One Week

I spent most of the last week with my family, almost all of whom I hadn't seen in a month. And as frustrating as they can be, particularly my parents, it was nice to step back into to familiar territory. Pun intended I suppose.

My dad, who's had both his legs amputated in the last six months; my mom, who is now taking care of a newborn baby thanks to my absentee addict of a sister; both doing whatever they have to do to adjust to a new normal, and with generally positive attitudes. Specifically my dad. I'm not sure anyone ever had such a 180 degree personality change, for the positive at least.

It makes it pretty difficult to sit in my own situation and mope about like a tool.

Yesterday the doc took my stitches and staples out, and I got my first real glimpse and my face. It shook me a bit, but it wasn't as bad as I feared. The ability to eat more than a tiny bite at a time isn't quite there yet, but being told I have to push myself on that front was welcome. Apparently I need to work the muscles in my neck and jaw to stretch them back out so that I have as close to full range of motion as possible.

Every once in awhile I'll get a nerve or two firing in my face and it gives me a little hope that they're waking up. The doc said it could take months before I have complete feeling back. Disheartening, but maybe it's better than feeling whatever pain there might be.

I spent most of the last year at work and then living in solitude. More than anything I think the last week has reinforced that I'm just not cut out for that, as much as I thought I was.