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Good morning, Friends.
It's Thursday morning, and I feel well rested. I slept like a rock last night, and woke up hungry for more sleep.
I did get up with Wife though, and we had our usual morning rituals going, getting ready, having breakfast etc. I like having these mornings, and it's been something I have been keen on having through this entire recovery period, even if I didn't really have a need to get up. I just like doing it, I like hanging with Wife, and it's good to not be lulled too much into lazy mode.
So, yesterday I went to the hospital to get drained again. Well, at least so I thought. My usual doctor/surgeon is on vacation for a couple of weeks, so it was another doctor. Honestly, what an ass-hat. He seemed like he was mostly bothered by having to do someone else's work, and barely looked at me. No draining. Sure, it's not as bad as it was a couple of weeks ago, but I still feel that there is liquid squishing around, and it would help my comfort a lot having it gone. But nope - he didn't want to do anything. He was being all arrogant about it too, canceling the next checkup in a week, asking me to come back in a month.
Basically my plan is now to wait and see what happens. If things get too bad, I will call "my" surgeon when she is back from vacation after next week, if I feel that I need another draining. Otherwise I hope he is right, and that I don't need it.
Truth be told, I am recovering well of course. Draining is something that can be done or can not be done - many times by choice. I just feel that it's good to be as comfortable as possible with all this, and to minimize the risk of stretching the skin.
I still gotta wear the girdle, but I am so used to it now that it doesn't really bother me. Actually, it's starting to feel weird without it! :)
Today, I feel massively bloated again. I can see it in my hands, too. I can't see the veins as clearly as I normally can. I wonder what's going on. Maybe all the walking yesterday, and the not optimal food choices did something? It's okay. I know I am doing all right, and I am recovering. I even have proof. :)
The first Thursday after I came home from surgery, we had to go to Daughter's graduation party. I of course wanted to dress nice, but I had absolutely no clothes I could fit. Not even close. I was a size 31 before surgery, and I couldn't even be in my 36 jeans. Wow. Also, my girdle was closed about 1 inch from the end, meaning a 1 inch overlap. I hope this makes sense.
Well, when I close the girdle now, it has to be tightened all the way, which is about 6 or 7 inches (estimated), and I can now fit my size 33 jeans. I still have a little to go for my size 31's but they'll be sitting there waiting for me as my "ultimate goal" pants once girdle is off and I am all better.
It's a good feeling, wearing jeans. I put them on today, to get used to the feel again. I haven't worn anything but comfy sweat pants for a whole month! This is definitely a sign of me getting there!
So, tomorrow I'm going to work to have a meeting about my for-now-tasks, while I am finishing my recovery. I don't have the stability or the energy for full time work just yet, but I do want to go, and I do want to NOT stay home all day.
When I stand up, I try to train myself to straighten my back. This last month of being careful (and I still am) has left me very hunched over - doctor's orders. It's been a balance, because I can't stretch any side, so I really have to be straight, but with extra care on the front. This means hunched over, more or less.
So now I have to start standing up more straight, get some posture in there. It's kinda hard right now. It feels so different with my new stomach. Before, with all the loose skin, I could just straighted up, and there would be so much skin that it would just follow wherever I go.
No, when I straighten up, I can feel the skin tighten. Not a lot, of course, there is room for the movements that I need to do, but the whole sensation of the skin being tight when I stand up straight is completely new. I feel that I am over-stretching it, but when I look in the mirror doing it, I don't see any issues. I think it's simply a matter of me not knowing the feeling.
So, is this what thin people feel? They probably don't even know. lol. It's not something we think about all the time, is it?
Ass-hat doctor did tell me that he'd think it okay to start exercising in a week or two, taking it slow and not doing three hour marathons. But 30 mins here and there shouldn't hurt any longer. I'm glad to hear this, as I really want to get back into my usual routines.
I'm considering starting on the Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition Workout DVD again. It's a good starter for anyone, and it's not too rough. The first workouts are 15 minutes, I should be able to do that, or at least get through it doing what I can handle of each exercise. I figure if I do this daily, or 4-5 days a week, it'll be a good start.
I'm also considering the Xbox Kinect, I have a work out "game" that has some yoga-ish exercises, where it's much more about balance than about tearing into the heavy duty workouts.
...and of course some rides on my stationary bike.
Other than that, my exercise will be playing music. I have kind of a lot of that coming up, getting The Black Peanut back together, and of course my new band BURN. I'm very excited to get to play with both. I try to train for it by playing as long as I can here at home, and doing it standing up. Yesterday, I managed to play for a full hour - that's a new record for right now. Of course, when I play with The Black Peanut, it's often 4-5-6 hours. I'll have to have a chair there, listen to my body, and take the breaks needed. They're okay with it, we'll just have to do as good as possible.
I feel pretty good about the whole thing today. I feel that I am on my way back to "normal life", getting back to work, getting back in music and getting back in my jeans! It's a good feeling.
The only draw back I have is that I still get very exhausted. I'll have to take that as it comes. Of course, we compensate for that at work, cutting me some slack. Also, on the music, I set the pace I can handle. I'm sure I'm gonna sleep TIGHT at night the next few weeks. That's okay. It's okay to get tired after all this.
Today I am thankful for:
- The outlook to getting back to "real life".
- An amazing night of good deep sleep.
- Morning coffee.
- Being back in my jeans.
- Rock and roll! :)
Happy Thursday, people! Life is good!
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