Details

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It's rather amazing how exhausting it is to lie in bed for 30 hours! You'd think doing absolutely nothing would leave you rested, but apparently that's not how the human body works. I found myself moving at a snail's pace all day, attempting to tackle an item or two on my never-ending to-do list before crashing on the couch for an afternoon nap.

I have to admit, not much got done around the house or yard, but neither Tim nor I seemed to care. Instead, we packed a bag and headed to the beach for the late afternoon sunshine and evening sunset. We sat on the deck at the club for a while, soaking up the warm sun with a perfect breeze drifting in off the ocean. It was exactly what I needed.

Eventually, Tim wandered down to the beach while I went inside for a game of Mahjong... or two... or three... or maybe four.

It's not often I get to play at the club with Lorraine, the woman who taught me the game years ago. She was eager for fast-paced play and some serious competition, both of which I was more than happy to provide. Another club member joined us. She plays often but admitted she was a little intimidated by our speed and intensity. She held her own, though, and did great. We each ended up with a win, but I managed to take two victories, even beating my own instructor. Seeing Lorraine smile with pride at how much my game has improved was probably my favorite win of the evening.

By the time I walked down to the beach to meet Tim, he was packing up and ready to grab dinner. We opted for the bowling alley, neither of us felt like anything fancy, and sometimes your favorite local comfort spot is exactly where you want to be. We were home before nine, and I couldn't climb into bed fast enough. I was completely wiped out.

Hopefully I'll get my strength back soon. Evidently, recovering from a hospital stay takes a little longer than I'd like to admit.

Oh... and I completely forgot to share one of the funniest moments from the hospital.

The first night, I was lying in bed when the nurse came in to check my vitals. In the calmest, most matter-of-fact voice she asked, "Do you normally use a cane to walk at home?"

Excuse me... WHAT?!

I must have looked absolutely terrible! A cane? Really? I laughed afterward, but at the time I was thinking, "Good grief, how bad do I look?"

As for sharing all the details of my hospital visit, that's just how I roll. In fact, Tim and I have a standing agreement that whenever one of us eventually dies, hopefully many, many years from now, our obituary is going to start with exactly what we died from.

None of this, "passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones..." followed by everyone reading three more paragraphs trying to solve the mystery before checking where to send donations for clues. Just tell people! Isn't that what everyone secretly wants to know when they read an obituary? I'd rather it say something like, "She died from (insert cause of death) after a long  (or short) battle," or "It happened suddenly," or whatever the truth may be. Life is messy, bodies are unpredictable, and honesty never hurt anyone. So buckle up for all the details when we go! 

Thankfully, that day is a long way off. For now, a few random facial spasms aren't going to be the thing that takes me out. They did, however, remind me that sometimes your body deserves rest, and afterward, it's perfectly okay to spend a day moving slowly, watching a sunset, playing a few rounds of Mahjong, and appreciating the simple gift of feeling well enough to do all of it.

"Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive." — Elbert Hubbard