Thursday, April 10, 2014

"As far and as fast as you want"


At my staple-removing appointment yesterday Dr. Davidson said that I can walk, as far and as fast as I want. No lifting, swimming, biking, or running. No skydiving, parkour, javelin throwing, or steer wrestling. And if my husband is reading this, I believe I also heard him say absolutely no grocery shopping...EVER again. He was very firm, so thanks for taking care of that :-)
I did ask, "is there an upper limit on this 'as FAR as I want?"

"Do you mean as in distance?"

"Yes," I replied, "like miles."

"No, no limit, just keep it to a walk, but it can be a fast walk."
Cool! However, I don't plan to set any walking records as I am still pretty tired. A morning of work, the hour drive to Roanoke, the two hours there, and an hour back, left me wiped out and in bed. But we've got beautiful spring weather and sunny skies and I look forward to being out in it...maybe even with the family if I can recruit them. If not, Trixie is always rested up and willing. She went with me this morning.


He also asked if I was noticing any symptoms walking up the stairs as I had before. I had not even thought about it. I guess not!! When I came home I walked up the steps at a good clip, and sure enough...no problem! No fatigue and none of that blood oxygen deprivation feeling in the quad that is hard to describe. It's amazing how quickly I had forgotten that, considering the stairs were a constant reminder for me.

I'm enjoying having warm, even sweaty, feet again.

It was my first time having staples, and so also the first time having staples removed. It was not a totally painless process to remove all 50, but it was not a big deal. I asked what was the most staples a person had had removed in that office and they said that some people had them up the full length of a leg, every 3 mm. OUCH!

I wanted this staple remover:

But I got this:


The incisions are now only taped with steri-strips (17, of course I counted). 

My upper ab incision area is still very swollen. I don't think I'll be in my jeans any time soon. This means my wardrobe has swung even further in the direction of workout clothes.

We talked about which of the ab muscles he had to separate, move, or split "with the grain" (my term) and which obliques he had to just cut across. That helped me understand the lingering pain I am having and at least replace this image I had of myself being "cleaved" through. I was only partially cleaved through. Hopefully a week from now the ab discomfort will be significantly improved.

I feel a lot better having been checked on and look forward to some good walks to come.