A Girl Named Timi

Everyone Needs

A Good Friend Who Is Nurse

The surgery went well and I was up and around the following day. Still sore, in some pain but I was feeling pretty good. Pain block pump and lots of meds and life was tolerable.

In true House of B's style nothing ever goes smoothly or without a good belly laugh. Let me share with you how the first week of rotator cuff surgery recuperation went.

Friday (day 1)

The day after my surgery my good friend Donna come over to visit. She brought me some new magazines. Bless her heart!

She brought me a bunch of magazines and a new magazine I have never seen that I'm really enjoying. Mary Jane's Farm. A lot like my very favorite Hobby Farm Home. Of course I like just about any kind of magazine but these are some of my favorites.

She also brought this lovely pot of spring! I loved it.

It looks great on my dining room table.

By the way...............how much do you love this new table cloth I found?

A thrift store find on my last thrift store outing for a while. It's white with hand painted pink, blue and green hydrangeas.

I love it!

Donna hung out with me, watched movies, read magazines and kept me company. The Hubs went to town while Donna sat with me. He was ready for some time alone I think. The Hubs came home with pizza. YUM! I was so hungry, I hadn't ate since Wednesday afternoon. I think I ate half a pizza myself.

Saturday (day 2)

My mom and niece Princess Spoiled Brat came to see me. They brought me Chinese food from my favorite Chinese food place in Burlington. I haven't had food from there in years and it tasted soooooooooooooooo good to me. Oh I scarfed it down. ALL OF IT!

Princess Spoiled Brat also brought me a big bag of Red Vines. Which I love! Don't think I didn't sit and eat those until I was sick too.

Then in the mail I got this lovely package from Laura at A Dozen Eggs

It was filled with these lovely iced sugar cookie roses.

They were fabulous! I ate some of those too.

Check out her website and take a look at her Easter designs. They are wonderful.

So I was eatin, drinkin, visiting, feelin great!

THEN.......................

Saturday late afternoon my good friend Michele called to see how I was doing.

This is Michele. Isn't she cute? She looks exactly the same as when we were in the 4th grade.

Michele and I have been friends since grade school. She has seen me at my worst more than a couple times. Not only is she one of the best nurses ever...........she's one of my bestest dearest friends.

THANK GOD FOR THAT!

If you don't have a good friend who is a nurse..........get one! There is going to be a day that she saves your life.

Phone conversation with Michele

Michele: How are you doing?

Me: Oh I'm doing great! Donna came on Friday, we hung out reading magazines and ate pizza. Then earlier today my mom came with Princess Spoiled Brat and brought me Chinese food and red vines. Mom washed my hair for me and I'm feelin pretty darn good.

Michele: So you have been eating?

Me: (answering all chipper and enthusiastic) Oh yeah, I was starving on Friday so I started eating. Everyone has brought me good stuff and I just keep eating. So much for thinking I might lose a little weight. Also if I don't eat my meds make me sick.

Michele: Oh, ok..............uhhmm....long hesitation.............. when was the last time you pooped?

Me:

Rutrow!

In the instructions for Post Op this was never mentioned by any of the 6 different nurses I had, the doctor, or receptionist. In the written fine print of the Post Op instructions there was a little mention at the bottom...."pain medication may cause constipation"

I had no idea! I have never had any type of surgery. I have never taken pain meds for a long period of time. I didn't know! I didn't know that 3 days was too long. I didn't know that shoveling in the food was going to be a problem..............................OH IT WAS!

I DIDN'T KNOW!!!!!

So Michele came over visited with me for a little while. Gave me some information that would have been nice to have 2 days prior to her visit and sent The Hubs to town.

This is the best part.............Michele looked over my incisions asked about my pain and determined I could take off the bandages and remove the pain pump if I wanted to.

I said " DO IT!"

OH MY GOD!

I immediately felt so much better. The bandages off, that catheter thingy hanging out of my shoulder gone, and......oh it just felt better. At this point I got to shower and wash my hair which made me feel even better.

This surgery isn't as bad as everyone said it was going to be....................

YEAH RIGHT!

For the next few days this is where I slept, ate, belly ached, watched TV, whined, and cried. Sometimes I moved to the couch to do all activities listed.

