14 Days

Tomorrow will mark two full weeks, or 14 days, since my surgery. Overall my recovery is going very well and there are thankfully no major issues.

Of course the recovery period has not been without its share of difficulty.

Men are generally quite independent creatures. We take great pride in our wits. Not necessarily our "wit", but our "wits", meaning the ability to think things through, move around, get things done. I am no different. This is why men have a very diffficult time asking for directions. This simple act, usually one of convenience and expediency for women, has a whole different level of significance for men. To do so is tantamount to an act of surrender, an invalidation of an entire skill-set we hold so dear.

So imagine moving from this state of mind to another one wherein you have to wait for someone to help you put your pajamas on. Of course it's a frustrating process.

I'm trying to be patient. I recognize that the more I fight the recovery process, the more I will become a burden to my caregivers. So I'm doing my best to be cooperative and patient. We do want to avoid any accidents that could set back recovery.

Biggest problem remains to be the hiccups. I know it sounds so stupid, but literally, I spend every waking second in horror of the next onslaught. Eventually they will come, uncontrollable and relentless, disrupting all joy from life and recovery.

I reached my breaking point around three days ago. I reached the end of my resolve. The aspired-for stoicism simply shattered by hiccups at 4 in the morning. I screamed at Kathy.

Eventually, the only thing we found that encountered some measure of success controlling the hiccups is a very very cold drink. It must be the type that's cold enough to give one brain freeze, like a milk shake or a very cold smoothie. Then the trick is to drink big gulps and kinda "shock" the hiccups away. Hopefully, this will continue to work and I don't get sick in other ways from all the cold.