I can't think of a better place to put this, but I wanted to share that I am home again.
The ride home was torture and I am in an exceptional amount of pain. Ow!
Fortunately, I have an RN on duty and I have liquid dilaudid for breakthrough pain. Unfortunately, I get to pick my dosage (to some extent) and I opted for a minimal dose. It is a long story but let's just say that addiction is a major concern and I keep my dosing to a very minimal amount. (0.5 mg dilaudid by IV.)
I was expected to take 10 to 14 days to meet my goals and leave the rehab unit. I did that in just seven. (My other days were on different units.)
I know, I already have too much ego. I know...
However, I'm pretty fucking proud of the work I have already put in. Of all the difficult things I have done, this one is somewhere near the top of the list.
I have a whole lot of newfound respect for the people who have gone before me and for those who are more injured than myself. There were folks with far greater debilitation than I and, this may sound horrible, I actually am grateful they exist because I could look at them and say, "Well, at least I am not that bad."
I also have the good fortune to be able to get top-notch care. Of course, all the best care doesn't mean I have an easy road. I still have to do the work myself.
The good news is that I only have my regular exercises to do until Monday! Yup... No "extra" PT (besides my exercises three times per day) until Monday!
I was once in a serious motorcycle accident (someone pasted me head-on and I thought I was Superman and I smashed my hands as I punched their windshield while flying through the air - which was entirely unintentional) but that left my legs intact. That was a very different rehab and I was able to eventually use guitar as part of my physical therapy.
This is very, very different.
Now that I am home, I will write more and probably actually turn it into some sort of article to post somewhere.
Also, I haven't even smoked any pot yet. The company that I employed to provide the nursing staff doesn't allow me to smoke pot in my home while I have staff here, even if prescribed, but I have a study and can go in there to smoke. I am not supposed to smoke anything, including my beloved cigars.