An announcement -- as well as the August Exchange sign-up

Some of you might not read the exchange sign up posts because you know the drill or you do not participate in the exchanges.

But you might want to read this one - because it is a bolt out of the blue.

 Once again - I am drooling over a piece by John Stevens. This one is dreamy - and on a normal day, I would give it a try. After the invitation to sign up for the August exchange, I have some news. We will be taking a trip.

To participate in the August exchange, please send the following information to me by Aug 4th. I will send your list on the 5th. 

Please include the following information in an email to me at jmwilson411-at-yahoo-dot-com

Jane Smith

1234 Oak Street

Ames, Iowa 50010 USA

jsmith@gmail.com

Beginners are welcome. Any questions - just email me.

******

The news:

On Saturday, July 24th, (6 am) we have deduced that my usual low blood pressure took a dip and I fell and hit my head on the kitchen countertop. I was waiting for the water to heat for my coffee. Mr Wilson heard a loud thud and then he heard me calling out for help, softly. He found me sitting quietly on the floor, leaning up against the cabinet. I could talk and asked for a ride to the ER.I had not spilled my coffee. I have no memory of getting dressed on my own or of the trip to the ER - and I was never dizzy or confused. I have tons of zany stories from the ER as well as the neuro-trauma ICU - so I have not been suffering -- but, I do have a subdural hematoma. Thankfully, it stopped bleeding and I did not have to have surgery. But, I won't know what's going on in my head until another scan on Aug 9. Hopefully, it will just show that the bleed is dissolving.

I do have a headache that is manageable with just Tylenol, so that's good. They ruled out a stroke. So, it's entirely possible that I will have a full recovery although they keep hinting that it might be a *long* process.

During the process, I will have many hours to fill and it is helpful to have a variety of activities. Organizing the exchange and sending out the lists are both perfect activities. My daily posts are already filled up through Aug 23 so, I'll be adding my public service announcements (as well as my evaluations of Mr Wilson's new career as a conscripted caregiver) to the posts that come after Aug 23rd. If there is any interesting brain-related news, I can always insert that sooner. But, I have the impression that the recuperation process will be boring and not speedy. 

I will also be vigilant about keeping the posts about art and design. We will not degenerate into whining about medical issues. 

Recap. I was lucky on three levels. No stroke, no surgery, and no complications. My injury might be equivalent to a *hangnail* in the world of brain injuries - so we don't need to freak out. I was the only patient in the ICU who asked to go for a walk - so, that's a good sign. Most of the other patients did not appear to be conscious.