Twelve Hours of Happy Dances

They all went a little something like this (bootie included)
...well as much as I could post-major surgery

I cleared one of the final hurdles on day three post kidney donation-I ate regular food for dinner. It was classified as "surgical" (the lady who delivered the food warned me that would be what I was getting). I was a little afraid what that would mean but was pleasantly surprised. It was a whole wheat turkey sandwich, some kind of noodle beef soup, green beans and apple-sauce for dessert. Much like my wonderful shower earlier in the day, under the circumstances it was one of the best meals I could hope for. I was very careful as per the doctors to take it easy. I would eat a quarter of the sandwich and then pace the room a bit (it was cut up that way-kind of made me feel like I was 10 in a good way). I'd then have a bit of soup and walk around some more, giving my body time to adjust to what I was ingesting and make sure I wasn't going to have any adverse side effects. None of those seemed to be occurring so I kept going. When I decided I was done, I had eaten 3/4 of the sandwich, all the good stuff out of the soup, the beans and the apple-sauce. A happy dance ensued. I only had one more thing to check off the list of "to dos" to be released from hospital.

About 3am the following morning I woke up feeling a bit gassy.  I walked around my room a bit and realized I was ready to check the last thing off my list-a number two.

A friend of mine has twin toddlers and has been going through the wonders & challenges of potty training over the last few months, doing all the recommended things parents do like cheering her kids on when they do what they need to do where they are supposed to do it. I appreciate this moment for me was in no way nearly nearly as momentous and life changing as those moments are for my friend. However I couldn't help but think of her (sorry Sarah) as I cheered myself on ("YAY LAUREN-good for you!") out loud, in the middle-of-the-night night-lighted darkness of my washroom. Another happy dance.

I knew as soon as I had real food (not involving Jello) that I'd be able to "make it happen". I know myself and how my body works. I am sure I had the "I told you so" look on my face the next morning when Doctorpalooza asked me if I had done that yet. I answered yes (probably too enthusiastically) to that and all their other questions (including what had been for dinner and was it any good).  They all stared at me, smiling for a few minutes as I impatiently stared back at them, Finally Dr Y and Dr S laughed (I'm pretty sure it was at me).

Dr. S asked "Would you like to go home?"

Happy Dance.