Cincinnati, Ohio

The drive from Batesville to Cincinnati was only about 45 mins. After I arrived and checked in with Holiday Inn, Leslie, Lien, Adam, and Jessica were still in Columbus - shopping (without me). They had just landed, but they were too tired to drive to Columbus right away. When does shopping become a type of resting?!

Kaoruko and her roommate came to Holiday Inn to pick me up. They took me to Newport on the Levee. We had smoothies. The parking was a bit expensive ($5); however, we were all glad that we could see each other and catch up. We took some pictures and then they took me back to the hotel.

Jeff came over...

Finally, the gang arrived and we went to White Castle. We were so excited about it; however, we realized that the food simply was not as good as the hype. We also went to Newport on the Levee. It was a short meet-and-greet, because we went to Maggie and Craig's afterward. Nice house they have!

On the Wedding day, we woke up late, but we did managed to have nice brunch at Brio before heading over to the wedding location - in Covington, KY, I believe. The wedding was beautiful in that the wedding party looked so chic, the setting looks so romantic, and the atmosphere felt so loving. I took many pictures as usual. The only thing undesirable was that it was rather hot and humid. Many people were so wet...

Maggie and Craig's reception was also a big success. Every one of us had fun dancing, meeting the people we have met - Heather and Kathy, and two new people we met - Rob and Brian. I danced away and I was quite a star...because I was dancing and dancing and dancing...with my cam walker boot on.

We left for Columbus in the early A.M. Even though we did stop at Momo's for some Boba drinks, we got to the airport early enough that we had plenty of time to go through security checkpoint after we took forever to find the express dropbox for our rental car keys. =)

Batesville, Indiana

I stayed at Shu Ching's for two nights. Although she had the AC on both nights, I could still feel the high humidity, which I haven' felt in a long time. Early Thursday morning I left Akron and continued my journey to Columbus, Ohio and then to Batesville, Indiana.

It took me two hours to get from Akron to Columbus. When I arrived in Columbus, it was a bit too early to visit any of those shops in German Village. So I went to Cup O Joe to have some hot tea and bagel. Soon, it was 9 A.M. and I cam-walkered myself to the information enter of the German Village. I sat down and watched a 10-min orientation video, which gave me a good understand of how this German Village came about.

After the Village, I kept driving until I got to Choru's place. It was VERY nice to see her again. Last time I saw her, it was back in 2000. She is now married - and a bit overweight. =) Her husband, Jeff, is a very nice guy. Currently, they have a business on eBay - selling vintage comic books. They live with their in-laws and they have a beautiful house.

Choru and I talked until late. It seemed that we had so much to go on forever...if our bodies let us, we would have went on and on... The next morning quickly came. After having breakfast, they took me to Oldenberg, a very old German settlement town. It was a nice, charming town; however, I kept thinking that I miss seeing people on streets. After we had lunch at China Wok - a buffet - we went back to their place to pack my stuff. I left for Cincinnati around 3 P.M., which gave me enough time to meet up with Kaoruko - another friend that I hadn't seen in 5 years or so.

Akron, Ohio

Akron, Ohio turned out to be much bigger and much more interesting than I expected. First of all, it was only 40 mins away from Cleveland and it has some cute people out there. =)

A friend of mine from high school back in Taiwan, Shu Ching, is currently going to University of Akron. She wants to become a registered nurse. It had been 7 years since I saw her, but we have somehow managed to stay in touch. So it was rather nice to visit her and to go to a few places with her.

She lives alone in a tiny apartment; however, the space she has is large enough for a person. She walks to school, because she apartment is one or two blocks away. Yes, she did gain some weight, but her cute smile remains un-damaged. =)

I stayed with her for two nights. The first night we went to Swenson's - a local drive-in hamburger store - to try those famous burgers, fried mushrooms, onion rings, and fried Zucchini. It was Joey that suggested we should go there; thank God for him, or we would have never had such mouth-watering experience.

While in Akron area, I went to Stan Hywitt Hall and Gardens, Peninsula/Cuyahugo Valley National Park, Cleveland, the house that Joey used to live in, and Angel Falls Cafe. I had a great time hanging out with Shu Ching. She is going back to Taiwan for winter break...can't wait to see her again.

Small small world...

Today is an interesting day. Yung-Yu, Emily and I took a friend of my friend, who just moved to Rawland Heights from Tallahassee, Florida, to car shopping at the car dealership of Emily's uncle and aunt in Monterrey Park. On the way there, we realized that this friend of a friend (her name is Elis) was an alumna of the school that my oldest cousin attended. And the funny part was...Elis and my cousin know each other. What a small world?! =)

Of course, I also met Emily's uncle and aunt finally. Very nice people. They treated us with some very delicious tea and rather warm greeting as well as great conversation. I like them.

After dropping Elis off, we got hungry. So before we headed back to L.A., we stopped by Sin Ba La to have some sausage and some Taiwanese snacks. It was a rather satisfying meal, as I haven't had such Taiwanese food in a long time. It was funny that none of us had enough cash so one of us (Emily) had to go to the supermarket next door to buy something in order to get cash back. For some reason, I always for get that this restaurant only takes cash~ugh!

