The last of the harvest, not including celery. I'm holding the biggest potato of the year -- 1.2lbs!
It was harvest time this week! Monday was the day; snow was predicted for Wednesday, and Monday was an incredible 80°! How very perfectly the weather worked out this year; usually I’m out there harvesting in the freezing drizzle, my half-frozen fingers moving in slow motion. Not this year! I was prancing around the garden in bare feet and shorts ‘n’ T-shirt, clippers and shovel in hand, the air warm and golden with leaves. It was a true pleasure to be out working in the garden that day.
Here are some pictures from the day:
All in all, it was a below-average garden year. I’ve definitely had much more plentiful harvests in past years, and we missed our usual avalanche of tomatoes, but I felt OK with less because it matched my energy level. I was actually glad to not be overwhelmed with produce; it would have been too much for me this year.
And then on Wednesday, as predicted, we woke up to several inches of snow! How funny, I was cooking quinoa in my solar oven on Monday, and then making snow ice cream on Wednesday!
And tucked in amongst harvest day and our snowstorm, I had a spinal tap. Yuck! It wasn’t exactly awful, but it was a strange experience and I almost passed out a couple times during and after it!
For anyone who has to have one in the future, here’s what I would tell my patient if I were their nurse.
Getting a spinal tap: you could compare it to a blood draw. It’s kind of unpleasant, and it’ll probably be a bit uncomfortable…and it feels weird…but it’ll be over soon enough. It’s important to hold yourself in the right position. The doctor will put you in a fetal position…hold that pose, but remind yourself to relax and breathe.
The doctor will first feel your spine and mark where the needle should go in. Then your lower back will get cleaned three times with iodine. You’ll get two shots of lidocaine — one just under the surface of your skin, the other one further into your back. They don’t hurt much other than the sting of getting a shot. Then the doctor will insert the spinal needle; to me this is the worst part. Try not to picture what’s going on and take your mind to your favorite place if you can. You won’t feel pain, but it’ll be uncomfortable pressure and then a ‘pop’ sensation and a give. You might feel a dull ache down your back at this point. It takes several minutes for the spinal fluid to drip out of the needle into the collection tubes, but the worst part is over. Try to focus your mind on someplace nice, and breathe.
They’ll remove the needle but you probably won’t feel that at all. They’ll put a band-aid on, and probably draw a couple vials of blood from your arm, and have you slowly get up as you feel ready; take your time. It might help to have a water bottle or some juice or a little snack with you.
Have someone drive you home. Plan to take the rest of the day, and the next, to recover; avoid doing anything strenuous. Drink lots of fluids to replace your spinal fluid; they say caffeine helps prevent a possible post-lumbar-puncture headache, but if you don’t like caffeine (I don’t), don’t do it. Just hydrate and hang low.
I felt very fragile after the procedure, and had a substantial backache for the rest of the day. I never got the big headache some people do because of the lowered spinal fluid pressure. I drank lots of liquids and stayed in bed the rest of the day, and the next day too.
And today, Thursday, I’m totally recovered and the spinal tap is a distant memory. Now I want to dig out our DVD of that hilarious mockumentary, This is Spinal Tap, about the fictional rock band!!
*****
Wow – to go from barefoot harvesting to snow! Amazing. So glad the spinal tap is a distant memory and you are recovering from it!
Aja,
I know! Such dramatic weather! Keeps it interesting.
Hope you had a nice day,
Lindsey
Your garden harvest pictures are soo beautiful!!
And I’m so glad you got the icky spinal tap over!
Lindsey, what an impressive harvest! Is that a huge basket of green tomatoes? I’m thinking to myself how many fried green tomatoes can one eat? So please share how you preserve, share, and/or consume your bounty. Potatoes are one thing, they hang around and are still good, but perishable produce is another.
Thanks and hugs from your devoted follower 🙂
Plus, I love mother nature’s joke on you this week, 80 degrees one day and snow the next. Plus plus, holding you in the Light for the outcome of your spinal tap dance.
Hi Kate!
Yep, those are green tomatoes. Most of them will eventually ripen, but yeah, I’d be glad to show how I store them! I’ve never actually had fried green tomatoes, funny enough.
And thanks for holding me in the light; I so, so very much appreciate that.
Love and huge to you too,
Lindsey
Hi Taryn!
Lovely to hear from you! Happy Friday. I’m glad the tap is history, too! Ooooo yes.
Love,
Lindsey
Glad you are recovered from the spinal tap. Not nice!
Sounds like you would make an excellent nurse.
Wow, what a harvest and what ridiculous weather!!
Thanks for leaving a message on my blog. I am glad you were able to. It was so lovely to see it was from you. I love the story of the lady and her painted stones. How wonderful.xxx
Hi Trish! I’m so glad I can comment on your blog now!
Great to hear from you today,
Love
Lindsey