LOL Janet - absolutely - I don't remember someone asking me if I wanted to start feeling twice my age!!! :rofl: And BBK, thanks for spreading good thoughts. :flower:
Right now, my biggest motivator is the fact that I was in excruciating pain a month ago. I do not ever want to feel that again, *plus* I do not ever want to have to go thru this kind of recovery again. Even after 2 surgeries in 2 weeks, I am still absolutely phobically terrified of surgery so I will do what I have to to avoid that special personal heck again. :wink: I'm trying really hard to just bite my tongue and not kvetch too much (Timer Lady really helps me with- that one - she's been doing this much longer and with much more grace than I).
I think the biggest shock with- the whole thing was that I'm not a "youngster" anymore, I didn't just wake up and bounce back. So - I'm eating healthier, quit smoking (oh my gawd, I miss that so much it's pathetic), I'm doing my PT exercises, *not* doing more than I should, getting sleep, and as of today have taken a leave from work because I am still completely wiped out in terms of stamina. I still cannot do laundry, load/empty dishwasher, bend over, lift, or push anything - and I am doing my very best not to sneeze or cough ever again, LOL. We have a CNA coming in in the mornings and afternoons to get Boo up wheelchair ramp and to be available just in case he has a seizure since I'm useless. I've ordered a mechanical lift for him. I've asked for more help in the last 6 weeks than I have probably in my entire adult life.
In terms of mental health (or what passes for it around here :wink: ), keeping a sense of humor has been really important. Even when I can feel the grumpies crashing down on me, between the nicotine withdrawl and the cabin fever, I try to throw in a bit of silliness between the *itchiness. Hubby helps because he's very warped. The kids have helped too - Wee's current favorite joke is I lost so much disk in my spine that he's now *definitely* taller than me. Books have been good, a lot of TV. I tried Sudoku but that and pain medications didn't work out so well. Hubby got "his" Christmas gift early and is letting me use it (a laptop). M&Ms. Pickles. Once I got the okay for a bath, lavender shower gel and a really nice back scrubber (total luxury for me).
on the other hand, I think the positive of having this kind of a wake up call is that I think we're all still young enough to be proactive and engage in some kind of preventative lifestyle changes, or at least buff ourselves up a bit.
Hope your nethers are healing well and that you are able to start getting back to "normal" soon. Don't over do!! :doctor:
