July 18 was a day of a great achievement and something of a setback.
The achievement came in the morning when I was able to take the bus that stops in front of my house for the first time in almost five months to finish some half-done dental work. I felt a little unsteady but I got a seat and between a smooth driver, my cane for balance, and firm supportive seats, I was ok.
A friend seated nearby asked what happened to me. I answered so others could hear too.
It's one more way to get the word out about Prolia's hazards.
At the dentist though, I was really hurting from being upright for so long, and was grateful for that dental chair where I could lie almost flat on my back, and soon I felt better.
I even took the bus home, and didn't feel guilty about sitting in the elderly and handicapped section. (I hope my greying hair and the cane established my bona fides!)
But once home I was hurting a lot and glad to fall asleep flat on my bed, exhausted. But being able to take the bus downtown was a great achievement and saves cab fare as well when I can do it.
The setback came later in the day.
I was so encouraged by my triumph of the morning that I thought I could actually attend Rosita Arvigo's last nature walk for this summer to be held in Lincoln Park, not far from my home and near my bus line. I had missed this, along with so many of my other favorite summer activities.
(if you would like to learn more about Rosita Arvigo and why I was so hopeful that I could make her last Chicago nature walk for this summer, please see https://rositaarvigo.com. If you live in the Chicago area and would like to learn more about these wonderful summer nature walks, you may contact her at https://rositaarvigo.com/about-dr-arvigo/contact-rosita/.)
I started out fairly well, but as we slowly walked along, learning about the edible and medicinal qualities of ordinary local wild plants, the crushing pain under my ribs and around my mid-section grew steadily. I took some weight off my body with my cane until my shoulders ached, and I didn't think I could make the two block walk back to a bus stop.
Luckily a friend was kind enough to run me home. I got into bed and once the pain subsided I slept soundly until late the next morning.
So while I had the morning's great achievement of taking a bus and having long-delayed dental work done, and even attending part of Rosita's walk, it's clear that my activities are still going to be very limited - for how long I don't know.