I heard it all flat on my back recovering from major surgery of a broken hip (don’t ask how – it was like this past year of my life – not on the beaten path of normal experiences – seems to be my destiny and that’s ok).  But, I will say this:  I now know more than I care about “hoarders” of both things and animals, icy road truckers, sauna contests that kill people, the latest scandals (hard to keep up – (the latest I think was Hurd, CEO at HP or Charlie Rangel); Korea, serial killers, escaped convicts, strawberry daiquiri hairdos … and don’t forget Pet Star – a “pet” version of American Idol!

That is quite a list but is only the tip of the iceberg.  I am what they call a serial flipper if I ever get time to watch TV – and time is exactly what I had plenty of (pain meds make books difficult).  Sometimes I would watch with the volume down and only in the early wee hours, light of a hospital or the blood lady or the blood pressure lady or … well you get the picture – all designed to keep me awake confronting my fear and plotting my escape despite the kind treatment I received.  At other moments, I listened with interest if not fear.

Hoarding!  Is apparently, an affliction for millions of Americans.  When I thought of my home office and the upstairs “storage” bedroom, I began to worry.  But, maybe it is like when you forget someone’s name and you believe you have Alzheimer’s and quickly are assured by those “in the know” that memory loss like that is perfectly normal.  OK, I think. I want to believe you Ms. Expert; therefore I will.  I have to concentrate on one crisis at a time.

So what is the bottom line?  I discovered a whole new world over this past week.  In my own quest for resiliency, I worked hard to find the silver lining.  I tried hard to learn more about the dedicated young people who mostly cared for working two and three jobs trying to get through school, raise families, stay married and sane.  I’m determined more than ever to kick this wheelchair in the leg lifts – throw off my walker and get back to work.  But, only on doctor’s orders – I never want to go through this again. As enlightening as it might be.