Great progress

Chemo brain, chemo brain! I realize I made mention in yesterday's post of being moved from the Recovery Room to my own room on the recovery room bed, and then didn't tell you why I even mentioned it!

On Wednesday morning, after that yummy breakfast and all the doctors checking on their handiwork, the gals decided to change my sheets, since they were covered in blood from the previous day's games.

They moved me into a chair and while we were kidding back and forth about all the blood, I said 'well no wonder I couldn't get comfortable last night - I was laying in a hole!' Sure enough, the mattress had a big hollow on the right side! They immediately rushed out and found me a very fancy new bed! Lots more push buttons, lots more controls, lovely mattress - it was really fine!!

So - where was I? Thursday - I really over did it. And paid for it. But that's OK - they're really generous with the meds that soon after surgery. I vowed to take it a little bit easier in the future. Doubtful, but I'll think about it!

Friday morning, I was outta there before noon! Ah, to be out in the fresh air again!! We dropped off a handful of prescriptions to be filled at the pharmacy and then headed home. Liz had been so sweet to think to take my little Misha to the beauty shop, so she'd be all gorgeous for me when I returned, but in the way of the world, not everything goes well all the time.

Lizzie took her to the PetsMart over off Irvington and I-19 - a very good store. But the groomer either didn't know what she was doing, or just didn't care. I know that Misha was in need of a bath and a trim, and that she had some mats that I hadn't brushed thru - but the girl just shaved her. Head to toe, ears to the tip of her tail. Shaved her. I wanted to strangle someone! My poor baby!!

That said, this morning I called and spoke to the manager - had my anger a little under control!! - and the guy was very good, very apologetic, said all the right things, and even when I said it wasn't why I called, he insisted on refunding the full bill. So while my baby is going to look like a who knows what for quite some time, amends have been made. And I won't admit it to PetsMart, but her face is rather cute without all the Bichon hair - her ears are tiny, tiny, and cute! So I just keep telling her she's adorable, and we'll be fine!

Took it easy over the weekend - did my exercises, walked some, had a couple Jack Daniels with my pain pills - basically doing waaaaaaaaay better than I anticipated! I did find that my right wrist/right arm have lost considerable strength in the last several months, wearing that damned compression bandage. My wrist buckled repeatedly while using the walker. I had to wrap the arm back up in the heavy compression bandage to have the strength to use the walker without hurting the wrist. Grumble!!

Monday was my first official physical therapy. 'Rick' is a Kiwi, nice enough, but no light-hearted side at all. Took several repeats of my various physical limitations before he seemed to understand that some things simply aren't possible for me. I asked if it was OK to walk with the cane rather than the walker, because of the weakness in my wrist, and after watching me, he gave his OK. Gave me a few new exercises to do and sent me on my way, admitting I was doing surprisingly well.

We stopped at Trader Joe's on the way home, of course, to stock up on the vital necessities - chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate! My favorite medicine.

Yesterday, I walked considerably further than the therapist suggested I should, but it felt terrific, and amazing to me, I can comfortably fully weight bear after that walk! I'll still use the walker for a while, just for balance on the gravel roads, but I walk around the house without any aids now (a good thing since there really isn't room for a walker in the narrow confines of an RV).

The swelling in the knee is going down every day, but when I say down, that's what I mean. It's all going to my busted up ankle, instead of out of the leg! Liz has given me a couple wonderful foot massages, and last night I slept with it elevated on two pillows. Today, the swelling in the foot is down a lot! I'm feeling great - so Misha and I are going out for a walk!