Life in the Waiting Room

Yesterday I got to thinking, how do other people handle the stress of their loved ones undergoing surgery, or severe illness?

On TV, the loved ones seem to gulp mass quantities of coffee, spend anxiety-ridden moments in tears and reliving every moment with others until the dr appears with the good or bad news.

I don't operate that way.

When D had back surgery in 1995, I spent 6 wonderful hours with my notebook, happily working on Forbidden Love, and the only anxiety I felt was when I happened to be writing a steamy sex scene and the chaplain came over to offer spiritual support. Talk about an embarassing moment! I was silently praying he would NOT ask me what I was writing! And when another woman sat near me with a book, I noticed it was a Victoria Holt, and commented on the title. We had a wonderful discussion on favorite authors!

In 2003, when D had his heart valve replaced, yeah, I spent some quiet solitude (it was 6am) in quiet prayer, and then promptly opened my notebook and began writing what was in my head. Two hours later, when the rest of my family arrived for emotional support, I had written the prologue to (working title here) Love is Weightless (Yes, I'll change it! It's #7 in the series) and was eager for my SIL's reaction to it. I was also well into chapter 1.

Later that day, when my children arrived and I could not write due to the noise level in the room (not to mention that after we went to lunch, I lost my quiet corner!), and the doctors had been out to tell me everything had gone well, I coped by getting on the telelphone and calling people who were anxiously waiting for news of his operation.

And the next month, when I discovered the computer on the 3rd floor, I started sending emails to everyone with daily updates. I've already told you how I coped with his near death experience (can't remember the exact post, but it's in there somewhere...I'll find it and let you know what date), and yesterday, I surprised D when I lugged the laptop to the hospital.

I wasn't able to access the internet, but I did get a rough blurb and synopsis written while my 16-year-old baby was having his throat cut into. And when he needed me, I was there, holding his hand, feeling him the cherry slushy, and wiping his face when he vomited. I've given him his painkillers (liquid form!) and his nausea pill, and put up with his grumpiness over being hungry, yet not able to eat anything solid just yet. And yes, he was very upset when he discovered his father had eaten the last of the mashed potatoes the night before! But we hauled out the blender and fixed him a milkshake, and he settled down again.

So tell me...how do you cope when a loved one is ill? What's your waiting room attitude? Mine was also irritation, since I liked my corner and could write in peace. But when I lost it, I coped by being cheerful and sharing progress with others.

UPDATE: K got up at 3:30 this am and played 'Mobsters' on MySpace. I guess he's feeling a little better?

Update

K came through his surgery well; he's home and fast asleep. He's already discovered he can't put very much in his stomach!

I was able to get both the blurb and the synopsis written. And since the laptop doesn't have a floppy disk drive, I was unable to read Witch Ball! Argh...I've read the prologue, and would like to get through the 1st chapter....

Maybe later, if things go well with the patient!

Wednesday News

First of all, the computer gods are giving me a break. We brought the extra keyboard up from the basement, and I'm happy to say that everything is running smoothly this morning, except, of course, for the same pesky problem with AOL. But that's okay; nothing pressing to be read this morning. I'll fire up the laptop later this afternoon and check it.

Surgery Today
K is having his tonsils and adenoids removed today. I fixed him a delicious pork loin meal last night, as he won't be able to swallow chunks of meat for a few days. We've also stocked up on popcicles and ice cream. And thankfully, his job at the potato farm is finished, and things look good, should he want to work again next ye ar. So he's going to relax, recupperate, and maybe go spend some time with his grandmother next week.

I finished it!
I wasn't happy with a short story I had written in May; it fits the criteria for the submission, except for one of the chapters has the heroine interacting with her potential step-children. And then, if you'll remember, I started typing my fingers off on the 4th of July? Well thanks to the Novel Sisterhood challenge (writing 500 words per day), I finished it yesterday afternoon! Of course, it also helped that K was at work, and Jackie 'kidnapped' S and W around 9 am! I had a fantastic day...I spent the morning cleaning up the living room, and went downstairs to scrub the shower thoroughly. Around 1, I turned on my Bon Jovi 'Lost Highway' CD and by 4:30, finally typed 'The End' and checked the word count: 10,544! Quite a difference from the other wip, where I had to TRIM 1000 words to get it under the word limit!

I rechecked the submission guidelines, and I can submit both. I just hope one will get accepted!

Today, I'll be writing the blurb and synopsis for both stories, while my oldest baby is undergoing surgery. I won't be able to access the internet, but I can take the laptop with me and write.

