Home Again, Home Again...

[przed]

I have returned from the north country, after a successful journey helping my mom deal with total knee replacement surgery.

The surgery went swimmingly. I did wonder, since they took her into the operating room at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, after assuring me they'd let me know when she was out, and I still hadn't heard anything after 1:00 p.m. So I finally left the family waiting room, trucked over to the surgical unit, and was told, "oh, she's been out for ages." They just forgot to tell me she was done, even after my mom reminded them. ::sigh::

They let me go into recovery for a few minutes since they were still waiting for a room, which is where I found Mom, sitting up, looking perky, except for the honking great bandage wrapped around her knee. She swore she was in no pain, and felt fine. And she kept swearing she felt no pain for most of her stay in hospital. (The surgical nurse told the ward nurse that Mom is, and I quote, "a tough cookie." They don't know the half of it.)

The Momster was up and walking the day after surgery, and surprised the physiotherapists at how well she was doing. (The PT said that Mom has inspired her to stop making snap judgments. She was dreading having to deal with an 80-year-old patient, my mom, but it turns out the woman in her fifties across the hall has been the problem child.) Mom still says she's not in much pain, except when doing her exercises.

I took her home on Thursday, and she's doing well getting around the house on her own. (She kept threatening to help with the dishes. I kept threatening to tell her surgeon if she tried.) She's got a freezer full of food, neighbours who are going to look in on her, and looks to be on her way to full recovery.

Alas, I couldn't post while I was up north. While I did manage to use the local library's computers most days, apparently the Parry Sound librarians consider Livejournal a bastion of "Adult Content" and have restricted access to it. If I still lived there--which let's just say is never, EVER going to happen--I'd be getting on the board of the library and fighting censorship. (Weirdly, their Net Nanny (TM) software did let me respond to comments. I just couldn't post a new entry.)

Next task: prepping for the two interviews I have on Monday. Added challenge: I'm not keen on either position. One is for a tech writing position in a financial institution that looks to be dead boring. (At least I'd be working with a very good friend from uni.) One is for an actual technical training position that looks to be interesting, except that it requires 75% to 100% travel. Even with the most understanding spouse in the world, which I pretty much have, that's gotta be grim. (I've set myself minimum conditions under which I'd take that one, and let's just say it involves lots of money, lots of vacation, and written guarantees of how much I'd be on the road.)

Comments

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

That's brilliant news about your mum's surgery. She does indeed sound like one tough cookie. As the daughter of another one, I salute you! *g*

I'm also going to wish you luck with the job interviews, not that you need luck. ♥ Who knows, perhaps the jobs will be more promising than they sound to you right now. It might also matter how *far* they want you to travel. I have one mate who is a road warrior, bouncing from city to city across the country all the time and another who travels around just about every day but mainly between three cities within a forty mile area of each other.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Us daughters of tough cookies gotta stick together. *g*

The length of travel definitely does matter. It rather scares me that the job posting says North American and International locations. (Though the insane part of me rather hopes that Hong Kong might be one of those international locations.)

[ancastar.livejournal.com]

Welcome back! I've been thinking about you and wondering what you've been up to.

I'm glad to hear Mom made it through with flying colors. God love her--80 years old and a handful. I hope she's back full strength in no time.

I'm glad as well about the interviews. Maybe the positions aren't for you, but you won't know till you get in there, and no matter what, more practice is always a good thing.

Are you going to be in a beta frame of mind say on Tuesday or Wednesday? I've got a new SPN vid I could use your eye on. My goal is to get it posted before the next ep.

We'll see how that goes.

If you think you might be up for it, let me know.

In the meantime--relax! :-)

[przed.livejournal.com]

Mom is doing well. (She did her own dishes today. ::headdesk:: Can't leave her alone for an instant.)

Now that Ros is finally in bed, the rest of the evening shall be spent prepping for the interviews. Even if the jobs aren't what I want, the practice isn't a bad thing. And it's heartening that I've gotten several interviews based on my resume and cover letters.

