My Angry Blind Worm

So I got my appendix removed Monday night. Good times. Thought I had a stomach ache from eating too many hotdogs on Saturday, then maybe some stomach flu going around on Sunday. By Monday, when I went home from work early on account of me being worthless, I figured something wasn't sorted. After some poking around I located the focal point of my anguish, which wasn't in my stomach after all. It was my old friend the appendix.

In human anatomy, the vermiform appendix (or appendix, pl. appendices) is a blind ended tube connected to the ascending colon of the large intestine and the ileum. The term "vermiform" comes from Latin and means "wormlike in appearance." It develops embryologically from the cecum. The cecum is the first pouch-like structure of the colon, in latin "caecum," meaning "blind." The appendix is near the junction of the small intestines and large intestines. It may have some function in regulating homeostatic mechanisms in fetuses though has been largely regarded as a vestigial structure. The cecum is more largely developed in our long lost cousins Cercopithecidae, or The Old World Monkeys, and also in other herbivores where it houses the bacteria that digests cellulose. But since we've all but left the digestion of plants behind, especially those in Texas, not too much need for the old fella anymore.

The largest appendix ever removed was from a 55 year-old man in Islamabad, Pakistan. It was 23.5cm or nearly 9.2 inches. The acompanying picture at the Guiness World Records site shows a mid-surgery photo of the appendage's extraction. Apparently in Pakistan they use serving spatulas to spread open the incision and old levis for sterile clothe. Nice.

I think my surgery was somewhat more refined, but then again, how would I know? All I remember really was the room being very cold, walk-in cooler cold, and full of hastily moved equipment with freshly painted walls. The anesthesiologist was our neighbor Jan, who was very surprised to see us. She held the mask up to my face and told me to take some deep breaths. I wanted to say something funny, like "I'll be right back" or "Wait, I'm getting better" but I was out before I could think of it.

Everybody was there when I woke up, and I felt like I was the guest of honor at a small impromptu party. As I reeled back out of the anesthesia fog I asked "How's my hair?" Which I'm sure was looking good. Luckily I'd been given a nice blue paper shower cap, which unfortunately Carrie didn't take a picture of, though she did manage to snap off a few of me lounging about later, high as a kite. Or as we say up here high as an eagle -kite soars.

Everything went well. I won't go into details but while they were rummaging around in my entrails, no doubt, my Mom assured me, spread out on a table, they did happen to find some dead lymph nodes. But testing was all negative for things that when tested negative are good. I didn't have any ill effects from the anesthesia and the surgery itself is healing well. Though I still am in a fair amount of discomfort and plan to see how long I can use that to get Carrie to do things for me. Really she is too kind and I couldn't have asked for a better person to take care of me. She even made me homemade chicken soup. Which she had never done before. I wished she would have tried it out on someone else but, luckily it was scrumptious.

One lasting effect of the continued narcotic usage is temporary constipation. Which has never been my style and is causing me probably the most discomfort. A belly wound and bloating are not symbiotic. But things are working their way out and I'm feeling better by the day. All in all I can't recommend the experience. And if your thinking of trimming down I would just leave the little worm alone, if content it is.

Thanks everyone for the calls while I was in the hospital. It was nice to hear from you all and receive your well wishes. Hopefully this is the most exciting thing that happens to me this year, well surgery-wise. I could go a long time without going through that again.

Take care of yourselves and eachother.

Carrie's Time to Shine

Okay everyone, as you may or may not know Carrie has a big interview on Tuesday April 3rd for her ultimate dream job. The interview is from 11am to noon our time. After that she has another interview with a lesser slightly dreamy job. That one should last till around one. So what we'd like to have you all do (that's y'all for some of you)is send Carrie some chocolate love during those hours. You can either direct it at her, or at her interviewers. Just grab a bite of your favorite chocolate and start a mashin'!Taste that sweet chocolaty goodness and picture transfering all that joyous sweetness towards Carrie's interviewers so that they may be overcome with sweet cocoa bliss. My dearest friend Kala Nyx, formerly known as Stacey Nyx Stanley, swears by this method for achieving sucess. Let's do it people! Mark it on your calendar and be an integral part in Carrie's success.

Thanks from the Alaska crew.

How could I be so wrong...3 hours later

 

If you peruse the following posts, you will see that Spring was here earlier today. Now there is a blizzard outside, and the crocuses are getting blanketed in white. You know what Johnny and June Cash says, "When its Springtime in Alaska its 40 below".

See the Flowers?

 

Maybe it is Spring!

 

Harleigh Loves Spring

 

Alaskan Backcountry

Saturday was reported to be relatively nice, no rain at least. Marvin, a friend of ours, invited us to go to Jag Lake for some backcountry riding. Since we didn't visit the Hole in the Wall Friday night the early morning departure was doable. Though of course, we were a little late.

Jag lake is up Ward Creek Rd. about five minutes off the Tongass
Hwy. We parked and followed a sled road up into the Jag Lake area and
from there up onto Slide Ridge. All told its a grueling two hour hike
through sixteen feet of snow. Its gotten at least another five feet
since the last time we were up here a month ago. But the view from the top of the ridge is amazing. You can see George's Inlet near where we live and even Caroll's Inlet to the east as well as Betton, Grant and Hump Island in the Behm Canal to the west.

Its crazy, the trees are so laden with layers of snowfall they look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. The weather was intermittent sun and light snow though the fog kept rolling in and obscuring our view of Clover Pass and some of the northern ranges. But the southern view and eastern were beautiful. Harley Rose came along in
her neoprene hunting jacket and Outward Hound backpack. She behaved herself for most of the day until she got tired then turned to fully menacing her mom till they were both quite salty.

Carrie had a great time overall. She didn't snowboard but she took some great pictures of the area and used her "built in sled" to get around. Unfortunately the Jag lake area is used often by snowmobilers and the sounds of their two-stroke engines fill the otherwise quiet mountain air. A couple of them even started high marking above us as we strapped back into our snowshoes for another ascent. Marvin had to stop the guy and give him a lecture on mountain safety, then do the same for
his pudgy offspring. One of the guys nearly clipped Jeff, Marvin's
buddy that came with us, as he was putting his skins back on. Different strokes for different folks, but with a whole mountain we couldn't figure out why they suddenly were all around us. I think they were just lonely, stuck in the solitude of their engines roar and looking for an audience. One of them did manage to turn Carrie around when she was coming to meet us. Apparently she was walking the opposite direction off into the wild open foggy Alaskan wilderness thinking we were down the trail. Luckily he stopped her and turned her around after running into us further up the trail.

The snow and the scenery made up for the disturbance of the mosquito-mobilers and we returned tired but happy with a bit of daylight left. To celebrate I made sopa de camaron rinconada along with some empanadas al achiote rellenas de camaron. Carrie complemented our lovely dinner with fresh guacamole and salsa and a couple of cool Tecates. A fitting end to a glorious day.

Today even Harley has done nothing but nap and rise occasionally for a couple of pats. I have basically lathered my entire body with tiger balm and plan on following the dogs lead. Carrie, as always, is working.

You can check out our backcountry pics at our picasa site and don't miss my new hip hair style! Carrie is quite the hairdresser. Maybe a new line of work?