Well, tomorrow marks two weeks since the doctor did surgery on my foot (tendon) and ankle (ligament). Pain wise, I'm okay. Didn't really need to take any pain meds other than Tylenol, I think. In fact, the pain med I took made my heart race, and between that and doing far more than I should have been doing, I ended up in the hospital with Prinzmetal's angina. It was diagnosed several years ago, and it is certainly not life threatening - nitroglycerine tablets provide immediate relief - but I went from having three or four a YEAR to having four in two days, and they were extreme.
So now, when I'm on a mission to do things, I rest frequently. Get up, wash up (or shower every third day or so), then SIT. Go down the stairs backwards on my knees with bag of stuff (yarrow oil for my dry lips, Kindle, cell phone, etc.), then SIT. Feed the dogs, then SIT. You get the picture.
My attitude towards life is, "If you can, then DO." So if I can find a way to get it done (such as doing a load of laundry, requiring 36 stair steps total and pushing the clothes to the machine with a crutch), then I do it. Not anymore. That is what precipitated the fourth and worst attack of Prinzmetal's, and it was bad enough to scare me.
I imagined this whole ordeal would be bad, and the anticipation of a bad time didn't make the outcome one damned bit different. Nope. In fact, it is even worse than anything I imagined. No driving, no walking, no working at market, NOTHING. Depending on someone else to do every little thing, like delivering an internet order to the PO, picking up a few groceries, and of course, doing my laundry.
The best thing now is that I actually have less pain than I did before the surgery. Doctor's appointment a week from Wednesday, at which time I will find out next steps - and oh, how I hope it includes STEPS! Depending on healing, worst case is five more weeks in cast, best case is cast off, boot on and very minimal walking. We will see. I'm trying not to get my hopes up.
I ordered a love-seat recliner, hoping I could sleep downstairs. It got here late due to fires in CA and snowstorms in IN, but my son uncrated it and put together the few little things that had to be done. Here is a pic of the two of us when it was finally up. Yes, I'm napping in it - it's very comfy - but I still want to be in my bed at night.
