Going to a conference today.....

It's a big day for me today.... going to the big annual conference in my field, which happens to be local this year (it's 4 days long). For a while, I went to this conference every year, but it became too tiring w/my health issues, so I haven't been since 2005. I also am just coming out of 3 or so months of bed rest.

So, up until last night I was really excited, and then I got sad/nervous. Just so much grief about what being sick has taken from me .... mostly I haven't been going there, but I am now.... and then I'm nervous because I haven't been working for a while and I've been kind of cloistered, not even interacting much. Hoping I still know how to talk to people in person....

I'm also a bit nervous about the bathrooms, as I've been emptying into a jug, and I really don't want to do that in a big public bathroom, which is what I think is there. However, the really good news is that my wound is healing rapidly now, it's almost closed -- so I think I'll be OK on one knee into the toilet -- will practice at home. If not, will make finding a private bathroom a priority.

I see my surgeon today before the conference -- he only does office visits on Weds and is out of town next week, so bad timing. This will be the first time since my last surgery that I go to the appt myself, on the subway (haven't been on that in months either).

So, a big day. I will take it easy and leave early if I need to (although there's a reception at dinner time that I'd really like to go to).

I have a lunch date w/a friend/colleague who I haven't seen in a while, so that should be nice.

So, we'll see how it goes .... my entrance back into this particular world....

Good luck, I bet you,ll be so busy for a change that it will actually take your mind off everything and help. I thought Sylla was your surgeon, a she?

Allswell, thanks. I actually have two surgeons.... Dr Sylla did my second surgery with a plastic surgeon -- she cleaned up the non healing perineal wound, and then he closed it in a very fancy plastic surgery kind of way, and now he's in charge of it.... that was kind of a shock at first, as his office runs very differently from hers, but finally it seems like it's all going to work, so I'm not complaining.

Good luck with your day! sure you're nervous and it's a pretty big deal, but looking forward to hearing about how well it all went and what a great time you had later on.. keep us posted! Sarah x

I'm eleven years out from surgery and I still grieve the 2+ years of my life I lost to living in a chronic UC flare. It hits me every now and then much like the death of my grandma, father, and favorite pet. I think this is normal. You should do fine and if not, you can go home and return at a later time. Will be thinking positive thoughts for you on this re-entry.

Sue

Like I've been telling you, back to life!

I had a great day. Ran into a few people I knew, they were glad to see me, met a few new people, found out I could converse intelligently about topics not involving wounds and poop, etc. Best of all, I saw the publisher I know and we talked for a while and he liked the idea for my book and wants to see more.

I got tired mid afternoon and was clear that I was done for the day. It's so odd, but I have not been pushing myself or overdoing it for a while, so it feels like the norm to respect my limits -- what a concept!

The only bad thing was that I pulled a muscle in my calf going down some stairs to the subway on the way home. Not sure what's up w/my legs, but they've been tight, something not cleared up from the bed rest, even though I've been stretching them as best I can. I was limping the rest of the way home. Hope it's nothing major, don't think it is....

Yes, well, I was about to request your report of the day!
It's normal with leg muscles after lots of time in bed.
Also normal that you got tired. But it was a great day for a starter!

Ohhhh that sounds neat. I used to develop curriculum for Language Arts. Was VERY into it. Glad your conference went well. We are all so multi talented aren't we. We had our life then learned all the medical stuff we never wanted to ........darn we're good! Rosemary

Blue, some advice you may not want, I speak as a publishing lady, the title is great but too long. What about:

"Pool Tables, Repeating Decimals, String Designs, and other Not-so-Elementary topics."

You could cut "...in Algebra and Number Theory" because it will be obvious anyway.

I love the book process! Get started writing. Move it. Deliver the goods. Then rewrite and you'll see what happens. But you know all tha already.

Except for the leg pain, it sounds like you had a great day! I'm married to a high school math teacher, and we have a pool table in our house, so I love the idea of your book! Hope your leg heals up quickly, so you can enjoy another day at the conference.

Cece

Just thought I'd follow up. I was at the conference all day the last two days! It was amazing.... lot of connections, interesting things, opportunities.

I'm tired and achy all over today (but I'm not sure I'm a lot worse than any other out of shape middle aged person who spent the last two days doing what I did....), but my partner checked the wound last night, and it's definitely redder etc, but it didn't open up or anything, and I think it's OK. Worth it. Rest today.

One highlight was that I was talking to someone about a workshop that I might be a good fit for (something I hadn't thought of doing, a new direction). He said he'd send me an invitation, and I asked where it was, and he said California (3000 miles away). My first response was "that's really far." He said, thinking he caught my concern, "It's all expenses paid"

The money makes a big difference, but I was about to tell him that I meant that I couldn't go because of my health.... but then I caught myself, and thought that that isn't true any more, I could do this if I wanted to!

Wow..... I think I really am getting better..... how cool is that?