Hi everyone...  This chipmunk is finally back, but there is a temporary hitch in my scamper...
Can you picture a chipmunk hobbling around on crutches?   If you can, then you get the picture.

I now have a metal rod going from the top of my left hind paw to my left knee.  It wasn't broken, but if I had walked around on it for one more day, it probably would've been.

I was awake for most of the surgery because I had an epidural, which is a longer acting form of a spinal (it was supposed to take 3 hours, but only took 2) and I had morphine via i.v. drip into my arm.  I wanted to be awake for the whole thing because chipmunks are naturally curious...but somehow, I fell asleep for the best part...  I wanted to see how they put that metal rod in, but they may have turned up the morphine a bit higher then, thinking that it was too gruesome for me to see and so I ended up taking a nap for a while.
After it was over and the epidural wore off, they gave me a pump with a button to press, and any time I felt pain coming on, I could press it and it would deliver pain relief immediately.  It worked very well except that the morphine made me so ill that I couldn't eat anything for 3 days.

On the day after the surgery, they made me get out of bed and walk around with a walker.  It was VERY painful at first, and it took 2 nurses and David to get me back into bed.  Moving that paw back into that bed again was indeed so painful that I screamed out loud in agony.  Eventually, David and I were able to do it ourselves, without a nurse... and now that I'm home, I can do it without any help from David... and I have graduated from a walker to crutches.  I also can put weight on that paw once again, and I am actually only using the crutches for balance.  In a couple of days, I'll probably graduate to using a cane... and finally, I won't need any help at all...  but, I still have to have radiation.  However, it looks like I will be able to go to the poet meet because my wounds have to heal before I can start the radiation.  I have an appointment with my orthopod on the 25th, and if we can leave for Florida straight from Ann Arbor, we might make it there on the evening of the 27th or the morning of the 28th.

I don't know how long I can sit at this computer tonight but I did want to let you all know that I was okay and that David is taking excellent care of me,  and I also want to thank you all for your unending prayers....
~ lots of loving chipmunk hugs

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks

~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
           noles1@totcon.com                       

Cold hands means a warm heart

Martie... thanks so much  for the warm welcome and the big hugs.  I know its getting better, but I just wish I had a more comfortable computer chair...
It seems that since I've been home, the only place I'm really comfortable is in a big easy chair or in bed with my feet raised up.

Marge...Thanks so much for your prayers... I can tell you they have been helping.  I am now actually able to put weight on that leg.

Chris...thanks so much...  Don't worry about too much scampering.  This chipmunk is still in pain and still taking enough Darvocet to make her sleepy all the time.

Nan...  its so good to hear from you...  I will definitely be going to the poet meet, but I can't guarantee what kind of shape I'll be in when I get there...  I hope to see you there too

Michael(Balladeer)...I can't wait to meet you either... but after that long drive from Kazoo... I may be back on crutches again for a while

JulieBird... thanks so much for the warm welcome... Its good to be back... but I can only sit at the computer for short periods of time without pain

Noah...  Thanks for that sweet welcome and for all of your prayers.  I'm still taking lots of pain meds so I keep falling asleep all the time.  You are such a good person, sweetie, and I greatly admire you ( kiss on cheek)

Thanks Bill...  Actually chipmunks are usually too smart to have to climb trees... we wait to harvest the nuts when they fall to the ground... but thatnks anyway for your offer.

Lauren... thanks so much for your prayers.  All is not better and I'm still not my normal self, but at least I can walk again without fear of breaking my leg... and thats a whole lot.  A few years ago, I wouldn't have even gotten the chance to have this surgery and my leg would have broken.  Cancer therapy has come a very long way, but my wish is to get rid of it completely

Paul... Thanks so much for your good wishes.  I wish that you too, could go to Tampa.

Sharon...Thanks for everything.... I really enjoyed the ebay ad for the Jewish kleenex holder that was made in Kalamazoo... and of course, especially for your prayers.

Kit... Thanks so much for your warm welcome.  One of these days, I would love to meet you.  We don't live that far apart... maybe something could be arranged.

Karilea... thanks so much for all of your caring...  I wish I could move my left leg as fast as I could move my tail right now...
but as for the morphine, it made me terribly sick.  I couldn't even look at food for 3 days and so they took it away and gave me Darvocet instead.  It doesn't work as well but doesn't make me sick.

amigo... thanks so much for your prayers and your thoughts

PDV... Thanks so much for thinking of me...
I'm not able to overdo because David won't let me.  He even washed my hair for me today.

Kacy... Thanks so much for your welcome... I am so glad to be back, but I'm having a hard time sitting at the computer right now, so I will have to limit my time for a while until the healing is complete.  Florida will be a wonderful medicine for this chipmunk... especially with all of those other nuts around.

Marti...  Yes, the garden pest is back, but she has to be real careful because chipmunks usually run at warp speed to escape gardeners and now this one needs crutches...so, if you see a chipmunk with crutches in your garden, you'll know I've come for a visit...   Thanks for all of the goodies!

Micheal(Auguste)...I'm definitely looking forward to seeing you in Tampa...  And don't worry about me because David has been doing all of the cooking, cleaning and laundry and he even washed my hair for me today...  I am a lucky rodent

CJ... Thanks so much for the oxoxox and for your blessing

Duncan...Thanks so much for the warm smiling welcome back

Pete... Thanks so much for the welcome back and I'll make sure to give Mike a very hard time for you in Tampa...LOL
~ lots of chipmunk hugs for all of you

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks

Thanks so much, Sue... I hope your hand is feeling much better too!
~ loving chipmunk hugs

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks

I'm glad to hear you can still go to Florida! You'll have a blast. My prayers are with you as always!

God bless America, my home sweet home.

Bridget... Elizabeth and Sandra...
Thank you all so very much for your kind thoughts.
~ lots of chipmunk hugs for all

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks

I can't wait to meet you either, Nan...
We probably won't be there until late on the 27th, though...
I have an appointment with the orthopod to get my stitches out on Wednesday at 3 PM, we are going to drive as far south as we can from there, but we probably won't get out of there until 4:30, so we won't get too far on Wednesday night... but we'll get up early on Thursday and drive for a long time... maybe we'll even get there at a decent hour... it all depends on road conditions and traffic...
But I am excited about meeting you.
~ loving chipmunk hugs

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks