Ron Gets a Haircut

Leaving my barber yesterday with my $12 haircut - refreshed!

Yesterday I got a haircut.  This is my first haircut since my freak accident February 18th. 

When I got home I took my first shower since my surgery March 10th.  Ask me if I felt like a new Ron. Yes!

I was hesitant to make the trip to downtown Lewes and my barber to get a haircut.  Getting in and out of the car and navigating my walker into the barber shop.  And then once in the barber shop how would I keep my braced left leg straight?  But I just couldn't imagine not getting a haircut for another two months, the length of time it will take for my leg to heal. I'm not one of these guys who ever went for the long haired look.  The longest I ever had my hair was back in 1982 and then it still wasn't half over my ears as was the fashion back then.  I've always favored short hair.  I just don't like messing with my hair. Especially now since I have a receding hairline that leaves only a "peninsula" of hair on my forehead.  Unlike most of my friends who have NO hair on their head, my father's genes did leave me with SOME hair, which I do not color by the way. I do color my beard but haven't since my accident.  Hence the white beard which automatically adds ten years to my age.

The longest I ever let m hair grow - 1982 - note that my ears are totally visible

When I was younger I actually had too much air, if you can believe that.  I had a whole routine to try and control my hair like putting a towel on my head after a shower to tame it.

Me in 1968 trying to control my thicket of hair

My Mom, who always wanted a girl (she had three boys), didn't have my hair cut for the first two years of my life.  When she took me out in public she was often greeted with "What a pretty little girl!"  Finally, one day my father had enough and insisted that she take me to a barber to get a haircut.  She said "That's when you lost your lovely curls."
Now I know what some of you are thinking, "That's why Ron is gay, his Mom raised him as a girl."  Well, I don't know.  I did like to cut out paper dolls and play with dolls.  I wasn't too big on cap guns and playing soldier (until later though when G.I. Joe came out and he was cute).  

Me, before my first haircut and when I "lost my curls)

For most of my adult life and still, my barber "thins out" my hair (now only in the back) because it is so thick.  

My previous barber (Joe Ursini) in Downingtown - 2001

Back in 1979, during my heyday in the gay scene I maintained a health mop of hair.  This is an oil portrait that was done of me in Provincetown, Mass.  Bill says it doesn't look like me at all but I think it does.  My eyes are a little too big but otherwise I think the artist captured my likeness quite well.

Me - oil portrait - 1979

When I had more hair in the front I actually had some blond streaks which isn't surprising since my father was a blond as well as one of my brothers, both Isaac.  These days my naturally dark brown hair has gray on the sides, which is probably all the gray I will get because my father had no gray at all.  Neither did his brothers.  I get the gray from my Mother's side of the family. No snow white head for me.

My father (and me) about two weeks before he died in August 2000 - not a gray hair on his head

So these days folks I'm quite content to shave down to the bare essentials on what hair I have left.  Gone are the days when I had a pompadour to contend with.

Me at 16 years of age (1958) - way too much hair to contend with

Yes folks, these days I am happy with my current hair style.  So easy to take care of. My barber takes the electric razor and just shaves.  Takes only a few minutes and I have the Look.

Me and a former classmate at my 40th Class reunion 1999

Me and my co-worker at First Financial Bank Downingtown, PA 2001

 See how I veer off the subject of getting a haircut yesterday?  Regular readers of my blog know that when I write a blog post I just let my thoughts flow from my head to my finger tips and let the post go down whatever path it finds.  Much like an overflowing river finds new paths for the backed up water.  That's me with my memories and thousands of photos.  

Well, it wasn't easy getting to my barber's yesterday.  Bill had to load me in the car with my walker then unload me.  Then I had to traverse myself into the barber shop on a very uneven sidewalk.  Then once in the barber shop I had to figure out how to sit down, keeping my left leg straight.  Then when it was my turn I had to figure out how to sit in the barber chair, still keeping my left leg straight.  First the barber chair was too too . . . ouch!  Then it was too high and all the blood was going down to my swollen left foot.  Finally we got the "Goldielocks" (just right) position on the barber chair and she commenced to shave my head.  And this folks is the result.  Looks good doesn't it? Well, I think it does anyway.

