Notes from Recovery

• Although I planned and prepped, one thing I didn't anticipate was how helpless I would feel on crutches.  Hobbling even short distances is exhausting, and it never even crossed my mind that I wouldn't be able to carry ANYTHING unless it was tucked into my cleavage.  Looks like I'll be pulling out my old backpack when I return to work next week - because I can't even manage a small purse much less purse, lunch, coat, etc.  

(waterbottle tucked into my sports bra)

• The upside to the cast/ crutches is that my arms and right side are getting a workout!  My balance on the right side is vastly improved in just a week, and I don't need to worry about working out my upper body - hauling myself around on crutches means a constant arm/ shoulder/ ab workout.  
• Sherlock on Netflix is brilliant.  I am sad that season 3 won't be out for months.  
• I mentioned this years ago after having Big J, but seriously - someone needs to open a drive-through mini mart.  It's probably best that there is not one locally, as I would have cleaned them out of People magazine and ice cream, but I still think it's a brilliant idea.  
• Next to freezing a bunch of meals, the smartest thing I did was to have Husband install a handheld showerhead in the downstairs bath.  I would be one stinky girl right now if I was trying to clean up using a traditional shower & a trash bag wrapped around my cast.  
• This actually happened prior to surgery (the day before, in fact), but it's worth including here:  

The note reads: My Mommy gave me a bath and I said thank you by chewing off the cord to her steam cleaner.  And I'm not sorry!  ~Luke

He's a good boy 80% of the time..... but the other 20%... look out. 

It's a good thing I am on one leg right now (and unable to clean anything), so I'll have time to save up for a new steam cleaner.    

The Vicodin Detox Diet: Do Not Recommend!

Consider this a Cautionary Tale.... A Life Tip.... a Do Not Recommend.....

I was given Vicodin to manage the pain after my surgery.  

I had anticipated this, but didn't think much of it.  

I started to write a detailed story about my experience, but I think I am going to condense the message to this: 

Vicodin is not my friend.  

2 days of following the prescribed doses gave me 3 days of misery and the cleanest gut in town.

Not worth it. 

And now, pictures!  

Yesterday I had my soft splint taken off & a hard cast put on. 

This is the side that had the work done: 

The tape around the back side closed the 2nd incision they had to make to get out the os trigonum.  It was so large they HAD to make another cut to remove it.  

This is the inside of the ankle.  Lots of bruising, and on the top you can see one of the sutures where they inserted the arthroscope.  

I picked blue for the cast.  I know, you probably thought I'd go with black, but I was feeling spring-y.  And the pink was REALLY bright.  

4 weeks in this bad boy, and then I get to move to a walking cast.  I am counting down the days.  

Surgery Day

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my ankle issues.  Well, Tuesday was the Big Day. Finally. I had spent so many days and nights preparing, worrying, planning, that it seemed as though April 16 would never arrive. 

Due to a 6am check-in time, at the last minute we decided to head to Columbus on Monday evening.  The kids were tickled because we surprised them with a late movie before a late bedtime. All went well until a 4:15 fire drill at the hotel. Not to worry, I wasn't sleeping anyway. 

Once they took me back to get prepped, the time flew by. The last thing I remember is moving to the OR bed, and then waking up in recovery. 

The surgeon was booked back to back, so we didn't have a chance to talk with him before leaving. Thankfully, we were out the door by 10am. 

So far, so good! The anesthetic block they used lasted until yesterday morning, so I didn't feel much for the first 24 hours. This splint stays on until next Monday, when they'll put on a hard cast.  I am hoping that I'll be driving by next week.  And I'm super grateful that I have another week off after this one.  

Update: 4/19 - rough night.  I took less Vicodin yesterday (just 2 during the day), but was having pain at bedtime, so I took 2 at 8pm.  I woke up multiple times between 3am and 6am, sweating and feeling like I was going to hurl in my bed.  I gimped to the bathroom multiple times, but ended up with nothing more than severe stomach cramps and body aches - and horrible sleep.  We're not sure if it's the Vicodin or the antibiotic, but either way, it has not been a fun day so far.  Here's to hoping the weekend is better.  

Easter Pictures

If I'm not careful, I'm going to get my Mom Card taken away.  

Yes, these pictures are all from my iPhone. 

Doesn't the laundry basket in the background add that "Easter" touch?  

Hey, it's a basket, give me a break.   

Oh yeah, and funny faces courtesy of mouth fart noises by the photographer. 

They were looking much too serious.  

Funny or not, I love these little faces.  

More Kitchen Progress

This weekend we knocked out a few more small things off the House To-Do list. 

The 1980's brassy kitchen hardware has bothered me since we moved in.  It always seemed just a *bit* out of our budget to replace all the handles (there are 14 in just the kitchen), so I've lived with it for 18 months.  While browsing Home Depot on Saturday, we came across multipacks of new handles for a low, low price, and decided to give it a go.  

From this:

To this:

I know, it doesn't do much for those builder grade cabinets, but the sleek brushed stainless look makes me happy.

A close up:

A few months back we (and by we, I mean Big Daddy) got wild & crazy & yanked out the range hood.  The light had burned out long ago, and as the entire contraption was essentially decorative - it didn't actually vent to anywhere - we decided it needed to go. 

The kitchen when we moved in:

Unfortunately, taking out the hood also revealed a large hole in the drywall and a live electrical wire. 

We only left it like this for 3 months....

And now it looks like this!

So.  Pretty.  

And finally, we (and again, by we, I mean Big Daddy) yanked out the horrific fluorescent light over the kitchen sink.  I had had visions of a lovely pendant light to go along with the freshly painted cabinets, butcherblock counters, and updated flooring.  And then I woke up, and we decided to try a recessed light.  After all, we knew there was a electrical box right there, and the gaping hole left by the original contractors even gave us a start for the new light.  Plus, as BD pointed out, this IS our practice house, so if we're going to try out anything, now is the time.  

In just 20 minutes this beauty was in place and shining down on my suddenly much more dirty looking sink.   Love. It.  

Have you done any home improvements lately?