Oh yeah, also heard about Lucille's .50 cents cash back story in Vegas. It was hilarious; however, to save her some face, I will simply stop right here (until she pisses me off in any way).

Goodbye Crutches!

It took me two weeks to come to a full-body-weight bearing status. Although it now seems a while ago, it sure felt like forever! I was religiously increasing 10 more lbs of weight bearing each day during those two weeks, because part of me was rather anxious to be able to bear my full body weight.

Just right after I achieved full weight bearing status, I had to travel to Nebraska for my host sister Carolyn and Ryan's wedding. It was a complete bitch to travel with crutches, and having to rush to catch a connection flight didn't help either! Nevertheless, I got to see Mrs. Valentine, Mrs. Hansen (since graduation 7 years ago), and all the Johnsons. This trip was rather special!!

On a different note, my physical therapy is still going well. Right now I am only doing it twice a week. Today is Mil's last day at USC Physical Therapy and Associates. Even though I gave her a card and she gave me her email address, I think I am ganna miss her. After all, her cheering, fun personality has made my sessions with her that much more fun and that much easier.

Yesterday I went to see Dr. Charlton for a follow-up. He told me that I was right on schedule and cruising (to full recovery); in addition, he said that I could lose the crutches. Honestly, when I heard that, I was rather excited. The degree/level of excitement was like that of a kid entering a candy store! Yesterday was the first day that I walked without crutches - which felt so liberating. Mark said that he was used to hearing the little medal noises from my crutches and that he got used to seeing me with crutches (taking up more space while walking). Even today when Yung-Yu and Emily saw me, they looked rather surprised also. =)

Physical Therapy

It had finally been six weeks after my Achilles tendon surgery. Yesterday Dr. Charlton said that I can start to put weight on my left leg - 10 lbs a day. So in two weeks time my left leg will be able to bear my body weight! It is unclear whether I still need crutches and my cam walker once my left leg can bear my full body weight, though.

My physical therapy is going well. For the past two weeks, I only did once per week; this week I was there three times; next week Mil said I can simply go in for therapy two times a week (instead of three like Dr. Charlton had ordered).

With school starting next week, I can't help but feel a bit nervous. Since my injury, I have not done much of anything; now that with full-time school work ahead of me and three engagements (Joey's Labor Day weekend visit, Carolyn's wedding in Nebraska, and Maggie's wedding in Ohio), I feel that my leg must get better soon or the travel will be simply too much of a burden...

Family Come, Family Gone...

Two aunts and two cousins visited me from Taiwan for a total of 8 days. They finally left on Friday. I believe everyone had a great time during these 8 days; however, it was a very tiring 8 days for me. First of all, I planned awful lot of things to do and places to visit during their visit, because I wanted them to get the most out of this expensive trip. But then my injury was in the way a lot of the times. For example, my foot would swell up at the end of the day - everyday! So I had to prop it up and ice it every single night when I sleep.

The turning leg caddy definitely had made my life a lot easier, because using crutches along certainly would have been that much more difficult to go through 3 theme parks (Disneyland, Universal Studio, and Sea World) in three days plus all the tourist must-sees in the Greater Los Angeles area. Additionally, this caddy had made me almost like a star wherever I go. People would stare or even come up to me to express their opinions on how clever this gadget is! I swear...using it all over the place made me feel like a celebrity. =)

Tomorrow is my third time going in for physical therapy, but the first week where I will be doing three times a week like Dr. Charlton ordered. For the past two weeks, I had only went in for one therapy a week because my family was visiting and I simply could not find time to do two more therapies a week without sacrificing the daily activities that I had planned for my family. Let's see how I do this week with three time of P.T. a week.

Oh, finally, I received the bill from the hospital for my surgery. THANK GOD THAT I HAVE INSURANCE! I only owe the hospital (after insurance) a total of $322; instead of the pre-insurance charge of $22,500. What a difference my insurance made, right?! So people, learn from my example and do get yourself some sort of insurance somehow!! It's worth it, to say the least.

Cast Off, Cam Walker On

My cast was finally taken off yesterday. Now I am in this thing called Cam Walker. Every week I am supposed to adjust 7.5 degrees upward so that my tendon is stretched back to neutral position (from my foot pointing downward at 30 degrees til my foot is parallel to the ground).

Yesterday those hospital people were not being efficient at all. It took them a long time to do everything. It seemed that they were in a slow mode because... it was a Thursday?? However, I was very excited about getting rid of the cast. Boy, it felt soooo good when the nurse used that vibration saw to get that annoying cast off my leg.

Dr. Charlton said I am doing very well with my recovery. Two more weeks of no weight bearing. And the protected weight bearing. As for physical therapy, the doctor ordered 3 times a week for 6 weeks. So I scrambled to call the physical therapy center at USC. The earliest they could schedule me in is next Wednesday. Honestly, I have no idea what to expect, except that I hope my hot P.T. knows what "he" is doing.

