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Friday, March 25, 2011

Strapped Down and Cut Up

I’m going to be freed from my miserable right hand on Friday afternoon.

They’re going to strap me down, squeeze all the blood out of my right arm, and then whip out the scalpel and release me from months of anguish.

I LOVE the sound of that! No more days and nights fraught with fiery pain! Get rid of the bloody thing! I’ll have to learn how to do stuff left-handed. I considered practicing a few vital functions this week, like applying mascara or more fundamental acts of self care, but decided to savor the last few days with my dominant right hand.

I’ll let you know how it goes as soon as I can hunt and peck at the keyboard again. I look forward to the day when my computer understands speech and automatically transcribes it. All these years of interviewing people and scribbling in notebooks, transcribing tape recordings, or typing shorthand notes that leave out lots of words, I have wished for technology to catch up with my profession. It exists now, but I can’t afford it. Maybe when I get rich from suing the entire American medical industry for holding my demented mother hostage in a hospital for days….

Anyway, reeling myself back in from that fantasy, wish me luck. They'll be tunneling through my carpal at noon (and you thought they were amputating my hand ~ how grisly!).

Now for a Friday Flash 55 inspired by the weather here in California... Visit Mr. Knowitall for other examples of flash creativity.

Rain

After a long drought turned the riverbed to dust,
today the manna from heaven falls and the soil

laps it neatly as a cat. A sigh of satisfaction escapes
the mouth of the ground. Roots hum as their veins

swell. Pools rise in the riverbed, reach out fingers,
and link. The river’s muddy blood awakens.

~~~~
Postscript:
All went well although my hand is numb still from the anesthetic. I can't wait for it to wear off so I can feel the glorious lack of pain. Toddling off to rest now after typing this with both hands!

34 comments:

steveroni said...

Chris:

Re: Your comment on Monkey Man...

Liz WHO?

steveroni said...

RAIN:
You became 'nature' herself, to write that. Verrry good! Thank you.

Did you know a cat laps water with it's tongue, working opposite from ours. They pull the water in UNDER their tongue--just thought it is something you'd DIE to know--grin!

KB said...

Good luck! Send some of that rain our way please.

elderly rock chick said...

at first when i read this i thought you must be having your hand cut off but now i think it must be carpel tunnel surgery? i had it on my left hand a while ago and it sorted it completely. just got to get the right one sorted now...

Ami Mattison said...

Wow! Love the lyricism and images of this poem. "The river's muddy blood" is just fantastic. A fine 55!

Unknown said...

an amputation? oh my. prayers going out for a successful surgery and speedy recovery.

Brian Miller said...

nice 55 on the river...may it find new life...so hope the hand thing goes well...they really taking it?

G-Man said...

Chris...
Even I feel replenished!
And your surgery? Good luck, but I don't see how that prevents you from blogging, I type with one hand all the time!
(That sounded creepy)
Loved your 55.
Thanks for playing, and have a Kick Ass Week-End...G

Lyn said...

Carpal Tunnel? I am sending you healing wishes and thoughts. Sounds like a real picnic (NOT!) but once the procedure is over, hopefully you can reclaim a pain free right arm. Take care my bloggie friend ... I look forward to the "art" your pain will inspire. : )

Jess Mistress of Mischief said...

God be with you and God speed in recovery!

I'll be thinking of you and praying for you!

The Bug said...

I've felt that way about my right arm, but all they did was cut the shoulder up & then leave the thing ATTACHED. And it still hurts. That was a lot of money for no real relief. Sigh. So think twice about this cutting off your hand business.

Love the poem - I can feel the rain & see the river coming to life.

izzy said...

Love it ! great 55. Hope your arm is better- Thanks.

Argent said...

I've never encountered anybody who was so pleased to lose a hand! Still, if it improves the quality of life, then it's got to be worth it. It's worth googling for free speech to text software - I believe Dragon do a free one (I use this software and it's pretty neat).

Very much liked the 55.

Marion said...

From your post, I'm not sure if they are taking away your entire right hand? If it is giving you such awful pain, I am glad they are going to help you out, but sorry that you have to have surgery.

I will be thinking of you this afternoon. Please take care of yourself as you heal, Chris...xoxo

amf said...

wow, powerful 55, love the use of riverbed, reach out fingers, and link.

I hope that all goes well for you, peace~

Magpie said...

Prayers for today's surgery and for a speedy recovery.
Love your images of rain and water and how they interact with the earth. Stay strong!

Corinna said...

LOL! I'm so very happy they are not going to amputate your hand! You had me hook line and sinker. (The poem is absolutely lovely.)

Alice Audrey said...

Actually, your computer already will if you get the program Dragon Naturally Speaking. I got it out of desperation last fall when my carpel tunnel wouldn't let me participate in Book in a Week or National Novel
Writing Month.

steveroni said...

Four years ago, I could not hold my violin. Had surgery on my thumb, and it is fine. Would do it again if needed!

Hope yours goes as well. There is a certain commitment to post-surgical therapy. But you have a program to help with that--grin!

Relax. My prayer will be for your surgeon. She/He is somewhat of a Higher Power during the procedure!

PEACE!
(I know you will let us know how it went...

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

best wishes for your coming surgery.

beautiful poem on rain,
stay dry
and enjoy some weekend French fry...

Anonymous said...

May the doctor's return your arm in far better condition than its current state! Here's to hoping you have a speedy recovery and the least amount of pain possible.

Will be thinking of you, Chris.

Steve Isaak said...

Love the poem - great work.

Karen said...

Hahaha! You had me for a while there! Good luck with the crappy tunnel!

Great poem, as always.

Unknown said...

Wow, I am sending you many great thoughts and healing vibes now...I hope that all goes well and you are relieved of some serious pain...I understand...

much love to you and care!
dahlia girl gabi

Belinda said...

Oh, so no amputation needed, whew! Hope all goes well. Would be a different kind of pain to only have one hand for writing from a keyboard.

A lovely 55, this is. You must not be in NorCal as today's the first day without rain in SF.

Monkey Man said...

Great visuals.

e said...

I love your images here and thanks for the encouragement. Wishing you the best with your surgery and recuperation.

Syd said...

Whew, you had me going. Good luck with surgery.

Maude Lynn said...

So glad the surgery went well!

Beautiful 55.

steveroni said...

Oh Chris, I (and everyone!) am SO happy you got through it OK. The simple anxiety of going into surgery can be very tiresome, as you know. So DO rest easy.

You MAY not be pain-free, you know! But if you follow the doctor's instructions you'll do fine. You might even feel like making a meeting this weekend.

I'm so happy, I am smiling here at 1:30 AM and wishing you PEACE!

Andrew said...

I had surgery on my left shoulder last Wednesday. Looking forward to complete healing and pain free total mobility!

Shanae Branham said...

Yeah, you certainly had me going. I thought you were losing it for sure. I hope they are able to relieve some of your suffering.

Anonymous said...

I will be thinking of you :-)

Marla said...

So glad this is all behind you now. Well, at least one hand is behind you. How do you type with a hand behind you? :-)