Moving About, A Cookie Surgical Update

Time for my final post-surgical update. 

Well, since having the dreaded Catheter removed, my mood, pain and overall recovery have all accelerated.  Still a bit sore and such, but I can move about, run the vacuum, fold laundry, and drive. 

Yesterday poor husband had to put up with me as we ran three BIG errands, with only pee break, which is a good day, all things considered.

I spoke with the spouse of a neighbor who went through this - and she is a former nurse, and she said that she was really happy with my milestones, but again, urged me not to do too much too soon. 

This is a problem for people recovering from surgery.  Fifty years ago, I would have been fileted stem to stern, spent a week in the hospital, and then released to mostly rest at home, then been told to introduce light activities. 

Today, you go in, have the surgery, and get taken to your hospital room where I spent 30 hours, during which I had to get up and walk the halls of the hospital four times.  Then they released me. Coming home, it was more of the same, up and moving, a nap, more walking, etc. By the third day out, I was walking around the block.  I got tired, but they wanted to walk so I did. Followed by a nap. 

But they keep saying don't do too much. 

OK, but how much is too much?

On that point, they get a little fuzzy.  They want you to do a little more than you did the time before if you feel up to it. 

"Just keep moving, but don't push yourself too far."

It seems a game of platitudes tempered by nebulous warnings. You want A, but not too much A.  How will I know. You'll know.

Anyhow, I stay busy, doing stairs, walking and walking, standing and standing, and when I get tired, I relax and nap out. 

Still, my twisting days are still away, and joke that I told the surgeon.  If you know about surgeons, they are a different breed of human. Often times distant, most of the time detached. So when I said the twist comment the surgeon looked at me and said:

"You don't want to do too much, too soon, but you also have to get up and move. I would avoid twisting until you feel up to it."

You can't win for trying.