Oh, another thing for meanwhile is that I can take off this cam walker to do some small, very gentle motion of toe/ankle rotation sitting down. Dr. Charlton specifically told me NOT to fall, because at this stage it will be very bad to re-injure the tendon. Wish me luck and pray for me, people.

Getting Out

Just this past Thursday, I went to Sushi Dan for the first time since my surgery. I have been craving for their spicy tuna salad for the longest time. Finally I was able to devour that perfectly fresh, harmonious dish. I, of course, did not go alone. Although eating alone and shopping alone can be a luxury at times, there is just something fun about having a meal with friends.

Xia Jia, Haicang, and Pei Huang joined me. They drove all the way from USC area to visit me. They were so sweet! After lunch, I invited them to my apartment. They absolutely loved our apartment building and my apartment, especially my bathroom. Ha~

We talked for a few hours... They are such nice people that I wish I had gotten closer to them sooner. Fortunately, there is Facebook that we can use to stay in touch with one another, as emails can get boring sometimes.

Anyway, a few highlights of our conversation:

Pei just recently got married to someone. Shocking, I know! They married in Vegas, and in a month or so, she is moving to London. Her husband is currently in Birmingham, but will soon be transferred to London to be with her. I mean..."Wow, sometimes life does make some unexpected turns!"

As for Haicang, he is moving to New York City in a few days. Even though he has two friends there, he will be on his own most of the time. He said he would be living at a hotel until he finds an apartment. His currently plan is to live there for a year and then return to China to be with his honey.

Xia Jia is driving her friend's car and waiting for her car to be ready for pick up. She is looking to practice more with her backing skills, parking skills, and everything!! No offense to her, but judging from how she parked her car the other day, I seriously wonder how she got her license. A good example would be that it took her 5 minutes to parallel park into a space that was big enough to fit two cars!! Xia Jia, I still love you though. =)

My Love for Sushi

My love for sushi is somewhat amazing. Here is how the story goes... After learning about how delicious the food is over at the Lighthouse - an all-you-can-eat Japanese Sushi Buffet - Yung Yu gathered many of us to enjoy a feast. Although we carpooled, there were many hurdles I had to overcome before I could put those delicious food into my mouth.

First, I had to go to USC University Hospital earlier that day to have my splint removed and then to have my two-week cast put on. I was by myself. After that, I drove to school to go to the health center for a stupid insurance claim form. Irene was running a bit late. So we all had to wait for her after Yung Yu, Emily, Lucille and myself met up. Finally, we were on our way to Santa Monica.

Walking on crutches wasn't an easy thing for me. While we waited for Lien and Rachel to arrive, we actually window-shopped a few stores. Everyone signed my cast and we took some pictures of the 'signing ceremony'. Thank God that they weren't late; otherwise, I would have tired myself out before the buffet.

The food was indeed great. We ate so much!! And most important of all, we had a great time visiting each other and talking just about anything. Recently I heard on the news that obesity is socially contagious disease. I totally agree, because most of the time when friends get together, we eat. Anyway, I was full until the next day. Even though my wallet was $26 skinnier, it was worth it... =)

Class on Tuesday

There were a few reasons why I went to campus yesterday. For one, I had to pick some cast protecting shields (they are really just bags) from the health center and also to borrow the wraps from Brandon. For two, I was helping Mark's co-worker buy some movie tickets from our ticket office. For three, and finally, I had class that night.

The class only lasted for less than one hour before we were let go, but some of my other friends were also able to sign my cast. Due to such a short session, some students said it was lame to have such a short class. I somewhat agreed, but I also enjoyed the fact that I got out of class and the sky was still bright for once.

You know...using crutches to go anywhere isn't exactly fun nor easy. The weather was very hot, so I was sweating so hard when I arrive at both the health center and the ticket office. I was totally hating it and feeling gross. God, if you are listening to my prayer right now, I want to know when the hell I am going to be able to walk like a normal person?! Just tell me... Give me a sign... Save me... I promise I will be good...

Harry Potter Again

Sunday I had my routine brunch. Due to my injury, getting that brunch by myself requires some creativity. This is also to say that I can no long simply use a big flat plate for all the food I normally get. For example, I had to use plastic containers for my food and a bag for those containers. Gosh, I am trying have hard to be patient with myself; however, time just doesn't seem to pass soon enough. I still have one more week before I can say goodbye to this cast. Ugh!

Mark and I went to see Harry Potter (The Order of the Phoenix) on Sunday afternoon. We got there a little late and all the good seats were gone. So we exchanged our tickets for the next showing. Meanwhile, Mark went to move his car to valet (free, due to my temp disabled parking placard) and then we went to Cheesecake Factory. We had our dinner and chi chatted for about an hour. Like usual, we talked about a lot of random stuff; however, the conversation about Fred's aggressive behavior was once again brought-up (by me). Not sure whether Mark took in what I had to say, but it was the last time I am going to spend time for it (- Okay, one of the last times, Mark.)

