Pain-free Pati

Pati had her surgery last week. 6 hours of spinal surgery. She´s amazing.

The days leading up to the operation I asked her how she was feeling and if she was ready. She told me she there was no point to be nervous, it had to be done. On the subject of being ready, she told me she needed to get her nails done and go to her hair appointment for a cut and color. No one looks as good as Pati after a 6-hour spinal surgery. The day she left for the clinic her friend Florencia and I joked that it was as if they were headed to the theater for the afternoon. No big deal.

The day before (last Tuesday) we made a date to spend the afternoon at the movies and to eat hamburgers. Pati walked out of her hair appointment half-colored to go, telling the hairdresser she had to go to a last-minute emergency doctor´s appointment. I love this woman. We went to see a French movie called Afternoons with Margueritte. It was a beautiful movie that made us both ooze with love afterwards. Just your average feel-good movie, and the realization that love comes in so many forms and is possible for every person. Sigh. Then we chowed down on cheeseburgers and fries at McDonalds and I won´t lie, I enjoyed it!

I have been visiting with her every day in the clinic along with a long roster of her friends. This woman is loved by so many people. What a testiment to her life. The first few days she was pretty drugged up, but always chatting and laughing like her usual self. She moved out of Intensive Care on Sunday, and is walking around the halls on her own now, so she is starting to heal. She´ll return to the house this weekend, and I can´t wait to have my roommate back. I so look forward to the days when she is recouperated and doesn´t have to live with the chronic back pain anymore.