An Enchanted Evening

We are enjoying the incredible generosity of our dear friends, Kjell (pronounced shell) and Marilyn, who offered us the use of their amazing island home for the week ahead.  We've been out here before, twice overnight, but this is the first time we'll spend several days in a row out here. The island is called Mefjärd and is about a 3 hour boat ride, in our boat, from our marina in Stockholm. The ride takes us out into the more wild area of the archipelago and it feels so wonderful to be so far away from the noise of the city. Your senses are filled with the surrounding sea, the gorgeous islands, and the vast sky that envelopes you.

The main house where we will stay is perched on a hill that sits above the boat dock. It's quite unique in that the island is long and skinny so there are views of the water from both the front and the back of the house. Doug was a champion, hauling all of the goods up from the boat as I am still in the phase of healing where lifting is a big no no. We had to bring all of our food out for the week as there are no stores nearby. He was happy to have it done and soon we were relaxing on the deck taking in the long, warm sunny evening.

I was absolutely smitten by the dazzling evening that the archipelago provided for us on our first night here.  Doug and Tanner went swimming but I wasn't quite brave enough to venture into the chilly waters. Doug grilled steaks and we enjoyed a lovely meal on the deck. It was well after 9.00 p.m. by the time we finished up.  The evening continued to impress the later it got. On our left was the incredible “super moon”, hanging low in the sky, a huge orange ball of light casting a street of gold on the water's surface that looked fake.  To our right was the calming sea, with the barely setting sun dipping just below the horizon creating the most wondrous palette of color and beauty.  It was well after midnight when I could finally fall into bed and let these views go.

I awoke at 7.00 to a bright, calm sunny morning.  The sea was absolute glass, with a lone boat creating a lovely ripple in its wake.  A day in the sun awaits us. Even Tanner has taken on the calm beauty of the archipelago.

Glad Midsommar i Sverige, Igen

That's, "Another Happy Midsommar in Sweden" for those of you not well-versed in the language of my current home land.  This year topped them all in the weather department.  Warm and sunny with no rain, that is almost unprecedented!  And the presence of the "super moon" on one side of the night sky with the setting sun on the other side of the sky on the summer solstice made it a spectacularly beautiful day and night!
The wonderful stuga in Mellösa that has become our midsummer destination for several years has had a makeover and we are the lucky one who get to use it.  For years, we slept in the "guest house" under a table, amidst hundreds of books so now that it is fancy schmancy, we feel we've earned the right to reside therein!  
Hosts Hannah and Sven continue to dazzle us year after year with their amazing hospitality and joyous spirit.  The food and drink and singing and laughter filled our hearts with joy once again.  The always raucous National Anthem round inspired many with renditions from Sweden, Ghana, England, the USA, Japan and the Netherlands.  The 3.5 Americans did the red, white and blue proud, me thinks.
I only observed the dancing around the may pole this year but fashioned a midsommar krans (midsummer wreath) with my own hands and enjoyed feeling typically svensk.  Tanner even got in on the action.  He was one happy hund joining old friends Sven and Bell in a weekend of running, playing and swimming.  I don't think I've ever seen him so exhausted.  
I took my first post-op swim and enjoyed every minute of it.  Water was even reasonably comfortable although I had to beg off the after dinner swim.  Didn't want to push my luck too much. We sat for a long time enjoying the lovely, long evening.  
Doug and I took a midnight stroll to take in the evening beauty.

time stamp should say 12.09

The moon combined with the slightly fading light of the summer solstice were just breathtaking to behold.  We sat on the dock and enjoyed a quiet moment together.  The sun had set on another midsummer eve in Sweden...but just barely.  (Note, the time stamps on the photos are one hour later than it actually was...)

Oh, Oh Those Summer Nights

We're in the long, light days of summer here in Stockholm and loving every minute of bright sunshine that each day brings.  It is still light around 11.00 p.m.  The sunrise was at 3.33 a.m. today and the sunset is not until 10.02 p.m.  Of course, it is light on either side of those times as the sun reflects light long before it actually rises and sets!  We're loving it.  We haven't been able to get out on the boat for every good evening just yet since it's still a bit chilly and the weather changes every 10 minutes.  So on the evenings when it's lovely, we've been tucking a beverage into a backpack, leashing up the dog and walking about 15-20 minutes down to one of piers on the waterfront.   Then we sit there and watch the world go by! Tanner loves it.  In fact, tonight he even found a red carpet to roll around on!And he gets a free drink from the water hook up that boats use when they pull in!
 There's a brand new restaurant next to one of our favorite piers called Ångbåtsbryggan...The Steam Boat Bridge.  It is lovely.  Old time steamers pull in and out and you can sit on their lovely deck and take in the gorgeous city views.
The light dazzles right now.  The city glistens.  Oh Stockholm...when you put winter to bed and bring out your summer warmth and light, you are positively irresistible!

