THIS POST WRITTEN BY DEBRA SIMS

If ever I found an over exaggeration in my existence it was today, Mom had me straight up wigged out about this place and walking the streets as if every one out there was a mugger or freak of nature, well they aren’t to be honest they are just hotter (not in the sexy context) sweater Texans. It’s not hotter here it’s more humid if that is humanly possible? It’s only like 86 degrees but has a humidity index of like 90 or higher, you can taste the air when you breath it’s so laden with saturation. Put the chaotic and almost insane amount of commotion compares with West Fest before they moved it, sweaty hot people cramped together pushing and hollering to an extent that is somewhat deafening when added to the continuous honking and vehicle noise.
It’s an experience and an awesome one at that, if I weren’t carrying 30 something stitches there would be no worry to be found around me and I’d be gawking at everything like everyone ogles and points at us.

WE ARE NOT NORMAL SIGHTS HERE WE KNOW!!! Children will point, women seem to look at us with sheer disgust or open awe, men put on their ‘I’m too sexy face’ and run their hands threw their hair, while dogs even seem to notice and follow us (and yes we can’t help but feed the sad excuses of existence nothing should have to live like that). Damn AMERICANS, I’m sure it’s been thought more than once even if we didn’t do anything.

It’s strange how inexpensive stuff is over here, rupee is the money name, and it’s 42 rupee equals a dollar in USD. You can get a rickshaw ride for 10 rupees just about anywhere, awe the lovely extremely bazaar type of motorcycle/taxi ever, kind of frightening but such a part of this place (like taxi’s in New York). The food market absolutely amazes me, Wal-Mart can’t touch it even if it lowered it’s prices by 7/8 or more.

Now finding me food is an yet another experience, jez begot the holy cow, how hard is it to find some foods that aren’t freaking fry your tongue off and liquid? FOOD IS HOT HERE, EVERYTHING IS FREAKING HOT! You think you’ve had Hindi food in America, ha, let me introduce you to their freaking breakfast menu, you would die! But we found some stuff that resembled yogurt and chocolate milk and some of those just add water soup things. F-R-E-A-K-Y. Read the labels folks if it says spices and condiments with out any list of what those spices are just put it down and walk away slowly. But who can ever get enough chocolate milk? Not I said the fly!

No real pain, actually this is the least evasive thing I’ve ever had done to me (and folks I‘ve been a suicidal cutter bent on personal destruction now that was painful), I’m stiff and sleeping is still kind of hard but pain wise, none can you believe that? I never even had to go to ICU when I got out of surgery, three days later and I’m discharged, even the doctors seemed stunned by me. What can I say I am blessed! Oh and I had half of Texas praying for me I am pretty sure that had something to do with it. To look at the stitches kind of makes me feel a little FREAKED OUT but that’s it. Oh and the little stitches stab me now and again. What to know what absolutely is a miracle from God, the pain patch, it’s exactly what the name says (just stay away from a shower or they come off easily) slap it near the place that stiff or sore and 5 minutes later relief.

Oh and even cooler is the dental, I am having just about every little thing fixed in my mouth (including those two hideous crowns one of which is drilled threw already and needed to be replaced) and not one shot will be needed because they have a spray that does the same thing. Oh and getting my teeth whitened considering I am into week two of a smoke free Debra, so be prepared to be dazzled! Mom is getting a new denture plate which is state of the art latest material available for less than three hundred dollars, I have no idea how much that is in the states but I know it’s well over a thousand. Her teeth will look more real and won’t chip or grind her lower teeth anymore than they already are.

I have totally begun to realize David and Kim might have saved my life by their experience and recommendation, now who could deny God didn’t have something to do with that? (crickets chirping in background, yeah dont think anyone could deny that) You know for years I never could think of the Ellis’ as anything other than a minister and his family, so serious and (I’m so sorry but honestly I don’t think this anymore) up tight in an almost scary type of way. This experience brought them down to “my level,” they were in the same situation as I was in, that will knock someone out of or off of their soap boxes that I thought they were on. They are real people just like the rest of us, with real problems of their own. God bless them both for what they have done for us. I read Psalms 23 about 800 times before I went into surgery, I said what I could remember of it while waiting to go out for the surgery… the lord is my Shepard, I shall not be in want, he lays me down in green pastures, and walks with me beside calm waters… I woke up, not too freaked out and started humming “As a Deer” to divert my attention from all the noise in the room and people rushing around as other patients came in. By the time I got to the room I knew my situation was going to be much better than most others even though the first night was HELL.
I wasn’t scared as they rolled me back but rather relieved the waiting was ending. Outside of Psalms 23 I thought to myself, if I die I’ve lived the fullest life that I could.

I’d loved one man,

I’d had one great friend,

I have had the most loving family,

I know how warm a dog can make you feel when you are down,

I know what it’s like to graduate,

I know my Dad has been proud of me once or twice,

I’ve lived with passion and cause (depression and educating people about it),

and I’ve know exactly when God took my hand.

I woke up and thought how odd it was to over look such great things and focus only on the pain it took to know those things going in and coming out.

Oh and I knew what it was like to love someone that doesn’t know how much you love them until they need you, my brother taught me to never stop loving because someday will become today eventually.

Ok this paragraph is getting tear jerking and crying actually hurts as much as laughing right now (my chest has stitches in and when you laugh or cry your lungs expand, I have to try to avoid it at all cost.)

Bonus features of surgery: quit smoking not by force but situation and personal drive, great posture, learning that walking will make the chill of tears welling up go away, I can go for quite some time without the shakes of not eating, energy that I don’t really know where it comes from, the inability to swallow large amounts of pills (if you didn’t know I have a huge addiction to over the counter sleeping pills, have for years like 6 years I think), periods will come and go like a normal woman, weight loss of course, a really cool adventure to India (which was not one of the top destinations of my personal vacation preference, oh but I’d come back with no problem), I’ll be able to see the shock on peoples faces when they are dazzled by my perfect diviner smile, oh and the added bonus the “I told you so (there was so much more to me than you thought…)” that will also shock people eventually. Oh the doctor said I should get down to 120 lbs, WOW folks I have shoes that weight more than that, I know I have luggage with me right now that weights more than that right now! Oh my eyes are due to be magically altered on the 12, I am so excited and pray to get to come home much earlier than expected, pray for me and I’ll see ya’ll all soon.