Adventures in London: Issue 144

It is the last week before my birthday. I was okay about this birthday, it goes well with my whole prime number thing. I did not think of 31 as anything else, but my uncle this week over Skype pointed out that I would be starting 32. 32!!! That sounds old!!

The week commenced with Pass dinner at Gerharts. This has become an annual Passover tradition in our "Americans in London household". We all gather for an amazing dinner of matzo ball soup, gefilte fish, brisket and roast chicken. Passover is to remind us of the suffering that the Jewish people endured and their story of Exodus. Passover this year was to remind me that I gave up eating beef! I have not missed beef over the last 6 months, but when placed face to face with Natalie's brisket and I would not be able to sample I found it testing. (Note: I did not cave - 7 months a counting)!

It was great to see my friends this week for a normal dinner. I am trying not to let my ankle impact my mood, but it is hard to separate things. I am down about things and as nice as it is to see everyone it is also a reminder that I am injured. I cannot do the things I normally would do and it is hard to accept that I am not mobile.

But before you start feeling bad. I have had some great company who has not minded the fact that I just sleep all day. Tye, a 8-year old cocker spaniel, has been great company these last couple of weeks. When I first met Tye I was not a dog person, but after the last couple of weeks with her she has grown on me. I still stick by the fact that I am not a dog person, but I have exceptions and they are Chevy and Tye. I have become that person that video records and takes photos of the dog during the day. It has become my form of entertainment and showcase of what I did during the day.

On Wednesday I went back to the Fracture Clinic for a consult. This was an important consult as I was hoping for the final confirmation that I would be allowed to go on my holiday. I had told EVERYONE that I encountered since breaking my ankle that I was going away on Easter Sunday, but given the lack of consistent answers I wanted to make sure.

Thankfully, I got the green light that I needed. I had my plaster taken off which was the weirdest feeling ever. It has been 18 days (not that I am counting or anything) since I broken my ankle, but it is amazing how much muscle mass you can loose. It was like Twins (the 1988 comedy with Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzengger), my leg was skinny has heck compared to the right one. Actually it was more like having a hobbits foot. Why am I going on about my gross foot?!? You don't want to hear about that!!

Back to cute dog! It is my BIRTHDAY WEEKEND!!! To celebrate the birthday (and to take advantage of the Easter/Royal Wedding break), Hubbs and I planned an escape to Morocco. How could you not!? For Easter we had Monday off, I had Tuesday for my birthday day, and the Friday was off for the Royal wedding, so really I had to take 2 days off to have 11 days off. No brainer really!

Hubbs' parents came up to dog-sit for the weekend. You know that is one thing that I am not quite used to. I have grown to liking dogs, but I cannot imagine owning one and having to find a sitter or walker if you have to work late or want to go away. It is a great responsibility having a dog...don't think I am ready to be a full time dog owner. Nap and sleep with one...sure. Any more commitment and I am not ready :-)

On Saturday we packed for the trip and then repacked and packed again. I am not a fan of packing as I never know what to take. I either take too little or too much...rarely do I just take the right stuff.

We all chilled out on Saturday. We spent most of the day in the garden soaking up the nice London weather, laughing and chatting. It was a nice chilled out day followed by a great meal at The Noble. I was tempted to go for the blue cheese rigatoni with bacon, but decided to go for the duck confit with broad beans. I am so pleased that I tried something new....The Noble never lets me down. To top the meal, Hubbs' dad and I shared a Bailey's cheesecake. Normally I am not a dessert fan, but as it was hours before my birthday (and it contained Baileys) I could not resist.

The next day I woke up to birthday buzz in the flat. I could hear the stirring in the house. We were going to leave in the afternoon for the airport, but not before having a homemade proper English breakfast. Yes Hubbs (who does not cook), made a full English breakfast for her rents and myself to celebrate my birthday. I was also treated with birthday cards, a lottery ticket (sadly I did not win), olive oil with gold shavings from Portugal and...wait for it...wait for it.... CRICKET TICKETS AT LORDS!!! In July I am going to go see England vs India!! How WICKED is that!!! My first live cricket match and it is going to be between England and India. It was definitely the best birthday I have celebrated here in London.

Hours later it was off to the airport to commence the Moroccan adventure. The adventure started sooner than we expected. Upon arriving to the airport and checking in the adventure officially started. We had to go to special assistance to check in and bingo, we were escorted and bypassed every line. It was brilliant. We did not have to queue or anything. Getting on the plane was interesting. We had reserved seats on Ryan Air and were the first to board the plane. I was wheeled onto a lift and taken up to the plane and guided to the our row. It was a rather interesting experience, but not as interesting as when we landed in Marrakech. Imagine the same scenario, but without an automatic lift. Instead imagine two guys who come, strap you to another wheel chair like Hanibal Lecter and carry you down the stairs. Yup!!! That is how you travel when you have a wheelchair and cannot walk. The perk of it all though is being able to bypass all the lines. You win some and lose some.

