Back in the saddle

I am back. I have been gone for a few days. I had a slight set back.

I was in major pain. It started Saturday late afternoon. I called Dr Hachem Sunday morning and he told me to go to the ER. I got there at 0800 and they immediately gave me a STRONG pain killer. They did a cat scan. Everything looked great. My pouch is working fantastic; it is draining through to the colon like it’s supposed to. The surgery looks great. My drain site is good (should get the tube out tomorrow). Once the tube is out I can get rid of the canteen that is taped to my thigh. They gave me another dose of the strong pain killer and sent me home. He gave me a prescription for the pain killer in case I needed it. He also gave me a prescription for an antibiotic because there was a little infection because I am unable to cough stuff up. I can remember in 4th grade mom telling me to cough it up and spit it out and I couldn’t. So getting the anesthesia out is hard for me-therefore a little infection. The doctor called Sunday evening to see how I was doing. He has called every day since to see how things are going. He called Monday night and I told him I was doing better and he said “For real?” I told him yes. He said, “You aren’t just humoring me?”

Well, the pain is muscular. Me being the “over achiever” I am, I was doing the sporometer (breathing device) too much. I was doing it 4 times an hour and I strained the muscles. I am still sore, but I am able to move about, walk again and breathe easier. For a while I thought I got pleurisy again. I never did take the strong pain killer he gave me. I used the Roxicet a couple of times and decided I was just too tired all the time. So dad got me liquid extra strength Tylenol and I am now awake. I haven’t had to take any of it since Tuesday afternoon. I still have the left shoulder pain from the gas they used in surgery, but that will alleviate in time. I have some ache rub that works on it. I am using it less also.

Mom made the best lunch today! She made hamburger vegetable soup. It is my favorite soup! Well, I haven’t been “eating” anything in the soup category because chicken broth just turns my stomach. So she was thinking, “what could I make?” She browned the hamburger and onions and drained it. Oh man, talk about smell delicious! Then she put in the mixed vegetables. Then the tomato juice and let it simmer. At lunch time dad strained the bulky contents and gave me 2 ozs of the broth. Oh, it was like the meal of a life time! It tasted so good. Nothing like grease (chicken broth). I felt like I had actually eaten lunch.

I am getting up and walking about every 20-30 minutes. I don’t make it real far because the muscles are still a little sore and tense. I don’t want to over do it again and have another set back. I make it a couple of trips down the hall and around the kitchen and entryway. I am using the sporometer once an hour. My breathing is improving with that. Now if I could only afford a masseuse to relax the muscles some. I don’t want a muscle relaxer though! If I can stay away from the medications it would make me very happy.

I am hoping tomorrow’s check up will release me to take my medications whole instead of crushed. They are some nasty tasting stuff crushed! I am not taking all my old medications. My blood pressure one seems to be the least offensive in taste. I have tried to disguise them in jell-o, apple juice, peach juice, white grape juice, crystal light and fruit bars. I did finally put some in my Amoxicillin. Nothing can make that taste worse! I only have a few more doses of it though!

I am starting to have knees even when I bend them! For me that is a sure sign I am losing weight.

My boss called yesterday to confirm some time off I wanted in September. I will finally have something beside Sunday and Monday off in September. I have had Sunday and Monday off for over a year. Everyone else has changed days off by the month. It will interfere with my Bible study, but I will just have to wait and see how things go. I don’t look for us to stay on this schedule for too long. Once we get all the new people trained we should go to a 12 hour shift. Anyway, I told him about my set back and I wouldn’t know what impact it would have on me returning as planned. I would try to still be back as I originally planned, but I wouldn’t know anything until after my appointment on Thursday. He said, “Do NOT push yourself. Take whatever time you need to take to get well. We will work around you. Just keep me updated so I can schedule accordingly.” He has an officer in dispatch now he can keep a hold of if need be. He doesn’t have to release her back to patrol until he needs to. He is so good!

Well, I am back in the saddle. We aren’t running any races, but we are back to a saunter.

Thanks for the prayers! DeAnn :0)