ctmpphpkbd7qg.jpg

You know things are going well on your blog when everyone is so busy they don't even have room for you to post.  Our site administrator RBG finally gave me the thumbs up to start blogging again today since things are thankfully a bit slower (emptywheel's fingers must be ready to fall off from all the Libby trial live blogging she has been doing) just at the same time I'm itching to press the "publish" key again. All I can say is -- damn good to be back.

First off, I'm happy to report that I'm doing really well, surgery was very successful and I'm recovering very quickly thanks to all the people who have stepped up to help and all of the good wishes and prayers that came my way in the past week.  It's hard to know where to begin the list of thank-yous.  Much love to Digby and Tom Swan who got me to the hospital and held my hand waiting for surgery (they claim I was cussing Dick Cheney as I was going under but I have no recollection of it), then sat an 8 hour vigil til I came out and were there in the ICU when I woke up.  It was a loooong day that only a true friend would devote and I cannot thank them both enough. 

I got tons of flowers, amazing chocolates, fabulous care and wonderful visitors. Arianna Huffington arrived with an enormous arrangement of a hundred long-stemmed red roses, and at one point I looked up to see Howie Klein, Matt Stoller and Tom all staring down at their laptops (thanks to the hospital WiFi) and I thought to myself as I hit the pain pump "wow this is pretty cool." (Come to think of it, if they weren't actually there somebody might want to let me know.)    At one point I remember someone commenting that the staff at Saint Johns had been fantastic and we really needed to do something to thank them, and the next thing I knew three huge boxes of confections from Sweet Lady Jane's arrived for them with no note attached.  I still don't know who to thank for that, but it was exceptionally thoughtful. 

Many, many thanks to the fabulous Linda M., David Jenison and RJ Eskow who have all chauffeured me hither, there and yon since my release from the hospital, and to both John Amato and Rick Jacobs who have kindly lent me their guest rooms during my sojourn here in LA. Also to the phenomenal Spazeboy (who is having his own fundraiser for Spazemom) who has been doing a superb job of poodle sitting.   And to everyone on the FDL crew, both on the front page and behind the scenes, all I can say is -- wow. The emotional support, friendship, love, hard work and dedication to craft was nothing short of amazing.  In addition to knowing that everything was running just fine without me on the site, they have all become such good friends and such strong emotional support they feel like family. To Christy, Pach, TRex, Siun, RBG, all the guest posters and everyone who works to make FDL happen (especially Jamie and John who worked like dogs to keep FDL and C&L up last week under relentless DOS attack), as well as everyone who participates in the community, other bloggers who posted on their own sites and those who don't say too much but contributed to our fundraiser to make the Plame coverage possible and to keep the lights on in the place -- you're all golden.  Much love in my heart right now for you all. 

And finally, to my doctors, Armando Giuliano (who was told by a fellow practitioner, "if your Republican clientele falls off, you'll know why") and Jay Orringer (of whom Digby says, "that guy is deep") -- well, what can you say. They saved my life. And  they tell me there's no reason I can't be in Washington DC on Monday morning, February 5, sitting at the Prettyman courthouse getting ready to watch Dick Cheney sweat, just like I promised.  Or so they say. Still not sure it's true, but it sounds about right.

Don't you think? 

xoxo

jane