Just Ring My Bell!

Lucy and Ethel shared a friendship song in a long-ago episode of I Love Lucy that featured the lyrics that if one of the two were ever to be down a well, the other could just "ring my bell." That's friendship, a perfect blendship, assured the off-key duo.

One of my friends came down the night before the surgery, chauffeured me to the appointment and was the first face I saw as I stared dazedly from behind the veil of anesthesia. She provided me with excellent after-care that included propping up the knee, learning how to use the "ice pack" machine (which I highly recommend to anyone who has to keep icing an injury), fixing my meals for a few days, and sharing the couch afghan with Daisy. She did the shopping, picked up my mail, removed the dressing and did the first cleaning and rebandaging. And, she barely chastised me when I said I had to take a shower even though it was a full 24 hours ahead of schedule.

Maggie has headed home for the weekend with her hubby, but I thank her for the wonderful care, the positive attitude, the love she showered on my dogs, and the constant smile and humming as she went about her tasks. I am back on my feet and getting a bit antsy to also get back on schedule. It's the end of the semester and there are things to do, people to teach, papers to grade, and ... the most important task of all, dog poop to scoop.

The surgery is a mild memory, I'm pain free, and life is good in this neighborhood.