Single Men and Reality TV
From the responses I've gotten, I may simply have to go with Survivor for my story, or the 'Dancing with the Stars' one. I'll continue to ask guys I know or meet; or if anyone out there has any ideas for a reality show a man WOULD watch, let me know. If you want, I'll find a way to work your name into the book, or simply acknowledge you at the beginning when I finish it.

I'll check in again later today; I've got roughly two hours to read my friends' blogs, shower, get dressed, and go to the hospital. Oh yeah. And make sure K doesn't eat or drink anything...

I Didn't Mean to Break It, Honest!

My keyboard wouldn't respond to the desktop this morning. I rebooted; nothing.

So I got the bright idea to unplug it and reconnect it.

Oops...now it won't go in the slot!

What the...

What is it with me and electronics these days? I should just stay away from them until I've had my daily caffeine? Fully dressed? Go back to the library?

Jackie came over and said one of the prongs was bent. She tried to fix it; nope, won't connect. An hour later, K walks in and plugs it in WITH NO PROBLEM! Oh wait...it still doesn't respond.

I may go get the other keyboard and see if it will cooperate!


Do Men Watch Reality TV?

I posed this question last night, and received 2 answers: Survivor and So You Think You Can Dance. I'd forgotten all about the Celebrity Dance one; would a man in his thirties watch it, and have an 'office pool' type thing on who wins? What are your thoughts?

I asked a couple of teen boys; they don't watch Reality TV...but my son likes Survivor and (gag!) Shot at Love with Tila Tequila.

Just a Thought...

What types of reality shows do single guys watch?

Survivor?

Big Brother?

Biggest Loser?

Temptation Island? (Yeah, I know it's been off the air for a while!)

Beauty and the Geek?

Shot at Love?

Pussycat Dolls?

American Idol?

America's Got Talent?

Any thoughts? I've got a new wip in the works, and the guys are watching a show. I want to make sure it's believable what they're watching.

Getting off to a Slow Start...

E-book Update: I tried to order Witch Ball, but the PC locked up on me at the final order stage, so I was unable to complete the order process. I'll try again this afternoon.

1 Hour Later: Success! Both Gabriel's Gun and Witch Ball safely on my hard drive!


I'm fighting with my electronics again.

What started out to be a quick, 1-hour, check-the-email-and-read-the-blogs has turned into a 3 hour mess! I tried to wake up the desktop. It rebelled, so I shut it down. Poured myself another cup of coffee and went to make the bed.

Fifteen minutes later (no, it doesn't take that long to make my bed; that's how long it typically takes for my PC to quit loading), I sat down and clicked on my internet button. A news blurb on the morning news caught my ears, so I got up to watch it. A few minutes later, I was back at my desk, expecting to see the sign-on screen.

Nothing.

I double-clicked again. Nothing.

I right-clicked; same thing. I went to the start menu and clicked on it there. Nada.

Okay, now I'm getting irritated. So I unplugged my DSL line and shoved it into the laptop, and fired it up. Logged in my daughter's password and went to change the channel on the TV.

Came back and there's an IM from one of her friends. I wrote back, saying I would have my daughter call her, and typed in my AOL addy. I deleted some junk, and went to compose. Wrote a letter to a friend...and the curser locked up. I waited five minutes; problem did not clear. I hit CNTRL-ALT-DLT...nothing. Now I'm getting pissed. I shut down the laptop manually.

Guess what's on my desktop screen? The sign-on screen! Well too damn bad, because to hook it back up to the internet requires rebooting the system. And the laptop is faster.

So another five minutes go by. I feed and water the dog, and give my now-awake toddler his breakfast. I reboot the laptop. Success! It's now nearly noon; I'm still in my pj's; but my important mail is taken care of; I've visited my friends' blogs; and I'm posting my own.

Hopefully the rest of the day won't be as 'pukable' as my morning!

Oh-oh...the rats are complaining. Guess I'd better feed and water them as well!

Something Different Today

Last Christmas, I got a 'Stupid Sayings' daily calendar for my teenage son. This week, there are three that are absolutely hilarious. Enjoy.

"Please use thongs when picking up the bagals..." (No thanks...I'll use a fork!)

"Tongues must be used to pick up cookies..."(Yum! But not very sanitary...)

"The painting Wheatfield with Crows, probably painted before Van Gogh committed suicide..."(Nah...it was his ghost!)

Drop by Ginger's blog www.mizging.blogspot.com and leave a condolance note. Her FIL passed away yesterday.