I'm walking around with these ridiculous support hose on.  Every time I have to wear them, I swear I'm never returning to the vascular surgeon.   At the beginning of the year, I had surgery to remove some of my veins, the really painful ropey ones that twisted down my legs.  As far as surgeries go, it wasn't  a big deal.  It took me a couple of weeks to recover--I cried and hobbled about, but mostly I was just hot and annoyed by my support hose.   I remember saying that if my veins didn't hurt so badly, I would never undergo any procedure to remove them.  I remember saying that those purply-blue lines that covered every surface of my legs were badges of honor and reminders of the sacrifice and blessing that is motherhood.  I said all of those things and I still believe them, but there is no way on God's green earth that I would ever turn down a free spider vein treatment.   So, after my initial surgery, when I discovered that my doctor offers one free spider vein treatment, I was ecstatic.  And after my last treatment, when my doctor offered me another free session (apparently he can't get enough of my veins!), I jumped on the chance ... Today I endured about twenty injections in my veins, and now I hobble about with bandages beneath my support hose.  Though I am abundantly grateful for such good insurance and for a generous doctor, I am tired and hot and crotchety, and I have been a miserable companion.  I am so hideous that I can't even stand to be around myself.  I'm sorry, Daniel.  I'm sorry, kids.  Nonetheless, in about a week, when I can take off these hose, I will prance about in the cutest, shortest shorts I can get my hands on.  I will forget how miserable and hot and crotchety I was, and I hope that my family will too.  I hope that they will rejoice at the sight of my new legs and so share in my joy that they forget all about what a witch I've been today.