Today is Friday. An interesting Friday. Quiet in the general sense. No school today; Teacher Planning Day. So, the boys are home, and I'm working from home. And my work day has been very busy! Been putting out fires and helping my project teammates meet a deadline that almost didn't happen. One of the (several) negative effects of a serious illness is that folks don't want to "bother you." Well, my teammates on the project I am currently working kept me out of the loop for one portion that was supposed to be straightforward and easy. I only found out two days ago that all was very much NOT well. And that was NOT going to happen on my watch! So, in three days, we got it whipped into shape and just squeaked under the wire to meet the deadline. Whew!
It was nice being able to jump in and get the seeming undoable done. I haven't done that in almost three months. Three months! That's how long it's been since I've set foot in the workplace. My appointment next week, November 3rd, will actually be the three month anniversary of my surgery. And I am hoping I will get the green light to go back to work. Granted, I am not 100%, but I would like to be able to work in the workplace at least part of the time.
As for not being 100%. Oy vey! The knee! I think it was doing better during radiation as opposed to after radiation! It's getting crusty, crinkly; in addition to the one place with peeling skin, there is now a part along the scar that is breaking open and bleeding. The entire scar line is angry red and swollen, and there is a ridge of dried white skin - burnt - along the top. I keep flexing the knee and I hear pops from the scar tissue breaking down. If I don't flex for an hour, the leg is so stiff! I use the Silvadene cream for the yucky parts on my leg, but it's the keeping it covered without tape or bandaids that is the hard part. I can't use any because the skin is so fragile I run the risk of pulling even more burned skin off. I tried wrapping it with an ace bandage - 'loosely' per the Radiology office. But that actually seems to cause more pain. Yes, pain. My knee cap is swollen and tender, even to the touch. And there are bit of it that itch! I'm thinking that is part of the healing process, though I don't really know.
I think my leg hurts more now than it did two weeks after surgery! And, get this, I have freckles on my knee. Freckles!!! Oy! So, it is obvious I have research to do to find out the long-term effects of radiation on appendages; especially weight-bearing appendages. It's kind of ironic. I'm fair-skinned. I've just gone through six weeks of radiation, basically six weeks of getting a really good leg burn. So, now I have a question - am I now at risk for skin cancer in the area that received radiation? Good question, doncha think?
On the homefront, it is relatively quiet. I am anxiously awaiting the opening of two highly anticipated movies. One is The Twilight Saga: New Moon Part 1. Yeah, yeah, I know. Soppy to many folks, but to me it's a wonderful fairy tale. The other movie is The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I am SO excited! I can totally not wait for that movie! I've read the books like four times. Saw the Swedish movie versions; have the Swedish movie versions. Been keeping up with all things remotely related to the movie. At first I thought the U.S. version would be so Americanized it wouldn't be worth the money. But from what I've seen and read, it looks F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C!! And apparently, the U.S. version more closely adheres to the books than did the Swedish version. But don't knock the Swedish version The actors were spot on. Noomi Rapace was excellent! And the actor who played Neils Buhrmann. I won'der if he's been typecast he was so repulsive in the movies.
So, for those of you who aren't familiar with the Dragon Tattoo saga, most commonly known as the Millennium Trilogy, the author of these world-famous books is Stieg Larsson. In a cruel twist of fate, he completed the first three books in a planned series of 10; his fourth was conceptually complete, and he unexpectedly died of a heart attack. Six weeks later the first book, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (in Swedish it is titled Men Who Hate Women) hit the bookstands and became an instant hit around the world. The next two books, The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, were subsequently published to much acclaim. The fourth? We don't know if it will ever get published. Mr. Larsson died without a will and his properties reverted to his father and brother though he'd been living with his partner for over 20 years. She has possession of the manuscript for the fourth book but won't release it unless the father and brother release all claim on it. So, fact seems to be imitating fiction.
Anyhoo, it's Friday. A good Friday. A happy Friday. Go out and enjoy it! I am!
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