On Sunday (day 4) night I moved to the couch to sit up and sleep. Yeah you read that right. SIT UP TO SLEEP. You can't lay down to sleep. You can recline a little but you can't lay down. We don't own a recliner so I was sleeping sitting up. This gets you about an hour an half of sleep at a time. Even with the meds your still awake most of the day and most of the night.

I have gotten in some serious movie watching!

On Sunday night I got a few hours of sleep and was sitting up wide awake watching a movie when The Hubs came down at 4 am Monday morning to go to work.

Monday ( day 4)

This was going to be my first day home alone. The Hubs got ready for work, kissed me good bye and basically got the hell out while he could. I dozed off after he left and in the middle of my dozing I some how fell over on the couch, on my good arm and woke up needing to go to the bathroom, the dog sleeping on me and............I couldn't get myself back up right. It was horrible! Then I started crying. I called The Hubs at work at 7:30 am.

The Hubs: How are you doing?

Me: (half crying) I fell over on the couch and can't get myself up right. The dog was laying on me, I have to pee and I just want to lay down and go to sleep. I can't do this! I need you to come home. I just want to lay down and go to sleep!

The Hubs: I'll see what I can do.

I finally got myself up off the couch and had composed myself a little. Keep in mind............I'm going on day 4 of no sleep, my shoulder hurts, I can't really do anything without help and........my stomach is full of everything I shoved in my mouth on day 2 and 3 UGH!

I got myself composed because WSU Laura was coming over with another friend Shawn to visit with me that morning. It's nice to have company, it takes your mind off all your other aches and pains. So Shawn and Laura get here and we are sitting and visiting when The Hubs walks in. He sees me all upright and cheery. Looks at me and says "What the hell?" Me: I shrugged " I worked through it"

After Laura and Shawn left I lost it. I started crying again telling The Hubs I just want to go to sleep. I need to lay down. I can't eat or drink one more thing until something happens. I'm soooooooooo miserable.

So The Hubs moved the chase lounge out of the sun room in to the family room for me to see if that would work any better.

Can I just tell you that The Hubs is something! He has taken such good care of me.

Anyway...................

This is now my new thrown.

A Girl Named Timi command center.

Everything within good arm reach.

Tuesday (day 5)

Nothing has changed!

The Hubs stayed home with me one more day just to be safe. The Physicians Assistant called to see how I was doing.

PA: How are you doing? Can you tell me what your pain level is?

Me: I don't know! I'm so tired and have so much pain with constipation I don't know if my shoulder hurts or not! If we get these two problems cleared up it might hurt like hell I don't know!

PA: Have you been taking something for the constipation?

Me: Yes, since Saturday when I found out it was something I was suppose to worry about.

PA: OK, just give it some time. You can take a sleep aid if you like.

This doesn't help me a bit! I need to go to the bathroom and lay down NOW!

Wednesday (day 6)

The Hubs went to work and left me with my new nursing staff.

If you get up too long you lose your spot

They haven't been much help but they have been a lot of company. Charlie hasn't left my side. Even Franklin who is usually a little jerk has been nice to me. He's gotten in my lap a couple times and let me pet him.

It's like it's his gift to me.

Wednesday late afternoon...................The angels finally sang!

It wasn't a lovely smooth in key tune they sang but they sang and at this point that's what I needed! Right after the angels sang...........I slept for 3 hours!

Meet my two new best friends!

Thursday (day 7)

I got 5 hours of sleep and felt like a million bucks!

Friday (day 8)

I got my stitches out. OH MY GOD! I feel almost 100%!

On the way home from my doctors appointment The Hubs and I stopped by to see Judy my hairdresser. She gave The Hubs a quick lesson on putting in hair product, rubber bands and clips in my hair. I know your laughing right now but trust me...............a week of frizzy ass hair and you will be begging your husband to help you.

You would be surprised at what you can and can't do with only one arm that can leave your waist.

Saturday (day 9)

I'm feelin like a million bucks! Everything is done hurting (well pretty much), the angels are singing in harmony, I have had 2 nights of 7 hours of sleep, I can shower by myself, and I have my Bejeweled score up. Life is getting better. Now I'm only grouchy because I feel good but still can't do anything. I'm in a sling with no use of my right arm for the next 5 weeks. I can use my arm if my elbow is stuck to my side but anything else is a no no. So basically I can move my hand side to side.

Thank you everyone for your e-mails, cards, and get well wishes. I'm so appreciative.

I'm on the mend!

I'll be back, slowly, but I will be back!