Oh goody — my little Lucy’s tail was wagging, and she was jumping up and down. (Lucy is my little Shiba-Chi, a Shiba Inu and Chihuahua mix.)

Wow, Lucy! I was gone for only one night. I was kept in the ICU for observation after stents were put in for the aneurysms on the right side of my brain. Another surgery will follow in about a month for the aneurysms on the left side of my brain.

Lucy loves to stay with Ruth and Howie. She gets really spoiled — sort of like going to a doggy spa. She certainly deserves it. She’s been taking good care of me for the weeks prior to my surgery.

The surgery wasn’t nearly as much fun as my cerebral angiogram. But maybe the nurses were tired as it was at the end of the week, not the beginning of the week like my cerebral angiogram was.

Of course, I was a little off my game, too. After the surgery, they showed me some drawings and asked me to identify certain objects. “A woman washing dishes,” I said. This was correct. However, in retrospect, I wish I would’ve messed with their brains just a little bit and said, “Helicopter.” And “A little boy playing with toys.” “Godzilla” is what I wish I would have said.

But one thing I have to say is, “My compliments to the chef.” Yes, the hospital food was very good at Providence Mission Hospital. And the nurses kept the ice cream coming when they saw how much I enjoyed it. Or perhaps it was because I said, “Could I have five more of these?”

The only real downfall was when the very handsome young nurse said, “I’m going to check your groin now.” Whaaat … where is that female nurse? Geeze, I’m old, but I still get embarrassed. He looked like the handsome lead in one of the Lifetime movies I watch. Red, my face was very red.

One of the very best things during the time of my surgery was learning how many friends I have. And I so appreciate the emails I received, some from complete strangers. They shared their personal stories with me, and I feel that they are my friends now, too.

Life goes on and although we appreciate the lack of bumps in the road — maybe life has to be stirred up every once in a while so we can see just how good we have it! Right, folks? Right.

Diane Duray is a Laguna Woods Village resident. Contact her at [email protected].