Need Some Guidance

[Guest guest]

I need to know what would be the most critical time to have help

here in the house after returning from the hospital. I realize the

first couple of weeks would be good to have help, but how much

longer after that? We have a very active household with animals and

teenagers. I'm having a very difficult time wrapping my head around

all the details that need to be worked out.

Also was pondering how do you dry your legs when getting out of the

shower or brush your teeth w/out leaning over the sink? My kids

math tutor is studying Occupational Therapy and has been of some

help, but I would like to hear from those of you who have been

through this.

This past week has been really, really hard. I think I had posted

that a friend brought a newborn kitten to me to take care of and

everything was going beautifully. The baby kitten was feeding well

and extremely strong and I was very much in love with it. I figured

it was a gift from God to take my mind off of what's to come later

this summer. Here's where it got hard, one of my dogs, a pekingese,

not known for hunting skills, tipped over the nesting box it was in

and killed the kitten. It was extremely gruesome and I won't go

into details. My daughter came screaming into the bathroom while I

was showering that the dog got the kitten, I thought I could rush to

save it and in the process didn't take the time to dry off. I got

onto the tile floor in the family room and my feet came out from

under me. It was classic comedy, the man slipping on a banana peel.

My feet came out from under me, my bottom hit the floor and my head

slammed into the tile. Also bear in mind, I'm naked. It was a very

bad day. After much urging from Dr. LaGrone's office, (Kelley and I

just happened to talk to each other that day about something surgery

related) I went to the ER for X-rays and a cat-scan. I'm fine,

except I am in a great deal of pain as you can all imagine. I can

only sleep on the couch because I need the support around me. The

muscles in the front of my neck hurt like heck and I have a hard

time moving my head.

So, the phyical pain is feeding the emotional pain and I'm a mess -

as well as weaning off one anti-depressant so that I can take a

different one - I'm a double mess. My poor family is probably ready

to drop kick me out the door. I'm typically a very gentle speaking,

empathtic, compassionate person. Just don't feel like being nice to

anyone right now.

The sweet news is a friend of a friend has hooked me up with a woman

whose cat is pregnant and due w/in the next two weeks and said I

could have one of the newborns and I'm thrilled! This little one

will be in a kennel under lock and key!

Thanks for listening dear friends. - Alpine