FROM UMBRIA TO KENTUCKY

Just the basics, but here's how it's gone so far:

Left Umbria on a cold, rainy Friday afternoon. Spent a cold, rainy evening in Rome, but picked up some gifts at the Hard Rock Cafe.

On Saturday we flew from Rome to Louisville, arriving about 8:30. My sister picked us up at the airport and we went to bed very shortly after getting to her house.

Sunday was a day to relax and enjoy the Sunday papers - the Louisville paper as well as the New York Times - joy! All that and coupons too! I also made a trip to the grocery for basic supplies, and went back to the airport with my sister to pick up a rental car. Unpacked most of our stuff and crashed early.

On Monday Art had two doctor's appointments: one with our internist for a general check-up and also to get cleared for his hip replacement surgery later in the week. He also had an appointment to see his dermatologist to follow up on a spot he'd had treated back in May.

While Art was at his appointments I visited my gynecologist for a quick check before some minor out-patient surgery later in the day. After Art finished with his appointments he met me at the hospital and I had my surgery, then spent the night at the hospital.

On Tuesday morning Art met with the surgeon who'd be performing the hip replacement surgery. Because the doctor had recently changed practices, there was much confusion about when Art's surgery would take place. Originally scheduled for Friday, it would now be on Thursday. Sooner is better. Art picked me up from the hospital and we met my daughter at the county clerks' office where she introduced us to the man whose car we were buying - she'd checked out the car for us before we arrived, and now we had to close the deal. After completing the sale and registration we stopped at my daughter's house to retrieve the winter clothes we had stored there. The cold rainy weather had followed us from Italy to Rome and we needed more warm clothes.

On Wednesday morning we had early dentist appointments, and although I just needed a cleaning Art had begun to have problems while we were still in Italy and needed to continue the work. We stopped back at home to have lunch, returned the rental car because we now have our own wheels and decided to catch a movie. "Body of Lies" was at the second run theater, so we decided it was a good choice....and it was.

On Thursday morning we drove downtown to check Art in for his surgery. Apparently the confusion experienced by the doctor's office was contagious since the hospital would prove to be pretty disorganized from start to finish. At least the surgery went well, and with this new, less invasive procedure, Art should be up and walking normally within a few weeks. Unfortunately the doctor will only replace one hip at a time so Art may be lopsided until we return in the spring and he has the other hip replaced.

After a tiring day I made a stop for one last gift and some packing supplies, then went home to finish the package for my son and the grandgirls that needed to be mailed to D.C.

On Friday morning I was the first one in line when the main post office opened and got all my packages sent off. Whew! I arrived at the hospital in time to meet with Art's doctor who said everything looked good. The physical therapist came in and Art took his first steps. Later in the day he'd walk the halls, and the therapist was/is so impressed with this new technique that she said if she ever needs a new hip she's going to have this procedure. Of course given her age by the time she needs a new hip this procedure will be the old fashioned way.

I leave the hospital for a short while to get some last minute shopping done and to retrieve Art's CD player from home. I feel like I'm coming down with a cold so after helping Art take a shower (can you believe it?!), I come home to go to bed. Hopefully Art will come home tomorrow.

I guess I could comment about how crazy our life has been now that we're back in the states, but that wouldn't be fair. Here, just as in Italy, we choose our pace. if we wanted to be busy all the time in Italy we certainly could be, but we chose not to be. Here in the states we deliberately chose to schedule all our doctor's appointments during the first week. This way if there are any problems or follow-ups to be done we'll have plenty of time to take care of whatever needs to be done. We also like to take advantage of the fact that being on Italian time means we're up early every day, so we schedule doctor's appointments in the morning leaving afternoons free for a movie, maybe two, or for catching up with friends.

Once Art comes home from the hospital I'll visit the video store and we can catch up on more movies at home. Given what we've been told, we expect his recovery to be speedy and relatively pain-free. So far, so good. By the time Christmas gets here he should be navigating just fine, and I have my fingers crossed that we don't have bad weather with snow and ice to complicate things!

Our lives should also calm down just a little, with only a few follow-up visits. Here's hoping we don't get too bored before it's time to go back to Italy!

OH, and here's a picture of Art's incision as it looked the day after surgery: