Ten points redeemable at absolutely nowhere to whomever names the owner of that mouth!
I’m going to do it. It’s best if I lead with this so we can avoid any assumptions to the contrary. Based on past history, it is a statistical inevitability. I can recite all of the reasons why I shouldn’t, and I recognize that this standoff with my husband is not going to end well this weekend. Please note that I’m not aiming to make him mad. Rather I’m trying to figure out how to win him over to my point of view on the proper course of action in this scenario. (Reality check – There is zero chance of my convincing him.)
Okay. Here’s the situation. My parents went away for a week’s vacation. No no no. Not that.
So I had hand surgery two days ago, yes? Yes. And the bandage / wrap should stay on my hand for one full week before the doc checks it, and then he will wrap it again for one more additional week until the stitches come out, yes? Yes.
I prefer to see these as wise suggestions from a well-paid guy in a white coat with a knife. My husband sees this as professional advice that must be followed to avoid problems after surgery. Silly man! And this is where the divergence in our approaches comes into the picture. The impending blowup draws closer…
Me: “Argh! This wrap is driving me crazy. I’m going to take it off and put a large waterproof band-aid over it instead.”
Him (comforting and calm): “Don’t mess with it. The doctor said to leave it alone for two weeks.”
Me (ever so casual): Yes, I heard that as well… But you see…it’s been two days and that’s practically same thing as two weeks.
Him (quickly moving from calm and supportive to irritated): I’m not going to debate this with you.
Me (even more chill and smooth like buttah): Oh me neither. I’m just going to remove it a little bit.
Him (advancing past irritated and heading toward mad): Noooo. Don’t touch it.
Me: It’s no biggie. I can do this. It’s easy.
Him (steely): No. You’re not.
Me (less casual): Hmmmm.
Him (staring at me and waiting yet saying nothing): …
Me (looking back and responding but only in my mind): (oh yes I am)
Him (in his mind): (NO YOU’RE NOT)
Me (in my double secret probation mind): (OH YES I AM!!!)
This knife has cut more than a tin can and a tomato.
I’m not saying that he is wrong. (He’s wrong!) And I’m not saying that I’m right. (I’m right!) I’m just saying that I have had a dozen surgeries since I was a teenager (mainly operations on my joints), and I have played this unwaiting game every time. See the knife in the picture? It has been used for slicing bread and removing casts (plural) from my ankles. My tweezers have plucked eyebrows as well as stitches. I never make it to the follow-up appointments because I have yet to become a big enough grown up to just leave whatever it is alone. You’re welcome orthopedic surgeons for all that messy post op time I saved you.
Noooo I don’t really think he is wrong, and yeeees I know that the doctor gave specific instructions for my benefit.
But it’s iiiiitchy! And funky. And then back to itchy. And then back to funky. It bothers me immensely. It pesters me, and I fidget with it constantly. I have shoved cotton gauze under the edges. I’m about to harvest a truckload of aloe off my patio to get it to calm down. But then the increasing invisible germ element comes back into my mind and bleh it grosses me out even more!
I doubt that I will make it through the day with this thing. If that is the case, he will be furious (out of genuine concern for my welfare), and I will act like I don’t notice the steam coming out of his ears for the two-ish days that follow (because I’m a stubborn bonehead and I warned him that I would do this).
That’s all I have to say on this for now. I must run to take care of other things. For starters, I need to see what kinds of large bandages we have in the medicine cabinet. Totally unrelated of course. I just need to check…
Help me Mick!
I can’t get no satisfaction either!
Momentum of Joy 