You say it best

I give thanks for a better night's sleep than I've had for a couple of weeks, almost comfortable and no untoward mishaps. I woke up a few times, and the last time would happily have dozed off for some more but I had to get on with my busy day.

I give thanks for a scenic drive through rolling hillsides thick with autumnal trees under a blue cloud dotted afternoon sky; for a return journey via a different route with a stunning water colour sunset all around. Yesterday's evening sky was pretty but this was exceptionally so, and all the better for being seated high up in a picture window ambulance! I give thanks during the long wait in between being seen and being picked up, when I was not allowed to go to the hospital restaurant as planned and treat myself to nice things to eat (in case they couldn't find me!) I managed to be quietly unprotestingly polite and understanding about it and thus got made two mugs of fresh made tea in the waiting room and be wheeled to the Boots shop by a sciatica surviving volunteer to buy carrot cake and flapjacks. I give thanks for remaining stoic when the staff on duty insisted on putting on easy listening compilation CDs from the last half century or so to make the afternoon more pleasant for them. Oh well, gave me a blog post title...

I give thanks for being patient with the surgeon too, when he looked at my wound and said all things considered he was pretty pleased with it as renal failure was the second worse thing after smoking for hindering the healing process. Quite why no one involved, before or after my operation, had thought to mention this before goodness only knows... I give thanks for overhearing parts of his muttered recap of my medical history with the nurse in the room next door before coming to examine me. I tried to turn my ears off but one phrase repeated two or three times was quite emphasised. 'But, she's still here...she's still here!' Too bloody right mate, I am, and I shed a quiet tear in the dusk on the way back appreciating all the beauty around me and remembering that.

I give thanks for suffering no platitudes in my suffering the last few weeks. There've been people I've been surprised have sent no kind words of encouragement, but they know I know there's not a lot that they could say...so I give thanks they've not said pointless things instead. I give thanks you can react to a Facebook status without having to put anything into words at all! I give thanks for the people who've surprised me by carrying right on saying things even though I've not had my usual chirpiness to respond with. They know who they are, and how grateful I am I hope, so I'll save any embarrassment by saying it on here...