On Cheering Up A Depressed Orbit

When they stole Dave's handkerchief from me in the hospital in Rome, I had no idea it was a sign. After the accident, he gave it to me and told me to apply pressure over my eye; but even in my confusion I knew the proper use of a handkerchief and used it to blow my bloody nose.

Since we got home last Tuesday, I've had a Herceptin treatment, chased with a visit to our ENT to check on said bloody nose, then a visit to my dentist for an X-Ray to see if my top front teeth were ok even though I can't quite bite quite yet, followed up with a visit to an oral/facial surgeon to take Star Trek pics to determine the status of my face since Rome wouldn't give us any of the many pics they took, then back to the ENT to get my stitches (and it felt like, my eyelid) removed, followed up with a CAT scan to verify that the structure supporting my right eye is sound, and lastly, up to this point at least, a visit to an opthamologist for further examination, and some explanation on how to cope with a depressed eye socket. I apologize for that crazy run-on sentence, but my life this past week and a half has been a run-on sentence. A run-on sentence with jet lag, and a big head, from all medical paparazzi snapping pictures of it left and right.

The consensus of the docs and pics of the orbit floor of my right eye is that it was not a blow-out fracture, which we were worried about, since the orbit floor is a tissue thin bone which supports the eyeball and keeps it from falling into the sinus cavity. My overactive imagination was in a state of panic over the thought of blowing my eyeball out my nose. Instead, thankfully, while the orbit floor is broken, it's still intact though depressed. So no immediate surgery to repair the floor. Thank God.

It seems like we are to just keep the old proverbial and quite literal eye on things, let things heal, don't blow my nose, and call if I experience any double vision (which could be signs of my eye muscles getting snagged on some of the bone fragments from the break). Other than that, I have been the green light to swing my racket at those little green balls. Which, one would think, would cheer up a depressed orbit. At least in my world.

Yes, I can play tennis; and no, I'm not supposed to blow my nose. I do not know when I will get the green light for that again, depending on how things have healed when I see the ENT and oral/facial surgeon for follow-ups in a few weeks.

Thank you for your continued prayers. I am so grateful, humbled, and obviously find them quite necessary to my life, as I've just blown threw a couple this past year alone. By my count, I should have about 6 lives left, but between the chemo and hitting my head recently, I don't really trust my math. All I figure I can do, is trust God, and wrap myself up in the prayers of family and friends, and keep living and loving and laughing hard.

So cheers, to your health, all who pray for my health, and ciao to you, and also to blowing my nose, not to mention, Dave's hankie.

The Mouth of Truth Chewed Me Up and Spit Me Out, or, How I Learned The Mouth of Truth Isn't a Drive-Thru

Here's a new and improved photo of me, since The Mouth of Truth broke my face, just to hopefully erase previous images from everyone's minds.
Here's where I hit. We think I may have flown off the Vespa and into the bars. (This is not a picture of the day of the accident, but just a view from Google Earth.) We were just across the street from this courtyard of The Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, where The Mouth of Truth is. This was our second (and foiled) attempt at sticking our hands in the famous monument's mouth. The first time we got to see it behind the bars, but it was after hours and locked up. The second time was less successful. I was driving. We were just across the street. At a complete stop. I was just accelerating enough to cross the street and park the Vespa where the other Vespas are parked in the picture, although there were more Vespas and a Smart Car out front when I hit the scene. Once I crossed I found the Vespa wasn't going to take the turn to park, so I was just going to stop and walk it over to a spot. I remember Dave telling me to brake, and I was totally trying to brake. I was not braced for impact because I was squeezing the brake and was shocked when my nose was hurting. That is all I remember. Thankfully. Dave was holding on to the seat and says I disappeared from in front of him and ended up on the ground under the front wheel, so he assumes I flew over the handlebars on impact and into the bars. I have no idea. I was so confused what was going on and with Dave telling me to hold his handkerchief over my eye, that I asked him to take a picture so I could see what was going on with my face. Thank God I had on a helmet.
Here is the scene we were trying to recreate, instead of the one we made. It is from Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. In it, he tells her of the legend that if you stick your hand in The Mouth of Truth and tell a lie, it will bite it off. This is a fantastic movie scene, because she had no idea he was going to pull out his arm with his hand hidden in his jacket, so her surprise is genuine and so lovely. Alas, my scene was not so lovely, and I still didn't get to stick my hand in The Mouth of Truth. I wonder if it was trying to tell me something. Double rejection and all.
Anyway, so now there is another Redo on my list: To have another go at sticking my hand in the Mouth of Truth. Third time's the charm, right? So let's hope the coins I threw in the Trevi Fountain work, and bring me back to Rome someday. The other is to go back to Paris and walk up the Eiffel Tower instead of riding the elevator.

I had a wonderful and especially grateful Mother's Day. We went to P. F. Changs for our fam fave dinner, and then to see The Soloist, which was such a beautiful movie. I love dinner and a movie, especially with my redheads. And I was determined to live it up and eat popcorn during it, even if it was one kernel at a time. It was still delish, even in slow-mo.

At Changs, we ran into some friends who came over to our table after their meal and said they thought they might've gotten my fortune. It said, "Sometimes traveling to a new place leads to great transformation."

Well, I guess that's one way of looking at my crash landing of my Roman Holiday!

Salute and ciao, and please keep praying. So far we've been getting good news about all the many doctor visits: Oncologist, ENT, dentist, Oral/Facial Surgeon/ENT. I got the stitches out yesterday, which was not any fun at all, but I am glad they are out and that getting them out is behind me. Tomorrow I have another CAT scan in re: my right eye, to make sure the bones that support my eye are intact and structurally sound. My ENT said he has a hunch things are good, but wants more detailed pics of the specific area to verify.

I can't exactly get out on the tennis courts yet, which is SO FRUSTRATING, but I did take a 4 mile walk with a friend today, and that felt really good. Just hoping tennis is still in my future. Where can I get a fortune cookie that says that? ;)