Eight weeks ago, surgery began, it was finished the following day at dinner time.
My recovery has not been easy, but on the other hand it is not been bad at all. And this week has been exceptionally good.
Sunday my son took me fishing and for 3 mile hike on the trail around the lake. It wiped me out, but I did it.
Monday I survived a trip to the dentist and OT. And my first effort at eating in public at the very noisy food court in the mall went well, despite the impact of the chaotic noise and movement on my balance and sense of well-being.
Tuesday my wife drove us nearly four hours to our son's college for a baseball double-header. It was a gorgeous day to sit outside for a few hours. Followed this with another dinner in public and a long ride home. Things went really well, but it did tire me out.
Wednesday was a visit to an ophthmalogist. No news there, just primarily a chance to have my eye evaluated, as well as my eye care routine. All is good, and I am doing the right thing. However, it is just a question of waiting out the months of healing ahead as my left-side vision is currently uncorrectable. I should mention that at my first OT appointment, the therapist taped over 3/4ths of my left lens from the outside in. While a bit strange, this has dramatically reduced my double vision without covering the eye completely and makes most everything much easier.
Afterwards, we went to IHOP for an early lunch. AS he walked across the parking, a driver pulled up and got out to give us each a hug. It was Tanya, my primary nurse in ICU, She had seen us drive into the parking lot as she was leaving, and tunred around to say hi, She was delighted to see us, to see me out and about, and was very pleased with my progress.
Thursday was an EGD to follow-up on the bleeding ulcer I had a year ago, as well as regular on Barrett's Esophagus that I was also diagnosed with last year. All is good. Plus dinner out last night to celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary.
Finally, today I had another OT appointment. The current diagnosis is that my left arm and shoulder are simply weak and so I have strengthening exercises to do. Not a problem. That I can handle. While I have the same range of motion that the therapists have had, it is little less than I had before. Apparently during that very long surgery they had my arm tied out of the way and so I have some very serious weakness. Like I said though, weakness I can handle.
A very good week to cap off eight weeks of recovery. Back to the neurosurgeon on May 10th and hopefully back to work the next day. I have been doing some telework the last two weeks and am getting more comfortable each day.
My voice is still very weak. It is worsened by my allergies and I still have frequent coughing fits. Not fun, but bearable.I see that ENT again at the end of April and we'll make a decision then about further tweaking of my left vocal cord.
And, as I already posted on the Facial Issues forum, on the ride down on Tuesday I noticed that I have voluntary facial twitching.My cheek is almost numb from practicing this over and over again. ;-) It is delightfully frustrating to try and isolate these muscles to make them work and to make sure I am not using my jaw to make it look like something it is not. Fortunately my wife has observed the twitching.
It has been a good week. Shucks, it has actually been a good eight weeks.
And thanks again for all the support everybody here provides.
Tod