It was his first time and my second time watching this movie. I liked it. Somehow I am completely fascinated by the whole magic stuff. Wouldn't it be nice if I had some power like those wizards?! I want to fly like them and do magic like them. Gosh, I cannot imagine how fun it would be!

Hanging Out with Richard

Richard and I went to see Hairspray (3.5 stars out of 5 from me) somewhere in North Hollywood on Saturday. Although the movie theater was a bit 'common and smelly,' the $6 matinee per person made me feel like I was getting a deal. Seriously, one can rarely pay a mere $6 for a movie theater admission - probably not even in the middle of nowhere like Nebraska!

Before the move started, someone tripped over my crutches and fell. At first I apologized and had quite a bit of sympathy for this lady. However, she called me stupid and accused me of putting my crutches in the middle of the walkway. So I turned my head and argue with her. It was indeed unfortunate that she fell, but I had my crutches paralleled next to my chair. When she came in, she was not looking where she was going but so occupied about where she and her friends were going to sit. THAT's how she tripped into my crutches and fell. That stupid bitch...

After the movie, we went for some Pho noodle soup (which I love)! Richard got the movie tickets so I got the noodles. We somehow could not get enough of movie-watching. So we went back to his apartment and watch another move - Bridge to Terabythia (4 starts out of 5 from me). It wasn't until we finished this movie did we feel that we needed a break. Richard took me home and I spent the rest of that evening watching my Tivo.

My Texan Friend - Brian K.

Originally, I thought Friday, July 20th was going to be a quiet/slow day for me since the day before I had to go to the USC University Hospital, USC Health Center, and I also went out with "the Taiwanese bunch" for some sushi buffet in Santa Monica. But then Brain came visit me with some delicious food from CityWok. Mark happened to be home. So we just hung out until 1 or 2ish.

Brian is a very nice, intelligent, good-looking guy. He knows what he wants and he doesn't take crap from people, and he definitely has his shit together. For those hungry singles out there who are reading this post, you may think that he sounds like a perfect husband. And yes, you are right about that; however, he is no longer in the market. =)

So we ate, we chatted, and we joked around. Before we knew it, it was early AM. There were a couple of highlights during our conversation:

First of all, I had no idea that Brian knows so much about animals. And by animals, I do not mean just domesticated pets (dogs - he's had many, cats - he currently has two, etc.) but wild animals.

Second of all, Brian gave my dog-doting/cossetting roommate an eye/mind-opening experience on how and why dogs are to be trained. I had forgotten that Brian has had many dogs before, but I was definitely glad that Mark had someone else to tell him what I have been trying to get him to even 'consider'.

Don't get me wrong though, people; Fred isn't a bad dog. There are just a handful of things about him that needs some corrections (so that Mark can have an easier life and our guests won't have to put up with Fred's aggressive behaviors as well as Mark's interpretation on why his dog behaves certain ways); however, Mark would always try to rationalize/personify Fred's behaviors and let go of those undesirable behaviors because of its small size, his love for Fred, and lack of follow-ups in general. (Mark, if you are reading this, I hope you are just as serious about it as you seemed to be that night during/after Brian was generously sharing his first-hand experience! We have been roommates for more than a year now, what's another 5.5 months of tolerating if I didn't genuinely feel that having Fred trained will do you both good?)

Goodbye Splint, Hello Cast!

I went back to the hospital yesterday to have my sutures removed. On my way to the hospital, the traffic wasn't particularly bad; however, it felt it was taking longer than usual. Perhaps it was simply my urge to get out of that heavy splint that was messing with my head.

When I got there, I had to circle around the hospital a few times before I could find a spot to park. (Yes, I was being a bit cheap about paying $7 to park in the structure.) But then I was thinking that since I have my temporary handicap placard I might as well take advantage of it. Finally, I found a metered spot along a green curb - 30 mins parking. When I saw someone leaving, I thought to myself: "Yoohoo, free parking and I can park here as long as I wish!"

I only had to wait for like a minute before being called. This time they did not instruct me to go to one of those exam rooms; instead, I was in Tony's office/room so that he could remove my sutures and put a cast on my leg. He ran out of green - my favorite color - so I asked my doctor for an opinion. Dr. Charlton said I should choose black (and use silver mark for people to sign). So I chose black. At first, I was very skeptical about his suggestion/my choice. But guess what...it turned out to be rather fashionable. It goes well with whatever I wear and the silver signatures do stand out quite a bit. Who says you can't have style while being physically challenged?! =)

All in all, this post-op visit went well. My tendon is still healing, regardless of that little falling accident. My leg will be in this 'black' cast for two weeks. August 2nd will be when I return to the hospital next.

First Day of School...Post-Op

Emily offered to give me a ride to school, so did Irene and Mark, but I ended up driving myself to school for the first time after my surgery. The reason for it was because I had to go to USC University Hospital to take Leslie home.

