Friday morning, the 14th, I go in for back surgery again. As I said in an earlier post, the good news is the neurosurgeon knew exactly what the problem was, and knew exactly how to fix it. So, barring anything unforeseen, I should be home the same day and in markedly less pain.

Hopefully. I haven’t reached the advanced age I’m at by jinxing things. I spent all of last week in a ridiculous amount of pain–standing, sitting, lying down all hurt and the transition to any of them was awful. I learned my lesson and did not go to volunteer at the Survival Center Monday, so the pain this week is actually pretty manageable.

I’m looking forward to getting back to my volunteering. I haven’t been to our local hospital emergency department most of this year, and I miss it (despite it being physically draining). I’ve been able to work at the Survival Center most Mondays, but not all. And I’m usually flattened after a two hour shift there.

I found it amusing at the doctor’s office when I said that the only thing that really touches the pain when it’s bad is marijuana, and the PA I was talking to said, “You know, you’re not the first person to say that. I’m so glad it’s legal here because it’s a godsend.” It certainly is to me!

I’m also attending a bereavement group on Wednesday evenings. I haven’t yet decided if it’s helping. Sometimes all I want is someone to cry on, and that’s not what the group is about. I do get blindsided by grief at times, mostly at night, and it’s rough. I haven’t been able to write or read either, and I miss both.

I take heart in the election returns from last week. Talk about a blue wave! There was a post on social media making the rounds about ‘your favorite fantasy’ and I could subscribe to the one that said “It’s Tuesday, November 3rd 2026. the polls close and by 7:15pm it’s over. Democrats now have the House 335-100 and have won all 35 seats in the Senate. at 8:30pm Donald Trump hold a press conference where at 8:32 pm he has a rage stroke and dies live on camera. JD Vance takes over the presidency for 2 months because on January 3rd 2027 the 120th Congress convenes, immediately elects Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker of the House and then impeaches Vance. The Senate convicts Vance and he is removed from office by Friday, January 8th. Jeffries takes over as president until January 20th, 2029 where President Kamala Harris is sworn in after a landslide victory winning 45 out of 50 states. Every other Republican in the Trump admin is arrested and sent to a life in prison for treason and fraud. JD Vance locks himself inside an empty Rooms to Go and sets it on fire, preferring to go out with the true love of his life – the Mipolomol Loveseat in Beige.“

Yeah, I could get behind that idea!