It's surgery. !#!#@%%$^%$$#@#@#!@!
Icky stuff below - don't read if you're squeamish.
My ACL is completely torn in half. This is not fixable. The surgeon will have to harvest from my hamstring and like fashion a new ligament. YUCKY!!! (There's another option, but it's even yuckier as it involves the word "cadaver.") Also, it appears that my cartilage (meniscus) is also torn. The MRI was not clear about how bad that tear is. If he does have to do extensive repairs to the cartilage, then I will be in a brace AND on crutches for six weeks. I'm really hoping that the cartilage isn't too bad. Six weeks is a long time. The surgery will take place the end of the month. Boo hoo.
In other depressing news, I had a little panic attack at the top of the steps last night. I looked down and just got kind of sick feeling and panicked. The dreams are still bad too. This just seems so silly to me. Like my own mind is torturing me. There are WAY worse things that happen to people and they function just fine. It makes me feel totally self-absorbed and babyish to still be freaking out about the steps.
Enough of my knee....it's getting boring even to me.
I read today that a high school in West Virginia is banning books by one of this country's best contemporary authors - Pat Conroy. Two of his books were assigned in an ADVANCED OPTIONAL English course.....for SENIORS. It seems that the parents feel that Mr. Conroy's books feature too much sex and violence. Are you kidding me? I can almost guarantee that Mr. Conroy's books are the TAMEST exposure these kids have had to sex and violence. The parents make it sound like it's two books full of bawdiness and smut. One poor, sensitive soul could not even finish reading it because it was so awful. I wonder if this woman has read the Bible lately. Pretty gory stuff in there.
It's pretty ironic that I read this news story today. I just re-read all of his books. One of them, the Prince of Tides, I have read to shreds. Mr. Conroy isn't for everyone, but I have loved every single thing he has written. His powers of description are astonishing. Make sure you read Beach Music (one of the "bad" ones) on a full stomach - the way he describes food will have you drooling. I could understand the problem if these kids were younger. As a parent I do believe that somethings are not appropriate for kids of certain ages. But for older children, I think a truly responsible parent will teach their kids how to understand and interpret the things they hear and see - not shield them forever.
Well - that was a big rant. I just hate the idea of censorship....especially in such a stupid case. I would be THRILLED if my boys ever read Mr. Conroy's works. A perfect example of how much more right he is than the parents is right here:
Because the two books were temporarily banned "every kid in that county will read them, every single one of them. Because book banners are invariably idiots," Conroy wrote in the letter published Oct. 24 in The Charleston Gazette. "They don't know how the world works — but writers and English teachers do."
Here's a link to the full story.
7 comments:
I had a Pat Conroy book assigned in high school: The Lords of Discipline. I learned more cuss words from that book than in the 16 previous years of my sheltered existence! Still, it was an incredible book and still a favorite. I love books that completely transport me into their world, and this one did - I love Conroy.
I have had panic attacks before, and they are not fun at all. Don't beat yourself up over having one, either - it happens to the best of us for lots of different reasons, and not all of those reasons have to be "reasonable". *hugs*
Tasina, I do not think you are at all over the top on being freaked out by stairs right now. Makes perfect sense to me. Hang in there. Gosh, what a fall. Sounds like it's a good thing you have health insurance because all of that sounds expensive.
You and I agree so much on issues of personal freedoms, so it's no surprise that we feel the same way on book banning. Disgusting. Scary. I'm adding Beach Music to my list of things to read, on principle. If I like it, I'll recommend it to any teenager I can find. On principle.
Dear Tasina,
I get vertigo on the escalator at JCPenney sometimes. I'm just sayin'. And I haven't fallen down any stairs and ripped my ACL to shreds. So I think your excuse is a *lot* better than mine.
In other words, you get a pass, baby.
As for the surgery, just be grateful that you have already quit the smokin'. Can you remember what it was like to wake up without a pack of cigarettes? And to be jonesin' for a smoke? Now add in the idea that you can't smoke indoors, but you can't walk outdoors.
See? Ev'ry cloud has a silver lining!
If you lived nearby, I would make you something sinful to deliver right after your surgery. Something loaded with calories. Like Apricot Nectar Cake or Jerome bars. You aren't allergic to nuts, are you?
And of course, I would bring a nice Pat Conroy book to read in the hospital. Something with *lots* of cursewords and sex. Because, y'know, a girl's got to keep her brain occupied, even if the high school students in West Virginia aren't afforded the same luxury. ;)
Anne - there are some disturbing elements to all of Conroy's books. But for high school seniors, I think he's fine. I'm glad you wound up liking him.
Maggie - not only do I have health insurance, I have AFLAC (she typed, in a ducky-way) for accidents. That's going to help a TON because I'm likely going to run out of leave. I hope you do read Beach Music. I think it's a beautiful book. Then tell all the teenagers you know that they CAN'T read it. It's too much for them. They can't handle it. They'll all read it then.
Bay - there a lots of ways to ship goodies!! :)
Go AFLAC! That's great news. I wish it was offered where I am, but it's not. Even if this is a really crappy way of getting time off work, I do hope that you will get any good relaxation from it you can. I was once off work for a month after something really profoundly sad, but I did wake up every day at least a little glad not to have to go to work even if overall it would have been a better alternative.
The funny thing about the AFLAC is that I signed up for it mostly for the boys. Dylan's into skateboarding and has had other injuries from sports (he also once got a concussion from a seashell - that's a long story). I figured Noah would be getting to that point soon too. But apparently it's *me* who needed this coverage.
A seashell? Wow. That's talent.
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