Debilitation

 Well. We got us a president, and I, for one, am feeling cautiously excited about the new era at the Department of Transportation. 

Here's what I'm not excited about: ongoing medical problems. All the HUMANS in this family are fine, as far as we know, and the guinea pigs are probably okay (or at least are not peeing blood), but Dog #1/#9 is having a rocky recovery process from his mass removal surgery a week ago. Since that surgery he has been back to the vet three times, once to have a wound opened, flushed out and restitched with a drainage tube in it, and has had a ton of swelling and generally feeling crappy. He was really sad and in pain for the first four days, but now that he's feeling better he's very annoyed by all the restrictions on his activity. (Not helped by the fact that he's currently dripping constantly from his drainage tube and is therefore limited to the more easily-cleaned parts of the house.) He loathes cones, so we have to either be constantly watching him for any licking/scratching/chewing of stitches, or have him staggering around with the cone on, crashing into stuff and whining.  It's been a rough week. But the thing is, it's also not clear that his long-term prognosis is good. He may have a bunch more tumors recur. He may need chemo or radiation or further surgeries. 

As a person who has enjoyed generally good health, I feel a looming sense that this is the future of my own body - diagnoses and interventions that do not wrap up with confidence that the worst is now behind us. Mortality sucks.