A real post, from the REAL deal ...

You all want in on a little secret? The best way to shut someone up is to dilate their throat. No kidding!!

You want to know something else? CALIFORNIA HUMIDITY SUCKS!!! No kidding. I guess I should be grateful that UCLA took me on instead of Mayo in Jacksonville ... I can only imagine how I'd do with the humidity in Florida. And those images aren't too pretty. So, to Kris and Patti ... while I WANT to come visit, umm ... no. At least not anytime soon. Maybe in January.

If I could walk up and hug each and everyone of you, I so would!!

There is so much I want to say (yeah, verbally, too), and while THANKS!! doesn't seem like enough, it's gonna have to do - for now anyway.

One thing I'd like to mention ... INSPIRE. While I know many of you have said that I inspire you, please know how much you ALL inspire me. The outpouring of love and support that has come from both of my blogs has been unfathomable. The emails, the calls, the cute little messages I get on my voicemail, the comments, the messages that have been passed on to me, the ecards, the flowers, the gifts ... THAT - you guys - is what INSPIRATION is all about. That is what inspires me to stand up and WANT to face this head on. It's what makes the good days great, and the bad days more bearable. So each time you think about how inspiring I am, please remember that you're just as, if not MORE, inspiring, too.

So, how am I? I know you're all just dying to know, right? The truth? I hurt like hell. And I want a HUGE bowl of chips and salsa and no one will let me have them. :) The pain is something I can't even describe, so I won't. I was told each day would get better. Yesterday I had an awesome day, and was looking forward to today being even more awesome. But I think someone failed to mention that the "each day better than the last" wouldn't start happening until the anesthesia was totally out of my system. Because today I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a mack truck. But isn't that what life is all about ... two steps forward, one step back? As one person has said to me several times ... this is only a tumbleweed blowing across my path. It's all about this day forward. So, "onward ho." (dude)

I'll try to post again soon, but the next few days are going to be full of trying to get HOME, to my own bed. I've been teased by MANY that I'll become a hermit crab like I was the last time (back in Dec/Jan/Feb/Mar). But I promise that I won't let 4 months lapse between posts. PROMISE!!

Good night, all.

Oh, and Sam, I LOVE IT!!! And it DID "tickle." :)