It has been a lovely birthday! I can hardly believe that I started the day in London and ended it in Marrakech. What more could you want from a birthday?!!?

Thank you all for the lovely birthday wishes! I am normally plagued with the birthday blues, but this year I was all smiles...so THANK YOU!!!

1-4-3!

xx

T

Adventures in London: Issue 143

Monday was surgery day. I arrived at the hospital at 0743 and waited (not so patiently for 5 hours) until I was called in. There were some hiccups in communication, but finally they were resolved and I was prepped and sent to the surgery room.

Even as they were putting me under I could not comprehend that this was actually happening. I could not believe that I had actually broke my ankle and they were going to operate. Things were moving too fast.

Thankfully Hubbs was there and helped me keep my composure. It was not easy. Inside I was crying for help and a way to escape, but on the outside I was as emotional as a stone cold ice sculpture and as talktative as a Saks Fifth Ave mannequin. These are the things you learn about yourself when you go through surgery.

You also learn that you are quite an idiot when you come out of anesthesia and are on loads of morphine. I would just love to tell you the stories of what I exactly mean, but where would the fun in that be?! No one throws themselves under the bus - -

I had the stay the night in the hospital marking the first time I have ever (well except the nights with Mom in 2005). It was...how to describe it...what is the word...UNEJOYABLE! The one thing ever patient requires in a hospital is rest...the last thing that any patient gets in a hospital is rest. The lights are always on, people walk in the hallway, panic buttons and the lovely nurses who open the blinds at 0600 when you've fallen asleep at 0400.

Tuesday I spent the day in the hospital recovering - - aka sleeping, eating, watching The Bee movie and sleeping. It was not so much sleeping as it was passing out from the medication. I had to wait (again) until 5pm before I was seen by the surgeon. It is amazing really that it took them all day to make rounds and even when they did I didn't even get to meet with the surgeon so the consultant did not know exactly what happened.

The worst was when it come time for me to leave the nurses had different discharge notes than what was communicated to me and there started yet another miss-communication with the hospital. When would my stitches come out? When would I go into permanent plaster? For how long? Two different answers to some simple questions.

Enough whinging, they were not the best with the paperwork or responding to the alert button, but they were nice people. As for what they did on Monday. The surgeon ended up putting a screw (or pin) into the bone to push it back into place. They initially tried to manual place the bone back, but put the screw and wire to secure it in place. The recovery period would be 6 weeks in plaster and then semi-permanent boot for 4 weeks. It is going to be a long healing process, but once it is over I will be running!! I cannot imagine having the ability to run as the pain is UNBEARABLE! I always thought I had a high threshold for pain, but this is just over the top. Little movements kill, sleeping is annoying, trying to sit up is difficult. I tried working from home upon my return from the hospital, but raised the white flag as I could not handle the uncomfortable pain. I phoned my GP and she signed me out of work with instructions to rest. The only way to fully recover and get better I needed to focus on resting and allowing my body the ability to heal.

I did just that....for once I followed the doctor's instructions and rested. It was easier than I anticipated; codeine with ibuprofen and paracetamol is always a good catalyst for rest.

That Saturday it was Si's birthday pub crawl celebration. I think it was the first pub crawl that involved a wheelchair. It changed the momentum of the crawl, but we all managed to have a great time nonetheless. It was good to hang out and with everyone. Its been nearly 2 weeks since I fell and I was going out of my mind. I was not able to celebrate as I normally would, but it was good to see everyone even if was just for a couple of hours and half pints.

For the first time in 7 years I missed cheering and photographing the marathon of the city I lived in. I was convinced that I would still be able to go, but I knew I would not be able to stand and I cannot see over the barricade in a wheelchair. As such I watched it like I have watched everything this past week: on the sofa with my leg elevated. It was certainly not the same, but at this point in time nothing is going to be the same. Just need to calm down and relax. My cousin joked when he visited in the hospital that this was the universe's way of telling me to slow down. Lesson heard LOUD & CLEAR! Don't think I can move around any slower. Thanks stars for the message ;-)

That evening, I relaxed in the garden with my blanket and Harry Potter book. Later on LL came over for a visit. It meant a lot to see LL and catch up with her. We have not had a good LL/TS chat in a while, so glad my broken ankle could bring us together. Wish we had more evenings like this one. Just chilling in the garden chatting.

