Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Recuperation Complete, Back on My Head, Coffee Break's Over*


So it's been over two weeks since I went in for structural repairs, saw my surgeon on Tuesday last week and he said that I'm healing up nicely. 'Twas then that this conversation ensued...
Your Humble Scribe: "So Doc, I'm planning on going back to work next week, the day after Labor Day."
Doc: "In that case you need to be very, very careful. Continue to wear your abdominal binder. I'll see you again in four weeks."
Abdominal Binder (Source)
(Yeah, I wish I looked this good!)
At that point I wondered, last time I had surgery, I didn't go back to work until after the last time I had seen the doc. I was out nearly two months last year. While it's not that I didn't mind the time off, it's just that when you're recuperating from surgery, it's not like you can do a lot of fun things.

This time, while I still can't sleep worth a damn (more on that in a bit), I feel well enough to go back to the salt mines work. It's not like I have a construction job or anything. Heck, I 
either sit behind a desk working at a computer, or I sit in the lab, working at a computer. While it will be a pain not to be able to just go lie down when I feel like it, I didn't really want to skirmish with the insurance company again this year.

Truth be told, I'm ready to go back. A good rule of thumb for determining if you're done convalescing is that if you're bored, want to go out and do stuff, and it's not that painful to do so, then you've recuperated enough. I'm there.

Now as to the sleep thing. I sleep on my belly. Having had surgery on my belly, that becomes a "not recommended" kind of thing. It hurts when I do that. I have a great deal of difficulty sleeping on my back. If I do, somehow, manage to fall asleep on my back, I promptly roll onto my stomach, unless it hurts, then I awaken and try (once again) to go back to sleep. Usually without any great success. I've learned to survive by dozing. A few minutes of sleep, on and off, while not exactly restorative, is better than no sleep at all.

The weekend after I had surgery was no fun at all. Couldn't even make my own way to the front door of the hospital, I had to be wheeled out. Seriously, it was that painful. Not sure why they booted me so soon, but I'd rather recuperate at home. The food is better. (And yes, the staff is far more conducive to recovery, they let me sleep and didn't insist on poking and prodding me every few hours. Not that I had other things to do, and my nurses were cute, but I'd rather be at home.)

I'm sure The Missus Herself would have appreciated a few more days of me being cared for by medical professionals. Though I tried very hard to be a good patient, I was not very mobile for the first few days out of the hospital. Couldn't even get out of bed by myself, The Missus Herself had to give me a hand. I'm sure she would have loved to have access to one of these -

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jonathan Nelson (Source)

Point is, I am now quite capable of climbing out of bed on my own (not rapidly mind you, I need to kind of think it through, look for the right places to put my hands and avoid straining the abdominal muscles) so The Missus Herself no longer needs to assist. I'm better than I was two weeks ago though I'm not Fully Mission Capable (FMC) just yet. But Partially Mission Capable (PMC) looks better on the report than Not Mission Capable (NMC) which I was for quite a few days. So I'm on the schedule, so to speak.

I've awakened a few times, on my belly. Not in much pain mind you, just enough discomfort to wake me up. I have graduated to sleeping on my side, which is better than nothing. So I'm getting more sleep, just not the quality I care for. But hey, I am sleeping more. And that's a good thing.

So as you're reading this, I am back in action at my place of employment, no heavy lifting and I'm under medical advice to be "very, very careful." But it is what it is, heck it's what they pay me to do. Not lie around collecting disability. I'll leave that to others. Of whom there are far too many.

Oh well.




* Paraphrase from a joke told to me by an old friend.

26 comments:

  1. Glad you are back in battery. Good picture of Tilly the flight deck crane. In my day, she was always yellow. Wonder when (and why) that changed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I couldn't remember the name of the crane, Tilly, of course.

      The color of ground support equipment went from yellow to green at some point in the Air Force as well. White is kind of an odd color, perhaps I'll ask my sources as to the why.

      I'd like to say it's good to be back at work. Note that, I'd "like" to say that, doesn't mean I will. :)

      Thanks Cap'n.

