Big News! August 5, 2007

1. I went out! I actually left the house! First time in eight days. Yesterday, to the coffee shop, with Lala and all three dogs, which just about kilt me, but I did it. The pain has reached a manageable level finally, but now the fever has kicked in, which it likes to do around day 8-10. (Post-op talk, skip if you're bored: Talked to the doc -- he said the reason this is such a big surgery with such a long recovery time is that they took SO MUCH -- got the tonsillar structure right down to the nodes, but with that comes a bunch of close-by muscle (and possibly nerve, the right side of the tongue is still numb).) So I enjoyed half a cup of green tea before I felt like crap and we had to move along, but it was a nice outing.

2. I went out again, today! Yesterday was really a rehearsal to see how I'd do today, and it went swimmingly! Maia had a spin-in (email her to get on the the list) and it was DELIGHTFUL. I had just enough voice for an hour and a half to talk to lovely people, some of whom I knew, some I didn't. There was quiche! Lots of it! And I tell ya, recovering from your second tonsillectomy, for your first meal out of the house, make it brunch. Quiche is the perfect look-I'm-eating-real-food food. And Janine was there! Everyone knows I admire Janine SO much, and then she goes and drops something like, "back when I teaching Hebrew...." With my horrible memory I possibly knew this a long time ago, but I think I would remember such a cool thing. Wow, she is so cool.

See? Spinning! And I got to see Celia for a moment, and Brooke, and lots of other nice people, and I got to have FUN again, not lying in bed or on a couch. Oh, yeah.

And I spun up some nice baby camel/tussah silk that is inSANEly soft. I haven't spun in so long, and it was immensely satisfying.

Know what else is satisfying?

3. Digit got his cone off! This happened about an hour ago, and he hasn't stopped washing once. (Well, he had the cone on for almost 5 weeks. As Lala just said, that's a dirty, dirty butt.)  I'm keeping a close eye on him, he could still rip open some of the softer areas where the stitches and staples were if he's too rough, and the cone will be popped right back on if that happens, but I'm hoping for the best.

And he's GROWLING at himself. It's quite funny. It's as if he's so PISSED that he just found out that whole back region has been shaved and HE WASN'T TOLD.

He also growls maniacally if I try to touch him while he's washing. Watch (the noise that's kind of low is him growling his little growl-box off):

Goddamnit, someone shaved my ass!

So all is well! I'm tired now, and Dr. Lala thinks I should rest for the remainder of the day. I act tough, but I think she's right. It's dark and overcast and almost threatening rain today, and I'm sad for Lala that she has to play a huge barbeque/party right down on the Oakland marina today, very sad for her, but I'm happy for me that I'm going to stay right here in bed and watch netflix movies and knit socks. I might move to the couch later and do a little more spinning. Who knows? It will be nice, though. Yesterday and the day before were rough. I HATE it when I'm well enough to feel like I should be active but not well enough to actually BE so. Truly unpleasant. So much nicer to be able to do a little something and then rest the rest of the justified.

Or the un-coned. Digit is my MAN! 

Comments

[gaile]

omg, that video of digit is hilarious!! I just love his ornery little growl. And I can just imagine how much his ass must be itching with the hair growing back - no wonder he's grooming it. But hurray for him getting his cone off!! And hooray for you getting better! He obviously came back home just in time because he knew you'd need him around :)

[Anne]

Whoa! Is that Digit or a Gremlin? He really went for your hand there. And his green eyes look a little possessed. Glad to see him with added spunk!

[Judy H.]

Go go Digit go!

And go Rachael, too! Get better, both of you.

[Avrienne]

I couldn't stop laughing at poor Digit and the touch-me-growling. And I'm very, very happy you're on the mend and able to leave the house! When my mom broke her ankle last year she was housebound for, as she says, much longer than she liked, so I know what a pain it is if you can't get out and about.

[M-H]

Glad to read you are feeling a smidgeon better, and so is Digit.

[terri]

"....that they took SO MUCH -- got the tonsillar structure right down to the nodes, but with that comes a bunch of close-by muscle"

THUD. Tell me when it's ok to open my eyes again. Gah!

[janna]

It's so good that you're both doing better! But I had to laugh at the thought of poor Digit discovering his shaved butt! (And I've stopped crying every time you post about him.)

[Sydney]

I'm glad you and Digit are doing so much better. Poor Digit has some serious bathing to do. I can't really blame him for being pissed when he found out his butt had been shaved.

[Jennie]

It was so cool to finally meet you today! What a great group of women. I had such fun!

Too funny about the Digit growls. What a big personality!

[Marie]

That Digit is so cute in a grumpy, jerkface kind of way. Glad to hear you're doing better.