I have not been the best company lately as all I do is sit there and stare into oblivion (this is not my general state of being, but it is once I have taken my medication), but I hope people can be patient with me. [This is not a line] It is not me it is the medication. I blame the foot! I blame the foot for everything right now. If it were not for my broken ankle I would not be in so much excruciating pain requiring me to be married to pills just so I could function.

I am whinging aren't I?! Sorry. I will sign off so I stop complaining about my foot.

xx

T

Adventures in London: Issue 142

This week has been a rather difficult one. Staying home is one thing, but being on bed rest requiring my leg to be elevated 24/7 is simply annoying. I cannot move anywhere without feeling extreme amounts of pain. I have been staying at a friend's flat as there is no way I can function at mine. Have you ever tried carrying a cup of coffee on two crutches?! Or how about making lunch and setting the table?! If you imagined right...you cannot. You cannot do a thing when you have a broken ankle. LIE!!! You can watch DVDs. Since walking to the DVD player to change DVDs is difficult, I have switched to TV series box sets. Between my hours naps, a few TV episodes, and some work (yes I had my laptop courier to me so I could push things along) the day is pretty much finished. Not really the way to spend the day, but I don't have many options lately.

We have turned the flat upside down. Hubbs has made a temporary kitchen in her living room equipped with kettle, mug, coffee, cooler (with sandwiches, yogurts, milk, fruits), bowl, and pretty much everything I may ned for the day within arms reach. It took a couple of days to find an optimal arrangement, but I think we have one now. As long as I can reach without moving my leg, we are good. And if I am not - there are plenty of drugs to be had to help me cope with the pain.

On Wednesday 'after work' we went to the park to get some fresh air and change of scenery (there are only so much of the same 3 walls that you can look at). To be honest it was bittersweet getting out of the flat. It is nice to be in the open air, but the fact that I cannot walk even short distances is depressing. Finding it rather hard.

Thursday was slightly worse. I had a consult at the Fracture clinic in St Thomas' hospital. Apparently in the UK when they say 'small slight chance of surgery', they really mean that you are likely to have surgery. WTF right?! How can you go from...'you really shouldn't need it' to 'it would be my recommendation to have it' in a matter of 4 days. The whirlwind continued as they started prepping the paperwork for surgery. They had not yet decided whether they wanted to go forward with the surgery, but they wanted to get things ready just in case. They were recommending ORIF (open reduction internal fixation) surgery meaning they would put a plate or screw to stabilise the bones. The reason they were recommending this is because I wanted to run again. I should have been pleased...I would run again...but I couldn't help but go into shock. Surgery?!?! From a little fall...HOW?!?!

After a post bombshell lunch at the Flask it was nap time to recharge for a dinner with Darshan. As they wanted to do surgery the next day, a bit of family by your side is always appreciated. We had a nice relaxing dinner at Antepiler a turkish restaurant around the corner from the flat. Thanks to a friend of Hubb's we were able to borrow a wheelchair sparing me from the painful "walk" down the street. It was a nice evening of chatter to get my mind off of what potentially was going to occur the next day. It is in times like that you discover who your real friends are. I have been touched by the phone calls, emails, BBMs, facebook comments, tweets about my status and check ins.

Friday came and I waited. Waited and waiting by the phone for the hospital to call telling me what the verdict was. Couldn't drink anything, couldn't eat anything...just waited. Let me tell you, if you have ever waited by the phone it is the longest wait you will ever experience. Minutes feel like hours....especially when you are waiting to hear if you are to have surgery. It is a rather daunting feeling.

Finally the call came. They were not going to do surgery Friday (good thing as they called at 1400), but it was still an option. Just had to go through one more review with the surgeon. How many reviews does it take?!?! Apparently one more.

On Saturday we decided to take a trip to Westfield - - nothing gets you over a broken ankle like a shopping trip to a packed mall full of people who completely miss a person in a wheelchair. Again, may I ask HOW!?!?! It was not the most successful shopping trip, but I did manage to rack in some new clothing (get it? rack clothing...see what I did?)

The rest of the weekend was spent relaxing. It was actually a nice chilled weekend recovery and getting the rest that my ankle needed. Things considered, it was an ideal weekend. Ideal up until I got THE PHONE CALL! At 8pm on Sunday I got the phone from the surgeon saying that the surgery was going to take place. The slight possibility of surgery had become an indefinite. I was going in the next morning.

That is where this weeks ends...more to share

xx

T

Adventures in London: Issue 141

Never leave me up to planning an event far in advance. Why you ask? Because I am guaranteed to mess it up. When left to my own device to buy tickets for Kristin bachelorette party I booked the tickets for the day after everyone else did. YUP! "We are taking the overnight back and will arrive on Monday" translated to depart Las Vegas on Monday. Good one...yup!!

