Project Me

Jo’s back has taken her down and the drugs have made her delirious so this is Greggie writing yesterday’s entry for her.

My dear friend is being a champ through all of this and sticking to her “Project Me” principles. She has put herself first, listened to her body and done what is necessary to help her body through this ordeal. She has endured extreme pain for days.

I was in the fortunate position of looking after Jo yesterday while her family celebrated her sister’s birthday. We spent a special few hours on her bed together watching two of our favourite movies, Under the Tuscan Sun and Priscilla. The former had us in tears – special healing and cleansing tears. The underlying message really hit home: always follow your heart, no matter what your mind thinks. Oh, and then there is the beautiful analogy of hunting ladybugs, then giving up and falling asleep in the grass only to wake covered in them. Ladybugs and villas in Tuscany, a dragon and a wolf: these are what carry Jo through times like this…and you, of course.

We’re ready to go buy our proverbial villa in Tuscany but we’ve just got to get past the appointment with the orthopaedic surgeon first. We’ll update you after.

I promised I would try and gave it my best shot.

The pain kinda has the upper hand but I can still pee. Those were the conditions right? I promised if I couldn’t pee I would call an ambulance and go straight 2 hospital … But I want to and need to and choose to be in my dad’s bed 2nite. God this must be more dramatic than any award winning soapie …

Sorry that there was a fight tonight daddy, but I don’t want to b in a hospital bed on one of the saddest days of my life … After all I knew how much you didn’t want to be there either!

Funny … I tried not to blog!

When I started ‘project me’ I never would have thought that life would throw things at me that would force extreme changes. I haven’t written in days and feels as though Greggie is flying Lifeology solo. I’m turning 37 in 8 days and think I might have to cancel my party arrangements. It will be 2 years on Saturday that my dad has been gone … and I’ve never been more thrilled to have started ‘project me’ than this very moment. Continue reading →

So I can’t take not being able to be without my laptop for much longer and I’ve promised my mom that it will be a quick one just to touch base with reality.

It’s been hectic I must admit. If I have ever had pain like this then I can’t remember it. I was petrified yesterday and on top of being in such agony I am emotionally drained. I still have constant pins and needles down my right side and the nerve is trapped between some collapsing vertebrae. Continue reading →

I didn’t know pain until today. I was supposed to go for a cortisone injection tomorrow but on my back from a well stored pee (because walking is hell on earth) my back totally gave up. Cold sweats, screaming, weeping and begging for anything to take the pain away.

My family have been amazing, especially my mom and brother. We first called an ambulance through the most amazing Jewish community service called Hatzolah. They suggested doctors on call and the most special doc arrived.

2 cortisone, 1 local anaesthetic and my first ever shot of pethadene later …

The messages of concern and support have Been amazing and project me has kept me as positive as humanly possible considering I was sobbing because I thought I was either going to be eternally paralysed or my leg was going to fall off from lack of circulation!

I guess ice cream and county music can’t fix everything.

Here’s a short one off the Blackberry because I’m officially unable to move. It’s so bad that mom had to call a nurse to give me a voltaren injection and I had to use my dad’s walker.
I’m sure he’s looking down on me and chuckling … I always used to call him old man when he used it.

Today ‘project me’ seems almost impossible to live, but I can’t even get into it now. Tomorrow is a new day and all I’m holding out for is that I can at least move tomorrow!