Up from the Abyss, or It's the Pits

"Rumors of my death," etc.
Really, I am much better, but not as good as what I was when I wasn't as bad as what I am. They took out a lot of the paraphernalia yesterday and I feel great, though for some reason I tire easily. Last night I slept better than I have for -- well, a week, because they took the packing out of my nose. In fact, I am breathing easier than I ever can remember, since I have always had a deviated septum, which has been operated on twice in the US without any improvement. Now at last it is fixed, though there must be easier ways to qualify for the Mexican treatment.
In fact, my nose looks so much better that Jeanne got jealous and went and got this very cute new hairdo from our dear Jennifer. We were going to take a picture of it but she's gone out drinking again. There's a picture of me with my adorable young doctor, but we have to figure out how to get it from her as editor to me.
The Jeanne you all know and love has been absolutely superb (except when they make her look inside my mouth). She held it all together until yesterday, then just collapsed when she could see that I was out of the woods. Just amazing how well she has held up. Still, what's a falling-apart husband compared to a room full of 7th graders? Speaking of which, my 9th graders made me this wonderful get-well card which is extraordinarily creative. I'll try to visit them before we leave.
Jeanne's also looking forward to my getting my teeth fixed, claims that just everybody noticed the little snaggletooth among my lower incisors, poor deprived European that I am, growing up without the benefit of American orthodontics. I just thought it added character. Certainly got a lot of that now. You remember (some of you) the old song:
My jaw bone's disconnected from my ... gum bone
My gum bone's disconnected from my ... tooth bone.

You can actually push on the side of my gums and they wiggle away from the jaw: Jeanne was very impressed with that when Dr. Portillo showed her. And some of my teeth are fastened together with baling wire, which scratches the inside of my mouth. Sounds a lot funnier than it feels, I must say. We have doctor and dentist appointments on Monday, thanks to Linda, and we'll see what they say, but what they are telling us here is that I need at least two operations, besides getting my teeth reimplanted. Looks like a fun few weeks. Or months.

For those of you who haven't seen the big announcement on Channel 5, we arrive very late on Saturday night, and are planning a trip back in October for unfinished business. Everybody here has been great, with one exception. As if we needed any excitement, our landlady has communicated indirectly via the Laguna Vista grapevine that she is disgusted with us, and that we need to get all our stuff out of here because she is not going to store it for us. Works as a Democratic fundraiser, with strong Republican tendencies. We do seem to have a gift for pissing off people we rent from, that's three in a row. Got to get packing.

Well, I'm off to my last poker game, might even drink a beer. Gotta live while you can!