Back to being a patient

Today at 2:00 I head back to Penn for surgery to cover the hole in my skull.  I'm looking forward to getting it over with, but I'm not looking forward to the return to being a patient. Already I have a headache from not eating or drinking today and I've been trying to distract myself for hours, folding laundry, reading news, last-minute tidying up before I have to sit still for a while. 

Recovery will be similar to the past surgeries, keeping my head clean and dry and out of the sun, getting lots of rest, and then eventually getting back into my usual routine. My hope is it goes faster this time, without the hinderance of radiation and lots of doctor visits. The warm weather will help immensely. So will the fact Rita's Water Ice stores are open. 

My sights are set on the after - humid summer mornings at the gym or on the bike, waking up at the lake and smelling the wooden dock baking in the sun, swimming in the pool,going to the beach. There are so many things I love about summer and I am looking at this experience as the price of admission for the season. I don't want an infection to shorten the time I have to enjoy the long days of sun and warmth. I want to get through this and on to the next chapter, so that is what I am planning for.