I am SOOOOO glad I’m off painkillers! As soon as I mention my broken arm I get jokes about getting “good meds.” Well while Vicodin and Percocet helped me sleep and be more comfortable physically, they were awful mentally. I was whiny boo boo kitty, had a hard time forming coherent thoughts, couldn’t handle loud noises or lots of activity, and always felt a bit ready to throw up. I’ve been reading The Goldfinch for a while and decided to finish it while out of work (Kindle FTW, perfection for one-handed reading!), and I don’t want to ruin it for you, but there are characters in the book who abuse prescription drugs, one mainly using Vicodin, and the combination of the awful feeling and the book made me stop the drugs last Monday. After a couple days I was able to sleep up to six hours without waking, feel so much more alive and positive!
And have to give the biggest of props to Karl, who has been an utter rockstar through all of this. Making sure I took my meds, taking me to appointments, doing all the dishes and laundry and cleaning, putting Em to bed and bathing her, bathing ME, feeding us, and being so zen through the crazy. My sister has also been so fantastic, helping with Emerson and me, giving Karl a bit of a break. My mom has been so helpful, offering to watch Em during appointments and coming over to help.
And the wonderful people I have met through blogging have also been wonderful. It has made me tear up to see how brands I started partnering with a year or so ago are now friends, reaching out, sending well wishes, offering help. I’ve gotten so many sweet comments and emails from you all, I wish I could type better so I can let you know how much your messages mean and how glad I have connected with you. And my virtual friends, be you IRL friends who are also bloggers or have moved far away, readers who have become friends, or fellow bloggers I have gotten to know well, you have been so great during this time.
Speaking of those friends, I reached out to them and asked if they could help out a bit while I heal. So every so often (no more than once a week) I will be having them guest post on Wardrobe Oxygen. I have reached out to those who I think can provide content that you would enjoy, and will be a nice complement to the content I provide and the conversations we have here in the comments and on Twitter and Facebook.
While having my arm broken sucks big time, it has been so great to have this time to spend with Emerson and Karl. I type this with Emerson cuddled up on the couch next to me watching Pokemon 4Ever (I’ve seen this movie eight times since Friday, but it means eight times I have snuggled with Emerson without having to rush off to work or a blog thing), Karl in the kitchen making breakfast, soon coming to join us. I realize how busy I have been, rarely at home and when here, usually attached to a phone or laptop. This down time has been a great exercise in reassessing priorities, and a great time to connect with my family on a deeper level. I miss writing desperately, but I feel blessed that it was only my arm and I am recuperating surrounded by such love.
Much love to all of you, miss you!
- Alison
