What a week's life throws at you

So I almost posted on Monday a blog with the title "The Natives are Restless" saying that it was a bright sunny day and when I got on the Mass Pike East to go to work I was craving going West instead, just to have a drive and go no where in particular; that being cooped up all summer was getting the best of me and I needed to travel.

Well... omg... we got a call in the middle of the night (Tuesday 2AM) from Lebanon to say that my husband's father was in surgery for a brain bleed/stroke and they didn't know if he was going to make it.  My husband and I stayed up the rest of the night and at about 5AM left the house to make a round trip to NYC to get his passport renewed at the Lebanese Consulate.  Talk about going WEST on the Mass Pike...  I threw together some snacks (I popped three mini-bags of popcorn, packed fruit, soda, and threw in a wedge of fritatta that I had made for Sunday's breakfast) and off we went.  Let's just say it was not a good day for an excursion - President Obama was at the UN, which meant not only was traffic and parking worse than usual, but His Majesty, the Lebanese Consul was at the UN and there was no one to sign off on a passport.  After much heated debate and argument about whether the Lebanese government should shut down because of the President's visit, my husband got someone to sign off on a 1-day pass to enter the country with the proviso that he would get a passport there within 24 hours of landing...

We made the round-trip - in the rain - and were home by about 4PM.  That took care of my restlessness - I had forgotten how much I hate going West (maybe not West in general, but going through NYC traffic... OUCH).  THEN on the way home I had to make reservations for my husband and son to fly out to Lebanon the next day.  Wednesday morning I got up and realized the suitcases we had, had seen better days so off I was luggage shopping... then to the bank - TWICE... then to TJMaxx and Marshalls and CVS for last minute things they needed... then to the cleaners... you get the picture.  By the time I saw the two of them off my right knee was swollen 4" bigger than the left knee.  It's STILL swollen. 

Part of it was the length of time in the car and the in-and-out of it.  We were careful to try to stop every 1 1/2 hours so I could get out and walk, but a few times it wasn't possible because of the traffic and the rain.  Then the next day - with so many errands to run I added to the problem.  But it wasn't just the in and out of errands, it was the force of walking so fast to get where I had to go.  It would have almost been back to normal in that regard, if the swelling didn't take over.

I almost cried this morning.  As I got out of my car at work and had to hobble into the office.  My knee hadn't felt this bad ... well... since surgery...  And tomorrow my belly dance classes start.  LAST Friday at this time I was all ready for them and not worried at all.  Today is a different story.  I'm not worried in the sense that I am going to hurt myself and do any damage... I'm just upset that I'm not feeling my best.  My students are very accepting of my situation and will let me "direct traffic" rather than do all the dance steps at the head of the class.  I even have enlisted some of my advanced students to help with the beginners in case I am not able to show them what I need to.

Boy - when it rains it pours...  but at least the native is no longer restless.

Miriam