Home Health Hunks

Cloudy and humid Monday. Jo is coming so we teased Dario he’d be sleeping in the doghouse since he didn’t fix the hot water heater pipe. Jo hates washing dishes in cold water…its horrible when Ana (I can’t pretend I cook any longer, hard enough on my knee while holding my foot up to wash dishes and swab the countertops) cooks with oil, everything stays greasy. We use a bar soap to swipe along a sponge to wash dishes, they do have a liquid soap as well which is not very sudsy. We have our choice of either a bar of soap or powder to launder the clothes.

With the heat, it is a great relief to bathe every day. The shower is an open area with a sheet of glass that divides the space with a toilet and sink. Though it is roomy, I can reach the side walls easily with my long arms. I take my time in the bathroom because, between the large piece of glass and not-so-secure sink, I could easily wipe-out. Scoot along on my plastic bench in the shower, keeping my left leg suspended…comical. To dry off completely and get dressed (there is a man in the house after all!) is a chore. Before I even perceive I have to use the restroom, I plod on over. It is not located inside the house but a step down from my bedroom and one small step up into the bathroom around the corner. Ana and Dario have their own bathroom as well as Jo and her husband. So, essentially I have my own as well, though I graciously share it with guests.

I’ve been reading aloud from the old Vega Magazines for a bit each morning. Ana thinks she might have a children’s grammar book in Portuguese somewhere. I need to be doing something productive! Perhaps I can scrounge up some English students from the hospital. Don’t really know what I should be doing here since I am incapacitated, stuck on crutches and not even adventurous enough to catch the bus. Ana assures me it is too dangerous and bumpy for her comfort level. Sigh. Stuck…but to take away from the gloom…the McFabulous and his male nurse showed up from the local clinic. Wow, what a cutie! McFab is a doll, the latter is a bald-headed and a bit stern but efficient young man.

The two visitors, dressed in jeans and t-shirts arrived in style on their motorcycle, clapping at the gate to announce their arrival. Who knew those two handsome men are a doctor and nurse? After a short conversation with Ana, they came in my room and introduced themselves. They knew I was here because Ana and Dario had stopped by on Friday to collect my meds at the clinic and recounted my accident and medical treatment. Not sure if McFabulous took it upon himself to come and check on me or if it customary to do so. Again, more than half the time I am lost in translation. I showed McFab and Right-Hand Man my X-rays and the former confirmed I broke my fibia and the screws on the tibia secured it all in place. Right-Hand Man un-wrapped the bandage and they both checked the wounds and sutures. Both agreed McWonderful did an excellent job yet were concerned that he would have left the bandage on for so long without a good scrub (ow!) antibiotic cream and new dressing. This warm climate doesn’t serve well for a rapid closure. I was pretty sure the scrapes happened during surgery. I vaguely recall McWonderful sharing something about the wounds but don’t remember what he said. Should have taken a picture of my newly twisted ankle but didn’t have my Ipod at the time. McFabulous and his nurse zipped off on the bike to get supplies at the clinic.

Solente (the egg lady) was with me at the time the Men in Jeans arrived. We were chatting about accidents in the neighborhood, the fact that I shouldn’t climb the hill to the fields with my bad ankle, stated I was sorry that I couldn’t give her the break we promised, I offered to give her children English lessons, etc. Solente must be thirty-five, roundish and pleasant. She has lost most of her front teeth so sometimes it is hard to understand her. After the Men in Jeans departed on an errand to procure the bandages and necessary items to clean the wounds, Solente and I sighed over the fact that McFabulous is so young and precious! Yes, even the mother of four boys can see the benefit of a sweet young thing of a doctor in the neighborhood.

Before we knew it, the motorcycle reappeared in front of the gate and the two hunks fussed over my ankle, gave me care instructions, (only use ice treatments in this weather,) answered Ana and Jo’s questions (the latter had just pulled-in) left behind some medical supplies for their next visit and got their photo taken. They promised to be back on Thursday to do it all over again. I told them they could come back whenever they choose! I would be delighted to host them both.

I was flattered when I showed McFabulous the meds McWonderful prescribed and he said I didn’t need to take the Osteofix, wasn’t sure why it was given to me. I said McWonderful suggested them since I have the beginnings of Osteoperosis. Already? When I told him I am 52 years, 4 months and 37 days old he was shocked and told me…then I guess you should take them. What a darling! McFab encouraged me to stay put here in Registro. He reassured me it is imperative to relax and heal these first four weeks and not to consider traveling. It is too stressful and dangerous to move the leg around that much.

Was so glad to have taken the time earlier this morning to change into something other than the white shorts that were ready to walk away on their own and the t-shirt I had turned inside out to get one more day out of it. Jo was coming and I didn’t want her to think I am a slob. My hair is a bit out of whack but what’s new. Besides, with Jo around, no one is inspecting my head!  

Jo arrived (she is nearly 70, mind you) with a partially shaved head. I laughed since she seemed very self-conscious and unsure of the new doo and suggested she should start a band. Jo said the girl told her it was all the rave now. Well, perhaps for a sixteen year old! Poor thing! Ah, hair grows…at least her ankle bone is intact.

Ian: Sorry about the Tigers. We thought of you each night as Dario switched back and forth from one Sports Channel to the next. “Oh, Ian is crying,” he would spout. We all prayed your team would do better the next day.

How do I maintain my relevance and sense of purpose under these circumstances?