That poor girl fracture her left elbow and sprained her wrist from roller-skating last Friday. Her both knees were so bruised up. Thank god that she didn't need to have surgery nor cast. I hope she likes physical therapy, though. =)

With my help, Leslie also get her temporary handicap placard at the AAA on Figueroa and Adam. She was very happy about all the parking privileges that come with this placard. For us, getting this placard is bitter-sweet. I mean...who would rather be handicapped just so he/she can have all those privileges? Then, we went to have fried chicken for lunch and watched Harry Potter afterward - great lunch and fun movie!!

When I got to school, I was hurrying to first go to the health center to get the receipt for my walking boot and crutches as well as to go to Annenberg digital lab to print out my focus group assignment and presentation notes. I had to do that all before 5 PM, using crutches. The weather was hot and I was sweating like a pig. Next week, there is no way I am going to bring along my super heavy laptop with me. Sure, it's a workout and I haven't been able to hit the gym, but I don't want to risk falling.

One hour before class, Sophia and I were in the Annenberg east lobby. Irene and Emily later joined us before walking over to GFS for class. Sophia bought me water and Irene bought me coffee. They are such sweet friends. When class started, some students asked about what happened to my leg. For a little bit, I did feel like a celebrity, as all the attention was focused on me. "How nice!" I thought. =)

When I came home, I saw Mark's car was there. It turned out that he and Warren (Rod Stewart's nephew) were hanging out at our apartment. I, of course, sat down and visit as well. We had a great time. I hit the sack early, though; after all, I am still a patient.

A Day of Friends Visitation

Sunday, July 15th, was such a nice day for me. I slept until about 11 AM, so I missed our free weekly Sunday brunch provided by my apartment management. (The food used to be great, but now if I miss it, it would not feel like a big deal anymore.) I watched some TV and took some naps as usual. I even spent some time revising my literature review for the 3rd time!

Richard came visit me with Pho noodle soup. It was so delicious. Gosh, I had been craving for it for the longest time since I injured my tendon. Yesterday was my lucky day to fulfill that dream. Mark cooked himself some pasta with Italian sausages. After dinner, three of us just sat at our dining table and chatted. Like usual, when three of us get together, we talk about many things. Sometimes our conversation can be totally random, but sometimes we talk about some really intelligent and philosophical stuff. Who says chit chat has to be boring, right?! =)

After Richard left, three girl friends of mine came to visit me - Irene, Sophia, and Rachel. They came at a perfect timing with lots of fruit, juices, and some fried chicken wings. YUM! We visited each other for a quite a while. As always, there was lots of laughter going on. We joked with one another, and we gossipped. They left around 1 AM.

Of course, I did not go to bed right after they had left. I kept on watching my Tivo until 3:30 AM or so. Gosh, I can tell that my schedule is going out of wack again. But then, why am I even worried? I really have got 'nothing' going on, other than staying in bed all day - would you agree?! *wink*

Many Hours of Ma-Jong (麻將)

Emily, Yung-Yu, Lucille came to my apartment to keep me company on Friday. They brought many things to make me chicken soup for my injury. Lucille also brought me a bag of cherry, which she forgot until we had already finishing eating.

They arrived around 3:30 PM. As soon as they got here, they started preparing for the chicken soup. Yung-Yu was cutting and slicing up all the green onions, mushrooms, garlics, and ginger. Emily was washing the chicken drumsticks. Lucille was helping me get settle at our dining table.

Before we knew it, we started playing Ma-Jong. I haven't played this game for a long time; however, I was just as good. At the end of the night, I was the biggest winner ($31.50) and Yung-Yu second with $1.00.

照片: 我當時莊家雙二花大三仙自摸- 各家12台!!

I was so lucky in many ways. First, my hands were great. I had so many different great hands that I had never actually seen in real life (and I used to watch my family play Ma-Jong almost every weekend!). So I was rather excited. Second, I have great friends who would come and help me with things and keep me company. I am thankful.

Oh, there was one little bad thing that night. we could not find one of he tiles. We searched the floor many times with no success. So I suggested that we move all the chair out of the way to search once more. Of course, I had to move as well. Standing up from the chair, I tripped over my right ankle and landed on the toes of my injured leg. The pain along my tendon and the incision was so painful that I was sweating like a pig. Finally, we found it - it was in Lucille's purse. we had no idea how it got in there, but it was there when we found it. Let me tell you...maybe it was because I won the particular type of game combination (see picture) that something strange had to happen.

MAYBE.

My First Post-Op Visit

My first post-op appointment was today at 2:30 PM. Mark and I left our apartment a little later than we planned. So when I checked it, it was exactly my appointment time. While waiting, I was able to chat with this older lady, Teresa, (whom I saw using a roll-about machine last Thursday when I was at the hospital for my initial consultation). She strongly recommended the machine because she said she was very mobile and the machine was easy to use.

Soon my name was called. Like last time, Liz opened then door for us and led us to the exam room. We only have to wait for a little before Dr. Charlton arrived. He brought another female doctor, Amie, with him. He was explaining to her the techniques he used and the reasons behind them.

