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A Bad Case of the Blahs: Copious Cliches

It's difficult being patient, but I think I am doing a relatively good job considering I am a little more than halfway through the defined recovery period of three months.  However, it's not always easy, especially because I get tired and uncomfortable quite easily.

I've found a rhythm for my days.  I have become complacent in my routines and Zora has adjusted herself to my schedule..  Since taking a shower is still a laborious task, I usually wait for my dog walker and trainer, Sue, to pick up Zora.  The first step in showering is putting on the waterproof cover over the boot.  When I finish I have to take the boot off so that I can dress, put it on again to walk, only to take it off again to change the bandages.  The whole procedure takes half the time without having Zora trying to grab the sock, the boot, or one of the bandages. Since my original waterproof cover needed to be replaced (the water had started to make its way into the boot), I picked up a new fancier model at CVS, making it a little easier and drier.

This morning I was sitting on my entryway bench waiting for Sue when my neighbor Andi rang the bell.  I was still in my pajamas with a bad case of bed head, looking forward to a quiet, soothing shower.  When I first saw Andi standing in front of my storm door with her name tag securely fascinated to her lovely top, I was confused until it quickly registered that this morning was Latte Ladies, and she was picking me up. I had already missed the last two meetings, so I was quite disappointed that I had forgotten about the get-together.  The club meeting gives us a chance to get together with other woman in the community, and, since we are growing so quickly, it is also an opportunity to meet some of our new neighbors.  Routine trumped a chance to get out!

Lobster and brie omelette for Mother's Day brunch
Yesterday was also a day of contrast.  One of the many reasons I moved to the Research Triangle was that my son and his wife live in the area and that allows me to spend holidays like Mother's Day with family.  Wanting to be a little more dressed up than my sneaker with the Balancer, I put on a sandal as well as my new fancy schmancy boot cover, and off we went in search of brunch on Mother's Day without a two-hour wait.  The first place was between an hour and an hour and an hour and a half, so we tried another restaurant down the road.  Their wait was 45-minutes, which turned out to be pretty accurate.  The morning was lovely, but with about an hour in the car, 30 minutes waiting on a bench, an hour and half sitting at a table, and a short shopping trip to CVS for the aforementioned waterproof cover, by the time late afternoon rolled around, my foot was aching, the nerves were tingling, and I was exhausted.  I almost didn't make my daily call to my father because I was in such a funk, but I was glad I did when he told me that it had been a difficult day for him.  Even though my dear friend and neighbor Val walked over to the backyard as I was finishing my conversation with my dad, the aching ankle sent me to an early bed.  I think the problem might have been the sandal; without the balancer on the sneaker, my walk was more of a waddle, and it put too much stress on my body.

When I returned to my doctor 13 days after the ankle replacement I assumed he would remove the stitches.  He didn't.  According to medicine.net most stitches are removed after 7-10 days with some, especially when there is a lot of stress such as a knee or an ankle, taking a little longer.  Dr. Nunley told me to come back in 5 weeks -- that is 7 weeks or 47 days post-op.  It looks to me like skin has started to grow over the stitches, and I am very anxious about having them removed.  The picture here is not my foot, but the primary wound is in the same place; I also have several stitches on the side as well as a couple under my heel.  One of my favorite nurse friends (I have a few), Brenda, told me that it is most unusual to leave them in that long and I might want to take some type of pain medicine before I go to the doctor.  I sent a message to the team, and as I an writing this I got a message that they will be "freezing" the area so that the removal of the stitches will not hurt.  This is also the doctor who told me a cortisone shot to the ankle doesn't hurt, either.

Watch for the next post after the removal of the stitches on Wednesday, May 16th.  Perhaps being able to get the foot wet, starting to move the ankle (right now I cannot flex it more than about half an inch), and the continued passing of time will relieve my bad case of the blahs.

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