My First Big Outing

10 days into my recovery and all is going very well.  Pain is minimal.  Some discomfort remains but each new day brings more and more healing.  What wondrous creations our bodies are!
I've been able to take some small walks around our neighborhood and I'm so thankful for that.  The flowers that are blooming right now are oh so spectacular.
Today is Swedish National Day so it's a public holiday here.  It wasn't a holiday until recently and Swedes still don't really know what to do with this day.  They never had to win independence from anyone.  They embody their culture more fully on the upcoming midsommar holiday, celebrating the long light of summer.  But they are always happy for a holiday so we are happy to join them in a day off work!
Today was picture perfect, the kind of weather that you dream about all winter long.  When it gets like this in Stockholm there is just no better place on earth.  So Doug asked me how I felt about venturing out on the boat and I said I was game.  My short outings had gone well, the boat seats are cushioned, and I thought it would be just wonderful to get out.  We called our friend Jen to enjoy the day with us and give a hand with the dog and the lifting as those are both no-no activities for me for another 5 weeks.
Boy am I glad we ventured out!  The water was still, the sky without a cloud, the sun warm and refreshing.  We headed south to our new favorite little spot, the Artipelag.  Free boat slips, great walking paths, most beautiful café in Sweden, easy swimming access, beautiful bathrooms and loads of sunshine.  What is there not to love?!  I was nervous that the bouncing and jostling might be a bit much but it was such a great smooth ride.  Tanner and I hunkered onto the back seat and allowed the lull of the motor to bring on a restful nap.

A wonderful place to recuperate!

 It felt so wonderful to get out!  Once there, we took a nice walk, used the beautiful bathrooms and found a nice seaside rock to enjoy our time.

Gorgeous outdoor café

Tanner was in and out of the water constantly.  Doug and Jen swam.  I could only put my feet in.

Our view for the afternoon

No swimming for 2 more weeks.  We munched on trail mix, pita chips and hummus, and cherries.  Yum.  Taste of summer was starting!  At 5.30 pm we began our trek back to our harbor.  It remained hot and sunny the entire ride.  We arrived at 6.30 pm and daylight was still burning brightly.  On another day we might've stayed out all evening, packing dinner, grilling on the seaside, but for today, this afternoon outing was enough.  Tanner is now shattered here at home, dead asleep on the floor.  I am a little sunburned and pretty worn out.  Doug is happy to be resting at home as well.  It was a perfect day and the perfect big first outing for me.  I hope the rest of the summer proves to be this amazing.