So how is my leg recovery going? I still need my walker (and will for another two months).  I asked my health care worker which was worse, a broken leg or my ruptured quadriceps.  She said "Oh yours is much worse, it takes a lot longer for tissue to heal than does bone."  Well, aren't I lucky?  I would have thought it would take longer for bone to heal but what do I know?  

My biggest problem now, other than being almost totally dependent on Bill (which is starting to get to him now, you have two months to go Bill), is my left foot swelling up.  The only relief I get is when I sleep at night. I'm unconscious and when I wake up in the morning my foot isn't a swollen.  But I can't stay in bed all day.

Soon this nightmare will be over.  Two months soon.  What keeps me going is the knowledge that my injury could have been much worse or even tragic.  I could have been knocked unconscious and died in that cold alley (five windy degrees) that night.  Or I could have broken my hip for fractured my skull.

I believe everything happens for a reason. I think the reason this happened for me is to make me pause and take a new look at life and appreciate what I have.  My health, home and life.  

I don't know how many years I have left nor do I know if I have yet another health crises waiting for me in the future but what I do know is that when I am well again, and moving about normally on my two legs I'm going to enjoy life and not waste time complaining or worrying about things I cannot change.  

Spring is here folks.  The daffodils are blooming and my leg is healing.  Life is looking good.

I'm No Couch Potato

Joan Crawford, in her gauzy camera filter best, in the deathbed scene with her lover Gene Raymond ("Sadie McKee")

One thing I am discovering during my involuntary idleness of the past month since my leg injury, is that I am not a couch potato.  I just cannot sit in front of the boob tube and watch TV.  I have to be doing something.  The only time I do just sit in front of my 60 inch TV is when I watch one of my Netflix rental movies on the weekends.  Otherwise, when I have the TV on, I use it as wallpaper.  Background noise. Company.

I usually have five Netflix rentals out at a time.  Unfortunately, all the rentals I have now have some kind of violence ("Blue Ruin" one of them) in the story and folks, I'm just not into watching blood and guts right now.  I should send the DVD's back and get season four of "Downton Abbey" which I missed.  Yes, I know I've already watched season five since I've been home but with a show like "Downton Abbey", a soap opera, one can pick up the story line within minutes without missing a beat.

I would love to sit at my computer all day and catch up on my e-mails, sort my iPhotos, and update my Find a Grave account and reading blogs.  But it is so uncomfortable for me to sit at this computer desk so I have to make quick work of my blog entry, like now.

What I have been watching at night are old Joan Crawford movies.  God are they ever awful but you know what?  They're still entertaining.  The photo above is from her tear jerker "Sadie McKee", which I had never seen before.  Granted, it's not "Dark Victory" but I did get choked up once . . . . or twice. And I do love that gauzy camera filter that was Joan's speciality.  I tried watching Joan in "Susan and God" last night, but comedy isn't her speciality.  Maybe I'll take in a Claude Rains movie tonight.  I'm still not in a "Pulp Fiction" mood for movie watching.

One thing I'm getting used to after almost a month is adjusting to my life wearing a leg brace.  At first Bill had to lift my leg in and out of the bed.  I would have to call him on my iPhone each time I had to get in and out of bed, like in the middle of the night to take a pee.  God bless Bill, he would always come upstairs (his bedroom is in the basement) and help me.  But one night I had to get up five times.  I finally figured out a way to swing my leg in and out of the bed.

Getting ready to put my leg brace back on after my daily shower

Another big challenge I had is taking a shower.  Everyday, up to the day of my surgery this Tuesday, I have to take a shower with anti-bacterial soap and a special solution to minimize the risk of infection from my surgery.  Taking off my pants and underwear, not being able to life my left leg, is a challenge folks, believe you me.  And that little metal ridge to get in and out of the shower?  Another challenge.

A major challenge, getting my pants on without lifting my left leg - I drag the pants under the foot then pull up with my hands

Showers used to take me ten minutes at the most.  Now the whole shower routine takes at least 45 minutes and when I'm done I am exhausted.  I have to rest at least an hour to gather my strength back. 

