Thank you down Internet

Yesterday I was determined to beat back the siren song of the internet.  I got up, let the chickens out, ate breakfast, and did not turn on the computer.  I did laundry and dishes and got dressed for physical therapy and did not turn on the computer.  I left the house without checking my email.  Gasp!

I had another great physical therapy session.  I was able to go face down on the table without a bean bag for my tube and the drool was minimal.  Not that I did anything reckless like open my mouth.  Progress, slow, slow, slow, but progress.

I had to get my herbals refilled, so I stopped by Mrs. Thompson's.  In addition to my tinctures, I was able to have a nice visit.  Also I got some therapeutic grade ginger and powdered garlic.  Anything that will help the inflammation, I'm in!  Heather also pointed something out that I can't believe no one else, including me, thought of:  since my flap came from my back, everything I say is "back talk."  Ha!

I stopped and picked up a few groceries and a prescription.  Why does the same prescription in liquid form cost ten times as much as it does in pill form? I guess I should have just stuck with grinding up the pills.  At least I am only taking one thing, the weekly anti-fungal for the delightful yeast that is the constant companion of those with oral cancer.

I slid in the door just before the bus.  Yay me!  I put groceries put away and had a mini-recap of the day and Karissa was off to Poppy's to play.  Karina arrived home for a weekend visit and I got to catch up with her.
At last, I turned on the computer.  I do, after all, have a few things to keep track of and since speaking on the phone doesn't work for me, email is the next best for anything detailed.

Except the modem was having an issue.  Slow. Can't open pages.  Not deleting emails.  Laborious.  Why all those days when it would have been really good for me to be forced off the computer was it lightening fast, but now, when I have rationed my time appropriately and just want to get this done quick before dinner, is it crashed???  I know, Murphy's Law.  I know.

We had a simple dinner of just omelets.  Yes, they blend up just fine.  Two of our chickens have been laying steadily since after they molted.  One is still molting now.  The other two, the youngest two, have kind of been a disappointment from the get go.  They don't lay in the winter at all.  The don't lay that regularly in the summer.  I don't know if it is just these two, or if this is characteristic of Welsummers.  I think more Ameracaunas next time.  They are weird, but the lay well.

The internet did come up at some point, but too late to write a post and have a hot shower.  By the end of the day, a hot shower is pretty much the only thing that loosens my neck up enough to sleep.  There is an interesting new pain on the right side, both at the very back of the flongue and up into my ear, along with my ear feeling like it is full of fluid.  Apparently not an uncommon side effect of neck dissection and radiation, but not one I've had before.  Hopefully it will improve as the fluids get moving.

We rounded out our completely wild and crazy Friday night with an episode of Downton Abbey.  We just watched episode four, of season ONE.  I know, I know, we are behind the times.  At this rate, though, we will be just finishing up season one by the the time my hold on season two comes up at the library.

For a fun and exciting Saturday, Karina and I took the cat to the vet.  The cat who hates everyone but Karina.  Elsa has lost over three pounds and has a heart murmur.  Not a huge surprise in a cat that is at least 17 and has had a pretty rough life.  She takes her only liking Karina seriously, refusing to allow any of the rest of us to touch her.  When Karina is at school, she just sits in Karina's room waiting for her, only leaving to pee on something she shouldn't.  The vet is thinking hyperthyroidism.  We'll see what the blood work shows.

Beth is coming over to visit today and likely to walk.  Several of you have taken up the charge to nag/nudge/pester me about exercise.  That is a good thing since I can always seem to find something else more important to do.  Keep bugging.

I'm afraid nothing else exciting to report from here. No breakthroughs in swallowing. No drastic reduction in swelling.  No miraculous return of my dulcet tones.  But I am starting to feel human again. And useful. And more like myself.  I hope to continue down this path.

Until tomorrow...