I'll definitely be up for a vid beta after tomorrow. Just let me know when you've got it ready to go.

[ancastar.livejournal.com]

Yay! Am vidding as we speak. :-)

Good luck tomorrow!!!

[schnuffi.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear your mom's doing fine.

Not sure if I should wish you luck for the interviews though... Maybe half luck? *G*

[przed.livejournal.com]

Luck is good. I'd like it to be my choice if I decide not to take a job.

[probodie.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear your mum's operation went swimmingly well and that she is up and about with very little pain. That's a worry off your mind, isnt it?

[przed.livejournal.com]

I'm very relieved it's gone so well. One less thing to worry about.

Now there's just this finding a job lark. *g*

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

That is good news about your mom. I'm so glad everything went so well, I hope she continues to make a good recovery and she certainly does sound like one determined lady.

Good luck with the interviews, even though you're not keen on either of them. Often jobs turn out to be more than a little different at interview than when they are advertised.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Mom is definitely determined. It's served her well over the years.

Here's hoping the interviews go well.

[miwahni.livejournal.com]

Your mum sounds amazing, surgery at that age is no joke - she's one tough bird all right.
Good luck with the interviews. Even if the jobs aren't ideal, they're something to go on with while you continue to look for a better alternative.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Mom is amazing. Though sometimes she's too tough for her own good. *g*

As for the jobs, a paycheque wouldn't go amiss. Here's hoping.

knees

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

All the very best to your Mum - glad to hear she's come through surgery so well (they say attitude makes a huge difference, and it sounds like she's got it in spades!*g*)

Good luck with the interviews - if you don't like the positions, then they're just good rehearsal, right? Really well done getting to the interview stage, that's tough in itself! And like you say, the training one sounds interesting if the conditions were right .....?

Re: knees

[przed.livejournal.com]

She's determined, which should make a big difference in how fast she recovers. She's doing her exercises religiously.

At this point, I'm viewing all interviews as good practice. If one of them turns into a position, so much the better.

[st-crispins.livejournal.com]

Good to hear that your mom's surgery went well.

75%-100% travel? Hmmm... I'm betting you wouldn't be happy being away from Roz so much.

BTW: any thoughts on MediaWest this year? I'm guessing it hinges on your job search results.

[przed.livejournal.com]

The travel thing would suck. Spending the last week away from Ros was bad enough.

As for MW, I'm planning on doing everything I can to get there. I'll keep you posted as the date draws nearer.

[sooguy.livejournal.com]

Glad your mom is doing well. I keep forgetting how old she is, but apparently so does she considering how strong she is going.

It's good that's she's got good friends and neighbours.

Good luck on the interviews. Who knows maybe they will serve as a stepping stone to something better.

How's the big guy doing? Did he manage in your absence. Single parenting always makes you appreciate the luxury of having two parents.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Mom is definitely doing well for her age. Her roommate was also 80, and looked 10 years older.

Don managed okay. He said Ros was really good, except for the very last day when she got pouty and stroppy. (I cannot imagine being a single parent. I have huge respect for my mom, raising me alone while my dad was out with the Coast Guard for months at a time.)

[siskiou.livejournal.com]

Yay for your mom!
Sounds like she surprised everyone at the hospital!
It's great that she is already walking around and not in too much pain.

Good luck on the interviews, and hopefully the job you get will be fine, or at least serviceable until something better shows up!

[przed.livejournal.com]

Definitely a big yay for mom. She's doing great.

Thanks for the good wishes. Fingers crossed...

[windrain10.livejournal.com]

So glad your mom is doing well after the surgery!

[przed.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[norfolkdumpling.livejournal.com]

Excellent news about your Mum! And all good luck to you for the interviews today. *crosses everything for you*

[przed.livejournal.com]

Well, mom may be experiencing what I hope is a minor setback (her foot's just bruised up unexpectedly), and the jobs were not what I hoped. Fingers crossed it all works out in the end.