I am a lousy patient!

Or perhaps I should have titled this the "impatient patient."  I am patient about a lot of things.  Traffic. Children. Relationship issues.  Taking time to heal?  Not so much. Last Thursday I had some surgery for removal of basal cell skin cancer. it was between my nose and eye.  I had it (ahem) about a year before I decided it was not eczema, or dry skin and yes, I probably should check it out.  A biopsy indicated that it was cancerous, but it was the "good" kind that moves very slowly.  The Dr assured me that i could even wait another 6 months for surgery if i wished to.  Instead, I opted for this October appointment, figuring that it gave me 4 days to recover and that i would be back at work on Monday.

As I lay there listening to him stitch me up (for the record that is the grossest sound I have ever heard!) he proceeded to tell me he wanted me to pretend I had the flu. . . for the next week.  His little vision was me lying abed watching TV.  For.A.Week.  I said that even when I have the flu I don't have the luxury of lying abed for a week. I have 4 kids at home with a variety of needs. I have a job. I actually have 2 jobs as I do piece work at home.  He was not amused.

I said I could compromise with 2 full days of rest Thursday and Friday (in part asI all ready went into this experience with a migraine and trust me the surgery didn't help that any) I would rest till 5 p.m. on Saturday but then was going to a birthday party with the kids at a dear friends house who I was not going to disappoint. And Sunday I could rest about 1/2 the day.

Angry surgeon scowl, but he finally agreed that since I sit behind a desk I probably was not going to die if I went back to work today.  I also promised not to do the grocery shopping as i am not supposed to lift anything heavy, and that I would empty the dishwasher by kneeling or squatting since I am not supposed to bend over.

So that is what I have done. I have an impressive black eye and  band aids galore covering the 3 inch incision but really, I am good.  Thursday the external stitches come out and then I probably can ditch the band aids.  Right now I tell people I am trying out different looks for Halloween!

I realize that not wanting to lie there is likely a problem with my personality.  But i have never been a lay around kind of gal.  I wasn't raised that way and I think it is way too late in life for me to learn that dubious skill.  As an example of my lack of lay-around ability, we are headed to Florida in November for 2 weeks.  My friend and I have planned a trip every day except for Thanksgiving. And that day we are hosting Thanksgiving for our 2 families and another family we know who will also be vacationing down there.  Doesn't everyone think dinner for 24 people sounds like fun?

And I won't forget to pack the sunscreen!