      Delete
    2. Nonskid ain't black, at least not after being underway for a while.

      I do like the contrast idea though, in case the deck crew can't find it?

      Delete
    3. While it fades to various shades of dark gray, it starts out as Deck Blue. Yellow tends to blend in after dark, while white is high contrast at night. Oddly enough, this is only true at close range. During WWII, research showed that ships operating at night, light PTs, MGBs, and their ilk, were best painted a light gray, or white, as black, or other dark colors, show up clearly at night, as a dark "hole" on the horizon, while light colors blended in with the horizon.

      Delete
    4. Again, I am schooled by my loyal readers. Of course, Deck Blue, while a very dark blue, isn't a "true" black. Right?

      Then again, Navy Blue has always looked black to me. What do I know, I was Air Force. :)

      Thanks for straightening me out Scott. (Do badgers know everything? Or just most things? How could I doubt you?)

      Delete
    5. We are required to know most things, as part of our annoying personalities

      Delete
  2. I also am glad you're back on your feet. Take it easy, blah, blah, blah. You know the routine.

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    Replies
    1. I don't know Juvat, this remaining upright all day, I think I'm ready for retirement.

      But bills still need to be paid, blah, blah, blah. Oh yes, I do know the routine.

      Thanks Juvat.

      Delete
  3. Hang in there.
    Before long it will only be a memory.

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  4. Glad to see you at home and hobbling about. As I understand it, they boot one out of the hospital nowadays as soon after surgery as is deemed safe because statistics show that the patient heals faster at home. (Also, I do believe that insurance companies have a say in this.) A year ago, this month, I endured a 12 hour procedure called a cardiac ablation. Though not major surgery it, none the less, wiped me out. I was discharged two days after. I couldn't even walk yet . . . absolutely no strength. Recovery at home was preferable to being poked and prodded and awakened at 4 in the a.m. to have my "vitals" recorded (lovely young nurses notwithstanding). Stay safe and be in good health.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm actually back at work, I'm sore but I can be sore at work as well as at home.

      Healing at home was preferable. And the food at home is always better.

      Delete
  5. Glad you're back at the salt mines. Sometimes it feels good to get back to the grind even if it's in a limited
    capacity.

    I miss sleeping on my stomach but after blowing out my back on the flight line back in '78 I could no longer
    do it without causing major pain. I always got my best sleep that way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can get used to not sleeping on my stomach but it ain't the preferred method.

      Work is okay, it's still interesting enough so I don't dread Mondays. While I don't like getting up early, it's not like I have to be in at some specific, exact time. Flextime is a wonderful thing.

      Delete
    2. I have flextime also and it's fantastic. I'm usually at work by 6:00 am but as long as I'm there by
      10:00 am all is good.

      Delete
  6. Glad to read that things are looking up. Take care of yourself as I wish to continue to read your rantings, umm... make that your reasoned and knowledgeable discourse, for many more years.

    Paul L. Quandt

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    Replies
    1. Yes, yes, reasoned and knowledgeable. I'll go with that.

      Thanks Paul.

      Delete
  7. There is something to be said for growing old, I just can't remember it.

    Live long and Prosper and enjoy!

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    Replies
    1. I guess growing old beats the alternative.

      Thanks Cap'n!

      Delete
  8. Glad to hear you're back in battery.

    And remember, it could always be worse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrxlbLVcpqI.

    Bruce Jones

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    Replies
    1. Hahaha, thanks Bruce!

      (No aliens on board to my knowledge.)

      Delete
  9. I wonder if they still call it tilly? Surely that moniker is some sort of vicious assault. As is Shirley, come to think about it.

    Glad you're on the mend and back at work in your UA gear.

    I grew an infection in/near my repaired achilles tendon; monday night there was simply no sleeping position that allowed even a short doze. They slashed it open to let the bad out and I slept like a baby last night. Still hurts to hobble but heading in the right direction.

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    Replies
    1. A shiver ran up my back when you said achilles tendon. Memories of Troy I reckon.

      :)

      Delete

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