Why Not A Hug O' War?

I will not play at tug o'war.

I'd rather play at hug o'war,

Where everyone hugs

Instead of tugs,

Where everyone giggles

And rolls on the rug,

Where everyone kisses,

And everyone grins,

And everyone cuddles,

And everyone wins.

BY: Shel Silverstein

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            A boy from my state died in Afghanistan today.  He was killed from an IED blast.  He was only 19 years old.  I cried.  It hit a little too close to home.  Good grief … can’t they all just hug it out and come home? 

            The days have been rough lately.  At least with my last surgery I was working, so I had something to do to occupy my days.  But with summer vacation, the days just seem to drag on and on and on.  It’s menacing.  I think I just might be going nutty.  I have never been so bored really.  I think by the end of these 6 weeks I should have every piece of yarn crocheted and every book read.  Dear … Lord.

            It’s only been 1 week and 1 day that Joey has been deployed, but it seems like it’s been forever.  I feel like he is in basic training again, in the sense that I have no idea when I will get a phone call or for how long it will be.  I hate that.  I am paranoid to leave my phone.  I remember last summer when Joey was in basic training, I missed a phone call.  I cried … and cried … and cried.  I feel like I let him down … that I wasn’t there for him when I should have been.  It was an awful feeling. 

            I interviewed for a teaching position yesterday.  I think I did a pretty good job.  I look like hell crutching into an interview, and definitely not the most professional, but all things considered I thought I answered questions to the best of my ability.  The only hard part is that it was in Houlton.  The reasons I moved in with mom and dad are that I need a lot of help right now, and I won’t even start walking for a while.  I have a long time of therapy ahead of me.  And I most definitely did not want to be alone during Joey’s deployment.  But at the same time, I really want to be in a classroom next year.  I guess I have a lot to think about.

            The trip took a lot out of me.  I guess I’m forgetting that I am only a week and a half out from surgery.  I crashed as soon as I got home and slept until this morning.  Pathetic … but I guess my body needed it.  The good news is that I have been off pain pills since last night at 8 PM.  Bad news is that my dog stepped on one of my incisions today and it hurt like hell.  I got a little teary eyed and swore a little.  So sadly, I will be taking a pain pill before bed.  Darn!  I was doing so well too!

            I start therapy on Friday.  I’m excited.  1 – it will get me out of the house … and 2 – I need the exercise!!!  My leg is pretty much a bone with fat on it … I feel like the blob.  I’ve been doing the best I can with diet, but there is really only so much you can do without exercise.  I’m also excited to start BENDING my leg.  That is going to feel so good.  I usually sleep on my side all curled up in a ball and that is kind of hard to do when one leg sticks straight out in a big, bulky brace.  Sleeping in general is quite hard with one leg sticking straight out in a big, bulky brace.  Oh well … I’m going to have to suck it up!  I have at LEAST 4 more weeks of this madness.  Here’s to hoping that it will go by fast.

            So here’s to hoping that I can sleep.  Here’s to hoping that I will hear from Joey.  And here’s to hoping that all of the soldiers and military members will be safe tonight.