I Am Titanium!

Tomorrow will be two weeks since I went under the knife --

 my total hip replacement.

And my amazing surgeon is this month's hero.

Maybe this year's ... the way this country is headed now...

Specializing in anterior total hip replacements, he proved himself worthy of my praise.

Hip replacement?  Me?

Yes, they said, showing me the X-rays.  

My cartilage had deteriorated in two places, bone on bone, with spurs.

What the heck?

It happens to all ages, they say, as early as late 40's to 70s, 80s.

It's nothing I did wrong.

Disintegration happens.

My activity level BHS (before hip surgery) had slowly crumbled over the last two years.

I went from an active late 50s something, going to the gym 3-4 times a week 

to going not at all; 

from brisk walking once or twice a week 

to walking once a week - if I was lucky - for 10-15 mins,

and in Tim-Conway-Oldest-Man mode.

Remember Tim Conway, Oldest Man skits? 

That was me.

Then.  BHS.

Amazingly in just two weeks

 after having my hip cut away and a rod shoved into my thigh bone,

(thank God I was under anesthesia -- no feel, no see, no hear)

walking very carefully at first with a walker, 

then a cane, 

to "Look at me!  No hands!"

I'm now walking pretty much unassisted, normal gait -- not brisk, but not TCOM mode.

In fact, I have to walk twice a day for 20-30 mins a day 

as part of my ongoing recovery and PT.

I'm encouraged jacked!

The pain has been quite tolerable, the incision pain being the worst of it,

and that has been only the last few days, as the nerve endings surrounding the incision 

begin to wake up, reconnect, and heal.

I still cannot tie my shoes or put on my socks or paint my toenails

or anything else with my left foot.

That will come, they tell me.  Be patient.

I am patient.  Sort of.  

Well, okay.  Not really.

But I suck it up and follow orders.  Because that's something I DO do well.

I follow orders.

How do I get from A to Z in the most efficient manner?

Maximize and optimize all experiences.

Give it 100%.

That I can do.

Oh, but I feel so lazy at times, this recovery phase.

I wake up, eat a light breakfast, skim social media,

skim Real News headlines,

read my Kindle book(s),

and once every hour I get up and walk and stretch for a few minutes.

Wash, rinse repeat.

I'm down from two naps a day to one.

If it weren't for the required walking outside,

I'd be much further along on my way to

feeling like a blob of Play-Dough.

Good things come to those who wait...

and follow orders.

After my two-week follow-up visit tomorrow, I anticipate that my surgeon will give me the blessing

 to spend the rest of my four weeks of recovery 

at our lake house

 (promising him I'd get out and stretch every hour on the drive there)

as opposed to being cooped up in our tiny, third-floor apartment.

(I was wondering how in the world I'd manage those stairs up to our apartment after surgery)

Sure enough, they had me doing stairs HOURS after surgery, just before discharge.  

No slacking allowed, they said.  

I miss my lake house.

My sanctuary.  My happy place.

And Benaiah.

My Apprenticeship with Realtime Coach

So in an effort to nail this whole pass-the-CRR-exam-or-else endeavor, I'm pulling out all the stops.  One of the things I've added to my arsenal is Realtime Coach.  It's my hope that practicing with this online program/software will help me to identify my weaknesses and isolate the hurdles that need attention.

This is a humbling tool, this Realtime Coach thing.  Shows very little mercy, can be very intense, and as is to be expected when learning anything new, I'm having to make sense of the settings, connections, and thereby troubleshoot my account and realtime practice for it to prove beneficial.

Since we've had a light docket this week, it's afforded me extra time to devote to focusing on improving my writing skills, memorizing briefs, solving conflicts with my writing theory, and practicing my speed building.  Next week I won't be so lucky -- huge docket looming -- so I'll "make hay while the sun is shining."

I have countless briefs (steno shortcuts) in my software's dictionary that aren't being put to use.  Oh, yeah, I used them at one time in my career.  But when not used often, they grow dust and thereby slip far too easily from my memory.  This is why it's important to continue to practice writing skills -- even though, A-HEM, I think I'm above that because, after all, I write in court every day, have been for nearly 30 years, so why should I be bothered with practice?

Well, now I know, thanks to Realtime Coach.  Point taken.

I'm having to sacrifice down time that I would normally spend doing other things -- reading, writing, web surfing, hobbies, just to name a few -- and dedicate that time to doing what needs to be done, has to be done.  What's required of me, my part in achieving this goal.

A life lesson revisited...

DISCIPLINE.

"Discipline is doing what is hard and necessary rather than what is fun and easy
and doing it when it’s necessary,
whether you feel like doing it or not."

Brian Tracy

Are We Keeping You Awake?

I've been burning the candle at both ends for several days now, trying to get caught up on things before leaving on vacation.  I'm still getting up at Dark O'clock for my workouts (it takes 30 mins for my brain and my body to communicate, with the help of mega doses of caffeine), but I'm not getting in bed at my usual time -- 10:00 p.m.  It's always something, and it's later and later each night.

