I've got 11 days until my surgery. Suddenly it has become something I have to think about more. I got a call about donating blood, and had to tell them that I couldn't. I had to move a meeting up by a few days so that I could be there. At the advice of Kathy, who's had more sports injuries than I can count, I'm stockpiling bags of ice. I'm in the medicine/supplement-free stage, in which many things that I take are now off-limits, including advil/aleve, birth control pills, ginger, licorice, and ginseng. If it might make my blood thinner, it's out. If it might make my blood clot, it's out. If it raises my blood pressure, it's out. Ditto for anything that might lower my blood pressure. I don't think this would be the time to be a smart-ass chemist and ask if certain things cancel each other out. Basically, my medicine chest and tea cupboard are now off-limits. Casual Facebook friends have wondered if I'm pregnant, based on my oblique references to my new dietary restrictions. Unfortunately, my abs and back are out of shape so I even look more pregnant than usual. Sigh. Fortunately, chocolate and alcohol are still permitted. I'm going to need them.
It's easy to be cranky, and I've certainly been on edge more nowadays. But in reality it's just a small thing. A coworker had to go in for emergency back surgery last week. He's doing well, but has a long recovery ahead of him. It was a good reminder for me to keep things in perspective.
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