When Tony cut open my splint, we were able to see the incision and the stitches. It was two inches in size at best. There was no swelling or any sign of infection/skin problem, which to me was great news. Another great news, to me, was that I learned the name of the hot doctor - Timothy Jackson. He was there too, although he just came in and took a brief look at my wound.

All in all, Dr. Charlton wants to see me in a week to remove my sutures. And it is then that I will start wearing a cast for two weeks. Gosh, I am not looking forward to these two weeks at all!! Finally, I think I will rent that roll-about machine for maximum mobility during the time my family is visiting...

I Am Recovering

Since I came home from the hospital on Tuesday afternoon, I have felt much better.

I remember that I was still pretty much out of it on Tuesday and there was some shooting pain on my calf. In addition, I was very drowsy...maybe I was still under the influence of morphine...

On Wednesday, I only took one percocet in the morning and there was no pain until I went to bed around 12:30 AM. Even though there was a lot of throbbing yesterday when I was talking between my room and our kitchen, both my roommate and Irene said I sounded a lot more alert and energetic.

I could feel so much gravity and pressure around the incision yesterday; to my surprise, the throbbing is a lot less today. For example, I was trying to take a shower and I was only uncomfortable for a minute. The throbbing is much more tolerable now. *phew*

Today is my first post-op visit with Dr. Charlton at the USC University Hospital. (Will write more about this in my next post!)

Tonight, friends are coming to my apartment to visit me. I'm not sure whether we are cooking, ordering take-outs, or whatever, but one thing for sure is I am going to have a good time - hopefully.

The Recovery Before Returning Home

After Mark left around 9 PM, I slept. However, I woke up almost every hour. I don't know whether it was due to the medication, the bed, or the position my legs were in, but I simply could not sleep deep enough.

The hospital did not quiet down until 1 or 2 AM. I could hear people talking, nurses walking back and forth, someone dropping things, cell phone noises, bipping sounds from machines, etc. I had never thought the hospital, especially recovery units can still be that noisy at night!

The IV kept me hydrated. I urinated quite a bit. After times of waking up, it was finally morning. The hot doctor came visit me around 7:30ish. He only asked me a few questions before he left my room. As much as I had the urge of telling to stay, I simply do not have the energy to do so.

My first set of breakfast was still the 'liquid' diet. Thank God that my nurse called the kitchen and requested for a new set of breakfast. I was able to order what I wanted. So they made me an egg-white omelet with everything, wheat toasts, and apple juice. After breakfast, I slept some more.

Mark came around 12 PM to take me home, but I had already order lunch. So we stayed until I finished my lunch (ravioli with garlic and olive oil sauce, a bread stick, oriental chicken salad, chicken noodle soup, fresh fruits, ice cream, and apple juice). It took us a while to find someone and a wheel chair for me to get out of the building, but finally, someone came to wheel-chaired me to the area outside of the lobby.

The ride home was okay (when Mark did not break too hard).

Coming Out of Anesthesia

(Before I knew it, the surgery was already done!) In the recovery room, I heard someone called my name repeatedly. "Ching? Ching? Can you hear me, Ching? Take a deep breath and a cough." I followed instructions a few times before I could even open my eyes or say anything that made sense.

After they determined that I was awake, they again bed-escorted me to the main building of the hospital. Room 640 was my room - a private room with a TV and a bathroom. Pretty cool. When I just got settled in my room, Mark arrived. He stayed there with me until around 9 PM. Irene, Sophia, Rachel, and Troy visited me with fruits (freshly cut), Tropicana orange juice, and some chicken soup (which had a major spilt before arriving at the hospital).

I didn't eat anything until the next day before I was still pretty out of it due to the morphine doses they gave me. For quite two or three times during their visit, I really wanted to throw up. I toughed it out and did not make a scene. =)

What I Did While Waiting for the Surgery

Monday, July 9th, was the day I went under knife to repair my ruptured tendon. Emily and Yung-Yu arrived at my apartment around 11 AM. We visited for a bit before driving to the hospital. Emily and Yung-Yu were so sweet that they stayed with me until I was bed-escorted into the surgery room.

I checked around 11:45 AM. After initial paper work and a bit of wait, all of us were sent to the 'waiting room' so that I can be prep for surgery. Even though I was scheduled to have the surgery at 1:45 PM, it was not until around 2:30 PM that they started give me some anesthesia medication.

So between the time I checked in and when they gave me the medication, Emily and Yung-Yu were keeping me company. We actually had a great time hanging out. We talked about a lot of things and laughed quite a bit. Honestly, I wasn't sure whether the laughter came from me freaking out or we were just indeed having a good time 'waiting.' =)

Feeling Loved by Friends

My injury thus far has allowed me to validate my belief that I have great friends. I have received many get-well emails. On top of that, my roommate, Mark, has been extremely accommodating. He practically is my maid! Richard, my other good friend, will also come visit me with some Pho noodle that I requested.

