Healing nicely

It pays to be healthy. It pays to exercise. It pays to eat right and do the right things. I never realized this until now.

The nurses after asking me several health history questions, said that I was the healthiest person that they’ve seen in a long time. I don’t have to take any medications; I don’t drink or smoke (yeah, yeah – anyMORE I don’t). I keep fairly active (I’m really lazy so this one is hard) and I take vitamins – true, when I think about it but at least I do. I don’t have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, liver problems, kidney issues …. and on and on and on. All these ailments that they were listing, I kept saying “no” to.

Thomas and I started taking yoga in July. I knew that I wanted to strengthen myself in another way besides our Taekwondo and this was something we’ve always wanted to do together. The girls were teaching yoga classes for a couple of years but the times never worked out for us. Early mornings work the best and we finally found a place to go.

I fully believe that taking that class has helped with my recovery. Here’s what I’m supposed to take:

And I haven’t. I haven’t had any pain since I left the hospital. None.

What I have taken is GasEx because, yeah … full of gas. Even worse though, is that I’m full of air. They pump up the body cavity with air to separate the organs and then the body just has to absorb it as time goes by. THAT is painful. If I could have a pin to pop me, I would have.

This is what I got:

   Get Well Cards!!

 

 

 

 

Since I can’t vacuum for five weeks! This is my birthday present from the big kids!!

 

 

My job: account input for the office. This is my new workspace. I have Lappy (the Toughbook laptop), my tea cup, phone, pillows, remote, and chocolate truffles within arms reach. Life is good!!

Since I have to be down for the next week, Thomas has put me to work doing some accounting for the office. He is so behind and why not? I literally cannot do anything for the first two weeks.

I’m not supposed to drive because I’m supposed to be on the pain meds (oh right – like half of Arlington ISN’T driving while taking drugs. Pul-eeze) but since I’m not on pain pills, I can get the kids to and from their school stuff. I have to; they’re live goes on and I have no choice. But as far as anything else, done.

According to my doc, the first two weeks is the most critical for healing. This is so hard. I’m always doing something because there is always something to do around here. However, to keep me as healthy as I want to stay, I am directing myself to take it easy.

There are some benefits to this whole taking-it-easy. First of all, the really lazy person in me is sighing in contentment. Second, the thought of being in the hospital for longer than one night is horrifyingly awful. My doc said that if I don’t stay down and take care of myself and undo everything she’s done, she’ll put me in for a week. Yikes. Stab me now. No way.

Third, my kids are helping out wonderfully. They were so worried about me and what might happen. They’re carrying in my bags and opening doors and lifting and helping and doing so many things. Robee taught me how to hold in my sneeze to stop it so it wouldn’t hurt my stomach (hold the top of the nose and say “watermelon” over and over – it works!!). Felix is cooking food and bringing me drinks and socks to warm my feet. I love my kids.

Fourth, I get to wear yoga pants all day! I have four small incisions on my abdomen that form a diamond and there is no way I can wear anything that’s going to press on them. That’s from the laparoscopy. Seatbelts kill. I keep threatening to show the kids my scar … just to make them scream. Heh heh.

My post op appointment is scheduled for next Monday and then she will say yea or nay for me starting back on easy exercise. If she says yes, then I can start back at yoga, just doing easy breathing and possibly small moves. I can also start watching the kids again that Thursday and then go back to two days a week. I just can’t lift them anywhere so thankfully, Ivy is strong enough to climb into her car seat …. which Thomas will have to carry to the truck for me. Ha! Slaves are fun.

Which is why I have the time to sit here and blog my experience with my first and hopefully LAST surgery!

Thank you to those of you who called and wished me luck and those that helped with my kids and those that helped out anywhere.

Here I go on my next adventure …. WITHOUT my uterus. So long sucker! It’s been nice but you have outlived your usefulness and I’m ready to be free! When I feel better, I’ll do my “I Don’t Have My Uterus” dance that I tried to do for Felix the other night.