five weeks

Week 1

Monday September 19 – pre-op appointments.

Meet with a PA and PT. Find out surgery time. 7:30 am. Must check in at 5:30 I weigh in at 143.

Tuesday, September 20 – surgery day.

Wednesday, September 21 – therapy day.

            PT has me out of bed and standing for a bit. Fighting severe nausea.

Thursday, September 22 – therapy day.

Still fighting nausea. PT gets me up and walking. I get a shower for the first time since Tuesday morning. Bliss. I’m disconnected from the pain killer pump.

Friday, September 23 – discharge day.

            I learn how to maneuver the stairs and basic independent living how-to’s.

Saturday, September 24 – first home day

Mom arrives. I am heavily medicated.

Week 2

Sunday, September 25 – home day

            More heavy medication.

Monday, September 26 – home day.

            More heavy medication.

Tuesday, September 27 – ambulance ride

            My first outing. MIL and I take Sam to Urgent care. He has thrush.

Having not had a BM since my surgery, I take some things to get the ball rolling. This results in me pretty much collapsing on the toilet. An ambulance arrives, picks me up and hauls me away. I am admitted to the hospital after blood counts show I had less than half the blood I’m supposed to. I get 2 units throughout the night.

Wednesday, September 28 – hospital day

            Boring, unproductive and medicated day.

Thursday, September 29 – home again.

I am given another shower. The funny motherly Hispanic CNA strips me and gives me a scrubbing. Awkward but refreshing. After a visit from PT and more blood draws, I am cleared to go home.

Friday, September 30 – post-op.

I take my first solo shower. I feel oddly alone. Oh, this is called privacy, that’s right. Another trip to OHSU. Meet with PA. I weigh in at 137.

Saturday, October 1 – bye-bye mom.

            Mom leaves. Samuel has decided he doesn’t want to nurse anymore after all this time on the bottle.

Week 3

Sunday, October 2 – walking.

I take a few steps today without holding onto anything. A little pain but not bad. I get a little better at it throughout the week.

Monday – Friday (3-7)

Normal home stuff. MIL is home this week to watch over the kids. I get out to the store with FIL once (Wed) to get some needed items for the kids – and get my first lesson in motorized carts. I go a full week until having another BM.

Saturday, October 8 – outing.

My first big outing – the zoo. On our way we pick up different pain killers in hopes of me not being so fuzzy headed and constipated. At the zoo, I’m wheeled around in a wheelchair by various members of the family.

Week 4

Sunday, October 9 – homecoming.

Today we make the drive back to Medford. The kids are cranky, I am sore, and the drive seemed to take forever. But, we make it in one piece.

Monday-Friday (10-14) – the deluge of help begins

Thanks to a couple of amazing ladies, there are women scheduled to be here to help me and the children from 8-4:30 every day. Not only that, but suppers are brought each night. Blessings are flowing! Friday I begin home PT. I’m still not having regular or normal BMs.

Saturday, October 15 – church day.

We make it to church today. Lovely outing. Then home, leftovers from throughout the week, and brownies. Package from Naturopathic Dr arrives.

Week 5

Sunday, October 16 – normal day.

It almost feels like a normal Sunday around the house. Only I’m around the sofa mostly. I start the natural pain relievers and cut off all other meds in hopes my head and digestive system can clear out.

Monday, October 17 – natural day.

First day with just natural stuff. Seems to be ok… This week there is another deluge of daily help and suppers this week.

Tuesday, October 18 – meet the wall.

I kind of hit a wall. And melt down. With the drugs totally out of my system I find the natural remedy doesn’t cut the pain much at all. I fight through it until I can’t handle the pain anymore and try small doses of the narcotics. They don’t work quickly. I spend most of the day in a crying funk. I am totally nauseated from using the bathroom.

I have home PT and start using my cane.

Wednesday, October 19 – more funk.

I have to stop breaking the pills in half and take a whole. This is still less than I was taking. Hoping to find a balance. Again I spend the day nauseated and crying.

Thursday, October 20 – light day.

This morning starts as the last 2 did. More tears. I decide to take a shower, and had an unexpected but much needed chat with God. It went a little like this:

Me: “God, I can’t do this anymore. I can’t even stand up… I don’t have an ounce of strength left.”

God: “I am very strong.”

Me: “I’m not. I’m so weak.”

God: “I can give you strength.”

Me: “But I’m so weak, Lord.”

God: “Do you trust me?”

Me: “Yes.”

God: “Then stop crying and start trusting. I’ve got this.”

Then I get out of the shower and move on. One day at a time. I suddenly feel refreshed and energized. He’s got this. My PT comes and says I am doing betting than I should be for how weak my muscles are. He’s got this.

Friday, October 21 – good day.

I wake up strong. I can do anything. I’m no longer relying on my own strength, so there’s not much I can’t do. I’m walking stronger and feeling more confident. I seem to have found a nice balance with my meds. I can do anything through Him who gives me strength.

Saturday, October 22 – church day.

We get relatively good sleep (the toddler has been sick with a cold all week). Then to church and later to a friend’s house for supper and a visit.