Susan Senator
All happy families are not alike...
All happy families are not alike...
Be Prepared to Bleed
Part of you pours out of me in these lines from time to time.
My husband Ned just had part of his thyroid removed — a benign nodule had swollen up there — and he has written very eloquently about it. This was the first kind of surgery we have experienced as a couple (together for 30 + years) and even though the cutting and recovery happened to him, we were steeped in the fear and waiting together. We’ve been through autism and other woes, and I’m happy to the depths of my soul that we seem to be stronger than ever. I’m beyond grateful to God and fate and the randomness of the Universe that put me together with this wonderful, unique man; that he is alive and I can be with him for more time. I was head over heels in love with him way back at Penn in 1981, and in 2013 I still am, even more.
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I read Ned’s blog entry. I cringed a couple of times at the suction of goop and such. I hate having health problems with anyone in the family. He did put it quite well. Having just recently been under with a scary procedure, I think that I had a similar feeling with my anesthesia. I am sort of sure that while in the before becoming unconscious stage, I might have promised the physician a painting if he didn’t muck something up.
It had a bit of an Aspie tone to it. He writes like my son Jon talks. I still think that there has to be an evolutionary curve to the ASD, since so many of the Aspies are so complexly intelligent and have such excellent characteristics. Not that I am diagnosing your husband, it just struck me that way, for some reason.
I am glad he is ok. Whew.
Jan, I am grinning broadly. Go right ahead and diagnose, it’s not like I’ve never thought that before… it’s gotta come from somewhere!
I’m glad you’re okay, too.
I was really interested to read about the soap Ned had to use for 3 days prior. Brad had major surgery a few years ago where they removed 18 inches of colon, and he had an incision from hip bone to hip bone, but they never gave him any such special soap to use. Sounds like a really good idea as I have encountered several people with MRSA recently, one a mom and her daughter who caught it in the hospital while the mom was delivering. How awful is that? (same hospital Brad had his surgery in)
Tara had her gallbladder removed a couple years ago and I was a complete wreck. Even when they tell you it’s very routine its still scary stuff. Dr allowed me to go in the preop area with her and that even made it worse. When you are not a medical person and not sedated that is a scary setting to be in. So happy everything went well and Ned is doing good. I enjoyed his very guylike account of things!!
Susan, so relieved to hear he’s okay. I’m twenty-one years in and feel the same way! Have a happy and well-deserved holiday!
“it’s gotta come from somewhere?” A. it’s sad you think autism is so genetic. Not so in all cases and B. you assume it comes from your husband? What about you? Maybe you’re the one who passed down these so called genes. We really have a long way to go if this is the ancient thinking that is still going on with autism.
A. Don’t be sad. We’re okay.
B. Maybe I am the one.
C. Yes, we do have a long way to go in terms of autism and in terms of humanity in general.
You answered that gracefully.
xo, Jan.
I’m glad that surgery went well. I remember you and Ned at Penn – I lived in Van Pelt my freshman year and sophomore year. I do recall how very much in love you both were – and I am so happy to read how that love endures. Best wishes for a happy new year and a peaceful 2014.