We plan to have some fun this coming week, from pizza to books to creative works.

We had a good time Tuesday night. I got out my sweatpants for surgery as requested. Got out my photo and ID. Answered some good wishes from friends and neighbors. I stayed up late reading Colson Whitehead’s excellent new book Harlem Shuffle and lined up two more for the next few days-  Amor Towles The Lincoln Highway and Ming Tsu’s The Thousand Crimes.

Maria worked on her dryer balls; she sells an awful lot of them and has fun making them from the roving she saved from our last shearing. We never heard of dryer balls until a year or so ago, and now she’s shipping them all over the country; she’s added some of her colorful touches.

We will have a lot of fun together coming up with daily Maria-designed logos for my Recovery Journal.  Life with an artist is very cool. She’s into it, which means it will be a lot of fun and very creative. We both are addicted to creative challenges.

And if I have to crawl, I’ll be trying out the new Leica. I’ve got some great books to read. And I’ll finally have the time to read them. Life is what you make of it every day. Surgery and masks are a chance for me to get healthy and stay there for a while. That is how I feel about it.

These books will hold me for a few days; I expect to be loopy for a day, but then Maria says I’m often loopy. I’m ready.

I put on the sweatpants I was asked to wear, stopped eating or drinking last night,  I have my photo IDs and license in my shirt pocket, and the living room is all set up to be my temporary headquarters.  Maria cut the pants leg so it can get over the giant bandage I’m told will be on my foot.

My therapy dog will be on hand, and Maria is a great support system. I could not be luckier. We have sponge balls for my daily bath and stashes of nuts, protein powder, and good healthy food.

I’m in a good mood; my spirits are high. I trust the doctors. This is going to be an exciting week and a productive and important one. I will share.

I think we will resolve the foot problem and then move on to the pulmonary sleep problem. Mask comes tomorrow. Give my heart rest at night, me too.

Honestly, this is all for good. My diet changes have already brought my diabetes numbers – they were always good – to even better numbers. I’m excited about the prospect of sleeping, not to mention walking every day again.

I am counting my blessings today; they are many. Maria’s support and the caring work of my doctors is something many people don’t have.  I never forget to be grateful.

I’ll get to write every day and recover every day. Sounds like a rebirth to me. I also woke up smiling at the idea that my friend Moise has tough new boots for the rainy and winter seasons.

I’m bringing my good luck cross and my silver gratitude necklace. The healing process is more complex than we expected, but so that? The sleep apnea is more severe than I expected—pretty exciting stuff.  I know I’ll have to take them off, but they’ll be nearby. See you later. Thanks for the kind wishes.

I’m due at the hospital at 10:15, surgery an hour later. I don’t know when I’ll post again, probably tomorrow at the latest.