When Earl’s iMac is idle it displays a rotating slide show of our trip to Hawai’i in January. Even though it’s been only four months since we visited the Aloha State, I feel like a year has passed since that wonderful trip.
Our last two major vacations have been punctuated by the urinary system difficulties I had before the corrective surgery in March. During our cruise in June 2015 I had to always be cognizant of bathroom locations because I was headed there at least once an hour during my waking moments. While in Hawai’i it was much the same situation, with my pleading to the pee gods, “please let me just get through this trip, I’m getting everything fixed when we get home”. Having issues of this nature, in form or another, since puberty has had a profound impact on my life.
I’m still adjusting to not dealing with this anymore.
When I was commuting back and forth to an office 50 miles away on a daily basis, I had specific locations in the countryside where I knew I could pull the Jeep of the road so I could take a leak in the bushes. I was pretty much on a first name basis with the cattle at one location. They would always reply with the same thing, “Moo”. Then they’d do their business as well. The circle of life.
It’s been two months since that surgery, three weeks since the lifting of all surgical-related restrictions, and I still smile and can not believe that I can now go the bathroom without pain, without worrying if things are going to work and feeling like I have actually done my thing.
The boost to my quality of life has been incredible.
When the doctor initially described an 11 week sequence of events that would be involved with this procedure I was worried that I would never make it through the seemingly long stretch of time required. Looking back, any delay on my part was foolish because, at just shy of 49, I feel like a new man.
And that’s a pretty awesome thing.
