It’s almost here! The post-surgery visit to see Dr. Scott Farnham who did my recent operation.

I have been waiting a month for this appointment so I can (hopefully!) come off all my after surgery restrictions.

These included, but were not limited to, amount of weight I could lift, how long I could sit without walking, no driving, no bathing (showers only) and even limiting bending over.

Susie has been waiting for this day also. While she doesn’t have to drive me everywhere now, she still has to lift things for me. For the things that are too heavy for her to lift, I bribe my next door neighbor with canned green beans from our garden or desserts from our kitchen. He works cheap.

Thinking in advance, I climbed the stairs to our attic and brought down the many boxes of Christmas tree, ornaments and village pieces before my procedure. I stacked these in the back room so Susie could place them as desired when she was ready.

Now that I can drive again, Susie might actually get a few Christmas presents. It was hard picking out items in the store for her when she was with me. I did get her a couple items on Black Friday when our daughter was with us. I would quietly point at an item I wanted, and Angi would place it in her cart pretending it was something she was buying. Then, we settled up later.

Our grandson, Benjamin, will be glad when I can drive to Fort Wayne again to watch one or two of his hockey games; he’s the goalie. We always take him out to lunch before or after his games. That’s a lot of sitting time, which I’m not allowed to do yet.

Because I wasn’t supposed to lift anything, which certainly included my large Kitchen Aid mixer, I sat in my chair making a list of all the Christmas goodies I planned on making.

Then, I checked the recipes to be sure I had all the ingredients necessary. This led to making another list of items I needed from the grocery.

After clearance from the doctor, I will be able to move the mixer from its storage spot to the counter. Double batches of cookies aren’t a problem with this machine. I have burned out several motors on smaller mixers in the past.

I have a problem with one of my favorite recipes this year. I make a sugar free chocolate pie with cream cheese, cool whip, sugar free chocolate Jell-O and a sugar free crust.

Unfortunately, I can’t find the Murray sugar free chocolate sandwich-type cookies (like Oreo’s) which I smash and mix with butter for the crust. While most of the groceries still carry Murray cookies in several varieties, they don’t have the sandwich type kind. I asked at Needler’s grocery in town, but they said these cookies are not even listed for them to order.

Years ago, I began making this with Frookie brand sugar free cookies, then, Voortman’s. I can’t find any of these. If any of you readers know where to find this type cookie, please let me know. This pie is so good, it is always eaten before my pumpkin or apple pies.

If the doctor clears all of my restrictions, I will be back to whatever was normal for me before the surgery.

Actually, I might be better.

For many years, I had been going to a chiropractor often for lower back pain. I was told by several people kidney problems could cause back pain. I have had no back pain since my surgery. I don’t know if the large tumor was pulling down on my kidney, or was laying on a nerve causing the pain, or what. I don’t know the reason, but I hope it doesn’t come back.

There will be some bad results if the doctor clears me.

I will have to resume taking the trash to the street every week. (Susie has been doing that for a month.) I will have to start raking the leaves, which blow up on the front and back porches, so we don’t track them in the house. (Again, Susie.) She has already told me I am well enough to put on my own shoes and socks.

And, she says, starting at the first of the year, we are both going to begin going to the local gym and get back in shape. At my age, I am way past getting into shape again.

The author may be reached at [email protected].