Jan
28
2008
Status Update: Well. Doing well.
Well, the past month has been a slow but good one. I don’t know how interesting any of this will be, but here goes. I got out of the hospital four weeks ago today. Here’s the back story for those who may have missed it. At that time I could barely walk for more than five minutes at a time and I had to take two naps per day. I couldn’t lift much more than a paperback. My appetite was in the tank. A banana filled me up. I ate a lot of bananas. I had to sleep on the couch to get any semblance of sleep, and even then I only got a few hours per night.
Last week I moved back into the bed. I still required sofa-like support, so a body pillow has graced the sheets as of late. I can finally sleep on my side without crushing my chest (this is a beautiful thing – I’m a side sleeper). My appetite is strong. I’m gaining back some of the weight I lost in the hospital. I’ve been saving up some indulgence karma and a date with the storied Wendy’s Baconator Burger is nigh. Anyone up for it? My walking endurance is not bad, but my upper body strength is returning slowly. Still can’t lift anything much heavier than five pounds and reaching for anything is painful. It hurts to do the dishes, man. All these muscles and actions that I didn’t know about. How truly wonderful they are.
My incision is healing well – no problems with infection. Sometimes when I look at my scars the weight of the experience hits me. I’ll have these marks forever. They are not a badge of courage or some sign of honour. I’m humbled when I look at them. They’re a reminder: A cautionary tale that says we only get so much time on this speck, so make the best of it boyos ‘cuz it’s gone too soon. In the words of Bruce Cockburn: Life Short Call Now. I’ve got a half dozen round holes in my chest that look like gunshot wounds (from various tubes and wires). I plan on embellishing the origin of those to my grandchildren. Yes, grandpa was shot in the chest…three times…and then KNIFED like a mad moose…
In all, I can’t complain. My recovery is on schedule and every day there’s a bit more muscle. I even made it out to a movie the other night (There Will Be Blood – SEE IT). Even though it’s minus 35 as I write this, it’s still damn beautiful to be here and feel it. Take care in deep freeze, everyone. See you soon.
Patrick Pilarski
Glad to hear you are patching up well dude! You’ll have to have a “scar-and-tell” display at the next Raving Poets to bring us memories from your brief time as a cyborg… or perhaps a hearty game of “connect the dots”? I make light, of course, but seriously—-what good are scars if not a reminder of life’s ability to write its stories on our skin (even if the stories do involve being “knifed like a mad moose”)? One hell of a pen it scribbles with, eh? Take care, and heal well :)
# Jan 29 2008 · 12:25
Adam Snider
Good to hear that you’re doing better, Mike. Keep on taking small steps, and you’ll be back to gold before you know it.
As for embellishing surgical scars, it’s really the only way to go. I once had a whole group of young kids convinced that I had pissed off the wrong Latino gang member one summer. If you can’t have a bit a fun with the boulders life throws at you, what’s the point, eh?
# Jan 29 2008 · 13:38
Mike Gravel
Thank you, gentlemen. Yes, fun will be had with the scars.
# Jan 30 2008 · 08:49
Thomas
….yes, the Prime Minister was visting and I was in line to glad-hand the bugger, when this woman (they found out later she was an old lover) pushed to the front of the crowd…and someone yelled “GUN!” and I didn’t think…I dove in front of the head of our country and took three in the chest. Took me months to recover. Got the Order of Canada. Still get Christmas Cards from the Prime Minister. I gotta tell you kids, I don’t know why I did it. I guess something deep down inside of me just believed it was wrong to shoot a politician. Who knew? Anyway, that’s where those scars came from…
I’m so glad you’re mending!
I’ll see you next week for a cup of tea! It’s my week and they’re predicting snow!
t
# Jan 30 2008 · 12:19
Benjamin
How DOES one knife a mad moose?
# Jan 30 2008 · 12:41
Rosemary
Scars are life’s tattoos they retell the excitement and drama of that road we all take, may it be long or short. We only get one hand and if it’s played well and to its full potential it should be just long enough hopefully.
Glad to hear you’re on the mend Mike.
Take care our fearless poet master!
Rose
# Jan 30 2008 · 15:33
Arnold Emmanuel
Hey Mike, I am so glad you’re doing better. That was a big shock.
# Jan 31 2008 · 23:44