Back home day 1...

We had a bit of a scare at 4am this morning.

I woke up with some tingling in my left hand, a potential sign that the parathyroid function of calcium absorption was not working which could have meant a return to the hospital.

We called in to the resident...and waited...and waited.

Meanwhile, I was 'shotgunning' calcium-rich items such as pudding, yogurt, and Tums. Plus, Tamar had me walking around the room waving my arms in circles in order to get the blood flowing.

I crashed back into bed shortly thereafter (I think the resident ultimately returned the call) and woke up around 10.

Tamar helped me take the multiple layers of bandages off of my neck. It's July, it's 95 degrees outside and I'd been wearing a scarf for 2 days. No wonder I was so uncomfortable.

I took my first shower since Wed. night...that felt good.

Now, all I've got is a couple bandages on my neck covering the suture on my neck (which tend to scare some kids, I've noticed) so I'm not walking around with my neck bent over like I was which gave me one hell of a stiff neck!

The next card for me to play is the "no one messes with a guy who has got a scar across his neck," since I can't play the cancer card anymore (I hope).

My energy levels have really peaked and valleyed today and Tamar has me to an alternating Percocet cycle (darn!) and I did manage to summon the power to get to shul today for kiddush. As Tamar says, I'm all about 'shock and awe,' and I do things for the shock value, but hey, I did want to see our friends, whose outpouring of sympathy and offers of assistance are astounding. I feel truly blessed.

Tomorrow should be low key. Tamar's going to work and taking the kids to my parents. I'll be on my own, but plenty of time/space to rest.

Starting to feel a bit groggy now....done for tonight.