The Nitty Gritty

If you are prone to scream, TMI (too much information), then you may want to stop reading right now.  (Judy V.  You may want to just close your browser now!)  But if you are a little bit like me and enjoy gritty details, then perhaps this post will be right up your alley!  No photos, so no worries there but for those truly interested in the whole journey, I'm happy to share these funny little details.  It really is true that misery loves company so I'm feeling the need to invite you into my pain!
First the facts.  One of the main reasons that the surgery became necessary was because of large fibroids that were making my uterus large.  I joked with Doug that I had a giant uterus.  We had no idea.  Even my Dr. was aghast once she got in.  She had to make a bigger incision because she couldn't get it out with a normal cut.  The cut is 6.5-7 inches long or (16-17 cm).  I think she had to go deeper on the left side because it is much sorer on that side than the right.  A normal uterus weighs between 1.7-2.8 ounces (50-80 grams.)  Mine weighed in at a whopping 2.2 pounds or a full kilo!  My Dr. said that I will be amazed at the ways in which I will feel the difference!  She didn't remark on the ovaries except to say that nothing looks amiss.  So far, the cut looks really clean and tight.  There is considerable bruising, of course.  The internal pain remains very minimal.  The wound burns and hurts when I move but otherwise, the pain is much better than I expected.  The bandage comes off later this week and there are no stitches to remove.  They will all dissolve.  I don't see my Dr. until July 11 although I will call her tomorrow with a few questions.
I must admit however, that surgery is humbling.  There are no ways to soften that reality.  Things that were once simple are now highly complex.  Bodily functions that you take for granted, once stunted, leave you baffled by the reality that at the end of the day, post surgery, the entire quality of your life comes down to how well you eventually pee and poop.  Fortunately the pee part is going well.  But, perhaps you might've guessed it, my friends, public enemy #1 after abdominal surgery is...drum roll please...flatulence.  Yes indeed, good old fashioned gas has been my largest obstacle and biggest source of pain thus far.  I am told that this is perfectly normal but I had not really counted on how difficult this would be.  I was very nervous about my system getting going again and I feel lucky that at least the intestines are moving.  But wow...now I know why a baby screams when he has gas!  Walking around, certain leg exercises, drinking water, taking GasX, and somewhat watching ones diet are all helpful tools toward recovery.  I am seeing progress with each new day, but jump starting one's system is really quite an undertaking.
Of course, sneezing, coughing and blowing one's nose are terribly painful as well.  Laughing has its drawbacks but it remains the best medicine so I will put up with it!
So...it's kind of been back to basics.  Don't feel that I can venture too far from home right now but truth be told, don't want to either.  There are so many ways that the body is incredible.  It knows what it needs to function properly and revolts when something interrupts that.  But with the proper action and time, it does heal and rebound.  I look forward to a full recovery 5-6 weeks down the road and for now, I am celebrating being a couple of pounds lighter!  Once all the air gets out, I'm sure I'll feel even lighter on my feet!

Sofia Hemmet: My Wonderful Hospital

Given that the surgery I had last Monday was my first experience of spending a night in a hospital, I don't have anything to compare it to, but I will say, as first experiences go, this was a good one!  The hospital is about a 15 walk from our house so after I packed my little bag, we wandered up there.  I decided to speak English throughout this experience so I didn't have to work so hard on understanding everything.  When we arrived at the ward, I meekly asked, "Is this where I am supposed to go?"  And the nurse said, "Yes, let me show you to your room."  And we walked down to this quaint and beautiful room, which immediately set my heart at ease.

Big, private bathroom with shower, sink and toilet just off to the side. Lovely window as well.

The room was wired with wifi so I got my phone and iPad all set up for post-op.  She then proceded to explain to me that they wanted me to shower and use this special disinfectant soap, which by the way, I had to use at home the night before, and then put on the hospital clothes and get into bed.  It was so great to be in my room before the surgery!  I unpacked.  Set things out how I wanted them and Doug knew exactly where I would be once I got out of recovery.  I then took the shower and got into my new outfit.  From there, they took vitals, asked me about medicines, talked with me about the procedure, etc.  The nursing student attempted to put the IV into my hand but split the vein.  That hurt quite a bit but I felt bad for the student.  She is trying to learn and I wanted to support her.  Still, I was glad when she had her supervisor place it in my arm.  Very smooth!  Eventually it was time to say goodbye to Douglas and head to the OR in the basement.  Once there, I met my anesthesiologist and other nurses that were going to be taking care of me.  My surgeon finally came in and I barely recognized her with her surgical garb on!  Then they wheeled me in, told me I'd be a little dizzy, told me I'd be a lot dizzy and the rest is history.
Upon coming out of the doze zone, I was freezing cold and a bit afraid to move, but I wasn't in pain and was thankful for that.  After not too long they wheeled me up to my beautiful room, offered me something to eat and drink, and let me rest.  I was so thirsty.  Doug came not too long after that with a beautiful blue hydrangea for the room.  I slept rather peacefully through that first night and awoke to a lovely Swedish breakfast, beautifully served, including a great pot of coffee!  The surgeon came in early on Tuesday and told me a bit about the surgery.  She was happy I was doing so well.
Later in the day, I finally got out of bed and eventually wandered out to the ward balcony where a warm, sunny afternoon greeted me.  I sat out there for a couple of hours, enjoying a cup of tea and the warmth of the sun.  The day went by with the wonderful nursing crew attending to my every need.  I was released Wednesday morning at 11.00 a.m.
I am so grateful for the care of the staff, my attentive Dr. who said to call her any time with any question or concern, and the beautiful hospital where I was privileged to have my medical needs attended to.
Oh, and the bill so far?  $0.00.