I like to kid Maria about being eager to get back to work (and this is true) but she is a fierce and vigilant caretaker during the critical hours after surgery.
She ices my food 20 minutes out of every hour, pipes into my office to make sure I’m not writing more than a half-hour, bans my walking, driving, or throwing the ball for Zinnia.
She makes sure my leg is elevated, that the bandages are clean, that I have no fever. I just asked for permission to sit outside and read and she went over her notes and said okay, but she had to set me up.
She loves work, but she loves helping people when she can, even me. I know how lucky I am. Aftercare is so important after surgery, and it is so easy to let it slide.
She just poked her head in the door to tell me my half-hour of working is up. I do what I’m told.
The nurse from my doctor’s office just called and she said the care I was getting sounded great. We’ll go together to see the doctor on Monday, perhaps some of these restrictions will ease.
Maria worked in her studio for a few hours this morning, and I got to write for a few hours today. That is the best tonic for both of us.
Jon, Glad you have a kind and loving helpmate in Maria. Wishing you a comfortable and speedy recovery.
What a great picture of Maria!
Jon…
Several years ago, I studied the Myers–Briggs [personality] Type Indicator, and Gallup’s “StrengthsFinder” assessment of management strengths.
Their message, stated in the most general way, is that “successful managers focused on their strengths.” This might seem like trivial advice, but the exigencies of job-seeking can lead us away from that guidance.
These studies concluded that, all else the same, those doing work compatible with their talents and personality are the most likely to be comfortable and satisfied with their job content.
It seems that the talents compatible with caregiving differ from those of an artist. But that gives all the more credit to Maria for her willingness to perform outside her comfort zone.
The borscht is icing; she tended to your recovery at a critical time.