Saturday, 28 April, 2007, 6:44 a.m. in the bloody morning, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A.~

Dear Journal~

Tottie here. Yeah, I'm still stuck in this damned old hospital; looks like I'll be moved to rehab soon. I have been gong through so much therapy it's unreal!!

I am walking better: each day it gets easier, but I am still bothered by pain in me leg (okay, stump, whatever the bloody 'ell you want to call it!). It's enough to drive me mad! I am walking with sticks (crutches), sticks that clamp at the elbows; the bloody bastards keep biting me elbows, I have marks on me arms from the damned sticks! They're annoying as all bloody 'ell! I hate 'em!!

The one nurse (Louie something or other; I have trouble remembering her last name) calls me just about every day, to see how I am doing; if she is at work, she stops by for a social call, guess she wants to see for herself how I'm faring. Well, I'm afraid I haven't been nice to her: biting her head off, calling her nasty names, but I am tired of this shit! I am tired of hospital food, I am tired of doctors poking and prodding me body like I'm some bloody slab of beef, and I am tired of nurses waking me up at all hours of the night for vital signs or pills! GAD!!

I don't know when I'll be released from rehab, but I am more'n ready to go back to me native Australia. I miss me mum and pop, me family, me chums. I hear Australia is in the midst of a terrible drought; I know it for true because before I came to America for me holiday, I remember how tinder-dry everything is. Shame. Aussies are wilting along with the record temperatures, and there are terrific fires; you can smell (or sometimes) see the smoke (once in a while, you'll see the fires, very scary!).

The animals are suffering too, and some have been killed by the smoke or the flames. I wonder when Aussieland is going to get some relief; we need rain desperately...

Well, I have been bummed ever since me hero, Steve Irwin, died (last year). He was filming an episode for his "Crocodile Series" show on Animal Planet, and a stingray up and got him. Stung him right in his 'eart, he did; bloody bastard. Steve died instantly; it was a tragic day for all Australia, and all Australians. Steve was a hero to all of us: he was a wildlife warrior; he cared about animals, he cared about the environment, he did all he could to help animals not only in Australia per se, but all over the world. He taught us how to care for animals, and he taught us how to be passionate about the environment.

Now his little nipper, Bindi Sue, who is nine, is going to carry on her late daddy's heritage: she is going to have a show on Animal Planet, and she is quite the little singer/actress. She is absolutely amazing, and when she talks, you can hear similarities of her late daddy; she has the same Aussie accent, and she favors him in looks. It's incredible. She is a real cutie pie, she is!

I met a nice doctor here (he's married, darn it) who is physically disabled. He walks with sticks like I do, and he says he's paralyzed. He says he was born with this condition; he has something called spinal bifida, which means that his spinal cord didn't form right before birth, and now as a result his legs are paralyzed. He uses sticks or a wheelchair. He gets around so well! I see him on occasion; he comes to rehab for therapy. Even docs get therapy when they need it. Kinda' makes me think; docs are people too: they have probs too, just like regular people. Doc's name is Dr. Wright.

Louie  gave me some of her books; she is a writer. I will have to read 'em when I get the chance, but right now I am too busy with therapy or being depressed than to be worryin' about something like books! O, I wish I were back home; I can think of better ways to spend me time than being....here!!

Well, this isn't much, but I am going to put on some more classic country and cry in me beer. (Not really, but you get the picture of how I feel, Well? Can you blame me?? I have had me life ripped apart ever since that goddamn accident, nad then people wonder why I'm so mad: I lost me leg; I'm a goddamn cripple!)

Until later, this is Tottie saying Ta-ta for now!

~Tottie. :(