Tag Archives: Xmas

Ann’s Update: 7 Jan 2011

Dear Friends,

Sasha is home, thank hevvin. I’m on my way to Marin, but before I can even get out of the house, there are so many things to do, including giving Sasha a shot of heparin — to prevent clots — that I suddenly found myself in the middle of a good ole-fashioned anxiety attack, including slightly shaking hands. So I asked Tania to give the morning injection, and promised I could do it this evening. I’ve got to get to the bank, get gas in the car, and I’m going to be waaaaay late. Wendy is the first person to say, “Don’t worry; any time you get here, it’ll be fine,” but anxiety attacks don’t allow that message to get through convincingly.

I’ll continue this later today — this evening — by which time I should have calmed down and retrieved my normal state (well, at least I’ll be over the anxiety stuff).

I haven’t even opened a single Xmas present yet. And I haven’t sent off most of the Xmas presents to my family, would you believe! It’s ridiculous. Have to remember that everybody understands and stop beating myself up about it.

To be continued when I return home from my Mental Health Day.

Ann/Nanna

Ann’s Update: 25 Dec 2010

Dear Excellent and Superior Human Beans (also those entities who have migrated from other planets),

Merry Xmas, Happy Hannukah (slightly late) and Joyful Solstice (also slightly late, but who cares)! I hope you all slept well and long. This is going to be a very short but positive note, since I have to spend many hours today wrapping what used to be Xmas presents, but are now Happy New Year presents.

I think I probably failed to report on last Monday’s good results of a barium swallow test that Sasha underwent. The results were that, apparently, he no longer lets thin fluid down his windpipe, as was the case right after the little stroke. Which means that he can now have water (“Tried it once; didn’t care for it,” he says), soup and just about anything else he wants, without thickening. The only favorite thing he can’t have yet is red wine, which has been his favorite drug for many, many years. As long as he’s on pain medications, even the least bit of alcohol causes discombobulization, so it will wait until this whole leg and foot thing is over, and things have returned to whatever passes for “normal” in this household.

Happy holidays, dear people. Take care of yourselves and try to avoid anyone with symptoms of a head cold, because the one going around here is highly contagious and you’re better off without it, believe me!

Blessings and Thank You for being there — Ann (and Sasha)

Ann’s Update: 23 Dec 2010

Dear People,

The only reason for the silence of the past few days is that I became — well — sort of discouraged. Maybe a bit depressed. It happens sometimes. Today things changed for the better, because we saw the plastic surgeon again and he expressed approval and delight at the sight of Sasha’s main wound (they call it an ulcer). It has lots and lots of granulation tissue, which is what we’ve all been waiting for. And he set a date for Sasha to go into hospital for the skin graft: Wednesday, December 29th. Next week. For about six days.

I’ll continue this tomorrow, when I’ve had a good night’s sleep. I promise I will write much more, but tonight I’m very tired, so bed is the best place for me to be, and I intend to wake up with some amount of energy and I will devote the day — most of it — to completing this report and also wrapping presents (which will be several days late for Xmas, but that’s just the way it’s going to be).

May you all sleep well, too. And forgive me again for failing to communicate for so long. I’ll try not to let it happen again. No promises, but at least I’ll really try.

Bless all of you ——- Ann