On surgery and downtime.

So yeah, I'm down for a while due to a bit of leg surgery. Every now and again I get these cysts that pop up right under the top edge/rim of my prosthetic leg. No one seems to know what causes them--it's not typical for amputees--but the thought is that it's because I'm so active on a daily basis, more than the average amputee. Something's causing an irritation and it grows into these cysts, and when they get big enough, they interfere enough with my walking and standing that they've got to be removed. It's minor outpatient surgery, and were they anyplace but under the prosthetic, I'd be right back to normal operation in a day or two. But they're under the damned leg, and I can't put the leg back on until the stitches are removed and the site has completely healed. This is likely to take a month or two; the last time I was down, it was five and a half months, but that's because there were complications and an infection, and my leg was out of the prosthetic for so long that it changed shape and the prosthetic didn't fit any more. Then the government refused to pay for new ones, insisting that the old ones could be modified to work, despite being nearly five years old and at the end of their expected service lives anyhow. By the time they finally gave in and approved new ones-and the new ones were made and fitted--I'd been nearly six months sitting at home with limited mobility. Hopefully this time around, everyone's learned something from the last episode.

At least this time around, I had some time to prepare for it. I've got groceries laid in, I did some needed housecleaning (though not nearly enough judging by the look of this place) and I made that flight last Sunday, then pulled the plane's battery because I knew that it would be my last one for a while. I even planned to get Belle a bit before this, planning on using my extended downtime at home to really work her into the pack and sharpen up both her training and Murphy's as I've been letting him slide horribly lately and he's always quick to take advantage whenever I slack off with him.

So I'll be here for the most part, watching old movies, reading and re-reading good books, and working with the mutts. As for the leg...well it only hurts when I move it; and when I don't. But that's tolerable, and if I've got to be stuck in the house for an extended period, better now than in the spring or summer when the outdoors is really calling, and if I've got to miss a couple of months of daily drives to work, this is the weather to be missing them in.

Now if you'll excuse me, it's nearly noon, and there's a movie to watch and beer to start drinking. And movie and book reviews aplenty will follow, with dog reports and recipes to be sure. Maybe I'll even get caught up on my gun cleaning.

Oh, and as for bad guys...as I've said before: I may be down a leg, but I've still got a leg up. Bring 'em on.