Back in Lebanon and other news
11 Feb 2025 10:25 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wayfaringwordhack Hello, fellow bloggers.
Poking my head out of Internet obscurity to say we have been back in Lebanon for a week, come midnight. Our last two months in France were chaotic, not only with the holidays and goodbyes, but because I was diagnosed with stage 3 (of 4) of osteoarthritis in my left knee. This knee has been paining me off and on and seriously restricting my activities--a very bad thing for an already fairly sedentary person--for the past six years; but when I wrenched it in November and actually went to see a doctor, I found out the problem was more serious than an injury that would heal with time.😢
The first anti-inflammatory meds I was on were so useless, I just stopped taking them, especially since they are very hard on the digestive system. I decided to get a hyaluronic acid injection to help with the pain and improve my mobility. Sadly the shot doesn't bring instantaneous relief--indeed the rheumatologist told me it takes up to six weeks for have an effect--and three weeks in I am still suffering. But I am mostly suffering *again* because I stupidly wrenched my knee *again* by catching my foot on something. The same day I got the injection, I threw my back out. Like seriously could not move without excruciating pain, needing family members to move my limbs for me, etc. Praise God, Julien was back in France when it happened!* My doctor prescribed me a different anti-inflammatory for that plus codeine, and on the second day, I was able to crawl around. The upside of hurting my back was finding the molecule that helped with the inflammation, giving me relief for my knee. My treatment for the back is over, but I got the doc to give me another prescription to bring back to Lebanon with me. I have been hesitating about taking the meds, but after two nights of poor sleep due to pain, I think I am about to cave. The treatment will take me very close to the "kick in" date of the injection and will certainly help the latest injury to heal better without the inflammation.
So, back to Lebanon to my house that needs serious cleaning, friends who all want to catch up, a family that needs to find some new normalcy,**and me, I am stove up and tired and a bit overwhelmed by it all. I don't want to wallow, but that is all I really feel like doing.
I got out my paints and finished the two paintings I had started before leaving last summer. Here is one of them:
Fishers on the Nile, watersoluble oils
On a brighter side, we came back to the storms and rain. I really love the crazy winter weather here, especially when there is lots of thunder and lightning. But it is nice when the sun shines, too, and you can get both in the same day. 😁
_______________
* He came back to get some work done on the house, like installing a new shower stall. Poor guy had no help from me because I was laid out on the couch. Thankfully, Farmer Boy was a huge help, and with Sprout chipping in, too, they were able to get it done.
**Things are calm here on the political and conflict fronts, so I am talking more about do the kids want to do activities, and if so, which ones, etc. etc.
Poking my head out of Internet obscurity to say we have been back in Lebanon for a week, come midnight. Our last two months in France were chaotic, not only with the holidays and goodbyes, but because I was diagnosed with stage 3 (of 4) of osteoarthritis in my left knee. This knee has been paining me off and on and seriously restricting my activities--a very bad thing for an already fairly sedentary person--for the past six years; but when I wrenched it in November and actually went to see a doctor, I found out the problem was more serious than an injury that would heal with time.😢
The first anti-inflammatory meds I was on were so useless, I just stopped taking them, especially since they are very hard on the digestive system. I decided to get a hyaluronic acid injection to help with the pain and improve my mobility. Sadly the shot doesn't bring instantaneous relief--indeed the rheumatologist told me it takes up to six weeks for have an effect--and three weeks in I am still suffering. But I am mostly suffering *again* because I stupidly wrenched my knee *again* by catching my foot on something. The same day I got the injection, I threw my back out. Like seriously could not move without excruciating pain, needing family members to move my limbs for me, etc. Praise God, Julien was back in France when it happened!* My doctor prescribed me a different anti-inflammatory for that plus codeine, and on the second day, I was able to crawl around. The upside of hurting my back was finding the molecule that helped with the inflammation, giving me relief for my knee. My treatment for the back is over, but I got the doc to give me another prescription to bring back to Lebanon with me. I have been hesitating about taking the meds, but after two nights of poor sleep due to pain, I think I am about to cave. The treatment will take me very close to the "kick in" date of the injection and will certainly help the latest injury to heal better without the inflammation.
So, back to Lebanon to my house that needs serious cleaning, friends who all want to catch up, a family that needs to find some new normalcy,**and me, I am stove up and tired and a bit overwhelmed by it all. I don't want to wallow, but that is all I really feel like doing.
I got out my paints and finished the two paintings I had started before leaving last summer. Here is one of them:
Fishers on the Nile, watersoluble oils
On a brighter side, we came back to the storms and rain. I really love the crazy winter weather here, especially when there is lots of thunder and lightning. But it is nice when the sun shines, too, and you can get both in the same day. 😁
_______________
* He came back to get some work done on the house, like installing a new shower stall. Poor guy had no help from me because I was laid out on the couch. Thankfully, Farmer Boy was a huge help, and with Sprout chipping in, too, they were able to get it done.
**Things are calm here on the political and conflict fronts, so I am talking more about do the kids want to do activities, and if so, which ones, etc. etc.
no subject
Date: 11 Feb 2025 12:31 pm (UTC)Your painting is so gorgeous. The luminous pale pink of the sky, the way you've captured exactly how the water reflects it--I love it. And not just that, but the solidity of the boat (the paint peeling in places!), the light on the men's shirts, the green on the shore--just everything.
no subject
Date: 11 Feb 2025 12:38 pm (UTC)Glad you like the painting. It had a lot of fun challenges, and I might revisit it to try to improve some things and go a bit bigger.
no subject
Date: 11 Feb 2025 12:41 pm (UTC)Please love your painting the way I love it! (Okay I realize that's an impossible ask, but) I stared happily at the sky for several moments before reading your text!
no subject
Date: 11 Feb 2025 12:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 11 Feb 2025 12:32 pm (UTC)I love your artwork! The treatment of light in your painting is most impressive. You have quite a talent.
Please stay safe and welcome back.
no subject
Date: 11 Feb 2025 12:45 pm (UTC)Thanks so much for the compliments on the art. My husband thinks I don't share it enough, so I put it out there because of him. He will be happy to know people liked it.😂
no subject
Date: 12 Feb 2025 05:06 pm (UTC)So sorry to hear about your knee. I too hope for a good effect from the injection and less suffering going forward, somehow. . .
no subject
Date: 12 Feb 2025 05:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 29 Apr 2025 02:06 am (UTC)