Outdoor Adventure

After a convincing sales pitch from Chris, I was talked into going outside for the first time in two weeks for a walk. Going anywhere, even the couch, requires a little prep time every morning to get myself gussied up for the day.
That's some pretty sweet bed head. Nothing a wet comb, some baby wipes and a wash cloth can't handle. In no time I was dressed (very carefully in pants) and ready to rumble.
I shuffled, very slowly, slightly hunched over holding my drain ball in my hands through my pockets while we walked around the cul-de-sac and down the street to the stop sign and back. I was pooped when we got back, but it felt great to be out in the 60 degree sunshine. Afterwards I spent most of the rest of the day relaxing. Too much activity in one day makes me stiff and cranky the next. Instead, we watched a four hour Lifetime Movie Network movie called Maneater (seriously) and ate the rest of my little cherry tartlets I'd made a couple days ago.
Never too sick or broken to make baked goodies!

Once we finish watching the Bourne Ultimatum (for the hundredth time), we'll catch a little of the Grammy's. Chris is back to work tomorrow and I'm on my own this week. I've been healing great this weekend so I fully expect the go ahead from the doc's office tomorrow to come in this week and get my last drain out. Then I can shuffle myself anywhere I want!! Straight to my own bed for starters....

Patient Update

No photos because I've done absolutely nothing in the last two weeks except sit/recline on the couch and watch TV. I can get up and down off the couch by myself, which is a big accomplishment, and I can sit straight up in a chair and after a few minutes I can stand straight up, too. I was sent home with two incision drains, one of which was removed the Monday after surgery. However, I've continued to drain so much fluid since, the second drain has had to stay in which means that I can't take off my girdle and I can't shower. That's the part I hate the most. I wash my hair in the sink and take sponge baths, but there's a smell to the incisions and all the bandages that I despise and can't wait to wash off.

I was supposed to go back to work next Tuesday, but obviously that's not going to happen. I'll be calling in on Monday to inform them that I'll be out for the entire week. Hopefully I can get my drain out next week, get my smaller girdle, shower and go back to work the following week. I'm still on pain medications, but they don't make me sleep all day anymore so I think I can hack a full day of work. If not, I'll work as long as I can and come home early.

I am definitely postponing my second surgery. I had no idea how incredibly difficult this whole procedure would be on me, and until my abdominal muscles heal, I completely rely on my leg muscles to do all the work. I'm not even naming dates, I'm just taking my time to heal and playing it by ear.

Grimace McGee

Well, the first week of recovery is over and I'm doing pretty well. Yesterday was a big milestone in that I was able to get off the couch all by myself. I don't hurt, really, my abdomen is just stiff when I stand from a sitting position which gives me the grimace face. One of my drains came out Monday and the other one will probably come out Thursday. That will make everything more comfortable while I spend my days and nights on the couch.
Got my remote, pillows, puke bucket, saltines and magazines. Other than that I've been spending my day drinking prune juice. Yuck.
With no stomach muscles to speak of, prune juice is my new best friend.

Pam (our receptionist from work) came and spent the afternoon with me today. Mum always gets me started with breakfast, then turns me over to my afternoon sitter. Pam brought yummy treats with her today. A cheesy potato chicken dish from a Mennonite cafe in town (who knew?) and a meatloaf from Holiday in P-town. We had the cheesy potato dish tonight and it was magically delicious.
The potatoes were in hashbrown form so it was creamy and easy to eat. I must seek out this Mennonite cafe for more delicious treats. Apparently it's out by the UPS distribution center off of Hegan Ln. I learn something new every day!

Gifts, gifts and more gifts...

Apparently today is my third day of recovery, though my internal clock is a day off since I completely slept though Wednesday except the handful of people I allegedly called and talked to. Why would anyone give a drugged patient a phone?

Friday is grocery shopping day so Mum came over to babysit me while Chris ran over to CholoMaxx and Trader Joe's with a shopping list in hand. Mum even brought me some flowers to brighten my mood.

