honestly say that I've seldom been bored since hearing them nearly 45 years ago.

Many people assume that because I'm what Japanese-Americans call a "Gasa-Gasa girl," a restless, runaround gal looking for stimulation, that I'm easily bored. The truth is that I'm highly adaptable and can find stimulation in the most unlikely places - like a hospital room. Of course, when sleep is on the agenda for 60% of the day, it's easy to stay stimulated. But, now that I'm on steroids, I no longer have the need for ZZZZs.

I'm now going to utter those unspeakable, unthinkable words: I'm bored. I'm bored with being here. I'm bored with the food. I'm especially bored with my lack of mobility. I got in "trouble"this morning for removing my breathing tube and sneaking to the bathroom instead of using the bedside commode perched two feet from my bed. My resulting coughing, wheezing and hyperventilating were like a five-star alarm.

I did manage to walk 100 feet yesterday before collapsing in a chair. I was on my way to visit my nurse friend Melanie's station, but she sent me straight back to my room because of my low WBCs. So, basically, I've been isolated in my room since I arrived on Saturday night. My only forays out of the room are by gurney or wheelchair to the X-ray room, operating room (for bronchoscopy) or CT scan room.

In addition to Miss Cosgray's words of wisdom, one of my own life platitudes has been, "The secret to happiness is figuring out what kind of and how much stimulation you need and making sure you get it."

To that end, I'm seeking permission to attend the hematology patient's exercise class on the fifth floor tomorrow at 11 am. (I'll bring a portable oxygen tank with me, of course.) Believe me, it's the simplest of movement ("Raise your left arm, GOOD, now raise your right arm"), but I desperately need the social aspects of the class. The revolving door of medical professionals who visit my room is just not meeting my need for socialization.

I've had at least one non-family visitor each day, and it's lifted my spirits tremendously. So, if you have the time for a brief visit, I will undoubtedly still be here until this weekend and would look forward to the company.

I know my condition and my stay at Hotel Hope are temporary, but the uncertainty about recovery and release time frames are . . . a bore.

9 comments:

Mrs. Duck said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mrs. Duck said...

Nothing fun to look at on the web? Well, let me see if I can amuse you for at least a second ...

Here are some adorable animal photos a friend just sent me (will they reproduce in this little blog box?):

NO.

And the photos are all too cute for words, so I won't even try to describe them.



Here's a picture of Hillary crying after the Iowa caucases (if a photo of her tearing up won a primary, then one of her weeping should win the whole shebang):


Oh, phooey, it didn't come out. Camera wasn't waterproof.




Here's a funny photo of a mule ... no, I won't even try to post it because I already know that mules don't reproduce ...



Here's one of the Pope reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone:



REPENT! REPENT! REPENT!



Drat! The photo was there for a second, and then magically disappeared, replaced by the message above. A miracle!


Here's a picture of the money I won in last week's lottery:








(Finally, one of my photos came out!)


Here's a picture of me from my first Vogue cover, when I was still young and beautiful (I'm lounging langorously on my back, my arms are tucked underneath me and I'm wearing a bikini ... I was very thin then):

0---{{{{{=======%



Here's a photo of a male chromosome(I took it with the electron microscope/camera Natalie made as a first grade science project):

Y



I'll go through my family album and see what else I can come up with.

In the meantime, go window shopping on Amazon, or the web site "Alpine Ascents" (they have amazing adventure trips).

I love you!

Emily said...

Sometimes for fun, I splurge and fill up fake e-carts at Sephora, J.Crew, Amazon, and Anthropologie. Sometimes I even make it to Pottery Barn Kids, if there's time. Then I get those reminder emails..."A friendly reminder that you still have items in your shopping cart..." Which kind of ruins my fun.

Susan C said...

Thanks for the laughs, Mrs. Duck. I especially love your Vogue cover shot. Smokin'!

