Week 6/Day 37 (Sunday) - I can see the light...

This Friday will mark the end of 6 weeks post surgery, and I'm feeling 97%. This past week I've been filled with energy and feeling like I can actually use it.

First, I survived the period from Hell. In addition to the killer cramps, it was super heavy. I hope that's a surgery side effect and not my new normal.

My daily life is mostly back to usual. I am doing my daily work commute, during rush hour, and working full days; I have full range of motion; and I'm not on any kind of drug, powerful or mild.

Since I still don't have the OK to do physical activity like jogging, Pilates, or sex (going nuts, here! Richard, too!), I've been doing torso stretching/leg strengthening moves + fast-paced walks for exercise. I'm proud to say I'm back to overtaking the average walker. Despite the frustration, I can tell that my body's not ready for the bigger stuff yet.

My only complaint is an occasional twinge in my lower right (similar to the ligament pains I mentioned in an earlier post); it's been going at it for a bit tonight.

For the record, I'm posting a timeline of my visual healing, as my scars are now looking much better and probably close to their permanent recovery place.

Day 1 - Saturday, Oct. 13 (Fresh wound padding)

Day 3 - Monday, Oct. 15 (Steri-Strips)

Day 14 - Friday, Oct. 26 (Scabs)

Day 37 - Sunday, Nov. 18 (Scars)

That all for this week. I'll check in again once my full 6 weeks are up.

Sayonara.

Week 4/Day 23 (Sunday) - Take It Easy!

I'm to the point where my body feels normal much of the time. This both good (great, even) and bad.

The great side is obvious: It's nice to feel like my old self. I've even started to view some of my previous posts about discomfort/pain as whiny, even though I know they are 100% legit; so that shows how removed from surgery I'm beginning to feel.

The bad side is that even though I feel back to normal, my body still has another couple of weeks to go before it is.

I physically have the strength and mobility back to do active things, like walk briskly or carry heavier groceries, but doing these things strains the parts of me that are still healing. And because I feel better and want to be active again, it's hard to remember (and accept) that I'm only halfway through my recovery and still need to take it easy.

Good thing my body has natural reminders built in!

The steps I jogged down this morning.

Reminder 1: On Friday, feeling really good and energetic, I dropped my car keys under the driver's seat and had to dig them out. Not very active, but a lot of bending and twisting. I was completely winded after the 45 seconds it took to get them out.

Still not OK to make awkward movements.

Reminder 2: I quickly hopped down our front steps today when I went out to get the paper. Didn't think twice about it because I, again, felt so good, and my pre-surgery pace up or down our steps was a jog. After I went inside, I started to feel cramp-y in my uterine area, and almost a little queasy.

Still not OK to bounce.

Both good reminders for my first day back in the office tomorrow. I'd better get some sleep before the big day.

Sayonara.

Day 17 (Monday) - Part 2: Scarring

One of my scabs came off today while I was pulling up my pants (yes, I can button my pants again!), the one over my smallest incision.

Looks pretty good, but as expected, there's a small, visible scar.

Upper left, scab still over healing incision;
Lower right, scar left from incision.

I have other scars, but from external injuries, not full incisions, so they are much less dense and barely noticeable to the touch. They're also on firmer parts of the body (leg, hand, etc.).

It's strange to run my fingers over this one and feel such a hard, tiny lump in the middle of such a soft area of the body.

I assume the one in my belly button won't be visible, but no doubt I'll be unveiling three more of these surgery reminders in the days to come....perhaps by Halloween!