Thoughts...
Firstly, Happy Birthday to grygon , my wonderful RP Cloud. It's been over a year! O.O Shoot, some people's *relationships* don't last that long. LOL.
I know I've missed a few other birthdays while being mostly MIA on LJ the last few weeks. After I get it together there will be much appropriate groveling.
Yesterday was the one year anniversary of me nearly kicking the bucket. All hail medical science! It either saves you or kills you off...and sometimes both at the same time. You can bet the medication I was given is now forever listed as a severe allergy in my medical records in huge, bloody red type. It still scares me to remember that something so small and commonly given to people all the time managed to put *me* in a coma and dependant on a ventilator for three days.
A year later there is very little after effects of the massive brain swelling evident. Part of my tongue is still numb and I occasionally nip it by accident. My speech still slurs the slightest bit when I am very tired, but I think my accent covers most of it. Or maybe it doesn't. It's funny when strangers hear me talk, check out my decidedly odd name on my work badge and ask where I'm from. LOL. I just laugh and tell'em, "Right here, honey." I'm from the south therefore the 'honey' is almost obligatory but can be replaced by sugar, sweetie, etc. Oops, off on a tangent there.
I've worked hard this year on improving my memory retention. The language lessons and drills really help with that. I've brushed up on French, learned more Russian, some Italian and aggressively started Japanese. Even picked up some German. I've even reluctantly started relearning Spanish. I say reluctantly because the reason really pisses me off. No offense to Spanish speakers, but I think it's a bit much to move to an English speaking country and expect everyone to speak to you in *your* language. I read an article recently that said by 2010 English speakers will be the minority here. Um, what? I wonder what the Founding Fathers, the ones who fought so damned hard for independence, would think of this. Would they be angry or would they just accept it as another facet of the U.S. "melting pot"?
And there I go digressing again. Anyway, I'm still glad to be alive and nearly physically and mentally whole. The mentally part is always debatable, I know. Summer is coming, and I'm ready to retreat to the lake on my weekends off. Hubby has spent the last several days de-winterizing the boat and tuning the engines. I get the fun of cleaning up the interior and washing all the cushions and bedding from the cuddy cabin. I'm a bit pissed at myself for not bringing all that stuff inside last fall. The boat cover was on but there is always a bit of leakage. Mildew, YUCK!
Love, love, love to my flist! You all are such a bright, supportive and loving bunch to have in my life. You were there for me during the good times this past year and also during the darker times when I was really scared that I wouldn't recover. I don't think anyone could ask for a better crowd.
I know I've missed a few other birthdays while being mostly MIA on LJ the last few weeks. After I get it together there will be much appropriate groveling.
Yesterday was the one year anniversary of me nearly kicking the bucket. All hail medical science! It either saves you or kills you off...and sometimes both at the same time. You can bet the medication I was given is now forever listed as a severe allergy in my medical records in huge, bloody red type. It still scares me to remember that something so small and commonly given to people all the time managed to put *me* in a coma and dependant on a ventilator for three days.
A year later there is very little after effects of the massive brain swelling evident. Part of my tongue is still numb and I occasionally nip it by accident. My speech still slurs the slightest bit when I am very tired, but I think my accent covers most of it. Or maybe it doesn't. It's funny when strangers hear me talk, check out my decidedly odd name on my work badge and ask where I'm from. LOL. I just laugh and tell'em, "Right here, honey." I'm from the south therefore the 'honey' is almost obligatory but can be replaced by sugar, sweetie, etc. Oops, off on a tangent there.
I've worked hard this year on improving my memory retention. The language lessons and drills really help with that. I've brushed up on French, learned more Russian, some Italian and aggressively started Japanese. Even picked up some German. I've even reluctantly started relearning Spanish. I say reluctantly because the reason really pisses me off. No offense to Spanish speakers, but I think it's a bit much to move to an English speaking country and expect everyone to speak to you in *your* language. I read an article recently that said by 2010 English speakers will be the minority here. Um, what? I wonder what the Founding Fathers, the ones who fought so damned hard for independence, would think of this. Would they be angry or would they just accept it as another facet of the U.S. "melting pot"?
And there I go digressing again. Anyway, I'm still glad to be alive and nearly physically and mentally whole. The mentally part is always debatable, I know. Summer is coming, and I'm ready to retreat to the lake on my weekends off. Hubby has spent the last several days de-winterizing the boat and tuning the engines. I get the fun of cleaning up the interior and washing all the cushions and bedding from the cuddy cabin. I'm a bit pissed at myself for not bringing all that stuff inside last fall. The boat cover was on but there is always a bit of leakage. Mildew, YUCK!
Love, love, love to my flist! You all are such a bright, supportive and loving bunch to have in my life. You were there for me during the good times this past year and also during the darker times when I was really scared that I wouldn't recover. I don't think anyone could ask for a better crowd.