I’ve been better…That said, every part of my body hurts EXCEPT the area where they opperated.

My throat feels like someone shoved a very sharp knife in and out at a rapid pace. The remnants of a breathing tube.

Everytime I retire to the restroom it feels like my urine is shards of glass. The tube for the catheter left an abbrasion upon its removal.

I’m tired and my body aches. I go this morning to have my sheid removed and to see how the cornea is doing. I’ve had no pain in the eye, and no headaches. This bodes well. If you have pain or a headache it can sometimes mean rejection.

I’ll let you know how it goes!

I’m in and being prepped! So much for being able to wear my own clothes—I have the shame of wearing the backless gown. I’ll see you all on the otherside!

We’ve checked in and are just waiting for them to come get me! Who knows how long that will take. The hallway to pre-admissions is the LONGEST hallway…It was like walking down The Green Mile. Anyway, I took a picture of the eye that is being worked on for you:

I came across this pictorial from the NY Times and I have to say it made me feel geniunely happy.

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/09/28/theater/20090928_stagedoor_user_slideshow_33.html

If you’ve never really, and I mean really, seen live theater you can never understand that feeling of happiness.  Even seeing a god awful broadway show can make your day.  It’s theater and its live.  I can’t believe how many shows that I go to locally that are wretched, they should be embarassed that they call themselves a professional theater, but man it’s live theater.  I may leave bitching that it was this or that, or who do they think they are, or are you f’ing kidding me, but it’s like a double esspreso shot right to your veins — it makes me happy.

I’ve only done the stage door thing once and it was for Paul Newman in Our Town.  He was the most polite and gracious guy I had ever seen.  I was so in awe I didn’t even ask for his autograph.  I just stood there and stared.  NO photo op.  Just caught like a deer in headlights.  If you know me, you may have heard the story of him looking at me and grabbing his handkerchief and sort of nodding and offering it to me as I’m sobbing at the scene where its Emily’s funeral.  For some reason that show always gets me.  It’s like the old Lana Turner movie “Imitation of Life” or something like that.  I sob like a baby.

Seeing those pictures of young and old, standing in the cold dark night, waiting to thank the person that gave them a night to remember — it simply made me happy!  It’s what I needed on this cold dark fall Friday morning 100’s of miles away from the Great White Way.

Life is so strange. We grow up, and go to school where there are these very definitive roles that every student is cast in. The popular ones, the jocks, the brainiacs, the nerds, etc. It’s hard, 15 or so years later, to not remember folks in those roles.

Facebook has changed that. It’s reconnected us, and you find that the once loser kid is now a VP driving a BMW; or the fat boy is now built like a brick shit house; it’s an interesting process to go through.

Which leads me to this story…A story of reverence and awe…I went to high school with this super smart guy. He and my best friend were only seperated by a few points for Valedvictorian (Shaf got the honor), but this kid was headed for greatness. I always assumed he’d become some sort of scientist. I never really got to know him. Flash forward 15 years and here he his on Facebook.

It turns out we have a lot in common…He’s this really cool and interesting guy who’s an artist, a science geek, and an engineer! I’m none of those things. I wish we had a lot in common!

He’s totally marching down his own path. I always thought I would be that very cool and interesting alumnus. I’m not and he is. I always thought I would go to Burning Man and it turns out I would never cut it there, but he is in the thick of it.

I’m glad that the roles we are given in high school are not permanent. I’m glad that we can change, but man I’m jealous that I have never gone to the Burning Man…

Lying in bed I heard today’s Story Corps on NPR. 9/11 seems so far away, but for those who lost a loved one it’s as raw and real as if it happened yesterday.

Take a moment to remember those that perished and to tell those in your life that you love them.

Story Corps:
Firefighter Father Recalls Losing Sons On 9/11 http://su.pr/2OMXAW
September 11, 2009 5:15:19 AM
from Su.pr

Joe and I spent last night at the Blue Moon. After several drinks this scarry looking Hot Mess decided to join us. He decided that Joe was the one he wanted! It was hysterical — first he didn’t as much sit on the bench next to Joe as fall into him, then he started to feel up Joe’s arms and legs. Finally Joe got away, but not before we got a picture!

It’s the great thing about Rehoboth-you never know what kind of craziness will ensue!

We spent a great day at the beach! Even Olivia had some sun and surf!

Now, if you could have only seen us taking a shower afterwards!

It’s been a long time since I posted, and I promise blogosphere that when we get back from vacation I will be better!  In the mean time here are some photos from Joe’s birthday party!

Some quotes from President Obama:

I’m running for President to build an America that lives up to our founding promise of equality for all ‐ a promise that extends to our gay brothers and sisters. It’s wrong to have millions of Americans living as second‐class citizens in this nation. And I ask for your support in this election so that together we can bring about real change for all LGBT Americans.

…

As your President, I will use the bully pulpit to urge states to treat
same‐sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws.

…

I support the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act
(DOMA). Federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and
lesbian couples, which is precisely what DOMA does. I have also called for us to
repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and I have worked to improve the Uniting
American Families Act so we can afford same‐sex couples the same rights and
obligations as married couples in our immigration system.

…

The next president must also address the HIV/AIDS epidemic. When it
comes to prevention, we do not have to choose between values and science.
While abstinence education should be part of any strategy, we also need to use
common sense.

…

We also need a president who’s willing to confront the stigma ‐ too often
tied to homophobia ‐ that continues to surround HIV/AIDS.

…

I will never compromise on my commitment to equal rights for all LGBT
Americans. But neither will I close my ears to the voices of those who still need
to be convinced. That is the work we must do to move forward together.

…

Americans are yearning for leadership that can empower us to reach for
what we know is possible. I believe that we can achieve the goal of full equality
for the millions of LGBT people in this country. To do that, we need leadership
that can appeal to the best parts of the human spirit. Join with me, and I will
provide that leadership. Together, we will achieve real equality for all
Americans, gay and straight alike.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tonight President Obama will be signing some sort of proclimation re: same sex benefits…No one is certain what it is, so we will wait in see.  Perhaps he will act as he said he would.  I’m hopeful.  I’m also a realist.  I think this will be a lot of wagging the dog…We’ll see.