Thanksgiving Weekend Update
I was simply too tired last week to make entries. Sorry.
Two weeks ago I started back to work, half time from home. I went in for a few meetings, but mostly it was a very hard experience. Several days I had to break up my 4 hour day so I could take a half-hour nap. So it was a hard week for me.
This past week, I made the jump from Hydrocodone to Tramadol. I completely failed in the attempt to skip straight to Alieve. As it is, the Tramadol barely controls the pain, if I over extend at all I have to have ice to make it through. M & B tell me I'm not handling the borderline pain issues very well and am a 'bit cranky' at those times. =(
On the other hand, after a week off the narcotics, other things are improving slowly, most happily my gut! The brain is coming back more slowly. I can concentrate a bit more easily now, but my actual thinking is still only about 70%. I was on a meeting call on Monday, and I wanted to indicate something on my computer screen, so I turned the speaker of my phone handset at the screen and pointed with a finger. (Rolling eyes!) I had to laugh at my own self. To get all my hours in so I could have Thursday & Fri off this week, I worked 6-8 hour days M & T. It helped that I had a couple of crisis with deadlines, both days, that kept me focused and on task.
This coming week, I am back full time, but still mostly from home. I can only handle about 2 hours in an office chair, before my leg swells up too much to bear. We'll see how it goes. Next week, I'm back at work.
This past week the Mater turned 86. She's also had a couple of high blood pressure 'episodes', the first of which resulted in her spending the night in the hospital. So scary times, and she has a Doc appointment on Tuesday to go over her medication levels.
I'm still only able to read at about a 5th grade level. I've read through my stack of YA books, and have moved on to some G rated Harlequin romances. Looking for Christmas romances I stumbled on a book by Raeann Thaynes. 9 books later, I'm 3/4 of the way through a 7 book romance series that takes place in small town Hopes Crossing, Colorado. I really enjoy author Thayne's writing, her characters and especially the interactions that include kids and dogs. All of the action taking place in Colorado also keeps me in constant mind of my Colorado friends & cousins. My mental imagery is from memories of visiting Georgetown, and Breckenridge with SueBobR.
On the PT front, things are progressing apace. I can now bend 101 degrees on my own, I'm riding the recumbent bike, and may be switching to a standard Exercycle this next week, I need to have 105-110 degrees to be able to ride it. PT Patti also asked me to give her a list of the activities I want to be able to partake in once I'm healed. So far on the list: stairs (like a normal person), walking, hiking, biking, horseback riding, kayaking, and snow shoeing. I've got 5 PT sessions left, and Patti wants to make sure that I have the tools (exercises) needed to accomplish all of my goals. I'm doing a lot of work with my quads right now, mostly to make it easier to stand up from chairs. I've gone from agony to merely very painful. So that's encouraging. ;-)
Picked up our Xmas tree today, got our Fraser Fir from Lowes, instead of going to our usual tree farm to cut one down fresh. I've done a quite a bit of Christmas shopping, all online so far. Got some really nice Black Friday deals. Saved $112 (about 50%) from a Lands End order, that was my best score. Tomorrow, we put up the out door wreaths, maybe some lights, our tree and again, hopefully at least the lights. B likes to decorate anything that doesn't move, and we haven't let her for the past few years. Will this be the big comeback year? We'll see.
Tuesday I have my annual review with the new boss Coach. *Sigh* Will I get my 4 rating this year? Okay, that's enough for this week.
Two weeks ago I started back to work, half time from home. I went in for a few meetings, but mostly it was a very hard experience. Several days I had to break up my 4 hour day so I could take a half-hour nap. So it was a hard week for me.
This past week, I made the jump from Hydrocodone to Tramadol. I completely failed in the attempt to skip straight to Alieve. As it is, the Tramadol barely controls the pain, if I over extend at all I have to have ice to make it through. M & B tell me I'm not handling the borderline pain issues very well and am a 'bit cranky' at those times. =(
On the other hand, after a week off the narcotics, other things are improving slowly, most happily my gut! The brain is coming back more slowly. I can concentrate a bit more easily now, but my actual thinking is still only about 70%. I was on a meeting call on Monday, and I wanted to indicate something on my computer screen, so I turned the speaker of my phone handset at the screen and pointed with a finger. (Rolling eyes!) I had to laugh at my own self. To get all my hours in so I could have Thursday & Fri off this week, I worked 6-8 hour days M & T. It helped that I had a couple of crisis with deadlines, both days, that kept me focused and on task.
This coming week, I am back full time, but still mostly from home. I can only handle about 2 hours in an office chair, before my leg swells up too much to bear. We'll see how it goes. Next week, I'm back at work.
This past week the Mater turned 86. She's also had a couple of high blood pressure 'episodes', the first of which resulted in her spending the night in the hospital. So scary times, and she has a Doc appointment on Tuesday to go over her medication levels.
I'm still only able to read at about a 5th grade level. I've read through my stack of YA books, and have moved on to some G rated Harlequin romances. Looking for Christmas romances I stumbled on a book by Raeann Thaynes. 9 books later, I'm 3/4 of the way through a 7 book romance series that takes place in small town Hopes Crossing, Colorado. I really enjoy author Thayne's writing, her characters and especially the interactions that include kids and dogs. All of the action taking place in Colorado also keeps me in constant mind of my Colorado friends & cousins. My mental imagery is from memories of visiting Georgetown, and Breckenridge with SueBobR.
On the PT front, things are progressing apace. I can now bend 101 degrees on my own, I'm riding the recumbent bike, and may be switching to a standard Exercycle this next week, I need to have 105-110 degrees to be able to ride it. PT Patti also asked me to give her a list of the activities I want to be able to partake in once I'm healed. So far on the list: stairs (like a normal person), walking, hiking, biking, horseback riding, kayaking, and snow shoeing. I've got 5 PT sessions left, and Patti wants to make sure that I have the tools (exercises) needed to accomplish all of my goals. I'm doing a lot of work with my quads right now, mostly to make it easier to stand up from chairs. I've gone from agony to merely very painful. So that's encouraging. ;-)
Picked up our Xmas tree today, got our Fraser Fir from Lowes, instead of going to our usual tree farm to cut one down fresh. I've done a quite a bit of Christmas shopping, all online so far. Got some really nice Black Friday deals. Saved $112 (about 50%) from a Lands End order, that was my best score. Tomorrow, we put up the out door wreaths, maybe some lights, our tree and again, hopefully at least the lights. B likes to decorate anything that doesn't move, and we haven't let her for the past few years. Will this be the big comeback year? We'll see.
Tuesday I have my annual review with the new boss Coach. *Sigh* Will I get my 4 rating this year? Okay, that's enough for this week.