Two weeks later

Sorry, sports fans, that I've been AWOL for a bit. My right hand has improved enough to hunt and peck the keyboard effectively, so I have no more excuses. I had surgery on the 9th, which went smoothly and left me with a forearm splint secured by two ACE bandages. I love Versed, but since you can't get that to go and it lacks analgesic properties, I relied on Vicodin for a few days to ease the pain. Elle was kind enough to escort my loopy self back home and do some dishes I'd forgotten. I was back to work on Thursday and struggled to manipulate the scope, write legibly, and type, all without pain. My attendings and co-resident really helped me out, and today was MUCH better, efficiency-wise. I'm reading blood smears and approving and interpreting coagulation testing. I have my first follow-up appointment on Thursday--I hope it looks good, but I'm worried I might have an occult dislocation on the ulnar side of my wrist that was masked by the fracture-related pain. We'll see.

Fun-wise, the past two weeks have been great. The 4th of July was awesome. George and I took a mini-hike along the coast at Lincoln Park. Someone created a cool labyrinth out of stone that I took the time to walk (George lost patience). Afterwards, we procured the equipment and fixings for a small barbecue and got the Smokey Joe started on my back patio. George had his own little brush with disaster while stoking the charcoal without venting it--flames leaped out and singed his hair. And the top blew off the grill! Once that was under control, he served up a great meal (my wrist was pretty bad then to be of much use). My landlord came outside and suggested that we walk up to the Presidio to Inspiration Point to get a panoramic view of the city's fireworks launched from Fisherman's Wharf. We gladly took his advice and watched the fireworks in no warmer than 60F weather with a large number of inquisitive children whose parents indulged them in answering all manner of questions throughout the show: "I know why they're called Fire, but why are they called Works?" Ahhhhhh!

The following weekend, I went bowling with Otis and Elle, Dan and Lisa, and George and two of his co-workers from the golf course project where he works. My left-handed bowling skills weren't completely pathetic, especially when you consider I was using a 6-lb ball with kid-sized finger holes. I was using my fingertips to toss a wiffleball down the alley. And one of the guys only beat me by a few pins! The bowling alley had a karaoke bar, and I am thankful that my selection didn't come up before everyone got bored.

My left-handed frolf game is improving, as evidenced by several bogeys on Sunday morning.