The Peas Knees

Illustration by Edmund Dulac, Wikipedia

Many of us are familiar with "The Princess and The Pea" fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen.  Poor little rich prince can't find a true princess.  A dark and stormy night finds a girl claiming to be a princess stranded and asking for shelter.  Wise prince's mother puts a pea under 20 mattresses and 20 feather beds.  Young lady cannot sleep due to boulder that has bruised her.  Instant happily ever after.

According to my favorite online info source, Wikipedia, 1959 marked the Broadway debut of Carol Burnett as the lead in "Once Upon A Mattress".  I always liked Carol Burnett.  Not sure if it was because of her self abasing humor or that she is a fellow Texas native.  Whatever, she has been a favorite of mine and my sister, Margaret Ann.

Burnett in 1964 tv production of
"Once Upon A Mattress",
source ioffer.com

Carol was not the typical stage beauty but what a presence.  My sis could do the Tarzan call almost as good as Carol.  I do remember seeing the production on TV back in the 60's.

Most all know I grew up on a cotton farm in North Central Texas.  I was called a lot of things, spoiled being one of the very top.  I was full of emotion.  That has not changed much.  I thought you were supposed to cry at funerals, laugh loudly at jokes, say "hidee" to anyone whose eye you caught on the street.  I was volatile as a volcano ready to blow at anything.

I was never, ever called a princess by even my most favorite aunt or uncle.  Bratty, mean and spoiled.  Later in life Drama Queen, most definitely.  But never to be called a lovely princess of fairy tales, no matter how Grimm!

However, the past two weeks have given Gene and I pause to wonder if we were wrong about me.  Night after weary night Gene & I have attempted to get my right knee in a position to not cause clots and be comfortable.  I had him lifting covers off, no to the right, no too tight.  Once the pillows were piled correctly according to the diagrams, I began discovering golf balls or oranges in the pillows.  Why was there a rope on the side of my pj's where the seam was supposed to be?  How could there be such huge mountains in the sheets?  And why have the sheets become so heavy!?!

Night before last was the final straw.  The staples had been removed.  Ahhhhhh.  Now let us settle in for a much more comfortable position.  Only to discover the edges of the steri-strips.  Do you know how many ways 20 strips can curl up and catch pajamas pulling at the edges of a 7 inch incision?  Really.  However, with proper rearrangement of the one pillow and moving the pj's inner seam, blessed sleep was accomplished

But last night!  Oh my!  I awoke only once when Gene had to get up for nasal spray.  I rearranged slightly and slept for another 4.5 hours.  WOW!  What a feeling.  No pull, no mountains, ropes or weighted sheets.  What was the difference?  I could not figure it out till I went to the bathroom.  I had not put on pj bottoms.  Oh, well, not a princess, still just a Drama Queen!  Sleep tight.  And did you see me pull my ear?