My ORIF surgery will be one week ago tomorrow. I haven't left the house since then, except to crutch outside and have an occasional cigarette--bad for bone healing, I know, but it's one of the few things that gives me a bit of joy right now.

I won't sugarcoat anything: This has been a depressing week. In my pre-surgery excitement, I was sure I'd be able to take on the world just a few days after the operation. I thought I could start working by Monday because I need to write (that's what I do, from home fortunately) to eat and pay my medical bills. I haven't been able to meet my expectations, and my unfinished-work debt is mounting. Plus I can't walk or any of that great stuff.

Percocets are interesting drugs. I'd take them and they didn't seem to cut the pain, but after about 15 minutes they'd make me sleepy enough to pass out, so at least I wasn't consciously thinking about pain. I also had some uncomfortable side effects of Percocets that weren't listed on the bottle. Of course, I had the constipation, but I also had difficulty urinating and my whole body itched. It was great. Just let me sleep.

Well, it still hurt too much Monday to stop popping Percs so I could work. So I popped Percs and Benedryl. Monday was spent in and out of consciousness, on the couch in front of a tv tuned to Lifetime Movie Network. (Nice, right?) This was the first night I slept in my bed. I had hardly moved from the couch all weekend. Frankly, the bed wasn't all it's cracked up to be. It was more comfortable than the couch for my back, but left a lot to be desired in the "how-the-hell-should-I-position-my-leg" category. A crappy night's sleep.

Tuesday was my first Perc-free day, not because the pain had magically disappeared, but because I was so worried about work obligations I needed to get back to. Advil was my new drug. I tried working on the computer in the back room because I thought I could prop my leg on the desk. It was too uncomfortable. I tried to work for a few hours, but in early afternoon, I succumbed to the pain and had one Perc to take the edge off. I pooped for the first time since Friday. Sean washed my hair that evening. I slept uncomfortably in the bed.

Wednesday was a true Perc-free day and the first day I really did any work. In the morning, I showered for the first time since Sunday and I made coffee. These simple tasks took about two hours. I moved my laptop to the coffee table so I could lay on the couch and work. Not comfortable whatsoever, but more productive. I wrote 2 blog posts. (I am contracted to write 4 daily, and I'm a week and a half behind.) I was too exhausted to do anything else, so I watched some TV. I chopped an onion to help Sean make dinner. I drank one beer that made me feel sick. Slept in the bed, but I think I found a new way to lay. I didn't consider putting my leg broken side down. I may be on to something here...

And here's Thursday. So far, no complaints. I made a cup of tea, wrote the landscaper a check and begged a friend for help writing some magazine articles that I have no time or energy to do. I'm hoping to knock out several blog posts today to make it appear that I'm caught up in case my editor looks over the last few day's posting activity. I am nervous about losing that gig, but I don't want to tell her I'm behind if she hasn't noticed yet. I keep thinking I can catch up.