One week post surgery. Last week at this time I was totally drugged up but so relieved to not be in pain anymore. One week later how am I feeling? Still happy to not be in pain but I’ve also totally got ants in my pants from all this sitting around. I’ll be totally honest here, I’m not good at following orders. The military and me were never going to be a good match (for a lot of other reasons too probably…). But really, I don’t like being told what to do, I’d much rather be the one bossing people around and left to my own devices. Therefore this whole forced vacation thing I’m on is really pretty old already. I’m mentally preparing myself to fight with the doctor tomorrow. However, let’s look at the accomplishments first and try to keep a positive spin on things for the moment!
- I’m surprisingly, amazingly pain-free. Everyone who sees me is amazed at how well I’m getting around and every day I genuinely feel better. Standing up is easier, stairs are no problem and I haven’t taken any of the Percocets they gave me since last Wednesday! A steady dose of Ibuprofin is doing me just fine and even that might partially just be a mental thing.
- I went out like a normal person this weekend! A friend came down to visit me and we went out to dinner with some other good friends of mine and I managed to walk around and sit through dinner and hang out for a while without feeling like too much of an invalid or experiencing too much pain (though I was ready for bed at an incredibly early hour for this night owl…)
- I walked around the block yesterday! Slowly, but I did it and it felt awesome. It was gorgeous here yesterday, blue skies, warm sun overhead, temps in the 50′s I just couldn’t help myself I needed some fresh air and sunshine. Half Marathon here I come! Okay maybe not, that walk kinda tuckered me out and I spent most of the rest of the day sitting down, but it was a definite step in the right direction.
- I can sorta blow my nose again! Sneezing and coughing are still out but I’ll take what I can for right now.
So these are the things I’m feeling positive about, my recovery is obviously going well (you should see my wound, it looks great!) and I’m optimistic about getting back to life as I enjoy it sooner rather than later. What do I need to argue with the doctor about then?
- When can I go back to work? Pre surgery I swear he said 2 weeks. My discharge paperwork says 4-6 weeks and everyone I’ve talked to has told me to expect to be out a month. I really might die of boredom and seasonal affective disorder if I have to sit through 4 weeks of cold grey snowy weather with nothing to distract myself. I actually really like my job and am totally annoyed at having missed the last week as it is. Please don’t tell me I have to miss a month. Not to mention I was supposed to go on vacation at the beginning of April and if I’m out until then I’m not going to be able to take that time.
- No sex for 8 weeks! I know this seems trivial all things considered but seriously…8 weeks! I was kinda shocked by that initially as it was, but when my friend who just had a baby via C-section (we compared scars and recovery stories) told me that her doctor only said 6 weeks of no sex for her I started feeling majorly jipped. I mean her surgery was way more invasive than mine. I demand a re-evaluation on this one!
- Exercise. I need details. When can I safely try running again. When can I do my strength training with weights. When can I do my core workouts. Can I do cardio stuff, try the elliptical or the bike if I can’t run, etc…I really feel like a slug sitting around all day and eating. Please give me a ray of hope on the activity front! I’m not a person who likes to sit around and do nothing unless I choose to and even then not for very long.
Tonight my mom is driving me back up to New York where I’m praying the snow will have all melted by now (wishful thinking, I know). Tomorrow I get my staples removed, hallelujah! Then depending on what the doctor says about how long I’m going to be out of work I’m going to figure out where to go from there. If I’m going to be out of work for an extended period of time I’ll probably come back down to Jersey with my car because frankly the weather is a heck of a lot less depressing and I need everything I can on my side while I’m bored out of my mind. If I’m only going to be out for another week I’ll stay in town as I do have a bunch of stuff planned for this week and I’ll see how it feels to get back into the swing of regular life. Here’s hoping that’s the case!