My other visitor for the day was my co-worker Joanna who brought us some kind of mexican casserole, with chips, cheese and sour cream to dress it up with. It was yummy and so nice to not have Chris make dinner since he's been having to take care of me every waking moment.
I used my chips to scoop it up, kind of like Taco Flats from when were kids. And yesterday one of the gals from the Fire Prevention Dept brought me a big bowl of homemade turkey noodles soup that was delicious too.

Today has been my best day so far, not so many feelings of agonizing pain while getting on and off of the couch, which has also been my bed since Wednesday. I'm still getting in trouble though when I try to tidy up or pick up anything off the floor. Dr. Hartman tells me to stop and get back in my cage. This weekend we're going to take off the girdle and let the incision get a little air, per the doctor's instructions. Then on Monday I get a new, small girdle and my drainage tubes are coming out which means I can shower. Woo hoo!

It's the final countdown

I'm spending my Tuesday at home preparing for surgery tomorrow. It's the same as a colonoscopy prep, so it's a day of clear liquids mixed with a special blend of colon-cleanse 2000 and a lot of time in the bathroom. Goooood times. While I hang out and watch TV, I get to watch the trees blowing over in 100 mph wind gusts. Lots of rain and wind today with no signs of an end until Friday. So far my only bit of excitement has been C. stopping by to drop off a potty booster seat so that I don't have to stress my stomach muscles as much for the first week.
With some flame decals and handle bar streamers I'll really be stylin'!

It's lunch time so I'm taking a break from my peppermint tea and having a steaming bowl of top ramen broth (with no noodles). I learned last time how tasteless regular chicken broth is so I made sure to stock up on some top ramen instead.

I'm watching the local news and they're talking about how many people are without power right now. Surprisingly nobody in Chico, but about 1,600 in surrounding towns. They're telling us that the rain and wind from this storm (3rd out of 5 consecutive ones coming) is mainly over, but tomorrow's 4th storm will be the strongest so far in the morning and afternoon. Perfect. I get to hobble home in a monsoon.

Won Ton Fuey

The Canadian has been asking to make a homemade won ton soup, so tonight I told him to put his money where his mouth is. Without a recipe, he got all his ingredients together and proceeded to mix a bowl full of ground pork and a secret blend of eleven herbs and spices. Before filling the wrappers, he outlined each one with water.
Next, he starting filling won ton wrappers.
After the filling, the wrappers were folded over and crimped closed.
After simmering away in a tasty broth garnished with carrots, celery, shrimp and mushrooms for about 20-25 minutes, Chris scooped us up some steaming hot bowls of awesomeness.
So delicious and incredibly filling. In fact, I had to take a nap afterwards. I think he's just brushing off his cooking skills for the next week or two that he has to take over all kitchen duties. After this meal, I'm pretty sure I'm in good hands.

Mountain o' Meat

The Canadian woke up on the move this morning, so shortly after 9:30 am we were roaring off in Big Hank to run some errands. We stopped at Target so that I could get some compression garments (Spanx-like tank tops) to wear while my incisions are healing and wash cloths for my first week of sponge baths. Afterwards we spent a nice quiet bit of time at Barnes and Noble catching up on my rag mags. On the way home we stopped at Lowe's so that Chris could pick up some lumber to make more beer shelves for the spare bedroom. We bought our original shelves at IKEA, but "somebody" isn't as quick to zip down to Sacramento for more as I am. When we got home I made us some leftovers from dinner last night. It was a recipe from my new Rachael Ray magazine of melty, meaty sandwiches. I topped sliced, buttered sourdough bread with a relish of chopped giardiniera mix (hot pickled veggies), green olives and arugula, a slice of provolone cheese, and two slices each of prosciutto, soppressata (a salami-type meat) and salami, another slice of cheese and more relish, then topped with the other slice of bread. Then you heat it in a pan just like grilled cheese. Sooooo good.
Meaty and tangy and chewy and cheesy. What more could you ask for?

After lunch Chris got his tools together and headed out back to get started on assembling and painting the shelves before this week's monsoon rain and windstorm come sweeping in tonight.
Damn him for being so crafty. Now I'll NEVER get to go to IKEA again!