Still home, still recuperating

Apologies for the delay in posting another update. Fortunately in this case, no news is good news. I’ve just been really lazy and haven’t felt like writing – it usually takes me a while to get my mind trained to think again after a hospital stay. I’m settling into a routine at home, up at 8 to run my antibiotics, breakfast while they run, then my physical therapy exercises, followed by a shower, then a nap because all of this work has exhausted me. Then there is lunch, followed by either some TV or if I’m feeling energetic, a game of some sort. I introduced mom and dad to Pass the Pigs and they are enjoying kicking my butt in it. Afternoons I have been trying to get out for a walk to the corner and back. It’s about a 15 minute process to get ready for the walk, getting on shoes and socks, the leg brace, etc, and then about a 10 minute walk, after which I’m ready for my afternoon nap.

Actually I am feeling a lot stronger than a week ago (woo hoo I’ve been home for a week!!) and definitely have more energy now that I’m eating mom’s cooking as opposed to hospital food, though I do miss having a Dairy Queen close by – those afternoon cones were a nice treat.

I have a physical therapist come in once or twice a week and exercises that I do twice a day to get the leg moving. I’m at about 60-65% usage of it which is great, but I get frustrated too easily. Sunday I decided I could get down to the floor to change a CD, and I got down just fine. Just couldn’t get back up. Pat and my dad had to pull me up. Then last night I was standing up getting ready to climb into bed, stopped to scratch an itch and next thing I knew I was laying on the floor. The leg gave out without any warning. Again Pat had to pull me up. Considering the fact that I move around a bit without the crutches in the house, only 2 incidences is pretty good. I won’t be taking those chances when no one else is here and Dan, the physical therapist, is going to show me how to pull myself up if it does happen when I’m alone. I just have to learn to have some patience and most of you know that is not my strong suit.

I have a follow up appointment today with Dr. Hanto. Don’t really expect anything to come of it; however it will be a good opportunity to get out of the house for a little while. Maybe I’ll be able to convince Pat to stop somewhere else for a little while so my outing has some fun involved in it, not just a hospital visit. I also have a test on Friday to check the bladder to see if it’s healed. If it has then the catheter comes out on Tuesday. That will be a huge relief and one less thing I need to drag around. These follow up appointments are at Mt. Auburn where I decided to switch back to for my own piece of mind. Dr. Karian was happy to take over my care once again.

I’ve been catching up on some movies, seeing some friends and family on the weekends and in the evenings and receiving some beautiful flower arrangements and one huge edible arrangement of fruit which was quite tasty, so being home has been good to me. We appreciate everyone’s thoughtfulness and generosity over the past few weeks – and look forward to seeing more of you as the weeks go by. I’ll be homebound for a while, so if you find yourself in Winter Hill, give a call and hopefully I’ll be awake and up for a visit.