And then there are Lien and Rachel. They came to my apartment yesterday evening with some delicious food from my favorite Taiwanese restaurant in Arcadia, CA - Sin Ba La!! It was so nice to have friends visiting after so many days of resting in bed. They were so sweet! Honestly, their visit made me feel so loved. =)

Richard may come visit me today. And tomorrow is the big day where I go under knife. Emily and Yung-Yu will be picking me up at my apartment around 11 AM to go the hospital. Irene, Sophia, and maybe Rachel will come visit me on Monday evening. On Tuesday - sometime before noon - I will be discharged to go home. Emily and Yung-Yu will take me home. Thank you, Yung-Yu and Emily. You guys have no idea how much of help you two have been!!!

Temporary Handicap Placard

With Dr. Charlton's signature and the application for a placard, I went to the AAA in Burbank to get my temporary handicap placard. (Yes, I drove myself there - with extra caution - as I have three legs now!)

There were quite a few people there waiting by the time I got there. Fortunately, I didn't have to wait long before my name was called. I paid $6 for my placard. It's good for six months, which is more than enough for me. The placard is in red (while the blue is for people permanent disabilities).

There are some quite interesting privileges for handicap placard. For example, I will not need to pay when parking at meter spots on the streets. Furthermore, I can park along the blue curbs (reserved for handicapped individuals) and/or green cubs (indicating limited time parking) as long as I wish. I can even park at spots that have residential or merchant restrictions. In short, they can't really touch me!

One thing I have to find out, though, is whether I can park on campus at those reserved handicap spots for free. USC is privately owned, and those privileges may not apply on the property of USC. This is something I definitely need to call transportation services to find out.

Finally Seen at the USC University Hospital

With nothing better to do, I slept until 11:30AM. In fact, it was my roommate who woke me up (because he wanted to tell me that he was on his way home to take me to the hospital). We left our apartment around 1:30PM. My appointment was at 2:30PM; however, I did not get seen until about 3PM. That half an hour wait may seem frivolous to most people, but to me, that 30 mins seems like eternity.

Finally, I was called to another room. Guess what! More wait. The doctor finally came and asked me to take off my boot. After a quick test, he also said that my tendon was completely ruptured. He quickly asked me and my roommate to go to his office to discuss surgery logistics.

When we first went to his office, both my roommate and I were extremely impressed by all the certificated and qualifications hung on his walls. I think my doctor is in his early 40s, but has a ton of achievements. Three items on the wall stood out the most: a picture of my doctor taken with George W. Bush and the First Lady, a picture of him and Cheney, and a picture of Ina Garten (aka Barefoot Contessa) of the Food Network and her personal message to Dr. Timothy Charlton.

"Boy, how interesting!" I thought. But soon, I heard my roommate say jokingly, "Hurry, we should get out of here. He is obviously a republican." We stayed, of course. (Oh, yeah, he did expressed that he has been thinking about taking down the picture with Cheney. He didn't seem to like him very much! But the he added that Bush was a nice guy, and I was like, "Yeah, whatever, let's talk about my surgery now!")

After some chit chat on those three impressive pictures, we quickly moved on to a discussion of the surgery I will be having. He was very patient with me and answered all my questions. He even printed me some 'color' materials on Achilles tendon rupture, labeled "Dr. Charlton's Secrets," that he gives to his students. In the end, he signed my application for temporary handicap placard (good for 6 months!).

I felt so relieved after seeing the doctor. I feel I am in good hands. All I have to do now is to take good care of myself -- ice my injured area, prop it up, and do nothing else. Tomorrow I am going to AAA to get my temp. handicap placard. And on Monday, July 9th, at 1:45PM, I will go under the knife.

Lots of Irony

This injury thus far has showed me plenty of irony. For one, today is 4th of July and right now I am watching the fireworks on TV. In fact, I can even hear the sound of fireworks outside. Yet, I am still in bed with my left leg elevated. My friends are out celebrating without me.

*Long sigh*

I wish I were physically healthy so that I could go out and enjoy the festive atmosphere. Speaking of my current physical condition, here is another irony:

I have always been an independent person. I do not like to ask for favors. I like to go shopping and going to the movies alone. Now, all I can do it alone is stay in bed with my left foot elevated. I wonder whether this is some sort of punishment from God or any higher power.

"I promise I will be good!"

To Tell or Not

Since my injury on Monday, July 2nd, I have not informed that many people. So far, I believe I have only told Kenny, Richard, Miki, Joey, Jacek, Rachel, Cathy, Patti, Susan, and Mark. I have not yet told any friends or my professors from my grad school. Nor have I told any of my family member about my unfortunate accident.

For more times than I can remember, I want to pick my phone and start calling people to tell them about my boo-boo; however, I feel that I cannot really tell them anything definite until I see the doctor tomorrow. (So friends and families, please do not be mad at me for not telling you earlier!)