Em, I recently put a fabulous sterling silver necklace into a virtual shopping cart, and now I can't find it. It wasn't one of my usual fave sites (which are many of your faves). WAAAH! I wish they'd send ME a reminder.

Mrs. Duck said...

I feel bad for you sitting there all by your lonesome. So I've decided to try to cheer you up some more, this time with today's definitions from the Duck Daily Dictionary:

Free will: the only part of you that you exercise when you decide to sit still and do nothing.

Death penalty: inheritance taxes.

crackpot: really good stuff.

rack: a massage table used during the Middle Ages at the Guantanamo Spa and Longevity Center; obsoleted by the "water board".

striker: someone who stops working to earn more money.

couch mouse: a couch potato with a laptop instead of a TV.

war: violence by the civilized.

peace: an unattainable state, marked by the absence of both regret, and of yearning.

ecstasy: yearning which is so vast it feels powerful, rather than needy.

Susan: a remarkable lady whom we all care about and fervently hope will get better soon.

Anonymous said...

How about a movie night with friends
in house Cof H?
We can supply the DVD and company
so many classic old movies we've never seen,
this is my favorite weekend in Palm Springs
movie night with Julian and Reid..last vist we watched the Dresser..let me know if I can bring by a DVD
almost bought you "Monster" today remember we say it at Arclight theater..decided it was too depressing!
Mary

Piper Robert said...

Tha An Comunn Gàidhealach na bhuidheann saor-thoileach le inbhe carthannais. Chaidh a stèidheachadh anns an Òban ann an 1874 mar dhòigh airson cànan is cultar nan Gaidheal a bhrosnachadh. Tha An Comunn Gàidhealach a' toirt misneachd do dhaoine a bhith a’ cleachdadh, a’ teagaisg agus ag ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig. Tha e an sàs ann an eachdraidh, litreachas, ealain agus ceòl Gàidhlig. Aig an fhìor thoiseach bha An Comunn an sàs anns a bhith a’ stèidheachadh fèis Ghàidhlig, a’ cleachdadh tè a bha ann an Eisteddfod anns a' Chuimrigh mar shamhla. ’S e “Am Mòd” a thug iad air an fhèis seo agus as dèidh 100 bliadhna soirbheachail fhuair am Mòd an aithneachadh air an robh e airidh nuair a bhuilich a' Bhànrigh an Aonta Rìoghail air. ’S e Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail a th’ air a-nis. Tha a Bhànrigh na cùl-taic den Chomunn Gàidhealach, ’s e an àireamh carthannais aig a' Mhòid SCO01282.
Mar is trice 's e An Comunn a th' aig daoine air, an àite An Comunn Gàidhealach. Tha e a-measg nam prìomh buidhnean a tha a’ riochdachadh na Gàidhlig air feadh an t-saoghail.

Amasan a' Chomuinn Ghaidhealaich
A bhith a' brosnachadh cànain, cultair, eachdraidh is dualchas nan Gàidheal aig ìrean ionadail, nàiseanta agus eadar-nàiseanta le bhith:
A' brosnachadh foghlaim, litreachais, ceòl, dràma agus ealain na Gàidhlig
A' brosnachadh a' chànain aig ìre choimhearsnachd
A' lorg Inbhe Thèarainte dhan Ghàidhlig agus ag iarraidh air buidhnean poblach a bhith a’ cleachdadh a' chànain bho latha gu latha, le bhith ag obair ann an compàirteachas le buidhnean eile a tha ag obair airson cànan agus cultar na Gàidhlig.
'S e buidheann neo-phoileataigeach a th' anns a' Chomunn agus tha ballrachd fosgailte gu neach sam bith aig a bheil na h-amasan gu h-àrd!

Did you get the punch line? Hilarious!!!

Susan C said...

OK, Piper, I'm no longer bored - just confused!

Susan C said...

Mary, Movie night sounds fun. I have an in-room DVD and an out-room microwave oven for popcorn. Just no blender for margaritas.