Almost Human

It has been just over two weeks since my surgery, and I'm finally starting to feel human again. The first week or so after the operation I wasn't able to ride in a car without getting overwhelmingly dizzy, but now I find I can ride for short periods of time without feeling like a drunk teenager.

Yesterday I finally got a haircut, so I also look more human than I did right after the procedure. It got pretty annoying looking in the mirror every morning and seeing such a lopsided mop of hair on my head (not to mention the fact that I had just one sideburn). Next week I get the staples removed from my head, too, which should make me look a lot less like "Frankendaddy" (that's what my six-year-old son called me - I think my brother put him up to it).

But the thing that has helped me more than anything was reading all the great comments in reply to my "signs of life" post. A recent study showed that "about one-half of bloggers keep a blog because it serves as a form of therapy," and I believe it - I'm sure my first week of recovery was far better than it might of been because of your comments, so my deepest thanks to all who passed along words of encouragement.

Of course, I'm chomping at the bit to start coding again (yes, I'm an addict), but I'm forcing myself not to. And it has been hard not to blog about all the big stories I've read during my recovery, but again, I'm forcing myself not to. I have started wading through some of the email that has accumulated in the past two weeks, but I know it will be a while before I have the energy to catch up completely.

In the meantime, I'm watching a lot of DVDs, reading a few books, and taking my dog for more walks than she's used to (she's gonna hate it when I'm better). I have to admit, I'm pretty bored right now - I'm used to being very active - but I'm sure that the downtime will do me some good in the long run.

Comments

[Karl Traunmüller]

Nick,

I'm reading this good news in FeedDemon right now, and I wish you all the best for your recovery.

regards,
Karl

[Sheila Manning]

I've been following your progress and I wish you the best.

[James Fee]

Glad to hear things are improving!

[Michael Coates]

Delighted to see you returning to the game. We'll keep talking about you while you're gone. :P

[Andrew Herron]

aww nice to hear the comments are appreciated :)

[Alan]

Hey Nick. I'm sure boredom is good, like it's lifes way of showing you *how* exciting the exciting bits are ;) Trouble is, it's boring being shown this...

Brilliant to hear you're meding so well. Keep it up - I'm looking forward to TopStyle 3.12 >:-)

[Thomas Stache]

Nick, I'm admiring your good and strong attitude and wish you all the best, a quick recovery, and good times with your family and your dog!

[Ian Betteridge]

Nick, step away from that keyboard and relax!

FeedDemon can wait - and don't let Greg tell you otherwise! ;)

Glad to hear you're on the mend.

[Tom]

Glad to hear from you, Nick. Agree with those above, a little rest never hurt anyone, and plus, this gives us all more time to play with betas =)

[Jeff Wilkinson]

good to hear you're continuing to improve... so they didn't scramble your brains around *too* much... ;-)

Glad you're taking a break for this. I'm sure it's hard to do given your normal style of life but you certainly deserve it and ultimately it's good for you to have *some* downtime.

Besides, who knows *what* kind of things you'd be coding when you're dizzy and half your brain's been cut out. ;-)

[surfer6]

No!! Keep the stiches in and keep the hair! Only ~30 days until Halloween! =)

[Kevin H. Stecyk]

Hey Nick, glad to read that you are recovering well.

As I read your story, I was reminded of Joni Mitchell's lyrics to Big Yellow Taxi.

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone

We take our health and safety for granted. It is only when it is threatened or taken away from us that we realize how much we appreciate our good health.

I am looking forward to reading that you are back to prime fighting/coding condition.

Take care, Nick!

[Dr Charit]

Hi Nick,

I’m in med school doing my post grad in Internal Medicine, and came across your site (and wonderful program) by accident because of a common passion Delphi. From there on to your blog….

I was very moved by the spirit you have shown before and after your op. It was a different experience for me to read a patients view, something that a lot of doctors tend to marginalize. (like ones appearance after a procedure) I know form experience that it would have been a very traumatic experience at diagnosis and after the procedure. What is so impressive and applaudable is your spirit. Your blog entries are still funny and with such a positive spirit. We are all proud of you.

(on a different note, just started using feeddemon and already I am so impressed. I wish I could write a Delphi app as good as you have!!)

Kudos!

[Oskar van Rijswijk]

Nick,

I wish you a good recovery of this heavy surgery. I really hope the positive attitude in your postings is for real and I wish you'll keep up a strong mental force. A friend of me is nearly blind - but from birth, so he says: "I don't know better, I'm just having a wonderful life." I surely hope you'll be able to look at your handicap of hearing in somewhat the same way: accept it and enjoy all the stuff you still can do.

[Charles LePage]

I'm very happy to learn you are feeling and getting better. You are in our prayers.

[fnm]

Nick, I'm a huge fan of Feeddemon, just wanted to say I'm glad u're doing alright :)