Another big dilemma I face is that I don't know whether I should even tell my family until I have undergone the surgery. I know my mom will worry, first of all. Second of all, without seeing the doctor first, anything I tell them is simply speculative or is based on experience of others.

However, the real problem is that some of my family members (one of my aunts, her husband, two of their children, and my brother) are planning to come visit me in early August. Currently, they are applying for their passports - a 7 to 10 days process. I honestly don't know whether I will be able to show them around the Greater Los Angeles area. (Many have shared online that swelling persists for a few weeks post surgery.) I would hate for them to cancel their trip because of my injury. Furthermore, I haven't seen my dear brother for 7 years. I really hope they can come and have a great time, but I don't know if I will be physically capable of walking around for hours at a time.

Gosh, it totally sucks!!

A Day of Bed Rest

Since I came home from the health center yesterday, I pretty much stayed in bed with my left leg elevated. It's so boring!! I have watched so much TV that I start to find that there is nothing to watch. I have my laptop with me in bed, and I am checking my emails every 5 mins. My immobility is driving me crazy. I miss going to the gym for some weight lifting and cardio exercises. Actually, I would be happy if I could just walk like a normal person! I can't imagine how my life is going to be like post surgery, since there will be swelling and pain...

My roommate, Mark, has been more than helpful. He went to get a bath chair for me so that I can take a shower sitting down. He cooked meals for me, he did all the dishes, and he even helped me research information on Achilles tendon rupture. What's more is that he even got online and found me the application for a temporary handicapped placard. My current life would have been much worse if it were for his help so far! Thanks, Mark...

Tomorrow, July 5th, Mark is probably able to leave work early to take me to see an orthopedics at USC University Hospital around 2:30PM. Hopefully, the doctor can answer all the questions I have.

A Day Full of Surprises

My roommate Mark took a day off to take me to the health center. We left around 7:30AM, because the center opened at 8 AM and I wanted to make sure I got seen ASAP. When I checked in, there was no students/patients in sight. The waiting room was completely empty.

After a short wait, a nurse came to take my blood pressure and body temperature. Soon after that, Dr. Kwak performed the same test that my friend Kenny taught me to do over the phone on Monday night. He said I had a completely ruptured Achilles tendon. He soon got on the phone to try to get me seen the same day at the USC University Hospital; however, they could only schedule me in for Thursday, July 5th, @ 2:30PM.

So he gave me a walking boot (to stabilized my ankle) and crutches (to allow some degree of mobility).

Tuesday, July 3rd, was such a day full of surprises. First of all, I learned that I could have gone to an emergency room and paid 10% of the cost. (For this I can't really blame anyone, because I should have learned how my insurance works!!) Second of all, no referral was required of students, which means that I could have gone to USC University Hospital directly! Third of all, the health center fees that students pay do not cover the walking boot and crutches. I had to paid $100 for them.

Mark and I got back to our apartment around 10AM. All I could felt was anxiety and agony.

To Go or Not To Go

With extra care and attention, I backed into my parking spot like usual. This time, however, I did not get out of my car immediately. Instead, I lowered the back of my seat and put my injured leg up on the dashboard. The pain was still pretty severe then. Plus, I was just very thankful that I could drive home safely. So I took out my insurance card and call the phone number for customer service, trying to figure out to go to an emergency room or not.

The representative was NOT helpful at all in finding out which hospitals were in my exclusive provider network. She was so slow in response and sounded she was unsure of anything she was telling me. After being on the phone with her for almost 25 mins, she gave me a few phone numbers, which turned out to be useless.

So I also called USC's Health Center and Department of Public Safety. Through the automated phone system of the health center, I was able to leave a message for an after-hour nurse, who she called me back in 40 some mins later and told me to go to an emergency room after asking me some questions.

I honestly didn't know whether I should go to an emergency room. Part of me did not want to go because I would have sat there for hours before I get seen by anyone (and plus, I didn't know that my insurance actually would cover 90% for emergency visits). So I called Kenny - a physician assistant friend of mine. So nice and patient he was. He taught me to conduct a test on the phone; sure enough, the result was that I have a ruptured Achilles tendon. He also thought I could wait until the next day to go to USC health center to obtain a referral.

So I stayed home.

How It All Happened

Just like any other Monday evenings, I went to play volleyball at Hollywood High School. The game was good and I was having fun. However, around 9PM, something happened.

I was on my way up for a kill. All of a sudden, I felt someone had run into my left calf. I tripped and sat on the gym floor, feeling a severe pain. I quickly noticed that it wasn't my ankle that was hurting. As I stood up and tried to take a step toward the bleacher, I simply could not walk. It was right then that I realized I had rupture my left Achilles tendon.

I slowly took baby steps toward the bleacher. Sitting on the bleacher for about 20 mins with my ankle elevated, all I could feel was pain. After I felt the pain became more tolerable, I packed up and walked to my car - alone. All my friends carried on their business, thinking I simply sprained my ankle. I don't blame them for not helping me, because I didn't ask for help. If I were them, I would go on playing as well. So with a DIY spirit, I drove myself home.