I'm sorry about the ick and the change in plans, si.

I’m trying to remind myself that this is not a failure in adulting. It’s just crap timing. The flu really hit ltc’s class hard. One of her friends was in the hospital for a week. It’s the worst flu I ever remember her having. Luckily lots of out of state people have been sending in gifts, and I’ve been letting her open them as they come in, which has been distracting her.

Epic, I’m glad you were able to get the information you need to make you feel more comfortable with everything.

Epic, so glad you like the new surgeon. Sending healing, hopeful treatment thoughts your way.

JZ, I'm so glad you're home (and, yeah, bruh, nice try, but...) Sending you healing, hopeful treatment thoughts to you, too.

sj, hugs to you and your family. My mom just got over Covid and now has rebounded and has it again. I hate she's stuck at home over Christmas.

My knee is nothing compared to cancer. Let's start there. But it is annoying and uncomfortable. I was able to do a Telehealth with my PCP earlier this week so he could try to expedite the MRI from my insurance company. He officially diagnosed me with "derangement of the knee," which I was convinced he was making up and couldn't stop laughing about. I keep picturing my knee running around, all rabid and crazed. Anyway, we won't know more until we get the MRI, but it's looking increasingly likely it may require surgery. It's stopped getting better and has thoroughly plateaued, and I still don't have range of motion beyond about 90 degrees. Doc says he's suspicious there may be some loose cartilage in there or some such. With it being the holidays, I'm just hoping I can get the MRI before I go back to school and the initial orthopedic referral as soon as possible. If I'm going to need to take some time off, I need to figure out what that looks like, especially since I was awarded a fellowship to the National Key West Literary Seminar and am supposed to be there Jan. 11-16.

Surgery no fun, but I did chuckle at your deranged knee.

Epic, I'm glad you have a plan now.

JZ, I'm glad you're home and I hope you can have a relatively cozy weekend.

Yesterday I decided to walk to the grocery store before the storm rolled in to pick up OJ and some cranberries (for muffins) and just to get a walk in before cocooning. The songbirds were chittering loudly along the way, so I guess they were getting some social time in before doing the same. I timed it pretty well. Snowflakes were just starting to fall on my return trip and an hour later the temp had dropped 10°. I think we ended up dropping more than 30° by the end of the day.

JZ, I am so glad you are home with your family, who will probably be much better about getting your Dilaudid on time than would the hospital.

He officially diagnosed me with "derangement of the knee"

Pix, that is a hilarious diagnosis, even though the reality is not. Oh my word. I'm sorry you're having knee problems. (My knees might be a little crazy, too.) I hope you get your MRI and referral ASAP.

sj, I'm sorry flu season derailed your Christmas Eve plans. I hope ltc is better soon, and that you and TCG stay healthy.

Epic, good luck with the new surgeon (I'm glad you switched from the old one).

Last night around 9 or 9:30, the temperature dropped from 40-something to 20 degrees. Even though we knew it would happen, it was weird as hell. And now it's a very frigid –5 degrees, with a windchill of Oh Hell No. The roads are a mess, but I wasn't planning to go anywhere today anyway.

Teppy, I think your cold front is headed our way. It was 60 in Boston today, but everything is supposed to go south, including the mercury, tonight.

Hey, everybody. Good to see your pixels.

"Derangement of the knee" sounds like it belongs on one of those medieval lists of ailments.

Kristin’s knee is obviously choleric, and is producing too much yellow bile.

Knees are bullshit.