Yesterday we had a rather important court hearing, high profile type thing, and there were TV cameras in the courtroom, all the hoopla for an interesting day in the courts of justice.  Of all times for me to get sleepy -- like the kind of sleepy that gets rather embarrassing, no hiding it, ready-to-fall-out-of-my-seat-and-crash sleepy?  Yeah, that.

At the onset, I panicked a little and gave myself a quick self-talk:

"T!  Psssst, T!  Wake up.  Look alive.  You'll draw attention to yourself.  You'll have people staring!"


Yeah.  Right.  Yes.  Awake.  Hello?  Inhale deeply, look focused and in control.  Got it.


Minutes later...

"T!  Snap out of it!  You're in court.  There are TV cameras!  People are starting to stare at you.  Wake the hell up!  Disconnect from what you're writing and hearing (--yes, I can do that, write it down word for word and be thinking of something totally unrelated--) and think of something that will shock you into consciousness -- like good sex or something?  Anything!  Just open your eyes and keep them open.  Look alive.  Look in control!


"I know!  I know!  I've got this.  I'm all right.  Got it.  I'm awake.  Inhale.  Ahhhh.  Yes.  Good sex.  Eye candy.  Yep.  I can see it.  Yeah, lookin' good.  Talk to me.  Yep.  I'm on top of this..."


It is the most unnerving thing for a court reporter to become overwhelmed with the sleepies.  OMG. It's horrifying.  Hanging on is so elusive at times!  You want so badly to snap out of it, be in control, at least LOOK like you're paying attention.  It's a desperation that affects all of us from time to time, unfortunately.

I remember a court reporter friend of mine telling me once that she was at a deposition, and this happened to her, and suddenly everyone got quiet and one of the lawyers turned to her and said,
"J----, are we keeping you awake?"

This little cutey knows the feeling all too well!  Hopefully I'll never end up the way he did the next time I get the sleepies.  That would REALLY give the media something to televise...

"COURT REPORTER LAPSES INTO COMA IN COURTROOM"

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)

Unfortunately I'm surrounded by many of these types on a daily basis.  I suppose as long as I recognize it as a "disorder," it's easier to overlook.  Even funny at times. 


 

"It must be humbling to suck on so many different levels. "

~ Sheldon Cooper

WHOA! --- I FEEEEEEEEL ... (embarrassed)

So just as everyone bowed their heads to pray in church this morning,
suddenly,
abruptly,
in the reverent stillness a blast is heard --

  Out of Sight The Very Best of James Brown I Got You I Feel Good by James Brown @ ARTISTdirect.com



... embarrassed beyond words, I began hastily scrambling and fumbling in my purse for my cell phone...



PUH-LEEZE!  Of all places for this to happen.  I had left the house, having forgotten to silence the sound settings before the service began.

The outbreak of surrounding snickering was deafening to my ears,
as I finally managed to engage the SILENT setting
and then began slinking further and further down into my pew.

I'm sure it left an indelible impression with my fellow church members.

Beginning Today...

Another reminder to exhale...



Excerpts:  By Penny White

Beginning Today

I will look in the mirror and I will see a
person worthy of my respect and admiration.
This capable person looking back at me is
someone I enjoy spending time with and someone
I would like to get to know better.

Beginning today

I will cherish each moment of my life.
I value this gift bestowed upon me in this world
and I will unselfishly share this gift
with others. I will use this gift to enhance
the lives of others.

Beginning today

I will take a moment to step off the beaten path
and to revel in the mysteries I encounter.
I will face challenges with courage and
determination. I will overcome what barriers
there may be which hinder my quest for
growth and self-improvement.

Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room

My Christmas prayer...

that every heart would indeed

find room for Him in their hearts.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service...it's the nexus of my family's celebration of Christmas every year, a re-enactment of the Nativity story, narrated with scripture and punctuated with carols, instrumentals, and solos throughout, special lighting -- including a suspended beautiful Star of Bethlehem -- special effects, and a revolving stage in the round.

The part of Baby Jesus was played this year by a two-month old baby girl --
stunningly beautiful child, with dark hair and eyes (her father is from India), and she smiled and cooed at "Mary and Joseph" all throughout.  My oldest son played the part of one of the kings, proudly wearing his gold costume as he came to worship the Baby, bearing his gifts, and bowing in praise -- a gesture not of acting, but with utmost sincerity and flowing freely from the core of his heart and soul.  Each year, though I've heard (and watched) this story countless times, I am brought to tears by its beauty and simplicity.  It's as if I'm hearing the story for the first time. 

The service ends with the lighting of candles, each person passing his flame to the next, then with candles held high in the darkness of the room, we softly sing Silent Night, then extinguish our candles and leave the church quietly and reverently.

This IS Christmas.  This is the story.

God's GIFT TO THE WORLD.

May we all find room in our hearts for His Gift of Love to us.