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Pre-surgery freakouts are real! On Monday, I’m having major foot surgery on my right foot. There were some tense moments between Savoy and me the other night because I insisted that I must have a Christmas tree and lights with ornaments of course. He was concerned that it would take up too much space and there already is not a lot of space in this room where I’ll be, but I said no way I must have it! I don’t think he realized that my tree really was not very big and he laughed at it when he saw it. I was like don’t laugh at my tree. It’s a nice tree. We ended up agreeing to put it on top of my dresser, but now I must have my LED tree because it changes colors as well. Savoy rolled his eyes. You’ve got to be kidding, but I told him I could put that on top of the coffee table. Then we attempted to figure out how I will get up three steep steps when I come home from the hospital we tried everything the crutches didn’t work and finally decided I might have to scoot up sitting down. We still haven’t quite solved that mystery.
Then I called my neighbor Howie and asked if he would help Savoy carry the exercise bike upstairs. He and Robin both came over and they were wonderful because they hung out for quite a while and we really needed them too because we were both freaked out, Savoy and I. We talked for quite a while and they offered to help in any way they can we were both relieved. We also got to watch Guinness the cat push things off Savoy’s little table maybe he’s nervous too.

After the freak-out session, I took a walk around the neighborhood and visited my favorite tree. This is what I will miss the most when I’m hanging out in my room for six weeks. I will miss the walks in the woods and the sounds and smells of the Douglas firs and all the trees. I will relish and remember them. then we visited Savoy‘s mom, Carol, who was wonderful and supportive and she gave me some cool stuff to help me like a walker that will work perfectly at the toilet and a shower chair. I do have a cool knee scooter. She even said she would visit me at the hospital if I needed her to because she lived super close. I do feel supported and loved today. I’ll see my son Stevie for the first time since he got out of the hospital last week with gallstones lodged between his pancreas and his liver. Now he’s fine as if nothing happened. Well, he’s still on dialysis for kidney failure, but he’s as fine as he’ll ever be. Later I’ll also see my friends, Hiba and Raymond, whom I met on the trail a few months ago. We will go on my very last walk of the year around my neighborhood and a little bit into the woods.

On my final day before surgery. I met my son Stevie at the holiday market, the indoor version of Eugene’s Saturday market, and we hung out and looked at lots of stuff. It was overwhelming and cool all at the same time. We tried Afghan food because they had a veggie plate. We had no idea how it would taste. It was savory and delicious with sweet chutney and many flavors I did not recognize, but it was so good. Then I brought my good friends Hiba and Raymond over to my pad to meet my boyfriend Savoy and to take the final walking journey of the year. They got along really well and Savoy walked with us on the neighborhood trail, the secret magical trail, and the spot where the two creeks meet. Raymond played his wooden flute for my favorite tree and all her family and friends on the secret magical trail.

We trekked on the trail a ways past my favorite tree and returned as the sun set behind Spencer Butte Summit and I said one more goodbye to my tree. The move shined high and bright when we left the woods. Got photos of Hiba and Raymond with the love lights. Before my friends left tonight, savoy and Raymond jammed on their respective flutes. It was epic. Walked almost 10,000 steps today. The most I’ve walked in one day in months. I’ll have to stay off my foot for at least six weeks after the surgery.

[NOTE: SORRY this is late. I had surgery on Monday!]