The challenge of getting my pants on

I am so looking forward to Tuesday when I have my surgery to repair my leg and I can start healing.  This has gone on way too long. If there was anything good that has come from this experience it is that I will be so appreciative in the future of being able to get around on two legs.  To have my mobility and freedom.  And to think all this happened in a few seconds because I slipped on ice.  Oh how I wish I could do that night over again.  But I am thankful I wasn't more seriously injured and still alive.  Could have been a lot worse.

By the way, I just got off of FaceTime with my longtime friend Bill B. (another former school classmate - love those class reunions that's how we renewed our friendship). He suggested that I watch "The Big Bang Theory" for some light entertainment.  Sure does sound better than that the violent DVD's I have now in my bedroom.  I'm sending them back.  Time for some light entertainment at the Tipton Cinema.  I've had enough violence in my life for some time, especially after Tuesday's surgery.

Relapse (Temporary)

Bill brining up food for me from our basement freezer - what would I do without Bill?

Late yesterday my flu symptoms (sneezing, aches, fatigue, congestion) came back with a vengeance.  

I had seven huge sneezes in the space of two minutes.  You know what that sneezing indicated don't you?  Your body trying to expel those germs (or virus) or whatever.  All I know was that I was feeling lousy again and I went back to bed after my first decent meal in two days, beef stew.  

The last two days I've eaten nothing but Campbell's and Progresso chicken soup.  I really feel the chicken soup consumption lessened my flu symptoms but man oh man, did they come back last night.

I didn't want to go to bed at 7 o'clock.  I wanted to watch a movie but wasn't in the mood for a bloody, revenge movie "Blue Ruin" (what I had on tap from my Netflix DVD) so I pulled up my saved DVR "Downton Abbey."  I needed some real escapist diversion.  I wasn't in the mood for guns and gore last night. I had no more "Judge Judy" and I wasn't in the mood for the plasticity of Patti Stanger and "Millionaire Matchmaker" (can only take so much of that Hollywood glitz and glamor phoniness of so-called millionaires).  

I had saved last season of "Downton Abbey" and was saving this season but to my dismay I saw that last season was gone.  I guess when my DVR saves a new season, the previous season is wiped out.  

So I watched it anyway, missing the whole of season four.  Guess what?  It only took me a few minutes to catch up that Lady Mary is involved in yet another pre wedlock affair, Thomas is still struggling with his homosexuality and still an unsympathetic character, Mr. Bates is still being hounded 

Les Misérables style, Daisy is still trying to better herself by book learning, Lord Grantham is still strutting around like a cock rooster and best of all, Dame Maggie Smith is still playing Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham. So many reasons to watch this wonderful show but Dame Maggie is the best.  I hear she probably won't be in next season (if there is) which is a shame because Dame Maggie "Weekend? What's a weekend"?" if Dame Maggie goes I fear there go the raison d'être for me watching this show.

Dame Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess on "Downton Abbey". Superb!

So where am I going with this post?  It was supposed to be all about my convalescing and I get diverted off to the very talented Dame Maggie Smith.

Well folks, I feel a lot better this morning.  My flu like symptoms seem to be gone (finally) now.  

This morning was Shower Day.  Every third day I take off my leg brace and take a shower, an exhausting challenge for sure (try it sometime when you injure your leg).  

I still can't bend my knee nor lift my lower leg but I was able to get in and out of the shower (one little step up in and same out) easier than I have before.  

Of course sitting here at my computer desk is still very uncomfortable with my left leg extended out so I'm going to end this little missive shortly.  

The photo at the top is Bill coming upstairs (he lives in our finished basement), bringing me food (frozen beef stew in individual boiling bags) last night.  I cannot go up or downstairs.  Thank goodness again I decided to live on one floor when I moved to Delaware, in anticipation of getting old and immobilized like I am now.

I feel like I'm rambling so I will end but not before reminding one and all I have my appointment tomorrow at 2:40 PM with my orthopedic surgeon.  He has the results of my MRI that I had taken last Monday.  I'll find out what the extent of the damage is to my left leg and how long it will take to heal.  I'm hoping no surgery will be necessary.  What a mess this has been.  Again, I cannot stress enough, be very careful when walking about outside in icy and unsafe conditions.  You could end up like me.

