November 6–Laminectomy for spinal stenosis and Election Day. I voted early. Ruth drove me to the hospital and we waited for one hour before they took me in. Surgery went uneventfully and I had hope in my heart, something I had not had in a while. I was bolstered by the fact that the nurse let me get out of bed to pee. I was also amazed that my knee worked and I could walk. This was a mystery to me but I hung on to it. I was thrilled and ecstatic. Even for a few days at home I was feeling good but gradually, the knee started to hurt again and before you know it, it was as stiff and painful as before. I was also happy that a few people actually came to visit me; Donna T., Pat and Wayne, and Kay (from Serenity). That was just what I needed; to feel like I was number 1 and that people cared enough to come. In the hospital, I had a nice private room with a big TV and spent the evening watching the presidential election. At 10 pm I began to get scared that Romney would win due to the earlier results and the RED on the map, so I just switched off the TV and went to dreamland. I awakened again at midnight and switched on the TV and lo and behold I see, “Obama elected”. I am relieved so I can go back to bed. All day and all night I am having to page the poor nurses to take me to the bathroom due to all the fluids I am receiving in the IVs.