I was up early this morning. Joan helped me swap out bags so my morning routine wouldn't include Rufus's tail getting caught on the long tube on the big bag.
The best part of this morning time was the quiet... sitting and taking in the lights on the Christmas tree. I read a couple thoughtful and helpful private messages from friends. It moves me that people take the time to write; to share an experience or offer well-wishes.
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I gave myself a "light duty" day today. Took some time to reflect. No walks outside since Mother Nature blessed us with a rain day. I got my smallest guitar down and played a couple songs while Joan brushed Rufus. The tender belly area makes singing from the diaphragm a new experience, but good for the breathing exercises.
I am still having some numbness and tingling in my fingertips, but I think it is less. After a good shower and while shaving, I had a moment of enlightenment: whoever shaved me before the surgery did not have a great sense of symmetry; nipples to... well, you know my new favorite word. I think modern medical technology allows a surgeon to make a procedure less painful for recuperation. Seems to me that they have to put in a couple extra "pain points" to take your mind off the awful itch as the chest and belly hair starts to grow back.
Joan asked what I wanted for lunch... "A burger and fries." I was probably influenced by a commercial I saw on TV. That is some target advertising, going for the recuperating, easily swayed crowd. Rather than take-out, she made a burger and fries... and it was great.
I plan to work through this "infant stage" as quick as I can. Infant stage? Yeah: eat, burp, poop, and nap. After the nap, struggle to roll over.
More Rufus therapy. He weighs more than 10 pounds (OK, a lot more), but I don't have to pick him up - he hops up on his own to sit by me. Soothing.
5 comments:
Two long days but you were in the thoughts!!! I know you are getting better when your sense of humor comes back at full speed. Heal up, you need to go out and get a burger soon, ride the scoot, and run the boat!!!! Bob
Jim it's good to hear that you are on the road to recovery. Although it sounds as though you are dragging around way more baggage than you would prefer. Take your time building back your strength and be even more grateful for having a thoughtful partner to get you through this.
Hi Bob and Henry - Yep, I see better days ahead. I didn't go out for a burger today, but my Honey did make a burger and fries for me. Yes, she is very thoughtful. Amazing how a favorite meal can make a guy feel.
You are now part of my morning routine on the computer. I love hearing the habits of your Rufus. My cat, Chip, is not exactly like yours. He is super loving in a demanding sort of way. He jumps on my stomach, head butts me until I rub behind his ears. He demands that I do not stop. Then he looks around for something to kill. We try to keep him in the trailer but all he wants to do is go outside and find something to catch, or roll in the dust, or explore the trailers nearby. At exactly 8:30 PM he jumps in my lap/stomach and walks around to annoy me as much as possible, it is his way to tell me it is time for bed. When I go to bed he follows me and demands that I rub behind his ears and on his back. Then he lays on his pillow next to my head and looks out the window. He is awake most of the night just looking out the window. In the morning I make coffee and then spend about an hour on the computer. Nomally he jumps up on the back of the chair, with his back legs on the back of the chair and his front legs on my shoulders. Then he head rubs me until I show attention. He used to jump down and lay on the keyboard. He no longer does this as all I have to do is show him the squirt bottle.
We have always had cats and they have always been blah to me and loved Susan. Chip for some reason bonded with me the moment we met, and he hated Susan. I almost gave Chip back to the shelter numerous times because Chip would bite Susan, and we are not talking love bite. Susan cried that Chip did not love her. Because of this, we ended up getting a dog so Susan had a pet that would love her. Chip is now about 5 years old and he hasn't bitten her for nearly 2 years. In fact, if I ignore Chip's demands for ear rubbing, he will then go to Susan. But I am still his first choice. Our biggest problem with Chip is that he escapes on us. It takes two of us to watch him while the other leaves the trailer. If we didn't have a squirt bottle it would be impossible. When he escapes, we have to tell all our neighbors he is ours and not to try to catch him. If people try to get him he only goes further away. As he has aged he stays closer to the trailer, and when he gets hot, or needs water, or needs potti box, he just comes up the steps and says he wants in. We worry when he is out because some of the places we are at have coyotes. He can handle dogs, he bluffs them with fake attacks. He has no claws so it is a total bluff. He ends it by actually charging the dog. The dog runs like hell. So far he has not met a dog that will stand his ground, and I know that it will happen someday. Most of the time when he sees a dog he just comes back into the trailer. Normally when he is out we leave the screen door open so he can come back in. Then later we get the pleasure of dealing with the flies.
You haven't mentioned if you have to sit on a rubber donut. I am hoping that the pain and stuff lessen every day. I can imagine the day you get rid of the bag and have no pain will be a great day.
Hi Jeff. Your Chip sounds like a fine feline. I understand needing to get Susan a dog... our daughter and son-in-law kept getting cats until one of them likes her best! ;-)
Rufus truly seems intuitive - he hasn't jumped on my since I got home from the hospital, but crawls up carefully. He did the same thing after my hip replacement. The line is a standing joke in our family, but he REALLY is a good boy. I took him out for a walk on his leash today, the first he has had since I went into the hospital. He doesn't pull on the leash and doesn't fuss. We didn't walk fast, but he was happy to get out.
As far as "sitting on a rubber donut"... they go in through your belly, not the other end. Everything from my navel on down is tender... except my ass. The nads take some arranging as I sit, but the swelling continues to go down. With the robot procedure, you still have the same interior cutting, but they poke through your lower abdomen rather than cut through it. I can see where the recovery is better, because there is less damage to the stomach muscles. Key word there is "less" - still hurts like hell as I move around. Coughing or sneezing sucks, but I understand what I need to do to keep my lungs clear. The catheter is supposed to come out Thursday... I don't even want to think about that procedure. I'm guessing it will be a while to get to that "no pain" part. I don't tolerate pain meds well, so ibuprofen is it for now; and I am glad to have that to take the edge off. Joan thinks I have a high pain tolerance... I try to keep the times where I scream like a little girl to a minimum. I am walking outside several times a day, and that really seems to help limber me up.
Probably more than you wanted to know, but I'll do my best to answer any questions.
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