Chicken Soup, Gingera Ale and Plenty of Rest

Best flu remedy ever - chicken soup!

The old home remedies really do work folks. In addition to my incapacity with my injured leg, I had a bad cold.  This one was the flu.  So much for my flu vaccine.  Last year was the only year that I didn't catch the flu.  Each year I get the flu vaccine and each year (except for last year) I get the flu.  

The ONLY soda for flu upset stomach - Schweeps doesn't work

Well, the fever broke last night.  I'm losing track of time here but yesterday (or was it the day before yesterday?) I was in bed all day and all night sleeping off and on.  I was exhausted and feeling terrible.  Not just because of my leg but because of . . . . yes . . . you guess it although I was in self-denial . . . I had the flu.  

I can always tell the signs of the flu.  For one thing I ache all over, I don't have an appetite, I feel like I have to constantly urinate and I have "that cough."  You know the kind, that hurts and brings up the yellow-green mucus. I apologize if I'm grossing anyone out. 

The overall feeling is of one you just want to lie down and die.  

Time for Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup and Canada Dry Ginger Ale.  Sure salt ladened soup and sugar ladened soda but hey, that's what works for me when I have a bad cold or flu (I have a hard time distinguishing the difference between the two).   I knew I was really sick when I didn't have the taste for my usual late night Key Lime pie with strawberries for dessert.

Instead of sleeping all day yesterday I laid in bed with my injured leg horizontal and binged watched five "Judge Judy" episodes I had on my DVR recordings.  I had lunch of chicken soup and my hummus wrap (which, again I didn't have an appetite for, thus how I knew I was sick), then took my usual afternoon nap in my sunny, solar warmed bedroom.  I have the best bedroom for convalescing bar none.

Convalescing with Judge Judy and Bert 

Waking up, at four PM, I struggled out of bed (that's all I do with this injured leg is struggle and envy people who can walk around on two legs). and spent some time with Bill.  I prepared a light dinner (chicken soup again) and then back to bed.  More "Judge Judy" then "Millionaire Matchmaker" with Patti Stanger (don't be judging . . . . . I LOVE that show).   

Patti Stanger - my guilty pleasure

Eleven o'clock rolls around and I'm off to Dreamland again but not before taking a swig of Niquil.  

I wake up at 2 AM and I am soaked.  My flannel sheets are soaked, my T-shirt is soaked and my tight-whities are soaked.  And . . . . could it be?  I actually felt human again.  Still sick mind you, sick had a bum leg that I'm struggling with but I actually felt like I had a reason to live.

I went back to bed but this morning I had to wash everything.  Sheets and myself.  With this bum leg I only take a shower every three days (don't judge) because it is such a struggle.  Thank goodness I can take my leg brace off and wash my blue and purple leg, unlike when I had a hip to ankle leg cast in 1962 on my right leg that I couldn't take off for six weeks and my leg stunk to high Heaven when the doctor broke of my leg cast.

I knew I had made progress with my flu when I coughed up some big pieces of greenish yellow phlegm this morning.  Imagine that stuff in your lungs.  No wonder people die from the flu.  

I'm still weak and need plenty of bed rest.  I sent Bill to the store this morning for some food.  This is the first time he's ever done that and he was nervous.  Only four things; 73% hamburger, frozen Famous Fries, one red onion and a dozen eggs.  He had to take an old bag of Famous Fries.  What takes me ten minutes took him over an hour to get but he was successful.  He said "They have that stuff spread all out over the store!" And he said he had the hardest time finding a red onion.  I said "Did you look in the vegetable section?"  He doesn't know a vegetable section.  Folks, I'm not kidding you, Bill is helpless and clueless on the household side of things here.  He's great at handyman activities but cooking, shopping, paying the bills, and running a household?  You're looking at it right here . . . . moi!~.  Do you know the fifty some years we've been together Bill has only cooked one meal for me? And it was a disaster.  But then I wouldn't know how to put up a backsplash either so I guess the household chores all even out.  

Well folks, I have to get now.  I've told you how uncomfortable it is to sit at my computer with my left leg extended whilst I type my ruminations.