I think you should put that vid in your permanent archive.

[Amanda]

Hi, long time lurker, posted once about cupcakes... I'm glad to hear that you AND Digit are on the mend! Feeling bad is... just so sucky.

[Kathryn]

I too am glad that you are both doing well.

Um, he's probably not happy about his butt, because it's itchy - growing back in. If it's healed enough you could gently rub some talc on his behind, which would help move natural skin oils around AND give him some itch relief.

[Lynn in Tucson]

That's fabulous! Yeah for getting out! And yeah for no more cones! And that spin-in looks like SO much fun.
Raining here, too. A RIDICULOUS amount.

[Rabbitch]

I shall not gigglesnort. I shall not gigglesnort.

Nope. Not once.

Hee! Poor Digit.

And I'm glad you're feeling a bit better.

[Jennie]

(oh btw, Janine's link has an extra 'n' in the middle...)

[alison]

You know what is SO funny? That you would pick on Digit to make him growl, to the point where he tries to bite you. I would do exactly the same thing. "Poor kitty, sorry you're feeling so terrible, and your butt is shaved and in need of a wash, and you're doing your best there, and ... HAHA!"

[Jeanne B.]

I'm so ashamed that I find the sound of an extremely crabby cat so darned entertaining! LOL! Glad you're both on the mend.

[kelpkim]

i too find the video absolutely hilarious and enjoyable! i'm so glad that he is feeling well enough to be all growley and cranky and omg where is my butt hair-grumpy! :o)
i hope you didn't get bit after that last growl in the video!
glad to hear you both are improving!

[MonicaPDX]

Snickering madly away... God, yes, Digit is cute! (In a really pissed-off growly way. I love the growls. And the last outraged spat. Man, lookit those reflexes - he sure is better. Yay, Dig-man!) I'm so glad he got his cone off, and that you got to go out and have some fun. It's about damned time!

[Chris]

Y'know, I can totally see Digit's point on this one! :)

[Marlowe]

It was lovely to meet you and Lala yesterday. I covet your baby camel and silk!

[no-blog-rachel]

That's one bad-ass-bare-ass kitty you've got there!

I'm so glad you're feeling better! And I'm sorry I missed the spin-in at Maia's - I wanted to be there, but yesterday was hubby's birthday and it was HIS day not mine. Next time though.

Hugs to you. Mwah!

[lindy]

it's a gorgeous shaved ass!
glad you're feeling a little better each day.

[john]

I'd be shitty too, if someone shaved my ass.

[Kathy]

I'm so glad you're feeling better! It sounds like a huge surgery, if they took some muscle out, too, but I guess they want to be sure your tonsils don't grow back again, eh?

I'm sorry Digit is so pissed about his shaven ass, but he is soooo cute and funny in that video! His little growl is the cutest.

[Teresa]

Getting together with other fiber folks is the very best medicine there is for a knitter / spinner.

...besides Digit of course!

[juliet]

i just now finished reading your whole blog. i like you. ok, had to laugh at that, cuz i am not sure how i'd feel if someone said it to me.

anywho. you seem like a brave and smart young woman. buying a condo and then a house and on and on. yeeks. i wish i had been that smart when i was your age. i am 48 now and still renting a room from a friend, but life is good anyway.

i have two cats whom i love love love. the male just had to be made an inside cat since he made me spend $300 in one year in stupid vet bills because he is a dork. the first time it was that he walked into a yucca bush and got a spike between his skin and his muscle on his side. he did not even know it was there, but i did when i had to pay it off! well, either he walked into it or someone was holding it like a spear or something and they were playing at jousting. i like the second idea better and it is a funny picture in my head. hee.

i have been knitting for about 2.5 years. started with wool for machine felting for purses and such. then made one sweater. in the very beginning. it is still in pieces. no button bands and not sewn into an actual wearable cardi. but since i now live in arizona, i don't need it much.

before i lived here i lived in...wait for it...Arroyo Grande! yes! your home town. i may have seen you or some of your family! weird how i would end up in a blog by someone who lives near where i would practically kill to live and comes from where i have been on and off for about 20 years. the blogosphere is a strange and wonderful place, no?

so, to wrap up (i typed warp up, so either way...) i am soooooo glad you got your digit back. the kittens are adorable, the dogs are cute as buttons, and i may need to meet a clara-alike someday because she does some funny things (stacking pillows, indeed) and i have never known a dog like that.

hope your throat is better!

juliet

[Maia]

It was so good to see you and Lala on Sunday. You are looking and sounding great. Dr Lala is doing a great job.

[zoom!]

I love Digit.