Yesterday I missed Maury, and Dr. Phil was a lousy episode (he's really starting to veer down the Maury path ... I guess all the "serious" issues have been explored over the past 10 years). But, I was successful at doing some self physio which helped keeps my legs from seizing up. The cleaning lady came back for the first time in a long time, and apparently I was so zonked that I napped on the couch while they cleaned around me. How is that possible!
But I think my biggest accomplishment is that I'm off the narcotics! Extra strength Tylenol seems to be doing the trick and my brain is much more alert. The only problem is getting to the bathroom fast enough as the codeine works its way out of my system and all that which has been plugged becomes unplugged. (How's that for TMI). It truly is the small things in life that make your day to day tolerable or miserable.
I also survived my first dinner out. Nothing fancy, just the local watering hole. We were fortunate to get a close parking spot and I managed to avoid getting killed in the parking lot. Right ... can't look for cars while I'm looking at my feet making sure that one foot is actually in front of the other - a spotter is required! No crossing streets without someone to hold my hand :) Sitting in an uncomfortable chair (that never used to bother me) made my body achy and my legs numb within half an hour, but I stuck it out until the bill was paid.
We were home before 8pm, but it was straight to bed and I was asleep before I could turn the lights out. Apparently an hour and a half in the real world requires ten hours sleep to recover.
This turned into a bit of a ramble:
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's not patience that is required but appropriate expectations - and maybe those are figured out over time. I think that a lot of our grief/disappointment/annoyance in life comes when our expectations clash with our reality, and we have to step back and adjust (the expectations, not the reality!)(or maybe that's what drugs are for......). And sometimes we just don't want to. But as I said before, the journey is what it is, and you gradually get it all figured out.
A digression ....
This is making me think of a time when my daughter Jane was about five and I sighed and said 'Life can be difficult' and she replied 'It's not life Mom, it's the people'. Wise beyond her years.
But you are always allowed to rant.
And you are never allowed to do macrame.
And you really should get your nails done. You should even get your toenails done - show them you love them - appreciate the work they are doing.
Congrats on getting off the narcotics (and having a bm).
So you probably have researched this already, but tissues require energy to stay elastic and if you don't use them, the energy is sent elsewhere and so things can stiffen up. Six weeks after my accident, I went for physio and could only raise my right arm to where it was parallel to the floor and it took five months of work to get it over my head - my shoulder had frozen to that point in a short time. So stay on top of that stuff. It will give you something to focus on if Maury's having a boring episode.
Not sure I know Maury but am getting an idea ....
Sleep is good - think of all the times you wish you could have more. Your body needs it now so go with it. The rest of us are jealous.
On Sunday I did a 39km run up and down the ski hill road - almost 900m of vertical and it took over four hours. I thought of you a lot. You know, there are things I can't do anymore and things I really miss. Sometimes it's something small, like washing my hair with both hands or being able to put stud earrings in by myself. So sometimes you have to adapt. But not always - and I believe that if there is anything you really want to do, you will find a way to do it. This is the most difficult part of the journey - right now - change/progress/frustration/uncertainty. But you have the strength of character to slash your way through this time and be victorious over it all. So get on with it (patiently or not).
And find a restaurant with more comfortable chairs.
J
Macrame may be out, but I was given a 5"x5" sunflower needlepoint to do. It made me laugh, but darn it ... I'm going to do it, frame it, hang it proudly and call it my "Sunflowers of the Crippled" (or something equally as rediculous).
DeleteI am clearly into the inevitable mind versus body games - thank you for the sane, rational and experienced advice and support ... it is more appreciated than you will ever know. And in a weird and torturous way, I envy you that 39k run !!