Well that classic planning rendered its lovely head again. I had made reservation at a swanky restaurant. Thought I was big deal too cause I landed a 8pm booking. I thought being the good organised planner I would print out my confirmation. While going through my email, I noted a 'You missed your booking' email.' How can I miss a booking for an event that did not happen? Well you can if you made the booking for the WRONG week! Tried to explain that to the hostess, but it was no use. So we missed out on the swanky place, but we did end up going to Polpetto - a small Italian tapas place in SoHo. You would hardly notice the place, but if you come across it and are willing to wait you will not be disappointed. It was not the night that was planned...it was even better!!!

The end of March marks a few things. It is the day before April Fools (a favorite day for me). It is Memorial Day in Thailand, Freedom Day in Malta, but most importantly it marks the birth of our dear friend LL! To celebrate her birthday we went to Lahore Kebab House. Background: Our group has been going to Lahore for the past couple of years. Every time there are plans made to go there, I am either unable to go or if I am able to go, it is guaranteed that something at work will go wrong resulting in me having to stay until stupid o'clock that night. Thanks to LL, the Lahore curse was broken!!! I was able to go and boy was it worth it!!

It was a great evening laughing, laughing, laughing and eating. Boy was there A LOT of eating. Lahore is a place made for groups as you want to order one of everything from the menu. I wanted...I tried to find a fault in the menu, but I couldn't. The food was out of this world and what was even more the tops was the company. Spending time with LL celebrating her birthday was a sincere joy. Any even with LL is pure laughs.

Fast forwarding a bit to Saturday. Since Mid-Feb I have been addicted to watching cricket. I did not start out as a fan (or with any knowledge of the game), but am I indeed one now. I am hooked to all things India cricket related :-)

On Saturday I was glued to the TV as it was the final match of the World Cup: India vs Sri Lanka. I watched the match solo (yeah no takers for the 14 hr match), but was joined by spectators in San Fran, Penang, Mumbai, and Niskayuna. It was a nail biting match especially when Sehwag & Tendulkar were both out at 30 balls with only 18 runs. Not a good way to start for India. I thought Malinga had it, but he was not enough against MS Dhoni's determination. His genius batting resulted in 91 runs from 79 balls keeping India in the match. He closed his reign with hitting an amasing six resulting in India winning by 6 wickets! Pure brilliance!

The next day was my day of brilliance! Still on the high from India's win and to celebrate Mum's day in the UK I decided to go for a run. It is after all a tradition; when I cannot spend the day with Mom, I go for a run in her name. It all started with a half marathon in 2005.

It was a beautiful day in London and a great day for a nice run in the park in my new running outfit. It was certainly a day for trying something new...(Note to people: when it comes to running, avoid trying something new or doing unusual thing, let alone 3 things)... I had a new outfit, I went running without my BB and I thought why not just run across the road (rather than my usual stop and walking across the street).

About 3.5K into the run, when I had just reached the park, I fell while running off the pavement to cross the street. Don't know what happened, my left foot just went underneath me and I rolled into the middle of the street.

It was at this time that I realised 'Smarty did not bring her BB...what is the number of 911 in the UK?" (and no it is NOT 911).

I crawled back to the pavement in complete panic as I could not put my foot down. Thankfully, I nice gentlemen stopped in his car and a biker turned around. The kindness of strangers is truly amasing at times. The gentlemen (late for Mum's day brunch) drove me up the street to my drive-way. If it were not for the man in the silver Mercedes I don't know how I would have made it back to mine. This is a lesson to never run again without my BB.

It became clear that the "elevate & ice" trick was not working, so I was forced to go to the A&E. They say that a friend is someone by your side when you are laughing, but a true friend is one that is by you when tears fill your eyes. I was meant to go out that afternoon with Powers, so rather than meeting for brunch we met for an A&E adventure.

We were the only ones in the minor injuries unit so our laughter truly filled the wing. What else can you expect when you put Powers and I together..it is only natural. That said, there were some tears...especially when I heard that the best case scenario of my spill was a broken ankle and plaster for 3 months. The worst case scenario (which was highly unlikely) was surgery.

It was shattering and disappointing to hear that. I knew at that moment that Berlin was out. WHEN WILL MY TIME TO RUN A MARATHON BE?!?! Why does something ALWAYS happen. I could not hold back the tears of disappointment with this news and thought that I wouldn't not be able to run period.

This week is certainly one that I will remember. It has been filled with some events and memories that will stay with me for some time....sadly the focus for the next couple of months will be on my ankle and seeing what the doctors have to say. Hmmmmmm

Well on that cheery note, I am going to go. Happy Mum's Day (yup, that was a great A&E call to Mom -- Happy Mum's Day, hope you are well I fell and broke my ankle)!!!

Miss you all dearly and love you more.

xx

T