16 Days Post Op

I am almost standing completely straight! Or at least to an outside viewer that's what it looks like. Numbness in the tummy continues to freak me out, but this standing up straighter thing is pretty freakin' great! I can't arch my back yet and last night I woke in some discomfort due to my shifting position in bed. We brought the wedge pillows with us to my parents' house, but sometime in the night my back skootched down and my knees becamse flatter and then my tummy started saying "Hey! Hey you there, sleeping - I'm not ready for this much flatness in bed! Skootch the ?!&^# up!" By that time it was 6:52 and I could hear my Mom downstairs making the coffee so I couldn't get back to sleep - I might miss something. Every visit to my parents' place seems like Christmas. I've gotta say that enjoying time spent with relatives is a beautiful thing!! And I'm lucky in that regard on SO many levels!

Double checked with David and he thinks that some of the swelling has gone down, but I definitely remain swollen both above and below the incision. I got him to push against my pubic bone today and he confirmed that it has more, uh, padding there then it usually has. How many other husbands out there do this for their wives? As soon as I am physically able, this man is going to... well let's just say I hope to make him happy in MANY ways.

Yesterday I did try to take it easy. I truncated my morning walk, I tried not to get up and down so much, except that I kept forgetting to have stuff on the table next to my recliner. I forgot the phone and had to get up for it. I forgot the remote and had to get up for it. I forgot my glasses, my water and arnica pellets. (All at different times.) Maybe some of my brain was sucked out in the drain too? Babysat a miniatrue schnauzer named Ziggy yesterday who was terrorized by Colby but then in turn terrorized Minuit - so I guess the circle of life is alive and well in our home. I wrote 2 pages in my vampire novel - I think that watching True Blood has been helpful - of course it's all research ;-)

We travelled the 2 1/4 hours to my parents' place last night after Rissa's dance classes. In spite of being able to recline in the front seat, not have my knees up made the journey a bit difficult. I could really feel my tummy by the time we got to my parents' house. I showed off my battle scars and Mom was impressed with how much I had improved in the last week - so that's good.

Today we will be preparing the Thanksgiving dinner - I'm making my sweet potato casserole - which is about the best thing ever. It's so yummy that I frequently eat the leftovers for breakfast . You take 3-4 cups of mashed sweet potatoes, 1/4 c butter/ margarine (I use less) some white sugar (1/3 cup or less), 2 eggs, some vanilla, 1/2 tsp of nutmeg and 1/2 tsp cinnamon, pinch of salt. Top it with a mixture of 1/4 c butter (I use less) , 1/4 c flour and 1/2 cup of brown sugar (I use less) - I add in another 1/2 cup of ground pecans as well for protein and you bake it for 30 minutes at 350. It is to die for and I'm sure realtively good for you because of all of the anti-oxidents in the sweet potatoes. Happy Thanksgiving!

Cheers!
Heather