The crows brought me back

Once upon a time... that is how the tale begins isn't it. The thing about surgery is that I have a deep need to remember everything - the food I ate, the people who came to visit me, every single health care person who stepped into my room - RNs, MDs, PTs, OTs, the people who picked up the garbage.  Every face that came around the edge of the curtain and smiled at me, gave some word of encouragement, told me I looked better than yesterday. Some of them signed a heart shaped pillow given to me while I was still in Critical Care. Now, that is where it gets surreal - but I will tell that part of the story later...

But actually, I can't and never will know everything that happened. And in many ways, that is how it should be.

Carmen told me a story from the time when the surgery was finished, but she, my sister, and Mr R, hadn't seen me yet. I was still walking out of oblivion. Carmen told me that she and Mr R were in one of lounges, waiting, and saw crows flying toward the building. A woman was feeding them. Mr R said "Heidi must be waking up. Her minions are returning." My logical, beloved, rational Mr R and his flights of fancy.

There is so much in that for me to ponder - one of my favorite songs is "I'll Fly Away", particularly the Gillian Welch version. Odin had a raven named Memory. There is a Pacific Northwest legend that Raven stole the sun for humanity. My heart has feet and crows are very pedestrian, they walk among us.

The crows brought me back...